Well, well, it looks like I'll be polishing up my sgian dubh, to help my fellow countryman fight off the dreaded Daleks! Yes, the 'showrunner' for 'Dr Who' - Stephen Moffat, another Scot - has picked Peter Capaldi, who despite an Irish mother and a father from the Abruzzo region of Italy, was born in Glasgow in 1958. Given the amount of money wagered at official betting shops in the last few days on Capaldi, I think the BBC had better initiate an enquiry! This has been the worst kept 'secret' in years.
Capaldi had obvious acting skills, so much so that he was cast in the 1983 Burt Lancaster film 'A Local Hero' when still at the Glasgow School of Art. Comedy and drama success followed, with the starring role of abrasive, abusive Malcolm Tucker in the TV series 'the Thick Of It' (he'll have to clean up the language considerably!). This is a quality actor, however, as his 1995 Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film showed; he has also picked up a BAFTA, so we are talking serious acting talent, here. After all, if you are going to be working the set with John Hurt, you had better be able to hold your own.
The BBC have made a conscious choice to go older here; I don't think there will be much running through freight yards, or bursting through prop doors with this Doctor. Watch for a more cerebral take on the Time Lord, I think. However, you COULD have a younger, more vigorous 'companion' to make up for this. Also, you could yet see Professor River Song brought back in some fashion, as the awkward 'visual' age difference between Alex Kingston and Matt Smith has disappeared.
Capaldi has already appeared on Dr Who, of course, as Caecilius in the episode 'The Fires of Pompeii' in 2008, with his fellow Scot, David Tennant as the Doctor. There are many precedents for bringing back actors in other roles, but this is rather different!
One interesting snippet. When he was at school, he was the lead singer in a punk rock band called (depending on who you listen to) either 'The Dreamboys' or 'The Bastards From Hell'. The drummer was one Craig Ferguson. I rather think we know where Peter Capaldi's first late night talk show appearance will be, don't we?
Well, there you have it...a very strong, unconventional choice. It should be a very interesting couple of years or so!
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