Is Matt Smith leaving after next season?

[Vampyros Adric]

I think, as a breed, us Who fans are in a constant state of worry; is the show getting cancelled? is the budget being cut? Is the show runner leaving? This question is just another in the line of paranoia. Matt Smith won't be leaving until (at least) the end of season 7 barring a major fall out. If I was a betting men I would think he will stay until the 50th Anniversary and we will have a regeneration at the end of 2013. That will give us 4 seasons and I actually think that is probably enough for any actor.

[Peri-Peri]

To put a bit of a positive spin on things, I think one of the reasons its always such a hot topic is because the majority of people don't actually want to see him go. It's not always good to dwell on these things, but I think in a way its sort of a compliment. People worry about him leaving because they don't want him to.

[The Doc]

He's been talking about it again this week.

"I just sort of take each year as it comes really. We've got all the rest of this year to get through and then we'll just sit down and review it from there and see where it goes," Matt said.

"But I love playing the part and I love working with Steven Moffat."

Referring to Tom Baker, the longest-running Doctor from 1974 to 1981, he added: "I think there will need to be a younger, cooler person than me - or maybe an older, cooler person, who knows? But I don't think I'll be doing it as long as Mr Baker."

[Peri-Peri]

This isn't spoilery, it mainly talks about the upcoming Cardiff Con, but there is a bit of interesting chatter about Matt leaving. Or not leaving.

[Oh-Wise-One]

I'm 99% certain he won't be going anywhere until the anniversary is out of the way. He'd be mad to not be the man at the forefront of that and I don't think the 'huge plans' could be carried off by a new guy in the role. Not that an actor couldn't handle it, but the audience wants to be focused on the story, not on getting used to a new Doctor

[Roranicus]

He will never say anything either way until the time to say it, but I hope he is here until the anniversary. I have a feeling that might end up being a regen story and I am cool with that.

[Tardis-Console]

I think the anniversary would be a good time to go if there were to be a regen story. He would have a tenure pretty equal to Tennant then, too.

[Twisted-Sister]

He confirmed at the BFI that he is signed to 2014, so I would assume that is until at least the end of S8

[Mr Chinn]

I don't want to pass this off as a spoiler because as far as I can see there is no specific source and it could be a rumour that was entirely made up and just caught on, but I have read in a few places this week, all claiming an 'anonymous BBC source' saying that Matt will regenerate in a special episode airing New Years Day 2014.

As I said, it could be a load of crap, but I thought it was worth mentioning. I didn't want to clog up the spoiler thread and there didn't seem to be one that I could see for rumours and speculation so I thought I would just make one and see what people's thoughts were both on whether it might be real, and how they would feel about it.

Matt leaving on that date would make him a few days shy of having the same length of run as Tennant. Maybe I just enjoy Matt more but it feels like he has only just started. Tennant felt like he was there for about 7 years. Not that I got bored of him, of course, it just felt longer. I want more from Matt. 2 more years and I will be happy.

Also, if this were to be true, and I want to stress again that I have no proof in case I get hounded, but if the series continued running as it is currently it would mean a regeneration in the middle of a series and I really wouldn't fancy that.

Anyway, make of it what you will and I apologise if it is a total untruth but I thought I would share it all the same just in case.

[Twisted-Sister]

I wouldn't want to see him go mid-season. I think end of the season is best. That way the incoming Doctor gets a whole season to bed himself in. Just look what happened to Colin Baker!

As for whether or not he really is leaving, I hope not. I want to see more of him yet.

[Nyki]

I think it would depend whereabouts in the series it was.  The first regen was in the second story of the series, and that worked fine.  The problem with Colin Baker was they only gave him one story to make an impression and then, rightly or wrongly, had him behaving in a very unlikable way.  He didn't really have much chance.  If it's around the stage of the series we're at now, I think it would work.

[Aneurin]

I'd much rather him do another complete series to be honest, than regenerate halfway through. I'm really not ready for him to go. I want 5 seasons, but I will settle for 4.

[Nyki]

Oh, I don't mean I want him to go sooner, but in principle I could see a mid-series regen working if it were handled properly.

[Aneurin]

I think mid-season would be fine as long as the incoming has enough time to bed in. I'd like to see him in action for at least 5 or 6 episodes before it goes off the air again, especially as first stories after regen have them acting all odd and not really in character as we come to know them.

[Nick Sean]

I definitel don't want him to go. I've only just found the show. I need more. Saying that though, it will be cool to see a story where he changes from one to another. I suppose I will get to that eventually with the box sets though.

[Kovarians-Eye-Patch]

I honestly believe that anyone involved in the show with any real knowledge would never leak this sort of information, so I wouldn't worry just yet. There has been rumours of his departure since before he first appeared on screen. Fans tend to get themselves in a tizz about these things

[TheDoctorDonna]

The main reason I don't see this happening is that it was already done with Ten and Moff and he doesn't seem to be one to copy an old format. When Matt regenerates, either at the end of a series or in a special, I think it will be as different to Ten as possible.

[The Cyber Mistress]

Matt Smith has said previously that Moff has pitched S8 to him and he can't wait. It could mean he can't wait to see it, not that he is in it, but I don't know why would tell him what was happening in a season that doesn't feature him. Also, if the rumours about a series rest in 2015 is true then I don't think it will be a good time to bring a new guy on board, whether Matt leaves at the beginning or the end of the season. It will either be a case of having one series with a new guy and then going on a break, and I am sure we all know how the papers would take that, or having a regeneration and then a break, which, like Colin Bakers start, could prove disasterous. I've a feeling Matt is going to do another two seasons (8&9).

[CollieMonster]

I have a feeling he will be regenerating then, or shortly after. I love his Doctor, I really do, but I was getting a bit bored with it. That said, the most recent Christmas special was great and now I look forward to the new Doctor that Clara will show us. So I may not feel that way once the rest of series 7 is done with.

As far as regenerating in the middle of a series, I think it could be done well if it's set up like the series is this year. Waiting several months between the first half of a series and the second half of the series makes it seem like two completely different series (especially this time around with new companions). In that case, it might work well. If the series was run in one long bunch with a regeneration in the middle, I don't see that working too well.

[The Cyber Mistress]

I think half the problem (in terms of you saying about getting bored) is that Amy and Rory were around for too long. The thing that keeps this show fresh is that it is constantly changing. I love having companions that don't leave after 5 minutes, but I don't want them to be around for too long either. I think a season and a half to two seasons is the maximun it should be unless we get new additions along the way, like in the early years were companions would overlap each other.