We are delighted to bring you our exclusive interview with Catrin Stewart!

Catrin was seen in the mid-series finale, A Good Man Goes to War, as Jenny, and, although she’s only appeared in one episode, her character, and her relationship with Madame Vastra, have proved to be extremely popular with viewers, so much so that Steven Moffat has said he “might revisit” them! In our interview, Catrin talks about the possibility of returning, her memories of her time on set and more!

You can read our full Q&A below. A huge thanks to Catrin for answering our questions!

Q) When did you first become interested in acting?
A) I first realised that I loved performing from a very young age. In Wales, there’s a tradition called ‘The Eisteddfod’. It’ a big deal in Wales, where schools from all over the country get together once a year for a big festival and compete against each other in singing and reciting competitions. So from a young age I was encouraged to be on stage, and loved it. I attended lots of drama groups, one of which was for television acting. I suppose I started taking it more seriously at about 16 when I joined the National Youth Theatre of Wales. I realised I wanted to be a professional actor and wanted more training, so I applied for drama schools when I was 19 and got a place at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.

Q) What advice would you give to anyone interested in going into acting as a profession?
A) I would say that it’s a tough profession, full of ups and downs. You may not always be working and you have to know that you’re the kind of person that can deal with that, not always having structure, dealing with rejection and not taking it personally. If you’re really passionate about it and can’t imagine doing anything else, then you should go for it. Join drama groups, watch films and good quality television, go to the theatre, read a lot, notice everything that’s going on around you, speak to other actors about their experience, and don’t give up! I learnt so much at drama school in the 3 years and my confidence grew. You have to believe in yourself and know that you can do it.

Q) How did your role in Doctor Who come about?
A) Andy Pryor, the casting director of Doctor Who, saw me at my 3rd year showcase in London and contacted my agent to see if I was free to audition. I only got given 2 small scenes to prepare for Jenny, so did as much work as I could beforehand and tried to make some interesting choices. I really enjoyed the audition with Andy and Peter, the director, and felt it went well, but you just never know. I got a phone call about 4 days later saying I’d got the part. I was very happy!

Q) Were you a fan of the series before you got the role?
A) I hadn’t watched much Doctor Who before getting the part, but I watched quite a few episodes before working on it, just to get a feel of the style of it and the story lines. I really enjoyed the Christmas special and it got me excited about working on it in the January.

Q) What was it like working with Matt Smith and the other cast members?
A) The cast were very lovely, very welcoming and chatty. I was quite nervous on the first day as we were filming quite an epic scene with lots going on, but they made me feel really at ease and it was really fun. I loved being in costume, and on the amazing set. It just added to the feel and atmosphere of the whole thing.

Q) Did you watch your episode as it was transmitted?
A) I wasn’t at home the night it was on so didn’t get to watch it straight away. I got home about 11pm and watched it on iPlayer with my friend. It was weird getting texts and phone calls from people who had already watched it before I had!

Q) Jenny was introduced alongside her companion, Madame Vastra, played by Neve McIntosh. Did you enjoy working with her?
A) Coincidentally, I had already worked with Neve a few months earlier. She played my step mum in a play up in Manchester. I bumped into her at my costume fitting for Doctor Who and was so surprised and happy that we were going to be working together again and that our characters this time had a totally different relationship. We kept in touch before filming and discussed our characters and relationship. We already had a friendship in real life which I think helped our on screen relationship. I loved working with her again.

Q) Did Steven Moffat give you any of Jenny and Vastra’s back story to help you develop your characters, or did you maybe come up with your own history for them?
A) We didn’t get much back story from Steven Moffat. It was up to us as actors to create our own, which is always really fun. Like I said, Neve and I had quite a few chats about our history, how we met, what our relationship was like behind closed doors. The script told you a lot about their relationship already, Jenny’s jealousy of Madame Vastra looking at other women, how Madame Vastra had taught Jenny to fight with swords, Vastra’s history with the Doctor. We just created more back stories to help us as actors to have more fully rounded characters and to know where we were coming from.

Q) Jenny and Vastra have proved to be extremely popular with fans. Were you surprised by the response they had?
A) I was quite surprised with the response. I don’t think I’d realised how big a following Doctor Who has and very loyal fans. They seemed really excited by Vastra and Jenny’s story which was great. I don’t know whether it was the Victorian element, or the fact that we were two crime fighting, kick ass women (well, one human!). Maybe it was the human and lizard thing… But it was very nice to get a positive response.

Q) Steven Moffat has said that he would love to revisit Jenny and Vastra in the future. Would you be interested in returning if the opportunity arises?
A) Definitely. I think he could write some really exciting story lines for them.

Q) Finally, do you have any particular favourite moments or memories from your time filming Doctor Who?
A) I loved the whole experience. As an actor you relish in using your imagination, pretending and playing, and I got to do all of that on this job. I especially liked the sword fighting sequences, because it’s not very often you get to fight headless monks! I also loved all the action, doors locking, a big blue man running away, imagining headless monks coming towards you, a TARDIS appearing in your living room. It’s nothing like real life which is always fun!

Did you enjoy the mid-series finale? Discuss the climax and its cliffhanger…

WhovianNet is thrilled to bring you our exclusive Q&A with actress Anjli Mohindra!

Being one of the stars of The Sarah Jane Adventures, Anjli knows all too well the feeling of going up against terrifying aliens, and, in our interview, she reveals what it’s like being Rani and how the role has left her fully equipped to take on monsters in real life! She also tells us about her favourite moments from filming the series and shares her memories of the late Elisabeth Sladen.

Anjli will be taking to the stage in The Curse of the Devil’s Verse, a lively comedy by Nic Harvey, at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe from 5th-13th August, and we wish her and her fellow cast/crew the best of luck! Thanks to Anjli for answering our questions…

Q) How did your role in The Sarah Jane Adventures come about?
A) I auditioned for the role through my agent, after attending the Nottingham Television Workshop. I heard back about three weeks later.

Q) Were you a fan of the series, and Doctor Who, before you joined the cast? What have been your favourite memories from filming?
A) To be honest, I hadn’t seen a great deal of Doctor Who before being cast, but I started to watch the show loads more afterwards and I really enjoy it. My favourite memories are working with Matt Smith and David Tennant!

Q) Would you say you relate to Rani at all? Are you, Tommy Knight and Daniel Anthony as close in real life as Rani, Luke and Clyde are on the show?
A) I feel Rani and I are relatively similar. She is like a younger version of me. Tommy, Danny and I are pretty close in real life, yeah!

Q) Throughout her time in the series, Rani has faced various foes and aliens, including clowns, the Trickster and Androvax (to name a few!). How do you think you’d react if you came face to face with these villains in real life?
A) I’d know exactly what to do wouldn’t I? Wee bit of vinegar in your pocket for those unexpected Slitheen encounters. I’ve got Tommy on speed-dial with Luke so I’d have knowledge for bringing down the Trickster! I’d be fine!

Q) There’s also been several hints of a romance between Rani and Clyde. How do you think they’d get on as a couple?
A) I think they’d get on like a house on fire! And then probably kill each other. Clyde would drive Rani mad with his ‘great’ jokes!

Q) What was it like working with David Tennant and Matt Smith during their respective guest appearances in The Sarah Jane Adventures?
A) Awesome. They are both cracking actors and such fun to work with. It’s a great burst of new energy when they pop in on the show. We love it.

Q) Elisabeth Sladen sadly passed away in April. How will you remember her, both as a co-star/actress and as Sarah Jane, and what are your particular favourite memories of working with her?
A) Lis was an incredible woman. She brought so much to her character, and so many elements of her own personality were poured into Sarah Jane, such as her kindness, her maternal instincts and her fighting spirit. As a person too, Lis was such a joy to work with, and she taught me so much. We all miss her and her memories will continue to live on as Sarah Jane.

Q) Is there anything you can tell us about the three new Sarah Jane stories that will be aired later this year?
A) I don’t want to spoil the surprise, but I will tell you they are bigger and better then ever before!

Q) You’ll be taking to the stage in ‘The Curse of the Devil’s Verse’s at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe next month. Have you done much theatre work before?
A) I’ve done a fair few bits of theatre at The Television Workshop, and also a play at Birmingham Rep called East is East. The Curse of the Devil’s Verse is a wonderful play, and it’s very different to The Sarah Jane Adventures. But if anyone’s about in Edinburgh, I’d recommend them swinging by!

Q) What would you say are the main differences between acting on stage and acting in front of a camera?
A) They are very different. Working in front of the camera requires lots of time in-between shooting to get everything right, plus you can stop and restart if you go wrong to make changes. Whereas with theatre, everything is in the moment. You can’t go back or yell ‘cut’, and everything is rehearsed for weeks before.

Q) In terms of acting and peformance, has the play allowed you to explore anything you’ve never had the opprtunity to try out on Sarah Jane?
A) It’s a bit more complicated in terms of character relationships, and it deals with tackling issues of gender differences and love as opposed to tackling physical threats!

Q) Finally, have you got any other projects lined up for the future?
A) Yeah, I’m in an episode of a show called ‘Beaver Falls’ which is on soon!

Six new Sarah Jane stories will be aired in the autumn in tribute to Elisabeth Sladen.

Simon Fisher-Becker has given us an insight into the world of Dorium Maldovar in an exclusive chat with WhovianNet!

The actor has appeared in The Pandorica Opens and A Good Man Goes to War, as well as the online prequel to the latter, and told us all about how his role came about, his time spent filming, attending conventions and some of his own theories about his character.

You can read our full interview with Simon below!

We’d like to say a huge thanks to Simon for taking the time out to answer our questions!

Q. You first appeared in Doctor Who in Series 5 in The Pandorica Opens. How did your role in the series come about, and were you a fan before you joined the cast?
A. The first I knew about Dorium was when I was invited to a casting. Seven very large actors were seen and I thank Steven Moffat and other decision makers for choosing me. I have been a follower of Doctor Who from the days of William Hartnell. Born in 1961, I was very young when William Hartnell turned into Patrick Troughton. But the memories are still with me – just added to the mystery and facination.

Q) How would you describe Dorium Maldovar in a nutshell?
A. Multi-layered.

Q) At the time, did you know that there would be more to come for Dorium?
A) Although I hoped there would be more for Dorium, I had no idea at the time of Pandorica.

Q) What was it like working with Alex Kingston, and then coming back and sharing scenes with Matt Smith and the other series regulars?
A) Initially I was very nervous, but Alex is such a flirt and tease I soon calmed down. She was delightful and I thank her for being considerate. It was absolutely delightful working with the entire production team. The series regulars and Matt Smith in particular welcomed me back with open arms which was so wonderful. Everyone works extremely hard and deserve all the plaudits they receive.

Q) What was your reaction when you found out that you’d be returning?
A) Total amazement. Was boucing around like Tigger for days. Once I received the script and realised how much more Dorium was to do, there was momentary panic, hysterical laughter and then more bouncing around like Tigger.

Q) What do you enjoy most about the part? Has Steven Moffat given you any of Dorium’s back story to help with your portrayal, or have you maybe come up with your own?
A) The fact Dorium is so multi-layered. I have not had any discussions with Steven Moffat about the development of Dorium, so I picked things up within the scripts. Talking to fans at conventions, they have picked up on things which I had not considered. What is Dorium’s debt to the Doctor? Some fans have noticed the way the Doctor rests is hands on Dorium’s shoulders in Demon’s Run Control Room. To them this is highly significant and shows a degree of trust and care/respect the Doctor has for Dorium. My personal back story for Dorium is as multi-layered as Steven Moffat’s scripts so I think it best to wait and see!

Q) How long does it take to transform into Dorium (costume, make up)?
A) We allow 2 hours but it does not usually take that long.

Q) Have you had any experiences of being recognised by Doctor Who fans?
A) Fans who have met me at conventions recognise me, otherwise there has only been one child. As she was walking along she said to her mother, pointing at me – ‘look mum, that man looks like The Blue Man from Doctor Who…’. Her mother pulled her away and told her not to be so silly – then looked at me and apologised for her ‘rude’ child. The child looked at me again – I winked, and nothing more was said…

Q) Dorium met a rather sticky end in A Good Man Goes to War, but we’ve heard that he’ll be back later on in the series. Is there anything you can tell us about that?
A) Dorium returns eh?

Q) Are there any returns for Dorium on the cards beyond the current series?
A) I very much hope so, but it’s up to Steven Moffat and Doctor Who Productions.

Q) Finally, do you have any particular favourite memories or moments from your time filming?
A) Being a follower of Doctor Who, I was like an 8 year old again. When I first saw the TARDIS police box, I was quite emotional and found I had to touch it. Although I was not in a scene, Matt Smith arranged for me to see the TARDIS inside – another 8 year old moment. The experience has been wonderful, the whole team delightful and being treated as a member of the Doctor Who family is fantastic. And long may it continue!

Did you enjoy the mid-series finale? Discuss the climax and its cliffhanger…

We were recently given the opportunity to speak to Colin Brake, the author of various Doctor Who books including Escape Velocity and Judgement of the Judoon.

During our Q&A, Colin tells us how he got into writing, the most difficult part of writing a Doctor Who story, and what Doctor Who projects he’s got lined up for the future. We’d like to send our thanks to Colin for taking the time out to answer our questions, and also to Penguin Books for arranging the interview.

Q. Have you always been interested in writing?
A. As long as I can remember. I know that I was keen to write from an early age, and I always enjoyed English as a subject. When I was 11 and started at my Grammar School, the first thing I wrote was an all about me piece in which I declared my intent to be a book writer. I think I said I wanted to continue the Famous Five series by Enid Blyton!

Q.Were you a fan of Doctor Who when you were growing up?
A. Yes. I’m just a little bit older than the series itself, so my first memories are of Patrick Troughton as the Doctor from around 1968, when I would have been 6 I guess! I’ve been a fan ever since.

Q. Was it difficult to convey the Tenth Doctor’s characterisation in The Price of Paradise? Which of his attributes and traits were easiest to show on page?
A. When you have a performer as brilliant as David Tennant to work with, it does make it easy. Of course, you have to adapt what you see on screen onto the page, which means a bit of tinkering, but David’s speech patterns as the Doctor were so clearly established that it was easy to write dialogue for him. Once you’ve got that right, the rest follows. We’re very lucky with Doctor Who that so many of the lead actors were such good actors with clearly defined speech patterns.

Q. What would you say is the most difficult part of writing a Doctor Who story?
A. Like any kind of writing, the hardest part is starting. Writers are very good at doing other things. When I used to be freelance, I used to find all sorts of things to do; popping to the supermarket, doing the
washing, reading the newspaper… These days I have a full time job (as a teacher) and write in my spare time, so I have to be more disciplined. I have less time to waste so once all the essential thinking, plotting
and planning is done, I just have to get on with it. That first sentence is still the hardest one though. The trick is to just write anything to get you started – you can always cut it or rewrite it later!

Q. In some ways, the Doctor’s adventures in a novel can be even more ambitious than they are on screen. What opportunities and problems does this present for a writer?
A. The opportunities are all about scale and spectacle, although these days CGI means that the TV show can be pretty big scale and spectacular itself, which was never the case with the original series! The problems are about making sure that the story doesn’t stop being a Doctor Who story. It’s easy to get diverted by the characters and settings you’ve created, and you have to keep coming back to the fact that you are writing a Doctor Who story, and the Doctor (and his companions) have to be at its heart.

Q. Have you got any Doctor Who projects lined up for the future?
A. I’m currently writing a Big Finish audio play for one of the Doctor Who spin-off range, and after that I really don’t know. Fingers crossed there will me more Doctor Who books to write in the future…

At the Doctor Who Experience signing, we were also thrilled to get to speak to Oli Smith.

As well as contributing to the ongoing series of New Series Adventure novels, and pennng an exclusive audiobook adventure, The Runaway Train, Smith also wrote the Nintendo Wii/DS games, Return to Earth and Evacuation Earth. In the interview, he describes the main differences between writing your average novel and a video game. You can read the full Q&A below!

Q) Have you always been interested in writing?
A) Yes, I’d always loved creative writing at school, and when I gave up English after my GCSEs I missed it enough to start doing it in my spare time, writing and drawing comics before getting them printed and taking them to comic conventions to sell!

Q) You have been very lucky to have been able to write for both the Tenth and Eleventh Doctors. What would you say are the main differences between them, and what attributes/traits helped you to distinguish the two incarnations on page?
A) I think a lot of writers put elements of themselves into the character of the Doctor, so it’s a case of picking and choosing which aspects of your own character suit the current incarnation. The Tenth Doctor is very witty and cool, so you kind of write him as yourself on a really good day- when you’re excited and full of energy and remember to say all those clever come-backs at the right time! The Eleventh Doctor is far more blustery and often trips over his words. His mannerisms as well are wild and unpredictable and he often forgets to tell his companions his plans! So I tend to write him as myself when I’m grumpy and haven’t got much sleep!

Q) You also wrote the recent Doctor Who Nintendo and iPad games. How did you approach writing an adventure in this new way, and what was the biggest challenge about writing for a game?
A) Usually when you’re writing a book you’re working alone, so I think the biggest difference was the fact that I was working with a team of people, all of whom were in charge of a different aspect of the game. We’d work very closely together, bouncing ideas off each other which was great fun! What’s really different with games is that the gameplay is the most important thing, it has to be fun to play and exciting, and you have to write the story to show that off.

Q) If you could pick any incarnation of the Doctor to feature in one of your stories, which would it be and why? Which existing monster would you put them up against?
A) My favourite Doctor when I was growing up was actually the Seventh, played by Sylvester McCoy. I think his small figure is a great contrast to the grand plans he came up with so I’d love to write a story for him. I’d put him up against Davros as I think he’s the perfect opposite of the Doctor - a mad scientist and a creator whilst the Doctor tends to destroy evil but not really rebuild anything in its place.

Q) What tips would you give to aspiring writers?
A) Keep writing, lots. Do short stories or comics as they’re great for showing to people who might not have the time to read a novel! Go to comic and Doctor Who events as well, they’re fantastic places to learn and I always come back from an event really inspired. They’re also filled with tonnes of like-minded people, so a great place to make friends!

Q) Have you got any Doctor Who projects lined up for the future?
A) I do indeed, but I’m afraid they’re secret…

A big thanks to Oli for answering the questions, and to Penguin Books for the invitation.

We were delighted to be given the opportunity to speak to Justin Richards at the recent Doctor Who book signing which took place at the Doctor Who Experience!

Richards has written several tie-in novels for the series and has also put pen to paper for a series of reference books for both the revived and classic series.

You can read our full interview with him below. A big thanks to Penguin Books!

Q) How old were you when you realised you wanted to become a writer?
A. I was probably quite old, actually. I’ve always written - from when I was about 7 years old I used to write stories. But I don’t think it ever occurred to me that this could be a proper job or profession. So, really, I didn’t ever realise I wanted to become a writer, I sort of realised that I was a writer.

Q) Were you a fan of Doctor Who before you began writing tie-in novels for the series, and how did your first Doctor Who novel come about?
A. I was a fan of Doctor Who from when it started – which was when I was about 2 years old. So forever, really. I can’t ever remember not being a Doctor Who fan. I used to write stories about Daleks – I was a Dalek fan before I was a Doctor Who fan, I suppose. I couldn’t understand why they weren’t in the programme every week. Or why they never won!

I worked as a technical writer for a while, after I left university. So I had a full time writing job when Virgin Publishing started doing the New Adventures novels. I was at university with Andy Lane and he wrote one of those (with Jim Mortimore) and that enthused me enough to write a proposal myself for a book that ended up being called Theatre of War. My degree is in English and Theatre, so I was drawing on stuff I knew – although then setting it in the far future on an alien planet!

Anyway, Peter Darvill-Evans and Rebecca Levene at Virgin liked the proposal and asked me to write the book.

Q) Since Doctor Who’s revival, you have written for the Ninth, Tenth and Eleventh Doctors. As a writer, what would you say are the main differences between the three Doctors, and was it easy to capture the individual voice of each incarnation as you were writing?
A.) Terrance Dicks has said that actually the Doctor doesn’t change as a character. I think there are stages that a writer (and probably any fan) goes through reacting to that comment. First you think: Well, obviously that’s right because it’s still the Doctor. Then you get a bit more sophisticated and analytical and you think: Of course he changes, he’s completely different. And then you realise that actually Terrance was right – as usual – and the Doctor doesn’t change. You’re still writing about the same core character, but what changes is how he presents himself to the universe. In that sense it’s largely down to the actor’s performance. You can look at scripts for a couple of very different Doctors and they seem very similar boiled down to the bare lines. But add in the actor’s delivery and mannerisms and they become totally different and contrasted. So I don’t know if any one Doctor is harder or easier to write for than any other, they’re just different in terms of how they come across… The hardest thing of course is when we have to write for a Doctor who hasn’t appeared on TV yet – I do get to see material ahead of having to finish the book. But the way the relative TV and publishing schedulkes work, not much ahead. I think for the Tenth Doctor we saw a rough edit of The Christmas Invasion and New Earth the week before the books had to be typeset!

Q) You have also written for the Second, Fourth, Sixth and Eighth Doctors. Of all the Doctors you have written for (new series incarnations included), are there any you particularly enjoyed? If so, why is this?
A) They all present their own challenges and joys, so it’s difficult to choose one as being more or less fun than any other.

Q) Your new series novels have featured Rose Tyler, Martha Jones and Amy Pond. As the companions are the ‘human eyes’ of the adventures, were they easier to write for at all? Which of them did you enjoy writing for the most?
A) The companion tends to be the ‘point of view’ character for the reader far more than any other character in the novel, so you have to go into them much deeper – really understand their attitude and thought process as ell as their manner of speech and behaviour. Again, they all present opportunities and difficulties.

Q) Have you got any Doctor Who projects lined up for the future?
A) I have indeed. I’ve written material for the Doctor Who Annual, which I do regluarly – annually in fact! Also a Monster Miscellany which is out in April, I think. Then I’ve been very involved with the re-issued Target books as well as editing all the BBC Books novels of course. In my spare time I’ve been doing some Big Finish audio work – which I haven’t done for a long time but have really enjoyed getting back into for Jago and Litefoot and a new series of Gallifrey, as well as some other projects that are coming up. Plus I write stuff all of my own which has nothing to do with Doctor Who – look me up on Amazon/Waterstones if you want to find out what!

We’d like to thank Justin Richards for taking the time out to answer our set of questions.

During our time at The Hub 5 we were delighted to get to speak to Gareth David-Lloyd about the life and times of Ianto Jones!

We chatted to Gareth about how he got the role and what it was like saying goodbye to his beloved character at the end of Series 3.

You can read the Q&A below, and we’d also like to say a quick thanks to Gareth for taking part!

Q. How did your role as Ianto Jones in Torchwood come about?
A. I had an audition after a long stretch of not having any work at all and being really quite desperate for some. I was really nervous because it was exactly the type of project I wanted to be involved in. I did my best, but I thought I hadn’t got it because a month or two passed. I was actually on the train on my way to another audition for a play in North Wales when I got a call off my agent saying I’d got Torchwood. It was amazing, such a great feeling, then I realised that I couldn’t do the play anymore, so I went for a pint instead!

Q. Were you a fan of Doctor Who before you joined the cast?
A. I was when I was younger, yeah. I didn’t really get into the new Russell T Davies episodes until I got the role, then I went back and watched them all.

Q. Did you have any nerves about being part of a spin off to a show that was so successful?
A. I knew there was a huge stigma around its massive, loyal fanbase, and that was very nerve-wracking, because a lot of people were already skeptical about the idea of a spin off before it came out. When it was a success we were relieved!

Q. Were you surprised that it was recieved so well?
A. Not at all. I was really proud of the series and we all had a feeling when we were making it that it was something special, especially for British television, and certainly for BBC Wales. It was a brand new beast! Yeah, we all felt that we had made something a little bit special.

Q. In Series 1, Ianto was seen as the ‘tea-boy’, however as the series progressed he became a much bigger part of the team. Were you happy with how he evolved throughout his time on the show?
A. Absolutely. The process of Ianto growing into himself was very organic. I think at the start of Series 1, the writers didn’t quite know where he was going, and I hope it had something to do with my portrayal that gave them somewhere to go with it. They suggested ideas and I took them on board and played with them. It was great to be playing a character that had such an organic, gradual growing process.

Q. What do you think it is about Torchwood that has made it so popular?
A. I think a huge part of it is its honesty. Despite the fact it’s a sci-fi show, it deals with real human issues, and the characters in it are a lot more human, a lot more three-dimensional. In Doctor Who, you have to be slightly flatter with the characters because it’s a family show, so you can’t get too deep or dark. With Torchwood, because it’s aimed at an older audience, you can get really three-dimensional. All the characters are floored, all the characters are guilty of something, which was a big appeal for me as well.

Q. What was it like taking Ianto across to Doctor Who for its Series 4 crossover finale?
A. Amazing. To be part of an institution like Doctor Who is obviously an actor’s dream, especially for someone who was a sci-fan when they were younger.

Q. One of the biggest twists of Children of Earth was Ianto’s death. How did you feel when you were told?
A. Obviously I was upset in the sense that it was something I’d been doing for 3 years, and I’d become closely involved with the character. I loved the character and the team and the whole universe we were set in, so I was deeply upset, but when I got the scripts and saw how Ianto’s exit would be played out, I was comfortable. I enjoyed every minute of it.

Q. What was it like filming your final scene?
A. We did about four or five shots from different angles and they all pretty much went in one take. They’d put that scene right at the end of the shoot, so it was last but one day of shooting, which was a good move, because I knew I was leaving the show and John knew I was leaving the show, and we’d been working together for 3 years, it was emotional. It was good that they put that scene at the end.

Q. The fans reacted very strongly to Ianto’s death. Were you expecting the response it had?
A. Not at all. I knew there would be some people upset about it, because after all it is a drama, and that’s why Ianto died, because it’s all about the story, but I had no idea. In many ways it put me in a difficult position, because when there are fans rallying and petitioning, you don’t want to upset anyone because that’s what the story needed. It’s obviously done its trick in being a drama, and you can’t side with them either when they’re upset because it looks like I’m asking for my job back, which I’m not in any way shape or form. For some reason I always had it in my mind that I would do 3 series and I knew that I was lucky to get that far given the show’s reputation!

Q. If you had to sum up your time as Ianto in 3 words, what would they be?
A. Absolutely ****ing brilliant.

Let us know what you think below and check out our mini-site for all things Torchwood!

Click here to read our exclusive interview with Rhys Williams actor Kai Owen.

Earlier today we journeyed to The Hub 5 where we were given the opportunity to speak to Kai Owen, who of course plays Gwen’s other half, Rhys Williams, in the series. 

You can read our exclusive Q&A with Kai below, and we’d just like to say a big thanks to him for taking the time out to answer our questions!

He’ll be back on our screens as Rhys next year in Torchwood’s fourth series, The New World.

Q. How did your role in Torchwood come about?
A. Well, they were creating the series and they needed a partner for Gwen, and I got a call from my agent saying I had an audition for Torchwood so they sent me a couple of scenes from the first episode. I went along and I met the casting director and Brian Kelly (director), and two days later I got a call saying I’d got it. 

Q. Were you a fan of Doctor Who before you joined Torchwood?
A. Yeah, I was a massive fan and still am, so when I heard that there was going to be a spin off I thought it was a great idea. I grew up with Peter Davison and Tom Baker and I remember I loved the theme tune when I was a kid. Still love it today.

Q. In Series 1, Rhys helped to show the audience the contrast between Gwen’s normal world and her new life with Torchwood, but were you happy when he became a much more significant part of the team?
A. In a way, I think they kind of had to do that because this guy could only be kept in the dark for so long with so many massive events going on with Gwen. I was happy when I found out but I’m also happy not to be a full part of the team, because I think it’s really important that he stays the real man on the street and remains the eyes and ears of the general public, really. He’s a normal guy who sees things and says things like a normal person would.

Q. Would you say you relate to your character at all?
A. I do relate to him, yeah. I’m a Welshman very much like him, and I’m also totally in love with Eve Myles like Rhys. I think I do relate to him a lot actually because I bring a lot to myself to the character really. He likes his food! There are parts of me that don’t relate as well, because I think I’m much more of a coward but Rhys is quite brave and strong.

Q. How would you react in real life if your partner told you they were working for a secret alien-fighting organisation?
A. I think I’d be ok about it. It wouldn’t freak me out, but I would be intrigued.

Q. What do you think it is about Torchwood that has made it so popular?
A. I just think there’s nothing like it on TV. The concept’s great, Russell T Davies is so clever, he’s a genius, and it’s just led superbly by John and Eve. I think for people who like a bit of escapism it’s fantastic. It’s just gone from strength to strength.

Q. You’ll be back as Rhys in The New World next year. Can you tell us anything about the series?
A. I’m afraid I can’t tell you anything because I don’t know anything! We start filming in January and it’s going to be one long story over 10 episodes, but what it’s about I have no idea!

Q. The last time we saw Gwen and Rhys, they were expecting their first child. What do you think Rhys will be like as a father?
A. I just know Rhys will be an amazing father. He’ll love it. He’s so warm and giving, and it’s everything he’s ever wanted, to have a family with Gwen. Rhys will be great and so will Gwen. He’ll love being a dad!

Q. How do you think Rhys will react when Jack returns to Gwen’s life after their farewell at the end of the last series?
A. To be honest, he’s probably happier when Jack’s out of the picture, but he understands now that this is what Gwen does. I think there’s a part of him that’s jealous about him, but there’s also a big part that knows that he’ll always look after Gwen and have her best interests at heart.

Q. What do you see Gwen and Rhys doing in ten years’ time?
A. Oh, good God! They’ll probably be travelling through the universe with their little baby in a time machine.

Q. What have been your personal Torchwood highlights so far?
A. Oh, there’s so, so many! It’s just a joy to be on set. They’re all brilliant. I adore Eve and I adore working with her, and everyday is different on it. I think it’s just that buzz, that feeling you get when you go into work today thinking, “I’m working on Torchwood!”. We’re so privileged and just so lucky to be part of it. There’s a real excitement about it when you’re on set because it’s not like a stereotypical drama. I think it’s that that excites me.

Finally, what three words would you use to describe Rhys and Gwen’s relationship?
A. Loud, hungry and sexy. There you go!

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Stay tuned as we’ll be posting our exclusive interview with Gareth David-Lloyd soon…

We were thrilled to be given the chance to speak to Nick Briggs at the Bad Wolf convention this weekend, and, during our interview, the actor spilled the beans on all things Daaaa-lek!

A big thanks to everybody who submitted their questions for Nick throughout the week – you may find yours was included in the Q&A. If not, we apologise for any inconvenience, but watch this space because we’ll have more interview opportunities over the coming months!

We’d also like to thank Nick for taking the time out to answer our questions.

Q. How did you become a voice artist, and how did you then become involved in Doctor Who?
A. Well, I suppose I wasn’t really a voice artist, I was an actor. I’ve been to drama school and trained as an actor, and done various things. I got to be the voice of the Daleks in Doctor Who because I’ve been working on Big Finish Doctor Who audio plays, and Russell T Davies – the executive producer of Doctor Who – buys our CDs. I think he’s a subscriber actually! He said to me that there was no doubt in his mind that if he was bringing the Daleks back, he wanted me to do the voice. So that’s how I got the job. No audition necessary.

Q. What’s it like voicing such an iconic character?
A. Because I’m a Doctor Who fan, and have been ever since I was a little kid, it’s just the most amazing thing. It’s not one of those jobs that you dream of doing, it seems like such an odd job. You would dream of being the Doctor, but I used to love the Daleks, and still do. As a kid, I wanted to see them win because I thought they were really cool. It’s such a joy to be on set and do the voice and people always get excited when they hear the strange voice coming out of the speakers. It always creates a great sense of occasion.

Q. When you became involved in Doctor Who, did you do any research to make sure you got the Daleks’ voice just right?
A. Because I’d been watching Doctor Who since I was a small child, I already had in my head what the Daleks were like, and what they sounded like. Of course, I had all the videos and DVDs and things, so I don’t think I ever sat down and specifically did any research, but in a way my whole life was the research for being a Dalek.

Q. Why do you think they’re such iconic figures?
A. People’s lives, even when times are good, are uncertain. Nobody can quite plan what will happen in their lives. Most people have that feeling that they never really know what’s going on. You’re never really certain what makes someone else tick, things are very uncertain in life. What people like in fiction, especially in science-fiction, which is even more detached from reality in many ways, is the certainty. The brilliant thing about the Daleks is that they’re certain. We know they’re bad. There’s no question about that, but when they brought them back in the new series, in that first one you thought, “Ooh, maybe this Dalek’s good, maybe it’s bad?”, but, of course, it was bad. That’s just playing around with the expectation, but I think that’s the thing. You can rely on them being horrible, and that’s somehow very refreshing. Because they’re displayed as the ultimate evil, it really ups the stakes for the Doctor. It makes the Doctor even more heroic when he’s battling them. They make the Doctor even more Doctor-y than he normally is!

Q. In Series 1, you were able to portray the fear and vulnerability of the mutating Dalek. Is it more interesting to voice them when they’re more than just the typical killing machines?
A. That’s quite a fun thing to do, and it was interesting playing those scenes with Chris Eccleston and Billie Piper. We rehearsed them together. Me and Chris, we went off into a dark room and rehearsed them together, and the director was very determined for me to make Billie cry. He kept saying, “Make Billie cry!”, and he wanted me to get slower, and slower and more pathetic, and that was a nice challenge to do, and a nice way to start off.

Q. Which alien do you like voicing the most and why?
A. The Daleks. Even though people think they just speak in a monotone way, that’s just when they’re going about their business. They do get very cross, and, of course, there was Dalek Caan, who had gone all crazy! There’s always a different challenge with the Daleks. They’re much more satisfying than playing the Cybermen, and much less wearing on the voice than the Judoon, from which I get sore throats.

Q. Are there any aliens that you haven’t voiced that you’d like to?
A. I would love to do the Ice Warriors. I’ve done them a lot in the Big Finish productions, and they’re fun to do. I’d also like to create an entirely new alien.

Q. Did you have any input in the new Dalek look, and what do you think of the finished products?
A. I didn’t have any input at all. I read in the script that there was going to be new Daleks, and the idea was that they were much bigger and more impressive. They’re supposed to reflect the designs from the Doctor Who movies from the 1960s. The Daleks have changed bit by bit over the years, but I think this is the most radical change. The same silhouette is there, and I’ve gathered that the reaction from the kids is really, really good, and that, ultimately, is what counts. I’m a bit of a stick-in-the-mud traditionalist, so I actually like the Daleks from the original series, even though I liked the new ones for the new series that were created from Dalek onwards. There’s more to be seen of them, and they’re an exciting development.

Q. How do you decide what voice to give each Dalek?
A. While we were filming it, only two of them spoke – the Eternal and the Strategist. When we did the post-production sound on it, we changed lines and what have you. The yellow one had to speak a bit, so I did a slightly different voice. The Strategist had a high voice. I also changed the modulation on it, added some low frequency oscillation, so the voice is split up twice, much more electronic. The Supreme had a big booming voice, a bit like the Emperor, and the Strategist had a very high, excitable voice. In the computer game, a load of the Daleks in that are the red ones, the Drones, and they never spoke in the TV series, so I had to come up with a new voice for them as well, which sounds less intelligent because they just go around obeying orders.

Q. We know the Daleks and the Cybermen are coming back in the finale. Is there anything you can tell us about that?
A. They’re coming back in a way that you wouldn’t expect. There’s something very interesting that happens to the Daleks in it, which makes them look quite different. I don’t think you’ll be able to predict what the Daleks and the Cybermen do in this story. It’s not a Dalek and Cyberman story, they just turn up in it and fulfill a function.

Q. You write for the Big Finish Doctor Who, but would you ever consider writing for the TV series?
A. Of course. The thing with the TV is that there are loads more script editors and producers with input. When we do a Big Finish script, the writers write a storyline, which hopefully gets approved, then they do their first draft script, then they get some notes, then they do their second draft script. If there’s something significantly not right in our view, then we’ll take over so there will probably be just a third or a fourth draft going between ourselves. On the TV series, they go to something like sixteen drafts, which would create insanity in my mind. I would love to do it but I’d love to have the cheek to say to them, “Yeah, I’ll do it, but can I just do two drafts? You do whatever you like then leave my name on it”. In a way, I think they have to put you through that torture. I think there’s a point with a script that you rewrite it so much that you end up back where you started, only perhaps not quite as good. I think scripts can be rewritten too much.

Q. Have you had the chance to play the new Adventure Game?
A. Only very, very briefly at the launch of it in Sheffield. It looked very good. It’s not too difficult, is it? Because there was one stage that was too difficult and they amended that because nobody was getting through it! I like the Dalek scanning thing. I must have a look. I’ll download it!

Q. Series 6 filming starts soon, can you tell us if you’ll be involved in anyway?
A. I absolutely have no idea, absolutely honestly. I really have no idea, because I’m always the last to know. When my good friend, David Tennant, was the Doctor, I would get to hear in advance, because, frankly, nobody on the production team would ever tell me! They’re so paranoid about secrecy and security, so David Tennant would phone me up. Last time round, when we were recording Victory of the Daleks, I managed to get one of the producers, Peter Bennett, who won’t be working on the new series, to tell me that the finale would be filming in January. I said, “Pete, I just need to know. I’m not going to tell anyone”, and he just went, “Middle of January”, so whenever anybody asked me to do anything for the middle of January I said, “Well, I’ve got some filming dates”. There are stories almost as long as the history of Doctor Who about actors being concerned that the BBC think you spend all your time sitting by the phone waiting for them to phone. That’s why the first Davros, Michael Wisher, only did the one story, because they wouldn’t confirm to him that he was going to be needed again. He got himself another job, but then they rang him and said they need him. That’s the downfall. It’s quite a battle with me finding out. My agent will contact the casting director and say, “We know the Daleks are back in it, when will Nick be needed?”, and then they will completely deny the Daleks are in it, even though I’ve been told by someone. The short answer is I don’t know, but it’d be really lovely. I hope they’ll deal with the CGI element of the new Daleks as well. That hump on the back is to do with weapons that come out around the edge, and they haven’t done that yet, so I’d like to see that.