Matt Smith Hasn’t Quit ‘Doctor Who,’ Says BBC

Is it time for a new doctor? The BBC is denying a report that surfaced earlier this morning that Matt Smith was leaving Doctor Who.

The rumors started after Daily Mirror published a photo of Matt Smith on its cover under the headline “I Quit: Doctor Who’s Matt Calls Time On The Time Lord.”

The BBC, however, insists that the title was over-exaggerated and that Smith was still playing the good Doctor.

BBC’s Head of Communication, Sam Hodges, wrote on Twitter:

“Matt Smith hasn’t quit – just an over excitable headline…. He says in an interview that he won’t be the Doctor forever – hardly quitting! (Smith will) be around for a good while yet.”

Digital Journal points out that Smith has talked about quitting the show in the past. Smith recently told Empire Magazine that he “couldn’t do the show forever.”

Smith said:

“I don’t think you can sustain it. Tom Barker (played the Doctor) for seven years but he did it in different circumstances. I couldn’t do this for seven years. I’d be run into the ground. And your life outside of it is … I don’t know. I hope I don’t sound too pessimistic. It’s just I don’t think my body or my life or the people around me could sustain it.”

The 7th season of Doctor Who airs tonight on BBC 1. Here’s a trailer for the new season.