Peter Capaldi revealed as 12th Doctor Who

Actor Peter Capaldi has been announced as the new star of BBC sci-fi series Doctor Who.

The 55-year-old Glasgow-born star will be the 12th actor to play the Doctor, replacing outgoing lead Matt Smith.

Capaldi is best known for his role as foul-mouthed spin-doctor Malcolm Tucker in the BBC series The Thick of It.

"It's so wonderful not to keep this secret any longer, but it's been so fantastic," he said after the news was revealed on a live BBC One show.

The actor had been the bookmakers' favourite to take on the role, with betting on him becoming the next Doctor suspended on Friday.