Ben Miller is set to star as a villain in a Doctor Who episode penned by Mark Gatiss. It will be the actor’s first role on the British juggernaut, which returns later this year.

“As a committed Whovian, I cannot believe my luck in joining the Twelfth Doctor for one of his inaugural adventures,” Miller said. “My only worry is that they’ll make me leave the set when I’m not filming.”

Rumors are swirling that Miller may be playing the Sheriff of Nottingham, or some Whovian iteration of the famous baddie. Last week, Tom Riley was cast in an upcoming Doctor Who episode and many are assuming he will be playing Robin Hood. The same rumors are naming other another recently announced guest star, Ian Hallard, as playing merry man, Alan-A-Dale.

For now, BBC America has not confirmed any role for Miller, except as a “storming villain” to go against Peter Capaldi’s Doctor. Best known for being one half of the comedy duo Armstrong and Miller, the actor was recently seen in BBC’s Death in Paradise as DI Richard Poole. Interestingly, Miller’s comedic partner, Alexander Armstrong, already had a stint on Doctor Who, appearing in the 2011 Christmas Special as Reg Arwell.

The new era of Doctor Who officially began today as Peter Capaldi stepped aboard the TARDIS full-time. Cameras rolled on the first episodes of season 8 and BBC America passed along the above photo along with a few words from the new Doctor as well as Lead Writer Steven Moffat.

Joining Capaldi is Jenna Coleman, who returns as companion Clara Oswald. Note that this photo does not show the Doctor in his new costume. That will be revealed at a later date. Expect all kinds of news and photos from the new season throughout the year.

Christmas started early today as the BBC released a hand full of images and promotional art from the Doctor Who Christmas Special episode The Time of the Doctor. As viewers of the show are aware, this episode marks the last for Matt Smith as his Doctor will be seen to regenerate into Peter Capaldi’s incarnation at the end, foreshadowed by the tagline “A Change Is Going To Come…”. There is nothing spoilery in the below images so feel free to view them without ruining the story.

The Time of the Doctor is written by Steven Moffat and directed by Jamie Payne. Jenna Coleman returns as companion Clara Oswald. Also starring are Mark Brighton, Sonita Henry, Orla Brady, James Buller, Tom Gibbons, Shelia Reid, Jack Hollington, Rob Jarvis and Tessa Peake-Jones.

It will air on the BBC in England and BBC America in the States on Christmas Day.

Everyone is just catching their breath after the big Doctor Who 50th Anniversary celebrations, but the BBC remind us that there is more to come. On Christmas Day the annual, now-traditional special episode will air and this one will be dramatically more special than the previous years.

“The Time of the Doctor” as it is now titled will see current Doctor Matt Smith saying goodbye to the role he has occupied since the first day of 2010. As the episode closes we will see the eleventh (Twelfth? Thirteenth?) Doctor regenerate yet again and Peter Capaldi will assume the part.

Recent interviews with showrunner Steven Moffat seem to hint that the previously established twelve regeneration limit will come to head as we now know that there was a previously unknown regeneration in the form of John Hurt’s “War Doctor” and it appear that the “diverted regeneration energy” brouhaha from 2008’s “Journey’s End” still decreases the count by one.

However it plays out, we only have a few short weeks until “The Time of the Doctor” and the answers to some long-standing questions. In the meantime, check out the trailer below and look for all the hidden Easter Eggs in the official poster above.

The end of Eleven is coming this year. In an official release, the BBC has announced that Matt Smith will be leaving Doctor Who in this year’s Christmas special.

In a statement released by the BBC, Smith says:

“Doctor Who has been the most brilliant experience for me as an actor and a bloke, and that largely is down to the cast, crew and fans of the show.  I’m incredibly grateful to all the cast and crew who work tirelessly every day, to realize all the elements of the show and deliver Doctor Who to the audience.  Many of them have become good friends and I’m incredibly proud of what we have achieved over the last four years.

Having Steven Moffat as showrunner write such varied, funny, mind-bending and brilliant scripts has been one of the greatest and most rewarding challenges of my career.  It’s been a privilege and a treat to work with Steven, he’s a good friend and will continue to shape a brilliant world for the Doctor.