Some good calls there - but I reckon you've come up with a prime candidate in Matthew McFadyen. I seem to remember he was in Spooks for quite a while, so presumably he is well used to the challenges of "genre" tv.

Certainly, rather him than blummin' James Nesbit.....

It's odd actually - now that I think about it, I don't think I've ever really concentrated that much on who I would like to see as "the next Doctor" - ever since Tom Baker/Peter Davison. Too busy worrying about what's going to happen to the current one.

(I don't think I've ever really recovered from Peter Davison regenerating into Colin Baker. I eventually came around to liking CB as the Doctor, but by God, he made it hard work to do so!)

I can think of a multitude of actors I would NOT like to see in the role however

Mr Nesbit
Robson ('n'Jerome) Green
Joanna Lumley (lovely woman - superb in Sapphire and Steel, great in the New Avengers, very funny in Ab Fab, entertaining in some sort of camping program a few years back when she made a pair of slippers out of her bra.....but Doctor Who? No! (apart from Curse of the Fatal Death...))
Robert Carlyle - sorry, but no. Just.....no.

Apparently Jimmy Nesser has ruled himself out (please let that be true!) And as for Robby C, groan!

I only started thinking about the 'next' Doctor 'cos there were some glaring omissions in the lists doing the rounds. It made me a bit suspicious....

In reality, I think the actor has probably been chosen. Filming starts in June for Series 5 and the scripts are being worked on now so Stevey M is bound to have sorted out the actor playing him. Surely.....

Actually, Matthew Macfadyen has been on a few lists and, in addition, there was a BBC5 Radio interview with him a couple weeks ago (ostensibly to discuss Little Dorrit but getting into other things as well) where the interviewer asked him point blank if he would be interested either in (a) returning to Spooks for a few guest appearances or (b) Doctor Who. MM's only reply was a laughing "I haven't been asked."

For the record, I think he'd be a great choice. He can do anything acting-wise, is especially expressive with his eyes when acting ('Arthur Clennam' should convince anyone of that) and seems to have a yen to do something more off-beat for a while. So count me in on him, no matter how unlikely I think it.

One tsk-tsk though. Whilst I agree that I don't want to see a female Doctor Who... shame on you for the Nurse Who comment! You know, this is an age where women actually ARE doctors! (And I have to say that the suggestion of Maggie Smith was a fabulous one... not necessarily for the 11th Doctor, but perhaps for a role as another Time Lord discovered who, at the end of a 2 episode arc, dies. After all they did it once before with that plot about "the Master"! Why not give Dame Maggie a chance to shine as, I don't know... the Doctor's mother???

Interesting, I haven't seen him mentioned but glad to see he is being asked about DW.

As for my "Nurse Who" comment, that was a 'gag' - I am well aware that women are doctors too. Maybe not wise to make such 'high~larious' remarks in these post Brand/Ross times but I like to liven it up now and again.

The reason why I think it's ridiculous that women crop up in the list is that The Doctor is a man. There are female Time Lords - Romana, for example, made a brilliant companion back in the Seventies (but don't get me started on the Rani). They don't change sexes (not yet anyway - I'm sure that could all change).

The press like to stick women in there (as does RTD & Co.) 'cos it makes a 'story'. JNT started the trend back in the 80s and I'm sure it will continue.

"As for my "Nurse Who" comment, that was a 'gag' - I am well aware that women are doctors too. Maybe not wise to make such 'high~larious' remarks in these post Brand/Ross times but I like to liven it up now and again."

Understood... I wasn't really offended either, just felt you should get a bit back for it, LOL Actually, as a woman myself, I'm much more interested in seeing The Doctor remain male.

If he didn't possess the drawback of being American, I might suggest Adrian Brody... but I do think The Doctor needs to remain British, and even an American who can do an accent would be unacceptable to me. There's just a core difference between American and Brit humour and quirkiness that most Americans (and before someone crucifies me, I am one) just don't fully get deep in their souls to translate into their acting.

Brody would be an excellent choice.

Though he probably likes being in films too much!

No matter what rubbish he stars in, he's always worth watching.

I'd be happy if McFayden or Bell got the role. I'll poke my own eyes out with a sharp stick if Robson Green was ever cast.

Saw RTD in conversation at the NT on Saturday night and he said no one has been cast and it's a long way off yet. But we know he lies. A lot. The swine. They knew DT was leaving way back at the beginning of the summer so the Moff was well aware he'd be writing for a new Doc. I've heard on the grapevine that they will screen test before Xmas. And I was having a conversation with someone who suggested that the Moff might go with someone he's worked with before and both Richard Coyle and Jack Davenport could be seen as potentials for the role. Not sure about that!

My suggestion would be to get the role cast and get it announced. Put a stop to all these agents getting their clients in the papers.

It seems like everyday someone comes up to me with another 'exclusive' from a tabloid regarding the casting.

I have complete faith that The Moff will do what's right in that department. If the screen test thing is true then a Christmas announcement would be possible (unless it turns out to actually be David Morrissey...).

That's great you got to see RTD, the master of manipulation. He said that Davey T revealed his 3 Series plan during the filming of The Runaway Bride so it's not like they didn't know.

Matthew Macfadyen would be splendid as the good Doctor. It certainly beats many of the other names being bandied about.

Very true.

I'm glad someone else agrees with me about Matthew McFadyen. I started a thread in Outpost Gallifrey suggesting him too! I watched him on Spooks, but it was his Little Dorrit performance I saw recently that made me think, "yes, he would be fantastic as the Doc!"

Nice one!

How did the suggestion go down on the OG?

I've never seen SPOOKS (yet I did watch CODE 9 - groan) but he's real good in LITTLE DORRIT.

I think he's got it all which makes his absence from the Bookies list even more bizarre.