Poor old Matt Smith

Only just catching up with things from last week still - here's some comments by Matt Smith from an interview in Empire magazine (Oct 2012) on how the rigours of filming Doctor Who have aged him. I did think that during last nights episode actually! All three main actors looked tired, and it's only the second episode of the new season! His comments sparked rumours that he was quitting sooner rather than later, denied by all involved.

Here's some choice bits taken from the Daily Telegraph (I havent found the full interview online yet):

In an interview with Empire Magazine ahead of the launch Smith said he could not sustain the role for as long as Tom Baker - who played the Doctor for seven years.

He said the schedule - which sees him work 12 hour days for 10 months of the year - had aged him "savagely".

"There are no days off unless your leg has fallen off. Me, Karen (Gillan who plays Amy Pond) and Arthur (Darvill, Amy's husband Rory) would see our skin deteriorate through the shoot.

"You see yourself looking slowly more bedraggled. I have aged savagely.

"But all for a good cause. I wouldn't change it for the world. There are burdens, but these are small crosses to bear for getting on set."

Smith was chosen as the Doctor following the departure of David Tennant, who left after three full series of the show and at the height of his popularity.

In the interview, Smith added: "Tom Baker did it 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 pessimistic.

"It’s just I don’t think my body or my life or the people around me could sustain it."