15 yr old fan, Peter Capaldi, named the Twelfth Doctor 40 years later!
When asked if he’d had a short list of Matt Smith replacements, Doctor Who showrunner, Steven Moffat, said: “Yes. The list went ‘Peter Capaldi’. It was a very short list“. Following Sundays live BBC telecast of the announcement heard ’round the world, Moffat added that he had been considering Capaldi for some time and that the star’s love of Doctor Who had been a significant factor in his casting.
While it’s doubtful that Moffat had knowledge of a seemingly innocent fan letter sent in by a then 15-year old fan of Doctor Who named Peter, it’s probably equally as doubtful that some 40 years later, that the same young fan thought he would be named the Twelfth Doctor. The letter, published in the Radio Times back in 1973, praised the publication for its special 15th anniversary edition and their Dalek construction plans was written by, you guessed it…a 15 year-old Peter Capaldi. Click on the image to read letter marked “Dalek-builders” and make note that the first letter in the graphic is written by the then heavyweight boxing champion of the world, Muhammad Ali.
Capaldi, best known for his brilliant work in The Thick of It, The Hour, Torchwood and Fortysomething, will take over from Matt Smith at the end of the year, with the incumbent Doctor set to regenerate during the Christmas episode.
