Doctor Who actor Ncuti Gatwa has said it was “beautiful” to explore the Time Lord’s relationship with his latest companion in the new series of the sci-fi show.
Andor actress Varada Sethu is a new addition to the long-running BBC programme and stars as Belinda Chandra, who is “on an epic quest to return to Earth”, along with the Doctor.
Speaking at the show’s premiere, Sex Education star Gatwa told the PA news agency: “(It’s) so exciting to be back. We’ve got a new companion. We’ve got new stories to tell.
“We go to new places and we can’t get back to the place we want to get back to.
“There’s challenges that we haven’t had before in Doctor Who. So, yeah, super excited to be back.”
He added: “All you want as an actor is a really good, meaty role to sink your teeth into, and to craft.
“With this job you get the opportunity to do that time and time again.
“So, it’s just been so lovely to just expand on everything that happened in season one and it’s a new companion this year and so Belinda, really, is like a catalyst of growth for the Doctor this season.
“So that was such a beautiful relationship to explore.”
Former Coronation Street actress Millie Gibson returns in the role of Ruby Sunday, who travelled across time and space with the Doctor during Gatwa’s first series.
She said: “It’s a much more kind of mature take on Ruby. She’s older and it’s life after the Doctor. So, whatever happens after you’ve fought goblins, hung off a rope ladder above London and get swallowed by a double bass!
“So, it’s seeing the companion after doing all these crazy things, and if they’ve got PTSD, if they can get back to their normal life.”
She added: “I feel so connected to Ruby. I feel like, as I’ve grown up, I’ve grown up with Ruby.”
Guest stars of the new series include former EastEnders actress Rose Ayling-Ellis, Slow Horses actors Christopher Chung and Freddie Fox, as well as Scottish actor Alan Cumming, who voices “runaway cartoon” Mr Ring-a-Ding.
According to a synopsis, the new season of Doctor Who sees Belinda and the time-travelling alien come up against “great dangers” and “ferocious enemies” as a “mysterious force” tries to stop them from returning back to Earth.
Doctor Who will launch on Saturday April 12 at 8am on BBC iPlayer and will air later that day on BBC One.
