DOCTOR’S OUT!
it’s sure to be an emotional parting.
‘Jodie and I had real emotions flowing,’ reveals Gill, 34. ‘It will be something I remember for the rest of my days, as we all knew it was the end of a beautiful chapter.’
While the episode features multiple encounters with the Doctor’s enemies, it’s her final battle with the
Master that’s set to have galaxyshattering consequences, and Whittaker was delighted to have Dhawan back on set for the conclusion to their characters’ journeys.
‘A lot of my favourite scenes throughout my tenure have been with Sacha, so being told he would be part of my final episode was an absolute joy,’ says Whittaker. ‘I don’t feel it would have served my Doctor to not have the moment of resolution and heartbreak with him.
‘What I love about Sacha’s Master, and what I think is important, is that he’s so broken and actually it’s not just two-dimensional evil. It’s got so many layers, and there’s such a vulnerability to him that it makes things so much more
complicated for the Doctor.’
BRIGHT SIDE
For Whittaker, who received acclaim for her performances in Broadchurch, Trust Me and an episode of Black Mirror prior to inheriting the role of the Doctor from Peter Capaldi in 2017, her time in the TARDIS has helped her embrace the lighter side of life both on- and off-camera.
‘I’m not a method actor, I don’t stay in character between scenes, but I spent a lot of time before I played the Doctor doing quite emotionally traumatised roles,’ she says.
‘A lot of the time, filming was amazing and fun to do, but you were always on the brink of upset. With
Doctor Who, there was heartbreak, there was fear and there was loss, but I always felt like the overriding thing the Doctor brought was curiosity and excitement. Obviously fear, rage and all those things, but the thing that encapsulated my Doctor the most was that bouncing into things.
‘That really fed into my evening, and my weekend, and my year – I feel like it’s knocked 15 years off me because I’ve been so energised. I’ll miss the energy of the Doctor!’
While Whittaker, 40, is sad about leaving a role of a lifetime behind, she’s looking forward to watching the next series as a fan again.
‘I’m really excited to not know any spoilers!’ she enthuses. ‘I cannot wait to see it in real time and go: “You are kidding me!” – and I don’t have the stress of keeping the secrets!’