New Doctor offers 'madness, tenderness and risk'

The new Doctor Who has boasted that the latest series will offer 'madness, tenderness and recklessness with adventure and risk'.

Matt Smith, who is the 11th Doctor after taking over the role from David Tennant, was joined by the cast and crew at an event in Cardiff to launch the new series.

Matt, 26, is the youngest Timelord yet and revealed he was inspired by his predecessors, told What's on TV: "For the first week or month you are completely aware the show has had great success but it's something that inspires me, it's not a burden or a weight, I'm proud that it is one of the most popular shows in Britain."

Steven Moffat, who replaced Russell T Davies as lead writer for the series, said the prospect of romance between the Doctor and his new companion Amy Pond, played by Karen Gillan, was not out of the question.

He said: "You take two attractive people and they will probably be a bit romantic about each other.

"It is a complex story between Amy and the doctor, it is not simple. It is not a story you have ever seen between the companion and the Doctor before."

He added the new star had exceeded all expectations. He said: "Matt is everything I hoped for and more, the way he takes this part and the way the 11th Doctor will develop will surprise and thrill people.

"There is an episode in this series that I showed to my 10-year-old son and he said there is one scene that is the scariest thing that has ever happened in Doctor Who. There is another episode that will make you gasp then want to press rewind so you can see it again."