Richard E Grant to star in 'Doctor Who'
Published Aug 6 2012, 00:01 BST | By Amy Bell
Richard E Grant has been cast in Doctor Who, it has been revealed.The news was announced by the BBC via the sci-fi series's official Twitter feed at midnight, after it tweeted yesterday (August 5) that an "iconic" star was to feature in the show.
© PA Images / Yui Mok/PA Wire
© BBC
While specific details of the Withnail & I actor's role have not yet been confirmed, Grant has previously appeared within the Doctor Who universe as the voice of the Ninth Doctor in the flash-animated series Scream of the Shalka, which featured on the show's website in 2003.
"I played Doctor Who in the digital animated Scream Of The Shalka and I'm honoured to be in the Christmas Special," Grant said in an official statement.
Tom Ward (Silent Witness) will also appear in the festive instalment opposite Matt Smith and new companion Jenna-Louise Coleman, who will make her Doctor Who debut in the episode.
Filming on the Christmas special - under director Saul Metzstein - will commence this week in Wales.
Doctor Who will return with its seventh series premiere 'Asylum of the Daleks' in August. The episode will debut at BFI Southbank in London on August 14, and will also be broadcast at the Edinburgh TV Festival later this month.
However, a television air date for 'Asylum of the Daleks' has not yet been revealed by the BBC.
Watch the trailer for the seventh series of Doctor Who below:
Brilliant casting, purely for the fact that RTD allegedly hated his performance in the webisodes back in 03'
"I thought he was terrible. I thought he took the money and ran, to be honest. It was a lazy performance. He was never on our list to play the Doctor."
He's got some nerve talking about how he ''took the money and ran'', considering the fact the guy he ended up casting buggered off after just one series.
November 18th 2012 at 2:56pm
he's a brilliant actor.one of my favourites.however the way they trumpeted this last night(iconic actor to star in doctor who)you'd think it was going to be robert de niro or alan rickman.a great actor yes,iconic?i'm not so sure.for the record mind he'd make a great future doctor.that doesnt mean he's iconic,just that his persona perfectly suits the role.
August 6th 2012 at 9:36pm(+1 like)
Aw hello?
August 6th 2012 at 7:06pm(+1 like)
And to refer to him purely as the "Argos adverts man" just goes to show what you know of truly talented actors
August 6th 2012 at 6:58pm
Seriouly people Richard E Grant is an awesome actor and been around for years and if he was crap for 1 he wouldn't still be in a job and 2 the BBC wouldn't have cast him.
Wish people would keep their traps shut til they have seen the episode before rthey start to critic the preformances.
I would honestly half the people that comment and moan and groan about the shows do any better.
August 6th 2012 at 6:56pm(+2 likes)