Fox has cast a very familiar face to headline its remake of Broadchurch.

EW has learned that David Tennant, who headlined the U.K. version on ITV that drew more than 10 million viewers for its season finale, will reprise his role as Detective Inspector Alec Hardy for American audiences. The Scottish actor best known to fanboys as the 10th Doctor on Doctor Who earned rave reviews for his portrayal of a sad (and physically ill) divorcee who investigates the death of a boy in a seaside town.

Fox announced last summer that it will remake the 8-episode series for the 2014-15 season. (The drama also aired recently on BBC America). The U.S. version, which may go by a different title, will feature Tennant as an American detective who is the lead male investigator on the case of a shocking murder that puts a small town under scrutiny. The series’ original creator, Chris Chibnall, will write the premiere episode for Fox while Dan Futterman (Capote) and Anya Epstein (In Treatment) have signed on as executive producers and showrunners. Production will begin in January on the series, which will be distributed by Shine America in association with Kudos and Imaginary Friends.