David Bradley (English actor) in the final episode of the tenth series of "Doctor Who", "The Doctor Falls", Bradley returned to portray the First Doctor, having previously been portrayed by Hartnell, who originally played the character. He reprised this role in the 2017 Christmas special, "Twice Upon a Time". This makes him the third actor to play the role in the television programme, after William Hartnell and Richard Hurndall since the premiere of "Doctor Who" in 1963, and at the age of 75, he is the also the oldest actor to play the role of the Doctor. Bradley serves as the President of Second
Doctor Who (film) Peter Capaldi. Eccleston and Capaldi would go on to play the Ninth and Twelfth incarnations of the Doctor, respectively, in the revived series of "Doctor Who" which began in 2005. Eccleston turned down the offer to audition for the TV Movie because at the time he felt he was not yet an established enough actor and did not want to be associated with a "brand name" so early in his career. Capaldi declined because he felt it was unlikely that he would be given the part. Of those actors who originally auditioned for the role of the Doctor, a number