Matt Smith revealed backstage at the National Television Awards that he has "no plans to leave" Doctor Who in the immediate future.
When asked whether his co-star Karen Gillan's exit had changed his mind on how long he should stay on the show, Smith insisted that he was happy to carry on with new companions for the foreseeable future.
"I always knew that me and Karen would have slightly different journeys in the show. People say, 'Are you not sad?' I am sad because I have enjoyed worked with Karen and Arthur [Darvill], they are wonderful guys. But the show is bigger than all of us actors in it," said the sci-fi star.
"It's bigger than everyone in it and it will continue far longer, way after me. I am here for a very small period of time.
"I'm here for the future, I love working on the show. I have no plans to leave."
However, Smith later added that he only has "a year of Who" before he would start making a possible move into films.
"I've got a year of Who and then I'll take it from there really," said Smith. "I am interested in films, I've always loved the idea and process of films and I am actually interested in directing."
His comment suggested that he had already started to think about his career after the BBC One series, but it wasn't clear if this remark was just a slip of the tongue or if he actually plans to exit in 12 months' time.
