There’s a new start on its way for the Doctor

A new year, and there’s a new start on its way for the Doctor and her friends.

It’s already been announced that Bradley Walsh and Tosin Cole will bow out as Graham and Ryan after the festive special, something which may upset fans – their co-workers are feeling emotional about it too, although they’re not allowed to talk about what happens too much.

“I think we’ve all been in tears watching it,” says showrunner and writer Chris Chibnall. “It’s a really important part of the mix of the special, where you get lots of thrills, lots of spills, lots of humour, lots of Daleks, and lots of emotion.

“It’s hard, but we don’t shy away from what it means for this family to have its final moments together. And it was emotional off screen, it’s an incredible thing.”

“It’s been an honour to work on such a cultural institution,” claims Cole, while Walsh adds about his colleagues and time on the show, “I miss them all. Happy days. Fantastic memories.”

But there’s also a return to look forward to, and it’s not that of the aforementioned Daleks – John Barrowman is back as Captain Jack Harkness. After a 10-year absence, he popped up briefly earlier this year in the Fugitive of the Judoon episode, but has a bigger part to play here.

“I knew that I really wanted Captain Jack to meet the Thirteenth Doctor and it had been a long time since he’d been on screen in Doctor Who so well overdue,” explains Chibnall. “With festive specials you want them to feel like a treat, and there’s no bigger treat than John Barrowman’s Captain Jack.”

Thankfully, according to the man who plays him, the character hasn’t changed much: “Captain Jack is a little older. He’s still fun. He still very much has a joie de vivre, a lust for life and a passion for saving people and humanity, as does the Doctor. You can expect cheeky lines. You can expect a couple of… shall we say a few sparks between he and somebody. I’ll just say someone he finds in team Tardis who has a very big and open heart.”

There’s another familiar face who’s coming back, and that’s Chris Noth, who appeared in the season 11 episode Arachnids, while Harriet Walter and Nathan Stewart-Jarrett are among the guest stars.

“We pick up with the Doctor in prison,” says Chibnall of the plot. “She’s been taken by the Judoon at the end of the last series. She has been in prison for a very long time. Back on Earth Yaz, Graham and Ryan are struggling to figure out their lives without the Doctor. It’s been 10 months for them since they’ve seen her and at the beginning of this they discover the presence of a Dalek…”

“I think what’s interesting is at the start of this, the discoveries and journeys that we all go on aren’t Doctor-led,” explains Jodie Whittaker. “That makes it exciting as well because it’s definitely a team effort throughout.”

We can’t wait to see how it all pans out – and the impact it may have on the future.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper whenever you are able to do so.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper when you can safely.

You can also enjoy unlimited access to the best news from across Northern Ireland and the UK by subscribing to newsletter.co.uk

With a digital subscription, you can read more than five articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Thank you