Doctor Who: 10 Things Everyone Always Gets Wrong About The Doctor

10. William Hartnell Was Ancient When He Took The Role

Issue 10 of Doctor Who Adventures (released in 2006) featured an image of William Hartnell as the First Doctor, next to the caption: "Meet The Very First Doctor - Yikes! He's Ancient!"

This may have seemed the case to younger fans upon seeing Hartnell's face, and the more grandfatherly portrayal of the First Doctor (plus the long white wig) would likely do nothing to dissuade them of this notion. Part of this misconception is also likely down to the actor's ailing health and untimely death in 1975.

However, William Hartnell wasn't actually as old as everyone thinks he was when he played the Doctor.

At the age of 55, Hartnell was actually 20 years younger than David Bradley was when he filmed his first scene as the First Doctor in The Doctor Falls.

Meanwhile, Peter Capaldi was merely a few months younger than William Hartnell when he began his tenure as the Twelfth Doctor.

More surprisingly still, Fourteenth Doctor David Tennant is now 51, only four years younger than Hartnell was. Actors clearly just look after themselves a bit better these days!