Doctor Who: 10 Things You Didn't Know About The Eleventh Doctor

1. His Most Iconic Moment Almost Didn’t Happen

Doctor Who Matt Smith Eleventh Doctor — BBC Studios

The Eleventh Doctor had countless memorable moments, from his speeches in The Pandorica Opens and The Rings of Akhaten, to intimidating Colonel Runaway and riding up the Shard.

But one of his defining scenes wasn’t conceived of until, ahem, the eleventh hour.

Towards the end of the Series 5 opener, the Doctor unmasks Prisoner Zero and hands him over to the Atraxi. The all-seeing aliens swiftly depart… only to be called back by the Doctor for a scolding.

If this scene seems slightly tacked on, that's because it was, as Steven Moffat admitted during the Eleventh Hour's lockdown tweetalong.

The episode originally didn't include this moment, but BBC executive Jane Tranter (who would go on to co-found Bad Wolf, the company now producing Doctor Who) had other ideas, arguing that the episode needed a “big swaggering hero moment” for Matt Smith.

And thank goodness she did!

Not only does this scene cement Smith as the Doctor, it's easily one of Eleven's most iconic moments to boot. Not bad for something so last minute.