GLASGOW actor Peter Capaldi said he was 'privileged' to be the new Doctor Who.

The actor, whose appointment was shrouded in secrecy, was revealed as the 12th incarnation of the role on live television last night.

Capaldi, who was the bookies' favourite, is the first Oscar winner to take on the role.

He said: "Being asked to play The Doctor is an amazing privilege. Like the Doctor himself I find myself in a state of utter terror and delight. I can't wait to get started."

Ahead of the announcement, the identity of the doctor was known to just 10 people, with bosses using the codename Houdini to try and keep it a secret.

Capaldi had emerged as a favourite, with bookmakers suspending bets on him taking the role on Friday after his odds tumbled.

The Glasgow School of Art student, famous for his role as foul-mouthed Malcolm Tucker in the political comedy The Thick of It, is a lifelong fan of the show and wrote a letter to the Radio Times about the Daleks when he was a teenager.

Speaking last night, the 55-year-old said: "It's so wonderful not to keep this secret any longer."

Capaldi won an Academy Award in 1994 for the best short film (Live Action) for Franz Kafka's It's a Wonderful Life. And he was a star on the big screen alongside Burt Lancaster in the smash-hit Local Hero.

Capaldi was also one of the stars in the TV adaptation of Iain Banks' novel The Crow Road.

But he really became a household name thanks to his performance as foul-mouthed spin-doctor Tucker.

Capaldi previously appeared in Doctor Who in 2008 when he played Caecilius.