Doctor Who Christmas special: Yorkshire's Jodie Whittaker takes us behind the scenes of 'Eve of The Daleks'

The Time Lord is back for a high octane, contained story which promises to take Doctor Who fans on a rollercoaster.

The Time Lord is back for a high octane, contained story which promises to take Doctor Who fans on a rollercoaster, as Georgia Humphreys discovers.

Daleks, high stakes, and hilarious guest stars – there is only one TV show we can be talking about.

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That’s right – Doctor Who is returning to BBC One this New Year’s Day for a festive episode, the first of three Specials airing in 2022 (the third one, which will land on our screens in the autumn, will be Jodie Whittaker’s last appearance as the Thirteenth Doctor).

Aisling Bea as Sarah, Mandip Gill as Yasmin Khan, John Bishop as Dan, Jodie Whittaker as The Doctor. [Image: PA Photo/BBC Studios/James Pardon]Aisling Bea as Sarah, Mandip Gill as Yasmin Khan, John Bishop as Dan, Jodie Whittaker as The Doctor. [Image: PA Photo/BBC Studios/James Pardon]
Aisling Bea as Sarah, Mandip Gill as Yasmin Khan, John Bishop as Dan, Jodie Whittaker as The Doctor. [Image: PA Photo/BBC Studios/James Pardon]

Appropriately named Eve Of The Daleks, this latest story follows the Doctor, Yaz (Mandip Gill), and Dan (John Bishop) trying to help Sarah (Aisling Bea) and Nick (Adjani Salmon) who, for some reason, are being targeted by an Executioner Dalek during the countdown to midnight on New Year’s Eve.

It’s a a one-off romantic comedy of sorts, as Nick is a shy customer where Sarah works and is trying to pluck up the courage to tell her he loves her – but, thanks to the Daleks, they end up in a time loop. Why are the pair being forced to live through the same moments again and again?

Here, 39-year-old Whittaker, who hails from West Yorkshire, takes us behind the scenes.

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Eve of The Daleks will air on New Year's Day [Image: PA Photo/BBC Studios/James Pardon]Eve of The Daleks will air on New Year's Day [Image: PA Photo/BBC Studios/James Pardon]
Eve of The Daleks will air on New Year's Day [Image: PA Photo/BBC Studios/James Pardon]
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When Whittaker – who’s also known for Trust Me, and Tess Of The D’Urbervilles – first started playing the Time Lord, back in autumn 2018, it signalled a moment of change, as she became the first woman to take on the iconic role.

Since then, there have been poignant episodes, such as Rosa, which explored the legacy of Rosa Parks and featured frank discussions about racism; plenty of famous faces, including Stephen Fry and Sir Lenny Henry, appearing alongside Whittaker; and, following the departure of Bradley Walsh and Tosin Cole, Liverpudlian comedian Bishop joined as a new companion.

For the New Year’s Day special, Whittaker felt “really lucky” to be working with British-Jamaican filmmaker Salmon, who is behind the BBC comedy Dreaming Whilst Black, and Irish comedian Bea, best known for writing and starring in Channel 4’s This Way Up.

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“I had met Aisling before, and had never met Adjani, so I knew how lovely Aisling was going to be and how hilarious she is,” says Whittaker.

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“My first introduction to Adjani was when we did the read-through on Zoom and he was absolutely hilarious and I couldn’t wait for his energy and Aisling’s energy, they’re so different and they complement each other so well.

“Because they’re both from a world of comedy which I’m not from, or Mandip’s not from, but obviously John is, it was like comedy gold dust just being on set with them, they were making us laugh the whole time.”

FUN SHOOT

Whittaker describes the episode as being set in a “very groundhog, Russian doll environment”.

So what was it like to shoot from an actor’s perspective?

“Filming a repetitive moment or the replaying of the same moment in time – the groundhog day sequences where we exit the Tardis and you realise that time is playing a loop – it’s actually really fun to shoot because you end up shooting really quick. So because you set it up, you’re covering so many moments that it’s only slightly different.

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“It’s a little bit tricky sometimes because it all does turn into one in your head, and then you’ll turn a corner and realise you’re shooting a different moment and it’s unexpected. I have to say, being on set, the episode feels like it’s going at a million miles an hour even though you’re hitting the same moment every time, so I found that fascinating.

“It was brilliant because it’s contained, it’s in one location, there’s a brilliant use of comedy with the Daleks as well which was really interesting to do. But also there were just five of us the entire time and that was so much fun.”

SCARY TIMES

Discussing facing the Daleks once again, Whittaker gives her take on why it’s so frightening to watch the Doctor’s most famous enemy.

“No matter how many times you think you’ve defeated them, they always come back. It’s that never-ending game of tennis – terrifying tennis.”

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In a short teaser clip released by the BBC, it was revealed that this episode sees the Doctor, Yaz and Dan appear to actually be exterminated by the Daleks – but, fear not, because all is not as it seems.

“When I read this episode for the first time and in one of the opening moments get exterminated, I genuinely thought, ‘Somebody has decided to write me out a bit sooner than I thought,’” quips Whittaker.

“It’s brilliant to play because the first time, for the Doctor, it’s as if you’re grasping at those seconds and that realisation that it could be your last moment. And for you to be killed by a Dalek would be so horrendous. But then, once you realise you’re in this time loop, the anticipation of the pain and the fun that can be had with that – it’s the first time in my career I’ve died so many times in an episode. There’s always a first.”

CLOSE BONDS

We know that Whittaker is leaving the Tardis behind this year, and showrunner Chris Chibnall will also be stepping down.

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It’s yet to be confirmed which actor will take over the iconic role, but what we do know is writer Russell T Davies, also known for award-winning drama It’s A Sin, will be taking over the sci-fi series once again in 2023, to celebrate its 60th anniversary.

As for Leeds native, Gill, her future on the show is unclear – but Whittaker loves how the Doctor and Yaz’s relationship has developed since they first met each other.

“I think what’s brilliant is that these two have had out of everyone – for my Doctor – the most amount of time together. And so it grows, from Yaz’s perspective, from somebody who is finding her feet to leading and confidence.

“What the Doctor loves is seeing Yaz’s independence and confidence grow, but she never falters in always being there for the Doctor and vice versa as well.”

Watch Doctor Who – Eve Of The Daleks on BBC One on New Year’s Day.

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