DOCTOR WHO is to regenerate into the youngest Time Lord. The BBC last night named Matt Smith, 26, as the actor who will replace David Tennant.

It is a tall order to step into the shoes of Tennant, 37, the Scottish-born actor who has proved the most popular Time Lord with fans of the series, which is now in its 46th year.

But Northampton-born Smith won his acting spurs opposite Billie Piper, also 26, one of the doctor’s most popular assistants, in the BBC adaptations of Philip Pullman’s The Ruby in the Smoke and The Shadow in the North. He played the assistant to Piper’s role as detective heroine Sally Lockhart.

Smith, who originally wanted to be a footballer and was a schoolboy player at Leicester City before a back injury forced him out of the game, will be the 11th television doctor when he takes over the role in 2010. He claims to have been a fan since the age of one.

The actor played Lockwood in Alan Bennett’s play The History Boys at the National theatre in London. Russell Tovey, 27, who played Rudge in the same play, was also considered for the role and was the choice of Russell T Davies, the scriptwriter who revived the programme for a new audience.

Smith, who also took the lead role of Danny in the BBC2 series Party Animals set in the world of young politicians, said last night: “I am flabbergasted. I have not slept to be honest – I have bags under my eyes. It is an iconic part of my culture which I’ve watched since 1983.” He added: “I’m just so excited about the journey in front of me.”

Smith’s selection has divided Doctor Who fans. Sebastian Brook, editor of drwhoonline.co.uk, which boasts the biggest internet community of 20,000 fans in the UK, said: “I think it is the right choice. It is good that they have got a young guy with lots of energy.”

But a message on gallifreyone.com, the most popular fan website, said: “This Matt Smith guy – I’ve never seen him in anything – may be a good actor but he’s way too young to play the Doctor. Maybe when he’s a bit older.”

Others said: “I actually hope he does fail miserably as it’ll teach the BBC that ‘yoof’ isn’t always best” and “At least they’ve stuck with the white male formula.”

There was speculation that the BBC might put the first black man into the Tardis or recast Piper as the first Time Lady. Paterson Joseph, 44, the black actor, was the bookmakers’ favourite to land the part.

Steven Moffat, the programme’s executive producer and new lead writer, said, “The Doctor is a very special part, and it takes a very special actor to play him. You need to be old and young at the same time, a boffin and an action hero, a cheeky schoolboy and the wise old man of the universe.

“As soon as Matt walked through the door and blew us away with a bold and brand new take on the Time Lord, we knew we had our man. 2010 is a long time away but rest assured the 11th doctor is coming – and the universe has never been so safe.”

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