Piper: 'Matt Smith will be great Doctor'

Billie Piper has revealed that she approves of new Doctor Who star Matt Smith.

The actress, who played the Doctor's assistant on the cult show, admitted that she is a "big fan" of the actor and that she is confident he was right for the part.

"I love him," she said. "He's a stirring actor, and he has the right energy,...That's what the Doctor is about, essentially - having that energy that you just can't understand."

Referring to concerns that 26-year-old Smith is too young to play the character, she said: "The fans get so concerned about these things, and they should just relax. It's going to be fine. They're in good hands."

However, when asked about rumours that the Time Lord could eventually be played by a female, she said: "I don't think the Doctor should be a woman...It's like going, 'Let's make James Bond a woman'. It's a man's role."

Smith, who was announced as David Tennant's replacement earlier this year, is scheduled to make his debut as the Doctor in 2010.