Steven Moffat has confirmed that Matt Smith is Doctor Who's 13th Doctor.

Smith is generally regarded as the show's 11th Time Lord, but the introduction of John Hurt's 'War Doctor' and David Tennant's aborted regeneration in 2008 episode 'The Stolen Earth' means that he is in fact the 13th and final incarnation.

Adrian Rogers BBC



"We'll find out [in the Christmas special] that Matt Smith is actually the 13th Doctor," showrunner Moffat confirmed to Radio Times. "Although everyone knows that the Doctor can only regenerate 12 times.



"That 12 times limit is a central part of Doctor Who mythology - and science fiction is all about rules, right? So if the Doctor can never change again, what's Peter Capaldi doing in the Christmas Special?"

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Moffat also addressed the Doctor's regeneration limit last month - the concept first being established in 1976 adventure 'The Deadly Assassin'.

"[The eighth Doctor] Paul McGann turns into John Hurt so they're not the same incarnation," he said. "He used up another regeneration and I expect he'll be in trouble shortly."

Doctor Who's 2013 Christmas special 'The Time of the Doctor' will air on Wednesday, December 25 at 7.30pm on BBC One.

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