I’ve had Time of my life
Jodie’s tears as she prepares to bow out from Doctor Who
ACTRESS Jodie Whittaker is heartbroken as she prepares to pass on the sonic screwdriver after four years as Doctor Who.
As filming wrapped on her final episodes as the 13th Doctor, she was in tears saying goodbye to the crew who kept the shoot going for nearly a year through the pandemic.
Jodie, 39, said: “I lost it, I was absolutely gone, crying my eyes out. I know that this is the best time I will ever have on a job. I’ve felt like that from the start.”
Launching on Halloween the new series tells one story, Flux, across six episodes, followed by three specials to air next year.
Jodie said: “Letting go of it, I’ll be filled with a lot of grief – even thinking about it makes me upset. But this show needs new energy.
“The joy of this part is that you hand on your boots. I don’t know who to but whoever it is, what a thing to be able to go, ‘You’re going to have a right time.’”
She is full of praise for Mandip Gill, who plays loyal sidekick Yaz.
Jodie said: “She’s one of the funniest people I’ve ever met. She’s like a rock – but a really funny rock.”
For Mandip, a highlight was competing with Jodie on a stunt for the first episode when they hang upside down over an acid ocean.
She said: “I got a clap for doing extra twirls because I wanted to out-twirl Jodie.”
Comedian John Bishop, who plays new companion Dan Lewis, could only take the part offered by outgoing writer Chris Chibnall because his stand-up tour was cancelled due to Covid.
John said: “It had brilliant scripts, incredible people, friendships that will last beyond this.
“It’s one of those things I’ll look back on and go, ‘Wow, I was lucky to do that’.”
Chris said the restrictions meant the new run turned out very differently to how it was originally planned.
He said: “We could do lots of little stories set in a room with two people or we could blow up the universe.
“We went with blowing up the universe.
“There are lots of cliffhangers, some of our biggest ever.”
● Doctor Who starts on BBC1 on Sunday October 31.