Doctor Who
Matt Smith’s replacement as the title character in "Doctor Who" television series will be revealed Sunday during a live special shown on BBC One. BBC

After much speculation following the announcement of Matt Smith’s departure from the “Doctor Who” television series, BBC One will reveal the 12th Doctor during a live special -- “Doctor Who Live: The Next Doctor” -- Sunday at 7 p.m. London time (2 p.m. EDT).

Smith, the popular 11th Doctor, announced his departure from the series in June after three seasons on the show. “Doctor Who” is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and the show will have a special episode featuring previous doctors and companions, such as David Tennant and Billie Piper, as they join John Hurt and Smith battling the Daleks. The 50th anniversary episode of “Doctor Who” will be shown in November, and it not only will be Smith’s last but also serve to introduce the 12th Doctor.

As for who will replace Smith, there has been plenty of speculation, but few actual details. Names such as Rupert Grint (of the “Harry Potter” film franchise), Russell Tovey (of the BBC’s “Being Human”) and Ben Daniels (of Netflix’s “House of Cards”) have all been mentioned, but showrunner Stephen Moffat has let nothing slip about next Doctor. The “Doctor Who” panel at the recent Comic-Con International: San Diego also offered up no clues as to who will play the 12th Doctor.

However, fans will not have to wait until Nov. 23 to discover the next Doctor’s identity because of the “Doctor Who Live: The Next Doctor” special set to be shown Sunday. The special will include clips of memorable moments in the show’s history, previous Doctors and companions, special guests, and, of course, the new Doctor.

Speaking about the live special, Moffat said in a statement: “The decision is made and the time has come to reveal who’s taking over the TARDIS. For the last of the Time Lords, the clock is striking twelve.” Fans can become a part of the show as BBC announced it is accepting questions for the special. To submit questions, fans should email BBC with the subject “Next Doctor Questions,” and a team will pick a few of their queries for the next Doctor to answer. Full details can be found here.

The trailer for “Doctor Who Live: The Next Doctor” can be viewed below.

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