Peter Capaldi has confirmed that he will be retiring from BBC's "Doctor Who" at the end of this year.
Capaldi has been portraying the Doctor for three years and will end his tenure this December. In an interview with BBC Radio (via The New York Times) he felt that time has come to "to move on to different challenges."
"I feel sad, I love 'Doctor Who,' it is a fantastic program to work on," Capaldi said on the show. "But I don't know how long I can give it my best, and if I'm not giving it my best, I don't want to do it."
The search is now on for the next actor who will take on the coveted role and play the 13th Doctor on the hit BBC show. Here are some of the strong contenders and talked-about fan favorites to become Capaldi's successor.
Ben Whishaw
Before Capaldi took over the Doctor mantle, Ben Whishaw was one of the actors mentioned as a candidate for the role of 12th Doctor. However, he ruled himself out of the competition because he was busy filming the "James Bond" movies at the time.
"It's not going to be me. But I don't mind - I don't think you can be Q and Doctor Who. It would be a bit wrong," Whishaw said, as quoted by Vulture. There currently is no development in the "James Bond" franchise, and with Daniel Craig rumored to exit the role. It's possible that Whishaw's schedule may open up ample time for him to film "Doctor Who."
Richard Ayoade
Richard is one of the strong contenders for the role. He caught everyone's attention when he played the quirky leading man in "IT Crowd."
Aidan Turner
At one point, Turner was also highly favored to be the next Doctor. However, he previously revealed that he has no interest in the part mostly because he believes that his former "Being Human" co-star Russell Tovey is better suited for the job.
Olivia Colman
Traditionally, the role of the Doctor has always been portrayed by men. Some fans believe that it's time to change things up and give the role to a woman. Colman is one of the favorites for the role, as well "Agent Carter" alum Hayley Atwell.