Harris reacted to the news on Instagram, sharing his excitement to be involved in the show. He wrote: “My current gig. Never looked more dashing. Thank you for inviting me into your Whoniverse, @russelltdavies63. I’ll try my hardest to do my worst. This Doctor has no idea what’s in store. And even if he does… Who cares? Ha ha ha HA ha-ha-ha!”

While his character has yet to be officially confirmed, some fans have been speculating he could be playing the Celestial Toymaker, based on his outfit. The villain first appeared as a foe to the First Doctor in the 1960s and has made several appearances in varying forms since.

Doctor Who casts Neil Patrick Harris as the “greatest enemy the Doctor has ever faced” (GamesRadar)