*info paraphrased from the BBC website*
David Tennant stepped into the role of The Doctor in 2005,
and he will leave the role after four special episodes are broadcast next year.
He made the announcement after winning the outstanding drama performance prize at the National Television Awards.
“When Doctor Who returns in 2010 it won’t be with me,” he said.
The tenth Doctor, left fans guessing about his return at the end of the latest series in the last episode,
the Doctor had to defeat his enemies the Daleks to save the universe.
Almost 10 million people watched as the Time Lord apparently started the process of regeneration – but did not complete it.
“I think it’s better to go when there’s a chance that people might miss you, rather than to hang around and outstay your welcome,” he said.
Tennant will appear in a Christmas special, titled “The Next Doctor”, before filming four more specials in January.
“They’ll be the four last stories that I do,” Tennant Remarked.

Well, that’s it folks. The Doctor is once again one step closer to the end, a sombering thought indeed.
Tennant further remarked that his desicion to leave came partly because of the fact that Russel T. Davies and
Julie Gardner were also stepping down.
A million guesses surge forth as to the how and when The Doctor will leave us, but foe sure it will be sometime in 2009.