Fans of Doctor Who will be sad to know that David Tennant, the man who currently plays the central character of the BBC series, will be leaving the role before the new season begins two years from now.  The 37-year-old actor, who also appeared on the big screen with Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, confirmed that he won’t be returning to the show for its next season.

"When 'Doctor Who' returns in 2010 it won't be with me," Tennant, who won the outstanding drama performance prize at the National Television Awards, announced after receiving the award.

"I love this part, and I love this show so much that if I don't take a deep breath and move on now I never will, and you'll be wheeling me out of the Tardis in my bath chair,” he added in an interview.  Tennant is one of the most popular actors to play the role of the last Time Lord, who is born of an alien race and has regenerative powers.  This little plot device thus makes it easy for production to recast the role with different actors over time.  Tennant took the role from Christopher Eccleston back in 2005.  He says that now is the perfect time to exit the show.

"I think it's right to take a deep breath and bow out when it's still fun, when it's a novelty," Tennant explained.  "I don't ever want it to feel like a job, so I want to move on when it still feels exciting and fresh and that means I'll miss it."

Fans mustn’t be too disappointed as Tennant will be appearing in four special episodes which will be broadcast on the BBC next year.  Despite being sad about Tennant’s departure, executive producer Russell T. Davies says that the search is on for the next Doctor Who.

"I've been lucky and honoured to work with David over the past few years, and it's not over yet," David admitted.  "The tenth Doctor still has five spectacular hours left. After which, I might drop an anvil on his head.  Or maybe a piano.  A radioactive piano.  But we're planning the most enormous and spectacular ending, so keep watching."


-Valerie Anne del Castillo, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: Zap2It
(Photo courtesy of BBC)