Matt Smith - Matt Smith Named Britain's National Youth Theatre Patron

The Doctor Who star, who trained with the theatre as a teenager, sat in on rehearsals in London this week (beg09Jul12) as the cast practised performances for the Olympic Games opening and closing ceremonies this summer (12).

In a statement, Smith says, "I think from my experience, the thing about the Nyt is that you learn through practice. You're out there on a stage, you're doing a play, you're being directed, you're turning up for rehearsals every day and working as you would work in a professional rehearsal room."

Nyt artistic director and CEO Paul Roseby, adds, "We're all thrilled at the National Youth Theatre to announce that Matt Smith is the latest recruit to our illustrious list of Patrons, as we get ready for our Olympic and Paralympic performances. Matt is a perfect role model for the latest generation of brave new talent. Raw, fearless and a passion for theatre is something that doesn't just sum up our company but also the wonderful Matt Smith.

"As we continue to operate in challenging economic times, like everyone in the arts, it's always good to have a Doctor in the house."