‘Doctor Who’ Star Peter Capaldi Makes Surprise Appearance at BBC Showcase

LONDON – The 725 registered attendees of the annual BBC Worldwide Showcase in Liverpool got a treat Monday night as new Doctor Who star Peter Capaldi made a surprise appearance.

Capaldi, who has started filming the new season of Doctor Who, emerged from the Doctor’s Tardis time machine during an evening event MCed by talk show host Graham Norton. He was wearing his new show costume.

“As a lifetime follower of the show, I’m delighted to see its global success,” the BBC quoted him as saying. “And I’m looking forward to sharing with the world the very exciting journey the new [season] is taking us on.”

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Earlier on Monday, the BBC had announced that Gavin & Stacey alum Samuel Anderson would join Doctor Who as a recurring character for its currently shooting eighth season.

The BBC Worldwide Showcase event on Monday celebrated British TV talent. Beyond Capaldi, natural history expert David Attenborough and the hosts of Top Gear made appearances. The event also featured a video message from Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch.

The actor apologized for not being able to attend but teased buyers about developments at the end of the third season of Sherlock, according to the BBC.

The 38th annual BBC Worldwide Showcase, the BBC’s equivalent of the L.A. Screenings, is for the third year in a row taking place in Liverpool, a port city several hours by train from London that is best known as the home of the Beatles.? BBC Worldwide is the U.K. public broadcaster’s commercial arm.

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The event, known as the largest TV content sales event in the world organized by a single company, this year registered an attendance record. Delegates represent buyers from around the world, including first-time attendees DirecTV and Google Play. They screen shows and attend discussion panels and social events.

On sale are such hit BBC shows and formats as Sherlock, The Musketeers, Doctor Who, Top Gear, Call the Midwife and Strictly Come Dancing/Dancing With the Stars, as well as shows from independent British producers.

Email: Georg.Szalai@THR.com
Twitter: @georgszalai