26 year old Matt Smith has been named as the next Dr. Who. The ‘big reveal’ took place during a Dr. Who special on BBC 1, and the result was also broadcast live on big screens in cities around the UK (it’s kind of a big deal as the show is one of the most watched shows in Britain).

Matt Smith will be the youngest doctor in the history of the show, and will be first seen on screen in 2010, after David Tennant has completed 4 TV movie specials throughout 2009.

Dr. Who is now broadcast in over 42 countries around the world after the BBC brought it back to life in 2005. Series 5 will be written by Steven Moffat, who pulled out of writing Tintin for Steven Spielberg so he could work on the show.

“The Doctor is a very special part, and it takes a very special actor to play him. You need to be old and young at the same time, a boffin and an action hero, a cheeky schoolboy and the wise old man of the universe. As soon as Matt walked through the door, and blew us away with a bold and brand new take on the Time Lord, we knew we had our man.”

• Doctor Who movie has a script in development