As Peter Capaldi steps down from Doctor Who, did you know he once filmed a movie in Doncaster?

The Scottish actor stunned the showbiz world last night by announcing he was quitting the role of the Time Lord at the end of this year.

However, before the 59-year-old landed the hit role, back in 2003 he filmed a short film in Doncaster that's largely been forgotten.

Capaldi, who also starred as foul-mouthed spin doctor in The Thick Of It, filmed Shotgun Dave Rides East with fellow actor Tim Dantay in and around Doncaster 14 years ago.

The pair stayed at Doncaster's Regent Hotel during the shoot which told the unlikely story of two Doncaster pals attempting to row to the Ukraine by canoe.

The film was given its premiere at Doncaster's now demolished Odeon cinema in September the same year - and both Capaldi and Dantay went on to greater success after the film's release.

The 15 minute short, by Doncaster director Graeme Oxby, featured a number of extras including Kevin Davies, 51, who in 2013 spoke of his memories of filming with Capaldi.

He said: “I met Peter on the set and I started up a conversation with him.

"He asked me how long I’d been acting and I said I was hoping to get my first real part.

"I asked him, ‘Have you been doing this for long, mate?’. He said, ‘I might have been doing it too long - but I’m getting there’.

“It was only later I realised it was Peter Capaldi.

“In the film we were both waiting in a bus queue and Peter was drinking cans of beer. His character had just got out of prison and was telling me he was going to get a new life. ”

“Peter was a very pleasant guy. He took time to sit and talk and it was great to have the opportunity to work with him on a more equal basis.

"He was generous and came up with loads of suggestions to make the film more funny."

Capaldi shocked fans by making the announcement he was quitting during a BBC Radio 2 show with presenter Jo Whiley.

He said he will leave Doctor Who at the end of the year. "I feel it’s time to move on," he said.

He became the 12th actor to play The Doctor in 2013 and the forthcoming 10th series will be his last.

"I feel sad, I love Doctor Who, it is a fantastic programme to work on," he said. "I can't praise the people I work with more highly, but I have always been someone that did a lot of different things."

He said he was asked to stay on after his contract ran out, but he wanted to move on to other challenges.

The new series airs in spring and Capaldi said his final episode would be shown at Christmas.