Doctor Who Christmas special breaks BBC America ratings record

BBC America achieved its highest-ever audience on Christmas Day, as 2.47m tuned in for this year's Doctor Who festive special.

'The Time of The Doctor' broke the US channel's ratings record that had only been set a month previously by Doctor Who's 50th anniversary special, which drew 2.4m viewers.

Matt Smith made his final appearance as the titular Time Lord in Wednesday's episode, bowing out of the role after almost five years.

The Thick Of It's Peter Capaldi made his debut at the end of the show.

A special looking back at Smith's time on Doctor Who also performed well for the channel, with 1.54m tuning in immediately before his last show.

Smith's goodbye and The Doctor's regeneration was the most-watched five-minute segment on British television on Christmas Day, drawing 10.2m viewers on BBC One.

The show was watched by an average of 8.29m, with Mrs Brown's Boys topping the overall UK Christmas Day ratings with an audience of 9.4m.

Source: Digital Spy

Read more...

Alex Kingston on Matt Smith 'Doctor Who' exit: "You have to move on"

Alex Kingston has revealed that she knew of Matt Smith's intention to leave Doctor Who.

It was announced last Saturday (June 1) that Smith would be departing the BBC sci-fi drama at Christmas.

"I wasn't surprised [by the news], because he and I had a chat," Kingston explained during an appearance on BBC One's The One Show last night (June 5).

"At some stage, you have to move on and we did discuss when would be the right time in a young actor's career [to leave] if they were very associated with a particular role."

Kingston added that 30-year-old Smith was wise to depart the series before he became "typecast" as the Doctor.

"You have to move on, otherwise it becomes very difficult," she said.

Doctor Who will return to BBC One on Saturday, November 23 for its 50th anniversary special, with Matt Smith's final episode following later in the year.

Source: Digital Spy

Read more...