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Peter Capaldi May Leave Doctor Who After Just 13 Episodes

Despite having only been announced as the new Doctor a few months ago, Scottish actor Peter Capaldi already has something of a Regenerate-by date on his time as a time traveler.


Show runner Stephen Moffat has raised concerns that we'll be seeing a 13th Doctor before this time next year by mentioning the length of Capaldi's contract in an interview. He has since confirmed that The Thick of It star is signed on to play The Doctor for just 13 episodes, to be split into two 6 episodes series and one special over 2014. After which he will either go all orange and fizzy and turn into someone else or, if he's popular enough, stick around for a wee while longer.

Capaldi, 55, will take over from the outgoing Matt Smith during the Christmas Special this year when Smith's 11th Doctor gets murdered somehow and changes from a floppy-haired Shoreditch indie type into more of a wiry grey-haired old devil sort. 

If he does wind up leaving the show after Christmas 2014 then he'll be following suit with Christopher Eccleston, the first modern Doctor and 9th overall, who played the role for just one series when it returned in 2005. Eccleston, currently appearing as the villain Malekith in Thor 2, isn't the shortish serving Doctor either. That dubious honour goes to Paul McGann, the 8th Doctor from the 2000 TV movie. 

Before Capaldi leaves, or doesn't, and before he even starts in the first place, we've got the 50th Anniversary Spectacular to contend with. Featuring more than one Doctor for the first time in the new era series, the 50th Anniversary special stars Matt Smith and David Tennant (Doctor Number 10) as well as legendary actor John Hurt (also playing The Doctor), plus current companion Jenna-Louise Coleman and former companion Billie bloody Piper.



The 75 minute feature length episode, titled "The Day of the Doctor" will be shown as the main event to a day's worth of celebration on November 23rd, broadcast on BBC One as well in 216 odd cinemas around the UK. Tickets for the cinema screenings sold out within hours of going on sale in every single theater on in the kingdom, so unless you already have one you're gonna be watching this at home I'm afraid.

The trailer for the special alone cost a reported £100,000, and it features every Doctor from William Hartnell's 1st right up to Matt Smith's 11th. At 1 Minute and 1 Second, that's £1,677 a second.

Have a look at where all that money went below... 

Words by Gazz Wood

Gazz is a writer from the Northern Film School in Leeds. He also hosts the "Possibly of Interest" podcast with TV producer Howard Cohen (Impractical Jokers) and special guests from the British Comedy world. Plus he's got his own show; "Gazz Wood Has A Podcast", with weekly guests like MISFITS Director Nirpal Bhogal and Sex & Relationships Expert Annabelle Knight! Good Lord!





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