BBC Confirms Matt Smith to Carry the Olympic Torch Through Cardiff Tomorrow

A cursory examination of Doctor Who might reveal that there’s a lot of running involved in the show, but it’s relationship to the 2012 Olympic Games is rather more specific. As I explained yesterday, there’s no small number of Doctor Who fans who are interested in seeing the Doctor as a torchbearer in the Olympic relay from the Temple of Hera in Olympia, Greece to London, England. It all has to do with the climax of a 2006 episode of the show that featured then-Doctor David Tennant. Yesterday, with the torch relay nearing Cardiff, the Welsh home of Doctor Who‘s production studio, the BBC began to tease some kind of relay related surprise… And late yesterday evening they announced it.

From the BBC:

We can confirm that Matt Smith will be part of the relay team carrying the iconic Olympic Torch during its journey from the Temple of Hera to London’s Olympic Stadium.

Matt has been given the honour of being named the lead runner for Saturday, 26 May. This means he is the first to carry the Torch on that day and will convey the Olympic Flame through part of Cardiff, close to BBC Wales’ Roath Lock Studios – the home of Doctor Who.

Matt was delighted to take part in this world-famous tradition. ‘To carry the Torch is an honour, one I thought I’d never get,’ he told us, adding, ‘I’m very excited!’

Okay, Tennant fans, I’m just the tiniest bit disappointed as well, but literatigeek on Tumblr has offered one explanation that I’m willing to accept:

Guys Ten couldn’t carry the Olympic torch

if he did Donna would see it on television, recognize him and thus her mind would burn up.

Eleven has realized this and thus he’s now carrying it to save her life.

He’s got it under control.

The Official Doctor Who Tumblr expressed only confidence in Matt Smith’s ability to put one foot in front of the other, despite evidence presented before them.

The BBC will be livestreaming Matt’s run tomorrow here.

(via The BBC.)