It’s Doctor Who? all over again as the search is on for the next actor to play the 11th timelord, writes Maria Cusine.

David Tennant ended months of speculation last night by announcing he will quit Doctor Who at the end of next year, bringing to an end his popular four-year tenure.

He made the announcement while collecting the Outstanding Drama Performance gong at the National Television Awards.

“When Dr Who returns in 2010 it won’t be with me. The 2009 shows will be my last playing the doctor,” he said.

“I love this show and if I don’t take a deep breath and move on now I never will, and you will be wheeling me out of the Tardis in my bath chair. It’s been the most brilliant, mad, life-changing time over the last three and a half years, but I am not going yet. Thank you for watching it, for loving it and for being so enthusiastic about the show.”

So who is tipped to replace him?

Speculation about the next Doctor Who has occupied fans for years – and a number of actors who have already appeared in the show are early favourites to replace David Tennant as the timelord. Bookmakers Paddy Power favour Paterson Joseph as the favourite, offering odds of 3-1 on him becoming the first black doctor.

He featured in two episodes of the show playing Roderick alongside previous Doctor, Christopher Eccleston. Joseph, 44, trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts and is probably most familiar to television viewers as Mark Grace in Casualty. He also starred alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in Hollywood film The Beach.

Life on Mars star John Simm, who appeared in Doctor Who as the Master, the nemesis of the timelord last year, and his co-star David Morrissey in political drama State of Play, are also given odds of 8-1 and 5-1 respectively to pick up the keys to the Tardis.

Cold Feet star James Nesbitt has often been mentioned as the actor in the frame to become the time travelling doctor. Full Monty star Robert Carlyle is also a possibility, as is Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels actor Jason Statham.

Diehard fans of the series have indulged in speculation about the possible successor to Tennant almost from the moment he took over the role.

Ignored by the bookmakers but a contender who has piqued the fanbase’s interest is Notting Hill star Rhys Ifans. The Welsh star would certainly be at home in Cardiff where the series is filmed.

Outside contenders could include Paul McGann who became the timelord in 1996 in a one-off Doctor Who film.

The first episode of Doctor Who was broadcast on BBC 1 on November 23, 1963. William Hartnell was the first actor to play the role but the longest serving Doctor was Tom Baker who played the part from June 1974 to March 1981.

The series was axed in December 1989 and was not revived until 2005 when Eccleston was unveiled as the new Doctor.

Despite the regular cast changes, the programme has the distinction of being listed by the Guinness World Records as the longest-running science fiction television series in the world.

In its new incarnation the programme has picked up a string of awards. In September this year Tennant, who took over the role from Christopher Eccleston, also in 2005, was named Best Actor for the second consecutive year at the TVQuick and TVChoice awards.

The show’s outgoing writer, Russell T Davies, promised Tennant’s swansong would be “the most enormous and spectacular ending”.

Asked who would be replacing Tennant in the iconic role, new executive producer Steven Moffat teases: “You’ll be hearing from us.”

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