Doctor Who
Ben Miller and Peter Capaldi in his Doctor Who costume Reuters / BBC

Half of the Armstrong & Miller comedy team is to appear in an episode of Doctor Who, it has been confirmed.

Steven Moffat said that Ben Miller is to play the villain opposite the Peter Capaldi Time Lord.

"Mark Gatiss has written us a storming villain for his new episode," said Moffat.

"With Capaldi in the Tardis, we knew we needed somebody special to send everybody behind the sofa. And quite frankly, it's about time Ben Miller was in Doctor Who."

Miller's inclusion in the show's eighth series since it was rebooted in 2005 follows the news that Keeley Hawes will play Ms Delphox, another foe for Capaldi to tangle with in his first episodes in the iconic time-travelling role.

Miller – best known for Armstrong & Miller and TV series Death in Paradise – said he could not believe his luck.

"My only worry is that they'll make me leave the set when I'm not filming," said the self-confessed Who fan.

Science fiction may be something relatively new for Miller, but science fact certainly is not. He has a PhD in physics from Cambridge University and once fronted BBC2's Horizon. He also had a recurring role in hit ITV Saturday night adventure series Primeval.

His comic partner Alexander Armstrong appeared in the 2011 Doctor Who Christmas special opposite Matt Smith's incarnation of the famous Time Lord.

Doctor Who is expected to return this autumn.