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Matt Smith may be about to travel back in time to play Doctor Who again.

Show boss Steven Moffat has hinted Smith could be the first of the 12 Doctors to return to the Tardis after regenerating.

Matt, who stars as Prince Phillip in Netflix’s big-budget royal drama The Crown in November, has made no secret of his desire to return, saying last year: “They will ask me back one day, won’t they?”

Matt’s successor Peter Capaldi has been tipped to bow out after the next series, currently being filmed for release in 2017.

And Moffat, who is leaving after his sixth season next year has said Matt is “quite open about how much he misses it, and how much he wishes he hadn’t left”.

Asked by a fan in April if he would play the Doctor again, Matt replied: “I really want to.”

The 32-year-old actor was the 11th Doctor from 2009 to 2013.

Since quitting, Matt has appeared in action movie Terminator Genisys with Arnold Schwarzenegger, comedy horror film Pride and Prejudice and Zombies plus several theatre productions.

Moffat admitted Matt’s decision to leave three years ago was a “tough time”.

He added: “Matt, who was a friend and ally, was leaving. I couldn’t get him to stay. It felt like everything was blowing up around me.”