20. Aneurin Barnard
Age: 26Nationality: WelshMost notable role: Richard III (The White Queen) One of the names touted for the Twelfth Doctor, Aneurin Barnard (pronounced An-i-rin) is already familiar to BBC viewers, for his portrayal of Richard III in The White Queen. He's also starred opposite Karen Gillan in We'll Take Manhattan, and next year, he'll be appearing in The Adventurer: The Curse of the Midas Box alongside fellow Welshman Michael Sheen and Sky1's Moonfleet with Ray Winstone. It would be unsurprising if he actually had been in consideration for the Doctor; like Matt Smith, Barnard's got an ageless quality about him, as he can master both the childishly youthful, and the steely mature. Plus, he's got a great voice, as showcased by his performances in Hunky Dory, which never hurt a young, up and coming actor. He's by no means a recognisable face yet, but give it a few more roles, and 2014 might be his year.
19. Matthew Baynton
Age: 33Nationality: EnglishMost notable role: Sam (The Wrong Mans) Matthew Baynton's already a star of BBC2's The Wrong Mans - written by both him and his co-star James Corden - but you might recognise him from a few other places: he played the hilariously dim Deano in Gavin and Stacey, he was somewhat of a regular in the last series of Peep Show and he's in of Sky1's Yonderland. He's a versatile comedy actor capable of playing the straight man, the idiot or the surreal, but will 2014 see him take on more serious roles? Whether it will or not, Baynton's only likely grow in popularity over the next twelve months: the viewing figures of The Wrong Mans were the highest for a BBC2 comedy since Extras, and that can only mean more exposure and hopefully a second series. He'll be starring in The Falling alongside Maisie Williams next year though (Games of Thrones) and being a writer himself, don't be surprised if he launches another comedy, or goes into presenting, like Corden.