Is 'Doctor Who' facing another Gap Year in 2013?

It seems to becoming clear that Doctor Who fans will suffer another Gap Year in 2013. Of course, the BBC is promising 8 episodes of season seven in early next year, but what is the British Broadcasting Corporation planning beyond that? Current Doctor Matt Smith, in the latest issue of Doctor Who magazine, had a slip-of-the-tongue moment when he referred to Moffat's "first anniversary episode," which, by the by, Smith says is "as brilliant and as mental as you'd expect from Steven." 

First, how many are they planning? And secondly, we all know the last time they had a Gap Year for Doctor Who was just after David Tennant announced his departure as the Doctor in 2010.

Much has been rumored about 2013, which is the 50^th Anniversary of the series as a whole. The idea of doing a few specials is logical, and may support one of the other rumors that surfaced a month and half ago when former Doctor Who actor Tom Baker said he would like to be involved in a Who special.

Back in June, the actor was at the Collectormania 18 with former Doctor’s Colin Baker, Paul McGann, Peter Davison, and Sylvester McCoy when Baker was asked if he would be involved with Who for its 50^th birthday. He told the crowd: “I think if they ask me nicely or I can see what they want me to do, I'd consider it. I think the fans have been so good to me, they'd expect me to at least make an appearance." And then in early July, England’s Daily Mirror reported that a show insider confirmed Baker’s role in the upcoming special by saying he’ll will join forces with the current Eleventh Doctor to celebrate the show's half-century milestone. "It will be fitting to have Tom back to mark the 50 years. He was a big part of the show's success and is much-loved by the fans."

Grain of salt, I admit. 

Still, even Colin Baker, who was basically fired from the role, seems to have put those bad feelings beside him and seems likely to return as well. And David Tennant has already agreed to come back, with the sole hold being Christopher Eccleston who just doesn’t want to do it. Of course, how they would fit into the series current structure is unknown, as all of them have aged as natural men do over the last 20 years –something Moffat eluded to in Time Crash, the Children in Need special where Davison returned as the fifth Doctor durning Tennant’s reign –though both McCoy and Tom Baker echoed the idea that all the previous Doctor’s from the original series should play bad guys this time out. 

If this is indeed true, and 2013 is a Gap Year, I fully expect Matt Smith and showrunner Steven Moffat to announce their departures.  While Smith has told the press again and again he wants to stay “forever,” if this Gap Year happens, the eighth season (though “officially” not greenlighted yet, but “unofficially” happening) would not debut until the fall of 2014. I just can’t see Smith staying. I mean, I had already guessed he would stay at least through season eight, but if the Gap happens, expect him to announce that the specials (however many the BBC is planning) will be his final outings.