A fair assessment of a horrid rag. I scoffed as much on Twitter when they tried to pass this off as “news”. Granted, Smith’s involvement in cinematic work will tax his schedule, and in time, mark the end of the 11th Doctor role, but I think we have some ways to go before that scale tips.
My wager? End of Series 8 at the earliest. I’ve been discussing this on <shameless-plug>Gallifrey Public Radio</shameless-plug>, but a lot will depend on how Clara fares as a take-no-guff Companion. If she has the presence, and fan base, to serve as the transition from 11 to 12 (something that the SteeMo crew didn’t have with 10 to 11), it would serve as a bridge for viewers to ease them through a regeneration, which as we all know, is one of the hardest things on the PLANET to watch.