Matt Smith is the Eleventh Doctor Who

This isn’t big news in the States, but it’s pretty big news Across the Pond over in the UK, where they’ve just announced the actor who will be replacing David Tennant as the new Doctor Who in the ongoing TV show. The eleventh version Doctor, I’m told. The actor’s name is Matt Smith, a 26-year old actor who has been in the BBC1’s The Ruby in the Smoke and BBC2’s Party Animals. Apparently casting a mostly unknown actor is not a stretch for the BBC, as the previous doctor, Tennant, had only been in one show before he, too, was plucked out of obscurity to take over the controls of the TARDIS.

Here’s more about the casting and Smith from the BBC:

Matt Smith has been named as the actor who will take over from David Tennant in Doctor Who – making him the youngest actor to take on the role.

At 26, Smith is three years younger than Peter Davison when he signed up to play the fifth Doctor in 1981.

Smith will first appear on TV screens as the 11th Doctor in 2010.

He was cast over Christmas and will begin filming for the fifth series of Doctor Who in the summer. Tennant is filming four specials in 2009.

Smith was named as Tennant’s replacement in Saturday’s edition of Doctor Who Confidential on BBC One.

Video of the new doctor talking about various things, including how he got the part and not being able to tell anyone about it:

They also have a list of the previous 10 doctors and long they lasted:

1. William Hartnell (1963-1966)
2. Patrick Troughton (1966-1969)
3. Jon Pertwee (1970-1974)
4. Tom Baker (1974-1981)
5. Peter Davison – pictured (1982-1984)
6. Colin Baker (1984-1986)
7. Sylvester McCoy (1987-1996)
8. Paul McGann (1996)
9. Christopher Eccleston (2005)
10. David Tennant (2005-2010)
11. Matt Smith (2010 – ?)

Below: Matt Smith is ready to make house calls.