As Doctor Who returns for a stunning two-parter on New Year's Day, we caught up with Jodie Whittaker who reveals far more about her Time Lord's latest adventures...
Jodie Whittaker returns to BBC1 with a bang on New Year’s Day as the new series of Doctor Who begins with an action-packed adventure featuring a global threat, alien forces and famous guest stars. Stephen Fry and Sir Lenny Henry appear in the spectacular opening episode of a tense Doctor Who two-parter.
The story opens with the Doctor (Jodie) and her companions – Yaz (Mandip Gill), Ryan (Tosin Clark) and Graham (Bradley Walsh) – battling to save the day when intelligence agents around the world come under attack from aliens.
As the foursome travel the globe looking for answers, danger lurks at every turn, but with Earth’s security resting on the gang’s shoulders, where will this planet-threatening conspiracy lead them?
We caught up with Jodie Whittaker to get the lowdown on this New Year's Day adventure and the next series of Doctor Who…
What can you tell us about the opening two-parter of Doctor Who?
Jodie Whittaker: "We have some incredible guest stars this year, but I was so excited when they told me Lenny Henry and Stephen Fry were going to be in the first episode. On a nine-month shoot you need fresh people popping in to give you a boost and those guys were brilliant. We’ve started a whole range of new WhatsApp groups and made some new friends."
What can we expect from the new series?
JW: "We’re certainly moving the story forwards and it doesn’t feel like we’re regurgitating anything we’ve done before. As the show continues, we want to keep taking risks. We feel like we’re treading new ground for all the characters and really developing their storylines."
How did it feel setting foot in the TARDIS again?
JW: "I felt more comfortable because playing the Doctor in season two is obviously less nerve-racking than in season one. With this season it’s all set up and we all know each other, but we are more ambitious than ever because you don’t realise until you read the script how many different options are open to you."
Are you still enjoying playing the Doctor?
JW: "This is a part like no other. With all my other TV roles you have restrictions, like the town the character lives in, but with the Doctor that goes out of the window. Because it’s a role with endless possibilities, you can touch on a side of the character you’ve never shown before which is so interesting."
There have been rumours of a closer relationship between the Doctor and Yaz. Is that true?
JW: "You’ll have to watch and see. All of our relationships begin to develop within the unit of four and the Doctor has individual relationships with all the gang."
How have you enjoyed the action and monster scenes this time, like the return of the Judoon?
JW: "I was so scared of some of the monsters. Sometimes the director had to say to me while I was acting, ‘I know you’re scared, but I think the Doctor wouldn’t be quite as scared…’"
Doctor Who returns to BBC1 on New Year's Day at 6.55pm
