Peter Capaldi was always set to make his debut as Doctor Who in the 50th anniversary special episode, showrunner Steven Moffat has revealed.
Showrunner Steven Moffat knew current Doctor Matt Smith was leaving when he was writing 'The Day of the Doctor' and as he wanted all the past regenerations on screen he decided it would only be right to have the new guy in the TARDIS in it as well.
When Moffat was asked if the future Doctor was always going to be in the episode, he told website Blogtor Who: "It was the plan from the start. All the Doctors, all The Doctors would fly in to save Gallifrey and change the Doctor's timeline - how could you not do that? I knew there was going to be a new one so I wrote it without knowing who would be doing that. We did manage to cast somebody where you can use half his face for less than a second and everybody knows who he is. He looks cross! It got quite a reaction!"
Moffat also promised fans excited by the mere sight of Capaldi's eyes in that he will be "brilliant" as the Time Lord.
He added: "We've only seen the tiniest moment. It's just the beginning of a process really. Of course, Peter's brilliant. And just seeing the energy and vitality that he brings to his performance, he works, he's a worker. The man is not at all elderly in style, he leaps around the place probably more than any other Doctor in that first scene. But that's not how he's going to play it, he's in a state of post-regeneration madness. It's something we're still working on."
Capaldi, 55, will take over the part in the Christmas special 'The Time of the Doctor' which will be screened on Christmas Day (25.12.13).
Tagged in Doctor Who Matt Smith Steven Moffat Peter Capaldi