Moffat Talks About Matt Smith Era and 50th

Matt Smith is a guest on Desert Island Discs on BBC Radio 4 today - the BBC report is here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-43262649

Actor Matt Smith has revealed he nearly turned down his career-making role as the 11th Doctor in Doctor Who.

Speaking on Desert Island Discs, Smith said he had had "a wobble" after being told he'd be David Tennant's successor.

"I was like, 'I don't think I'm going to do it'," he told BBC Radio 4. "My agent said, 'You're going to do it.'"

[...]

The Northampton native said he had "loved every minute" of playing a Time Lord, even if it did lead to some curious encounters.

During the interview, he also recalled seeing tattoos of his face on the flesh of dedicated "Whovians", one of whom had "me and David [Tennant] on both thighs".

Smith described Jodie Whittaker as "a brilliant choice" to play the sci-fi drama's first female Doctor.

"The show relies on big, broad, creative brushstrokes," the actor continued. "It's brilliant, it's high time and she'll be sensational."

Smith said he had not given Whittaker any advice but admitted in the interview that playing the Doctor had sometimes been an ordeal.

"It's the hardest thing you'll ever do in your life," he said, citing the "gargantuan number of lines" as a major factor.

Rawkuss wrote:What is he on about Day of the Doctor is the hardest to follow? It's mainly from Matt Smith's perspective. IIRC, it starts with him and introduces the others as it goes along.

Some of the technical detail he was talking about was interesting but then he gets onto the negative reaction from fandom and then he just loses me. Thanks for posting.