The Doctor has been involved in dozens of close shaves - but now he's in a whole heap of stubble.

The usually smooth-skinned actor Matt Smith sports a tatty beard for an episode of the next series of Doctor Who to be screened later this year.

But the screen star has come clean and admitted he used a fake beard for the scenes because he did not have the time to grow one of his own during filming.

Smith, 27, said: "It was a glued-on beard. I wouldn't be able to grow a full-on beard like that in time."

The beard is seen briefly in a trailer for the series, in which he also appears to be chained and wearing a straitjacket.

Scrubbing the false fur from his face proved to be a nasty business, he said. "They had to remove it with a substance smelling like white turps," said Smith.

He is midway through filming the next episodes, which will be part of his second series. He has also been filming special scenes scripted by show boss Steven Moffat for a new interactive exhibition to be staged at London's Olympia from next month, the Doctor Who Experience.

It will feature costumes, models and gadgets from the popular BBC1 family programme.

He said: "It gives a sense of the TV show. I've filmed some scenes for the experience. It places you, the fan, at the heart of the action and become the companion, in a sense. There's a Tardis, which you can go on.

"The museum has all things Doctor Who. It should feature costumes from all the Doctors over the ages, and I'm sure I've got a few bits in there."

Source - uk.news.yahoo