NEW Doctor Who Matt Smith will have a tough act to follow after the people of Ipswich revealed the current Time Lord is their favourite ever.

Neil Puffett

NEW Doctor Who Matt Smith will have a tough act to follow after the people of Ipswich revealed the current Time Lord is their favourite ever.

Smith is due to first appear on television screens as the revered doctor in 2010.

At just 26 he is the youngest ever doctor and, although relatively unknown, has appeared in Alan Bennett's play The History Boys at the National Theatre in London, and alongside Christian Slater in Swimming With Sharks in the West End.

His appointment - kept a secret until the showing of a special programme on BBC1 on Saturday evening - shocked many who favoured the new doctor to be a woman or a black actor. David Morrissey had also been hotly tipped to take over.

Nearly seven million people tuned in to see the new doctor unveiled on the programme.

But Smith will face a tough task winning fans in Ipswich over though after the overwhelming majority of people on the street named current Dr Who David Tennant the best ever.

Out of six people approached, five named Tennant as the best person to have filled the Doctor's shoes - citing his enthusiasm for the role and acting prowess as key factors.

Smith will be the 11th Time Lord since the programme first aired in 1963.

He said he was delighted to take on the role.

“I've got this wonderful journey in front of me,” he said.

“I've got six months to build this Time Lord and that's such an exciting prospect.'

“I feel proud and honoured to have been given this opportunity to join a team of people that has worked so tirelessly to make the show so thrilling.

“David Tennant has made the role his own, brilliantly, with grace, talent and persistent dedication. I hope to learn from the standards set by him.

“The challenge for me is to do justice to the show's illustrious past, my predecessors, and most importantly, to those who watch it. I really cannot wait.”

- Is Matt Smith a good choice? Who would you have liked to have seen be chosen? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk

The view from the street: Who is your favourite doctor?

Doris Fulcher, 88, of Packard Avenue, Ipswich: “David Tennant was quite nice I thought.

“I don't know what the new one is like, we will just have to wait and see.”

Sharon Martin, 22, of Christchurch Street, Ipswich: “It is definitely David Tennant - no question.

“Christopher Eccleston was terrible - he didn't have the finesse.

“When you watch David Tennant you see that he is enjoying himself.

“He loved being the doctor.”

Karen Cave, 36, of Felixstowe: “David Tennant was quite good. He seemed more exciting than the others.

“He was a lot more fun.”

Nick Scott, 48, of Tattingstone: “I grew up with John Pertwee but I think David Tennant was better.

“I think he's a good actor and I think that the storylines weren't bad either.”

Diana Evans, 57, of Ipswich: “I suppose it has to be Tom Baker. “He's the one I watched most as he was on when my children were young. “He stands out in my mind as being the most eccentric.”

Pat Bell, 38, of Ipswich: “For me it's David Tennant. He has just got that look about him. “He's a good actor and seems like he's enjoying himself as well.”

The 11 doctors:-

1. William Hartnell (1963-1966)

2. Patrick Troughton (1966-1969)

3. Jon Pertwee (1970-1974)

4. Tom Baker (1974-1981)

5. Peter Davison (1982-1984)

6. Colin Baker (1984-1986)

7. Sylvester McCoy (1987-1996)

8. Paul McGann (1996)

9. Christopher Eccleston (2005)

10. David Tennant (2005-2010)

11. Matt Smith (2010 - ?)