After Eleventh Doctor Matt Smith's June 20 announcement that he would be departing "Doctor Who" during the 2013 Christmas special to pursue his career in film, critics and fans alike have debated as to who should take up the role. In a live announcement Aug. 4 on BBC, veteran actor Peter Capaldi was presented as the Twelfth Doctor. 

A long-time fan of the show, the Scottish actor has appeared in a previous episode of the show in series four, "The Fires of Pompeii," as Caecilius alongside Tenth Doctor David Tennant and future companion Karen Gillan, who played Amy Pond during Smith's tenure. He also played the role of the prime minister's assistant in "Torchwood," the darker "Doctor Who" spinoff. 

Smith was 29 when he took over the role in 2009, making him the youngest actor ever to play the Time Lord. Capaldi, 55, is the oldest actor since First Doctor William Hartnell, who was also 55 years old when the show began. 

Capaldi is a self-described "full anorak" Whovian and, at age 15, once wrote a letter about the show to the Radio Times and is ecstatic about taking up the helm. He will appear alongside Jenna-Louise Coleman, who plays current companion Clara Oswald. Coleman, during the live announcement, said that she believes he will be an "incredible incarnation of number 12" and expressed excitement about the beginning of a new "Who" adventure.

Capaldi is perhaps best known as a doctor of another sort, a spin doctor called Malcolm Tucker, in the BBC show "The Thick of It," but has appeared in over 40 films and shows. Later this year, he will appear as Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger in "The Fifth Estate," about Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, who will be played by Benedict Cumberbatch. He also recently appeared in "World War Z" as a World Health Organization (W.H.O.) doctor and that made me smile a bit.

Capaldi's announcement is not without controversy, as many fans hoped that the Twelfth Doctor would be someone other than a white male; head writer Steven Moffat did hint that the prospect for a female Doctor remains in the future. "Time Lords can change gender, so it is not against the rules," he said during the announcement, which was simultaneously broadcasted on BBC1 and BBC America. Although Capaldi was considered a favorite for the role, other contenders included Idris Elba ("Luther"), Chiwetel Ejiofor ("Othello"), Ben Whishaw ("The Hour") and Daniel Rigby ("Eric and Ernie"). 

Although Smith's departure will likely be an emotional time for many, especially the many Whovians who fell in love with his incarnation in "The Eleventh Hour," with open minds and open eyes, we will await Capaldi's introduction as the iconic character on Christmas Day.

Staff reporter Christine Bancroft can be reached on here or found on Twitter here.