Doctor Who's Twelfth regeneration has a shockingly familiar face, and season 8 will explain why.

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You saw him in season 4's "The Fires of Pompeii" and again in Torchwood's "Children of Earth" sequence, and now Peter Capaldi is wielding a sonic screwdriver. While the actor's reappearance across the Doctor Who universe could be easily explained away as casting mayhem, showrunner Steven Moffat and former showrunner Russell T. Davis (seasons 1-4) have concocted a canon reason for Capalid's numerous roles.

"When Peter Capaldi turned up in Torchwood Russell said he had a plan in his head on why he looked like the guy in 'The Fires of Pompeii,'" Moffat said, according to Doctor Who TV. "So I emailed him and said what was the explanation and does it fit with the new Doctor? And it sort of does."

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However, the upcoming series will not make a big fuss over this connection.

"So in a very low-key way we'll address it," Moffat continued. "It won't be a major deal because in the end people know the real reason is he's played by the same actor."

Find out more when Doctor Who returns to the BBC and BBC America on Aug. 23. Click the video below to see a preview.