While "Doctor Who's" Peter Capaldi is scheduled to remain in the title role at least until the end of the show's tenth series in 2017, he's remained tight-lipped about whether or not he will continue when incoming showrunner Chris Chibnall takes over.
The reason for this, it seems, is that Capaldi hasn't decided whether to stay or go himself, as he revealed in a recent interview on the Wales Online website, saying, "I've been asked to stay on and I haven't made my mind up about that yet, mainly because I don't want to have to make that decision...I'm trying to avoid it!"
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Avoidance may well be Capaldi's best strategy under the circumstances — any announcement that he is intending to leave the show will likely kick-off a round of press and fan speculation as to who the next actor to play the Doctor might be, as well as what plot might force the character into his customary regeneration.
Keeping the question in the air also focuses fan and press attention on the show's upcoming superhero-tinged Christmas special, of which Capaldi says, "It reminds me rather of the early Superman movies with Christopher Reeve. They had a great mix of irony and fun, thrills and chills, which on reflection is, in a way, how 'Doctor Who' is. It has a very festive feel about it, without it being incredibly snowy and Bing Crosby-ish."
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The “Doctor Who” Christmas special will air on BBC One and BBC America on December 25 and will also be screened in cinemas across the US on December 27 and 29, 2016.