Matt Smith says Doctor Who fame was "discombobulating"

"Yeah, my two best friends, Alex and Nick. We lived in the same street as children. They've been very important to me in my life," he told The Guardian.

"Especially when you get a job like Doctor Who, which thrusts you overnight into a completely different atmosphere. It's quite discombobulating. Suddenly, people recognise you."

Smith starred as the Doctor from 2010 to 2014, following on from David Tennant. He previously told Indulge of the job: "I was very lucky that I got the opportunity to work with brilliant friends like Karen [Gillan], Arthur [Darvill] and Jenna [Coleman].

"We had such great chemistry and we had such a great time making that show."

He added: "I'm so proud, to this day, to be part of that world. There is a huge amount of pressure that comes with it, just as there is with House of the Dragon, but it's very rewarding."

His co-stars have had similar praise when speaking about him too. Recently chatting to RadioTimes.com, Rory actor Darvill said of Smith: "I just think he was brilliant and the balance between the stoic and silly and the balance between the really heartfelt and the flippant was just such a brilliant take on it.

"Obviously it was all in Steven [Moffat]'s writing but Matt is such a skilful, brilliant actor and watching his work ethic...it was really amazing being on set with him and seeing how hard he had to work on that. He was so committed to it and he makes it look so easy. I think he's just a brilliant actor and I love working with him."

Doctor Who will return in May 2024. Doctor Who is available to watch on BBC iPlayer and on BritBox – you can sign up for a 7-day free trial here.

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