Filming for Series 5 of Doctor Who officially kicks off in Cardiff today, with Matt Smith and Karen Gillan descending on the streets of the city to shoot the brand new adventures in role as the Eleventh Doctor and his companion, Amy Pond!

“I feel very privileged  to be part of this iconic show,” said Smith. “The scripts are brilliant and working alongside Karen and the rest of the crew is an inspiration because their work ethic and passion for the show is so admirable.”

It’s a huge day for the programme’s brand new showrunner, Steven Moffat, too, who’s been planning and developing the new series over the past few months. He said: “And here it is, the big moment - the new Doctor, and his new best friend. And here’s me, with the job I wanted since I was seven. 40 years to here! If I could go back in time and tell that little boy that one day all this would happen, he’d scream, call for his mum, and I’d be talking to you now from a prison cell in 1969. So probably best not then.”

He continued: “Matt and Karen are going to be incredible, and Doctor Who is going to come alive on Saturday nights in a whole new way – and best of all, somewhere out there, a seven-year-old is going to see them, fall in love, and start making a 40-year plan…”

The Series 5 executive producer, Piers Wenger, added: “The scripts for the new series are every bit as funny, thrilling, scary and imaginative as you’d expect from the man who brought us The Empty Child and Blink. There’s a strange and perfect alchemy between Steven and Matt Smith and the next few months are going to be riveting as that relationship starts to emerge on screen.”

He continued: “Steven always says he’s been waiting to do this job since he was seven. But it’s actually the Doctor who has been waiting for him.”

Meanwhile, Ben Stephenson, Controller, BBC Drama Commissioning, said: “I am thrilled that a whole new generation of children will forever say that their Doctor was the wonderful Matt Smith.”

Smith finished: “I’m excited about the future and all the brilliant adventures I get to go on as the Doctor.” And you know what? So are we!

The cameras will be rolling until March 2010, and the end result will be 13 brand new sparkling episodes that will begin transmitting on BBC One and BBC HD from Spring 2010. The eleventh hour has arrived – and about time too!

Check back soon for the first official picture of the newly-regenerated Doctor and his companion, Amy…