Live show to reveal exactly who is the new Dr Who

Will the BBC pick Peter Capaldi to go from foul-mouthed spin doctor Malcolm Tucker to Doctor Who? Credit: Doug Peters/EMPICS Entertainment

The identity of the new Doctor Who, who replaces Matt Smith, will finally be revealed tonight live on television.

Sources close to the BBC show claim only 10 people known the name of the long-running sci-fi show's new protagonist.

The Thick Of It star Peter Capaldi remains the clear bookmakers' favourite to land the job.

Betting was suspended on the Scotsman, who is a lifelong fan of the show and even wrote a letter to the Radio Times about the Daleks in his teens.

Plans for this evening's half-hour show, which airs at 7pm, were kept secret with a repeat of Celebrity Mastermind put in listings in its place.

The Daily Mirror reported that the new Doctor will be sneaked into the studio in disguise to ensure their identity is kept secret.

Other possible contenders include Daniel Rigby, whose award-winning performance as Eric Morecambe in Eric and Ernie beat Smith to the best actor TV Bafta in 2011, and Cutting It star Ben Daniels.