Peter Capaldi and the BBC have confirmed that the actor is leaving Doctor Who

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The news comes via the official Doctor Who Twitter feed , which relayed Capaldi's reveal from an interview on BBC Radio.“It [the new series of Doctor Who] will be my last… I feel it’s time to move on," the man who plays the Twelfth Doctor said.The star of the long-running sci-fi series added that while he'll step down in Christmas of 2017, "I’m still Doctor Who! We’re doing epic stuff! I’m not done yet!”Presumably this means that Capaldi's final episode and the regeneration of a new Doctor will take place in the traditional Who Christmas Special. The tenth season of the show is slated to debut in April of this year, and its conclusion will also mark showrunner Steven Moffat's departure from the Who world. Ever since Moffat announced that he was leaving, fans have speculated that Capaldi would follow.Series (or Season) 10 will give the Doctor a new companion in Bill Potts (Pearl Mackie), with Matt Lucas also reprising his role as Nardole. Capaldi will have starred as the Doctor for three full seasons by the end of his run, though he made his debut in the role in a cameo for the show's 50th anniversary episode "The Day of the Doctor" while his predecessor Matt Smith was still starring. (And he had in fact appeared on Doctor Who as a different character years earlier in the episode "The Fires of Pompeii.")"One of the greatest privileges of being Doctor Who is to see the world at its best," said Capaldi. "From our brilliant crew and creative team working for the best broadcaster on the planet, to the viewers and fans whose endless creativity, generosity and inclusiveness points to a brighter future ahead. I can’t thank everyone enough. It’s been cosmic."A follow-up press release from the BBC also confirms that the new season will feature the return of Michelle Gomez in a guest appearance as the Doctor's long-time adversary Missy once again.Listen to Capaldi's announcement and discussion about leaving Doctor Who here . You can also check out our reviews of last season here

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