Latest news with #TARDIS
South Wales Argus
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- South Wales Argus
Danny Dyer wants to play the next Doctor Who with a twist
The actor, known for roles in EastEnders and Rivals, discussed his hopes for the role, sharing that he would like to put a "working class" twist on the BBC sci-fi show. It comes after it was confirmed that Ncuti Gatwa would be stepping away from Doctor Who, with Billie Piper expected to take on the role. But Dyer hopes that one day he might get the chance to step into the TARDIS. Danny Dyer wants to be the next Doctor Who Speaking to The Mirror about Doctor Who, Dyer said: "It's such an iconic thing to do. It's almost – not on the same level – like James Bond. It's a character that's loved by so many. "It gives you an opportunity with Doctor Who, because of the nature of the work, to bring something left-field, something a bit mental, a bit stylised, which I love. I love the idea of it." Sharing what his doctor would be like, Dyer said: "Well, he would be an incredibly working-class Dr Who. "Yeah, maybe a bit alpha. What I do, really. You've hired me for a reason - I don't think you'd want me to come in and play Doctor Who, you know, really posh." Recommended Reading Dyer added that maybe Doctor Who needs a bit of change with a working-class approach: "I don't think we've ever had a working-class Doctor Who, have we? Well, Jodie Whittaker, she brought a bit of that to it." Despite his hope, Dyer said that he has never been approached to play the role, sharing: "I'll be honest, no one's ever approached me about it. "But I see things now and again, my odds have been slashed to this, that and the other - it's definitely something I would consider."
Glasgow Times
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Danny Dyer wants to play the next Doctor Who with a twist
The actor, known for roles in EastEnders and Rivals, discussed his hopes for the role, sharing that he would like to put a "working class" twist on the BBC sci-fi show. It comes after it was confirmed that Ncuti Gatwa would be stepping away from Doctor Who, with Billie Piper expected to take on the role. But Dyer hopes that one day he might get the chance to step into the TARDIS. Danny Dyer wants to be the next Doctor Who Speaking to The Mirror about Doctor Who, Dyer said: "It's such an iconic thing to do. It's almost – not on the same level – like James Bond. It's a character that's loved by so many. "It gives you an opportunity with Doctor Who, because of the nature of the work, to bring something left-field, something a bit mental, a bit stylised, which I love. I love the idea of it." Sharing what his doctor would be like, Dyer said: "Well, he would be an incredibly working-class Dr Who. "Yeah, maybe a bit alpha. What I do, really. You've hired me for a reason - I don't think you'd want me to come in and play Doctor Who, you know, really posh." Recommended Reading Dyer added that maybe Doctor Who needs a bit of change with a working-class approach: "I don't think we've ever had a working-class Doctor Who, have we? Well, Jodie Whittaker, she brought a bit of that to it." Despite his hope, Dyer said that he has never been approached to play the role, sharing: "I'll be honest, no one's ever approached me about it. "But I see things now and again, my odds have been slashed to this, that and the other - it's definitely something I would consider."
Daily Mirror
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Blue Peter's Peter Purves regrets working on show as it ruined dream career
Before joining the long-running kids' show Blue Peter, Peter Purves had been a Doctor Who companion for the first Time Lord, William Hartnell Veteran TV star Peter Purves claims his biggest regret is taking a job as a presenter on the children's show Blue Peter. His revelation will shock fans because for 11 years spanning the 1960s and 1970s he was one of telly's most famous faces, fronting the tea-time series along with John Noakes, Valerie Singleton and Lesley Judd. Many regard this period as 'a golden era' in the show's long-running history. Jobbing actor Purves joined Blue Peter in 1967 after he had been given the chop from Doctor Who, also a hit BBC show at the time. He had played TARDIS companion Steven Taylor for two years on the sci-fi series, alongside original Time Lord William Hartnell. Prior to that he had landed parts in Z Cars, The Saint, Dixon of Dock Green and The Villains. But when the jobbing actor found himself out of work for a year after Doctor Who, and was offered the post as a Blue Peter presenter, he took it. However, he now regrets that decision and wishes he hadn't gone down that path, because he had always wanted to become a successful actor and blames it for taking his career in a different direction. Purves, who is now 86, said: 'Deep down I wish I'd not done Blue Peter. I wish I had been more successful as an actor. But I could not get the work. 'So I took the presenting jobs that came my way. I know it might sound silly but I fancied myself as a leading man. I hoped I was going to be a film star. That was my ambition.' After he left Blue Peter in 1978, Peter went on to host TV shows such as Stopwatch and Kick Start and then Crufts. Although these jobs took him away from his acting dreams he tells Doctor Who Magazine about his lengthy TV career: 'I've been lucky. I've had a full life.' In 1962, Peter married actress and playwright Gilly Fraser with whom he has son Matthew and daughter Lisa. The couple divorced in 1982 and he now lives in Suffolk with his second wife Kathryn Evans. In 2008 his Blue Peter co-host Valerie revealed she'd enjoyed a "brief fling" with Peter when he was "between marriages'. After leaving Blue Peter, where he was in charge of the programme's dog, Petra, he went on to present Kick Start, Stopwatch, and the BBC 's Crufts dog show, with which he had an association for 40 years. He said their decision to axe him in 2020, because of his age, had felt like "a kick in the stomach'.
Daily Mirror
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Danny Dyer eyes Doctor Who job as he reveals plan for 'working class alpha' role
The Bafta-winning actor says he'd like to follow in the footsteps of the actors lucky enough to be cast in the 'iconic' role Danny Dyer has told how he'd love to star in Doctor Who - while admitting he'd play the Time Lord as 'a bit mental'. The actor says that while he's never been asked to try out for the TARDIS role, he certainly wouldn't rule it out if he was. 'It's such an iconic thing to do,' he explained. 'It's almost – not on the same level – like James Bond. It's a character that's loved by so many. Again, it gives you an opportunity with Doctor Who, because of the nature of the work, to bring something left-field, something a bit mental, a bit stylised, which I love. I love the idea of it.' Speaking ahead of the return of Sky's Mr Bigstuff this week, for which he earned a Bafta for best comedy performance earlier this year, Danny said no one would be surprised with how he'd play the Doctor, if he was ever given the chance. 'Well, he would be an incredibly working-class Dr Who,' he laughed. 'Yeah, maybe a bit alpha. What I do, really. You've hired me for a reason - I don't think you'd want me to come in and play Doctor Who, you know, really posh.' He said maybe his down-to-earth, no frills approach is what the series has been missing. 'I don't think we've ever had a working-class Doctor Who, have we? Well, Jodie Whittaker, she brought a bit of that to it,' he said, confessing that he doesn't know much about the complicated history of the 62-year-old sci fi series. 'I know it's hard work, and some of the dialogue he's got, he's got big monologues, talking about s*** you don't understand.' Other recent Doctors have included outgoing Sex Education actor Ncuti Gatwa, fellow Scot Peter Capaldi and English actor Matt Smith, who went on to play Prince Phillip in The Crown. The bookies are forever slashing Danny's odds when the runners and riders for who will next steer the TARDIS are being considered. 'I'll be honest, no one's ever approached me about it. But I see things now and again, my odds have been slashed to this, that and the other - it's definitely something I would consider." In Mr Bigstuff, the main cast will this time be joined by a raft of guest stars including two from EastEnders. One is Linda Henry, who played Queen Vic barmaid Shirley Carter for 16 years until leaving in 2022. Danny's character Mick thought Shirley was his sister until discovering she was actually his mum in 2014. The second series of Mr Bigstuff will also feature Shaun Williamson, who played Albert Square's Barry Evans, plus actress Rula Lenska. In the six-part comedy, Danny - who also stars in Disney's returning series Rivals - plays estranged elder brother Lee alongside Ryan Samson - who also writes the show - as his younger sibling Glen. The action picks up two weeks after the last one ended, with the shock news that the brothers' dad is not actually dead after all. - Mr Bigstuff, Sky and Now, Thursday 24 July
Metro
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Doctor Who fans in disbelief over 'disrespect' of iconic star Jenna Coleman
Fans of Doctor Who have been left in a state of disbelief at the 'disrespect' of former companion and viewer favourite Clara Oswald. This came as a special episode of the spin-off documentary series Doctor Who: Unleashed celebrated 20 years of the sci-fi drama's rebooted iteration. First airing on BBC One on March 26 2005, Doctor Who returned to screens after an absence of 16 years, introducing Christopher Eccleston as the Ninth Doctor, and Billie Piper as companion Rose Tyler. The rest, as they say, is history – and Doctor Who recently wrapped up its most recent series, with Ncuti Gatwa stepping down as the Fifteenth Doctor during a surprise regeneration. Looking back over 20 years of filming in Cardiff, last night's Unleashed paid tribute to Doctors and companions past. Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. However, many fans were disappointed by one particularly glaring omission – namely, the curious absence of Clara Oswald, as played by Jenna Coleman. Clara was initially introduced as a companion to the Eleventh Doctor, as played by Matt Smith. First appearing in the Series Seven episode Asylum of the Daleks in 2012, Jenna's enigmatic appearance (playing one of three different people who shared a similar name, but the same face) turned into a full-time companionship under the Twelfth Doctor (Peter Capaldi). Clara departed the TARDIS in Series 9, with the 2015 finale Hell Bent being her last in a starring role. However, she did return for the Twelfth Doctor's final episode, showing up for a cameo in the 2017 Christmas special, Twice Upon A Time. As such, Clara is one of the rebooted Doctor's longer-serving companions… making her absence from this week's celebration seem particularly odd. 'I'm in utter disbelief over how little time was dedicated to the 12th Doctor's era in the new Unleashed ep, only a little under 2 minutes in an hour long special,' wrote DWfigurephotos on X. The user continued: 'The episode 'Blink' alone got more time dedicated to it than Peter's entire run! 🤦♂️ Also no Clara AT ALL?!' 'I know the Doctor temporarily lost all his memories of Clara, but it seems that the makers of Doctor Who Unleashed have forgotten about her completely,' said MrDavidEBrown. 'Is it just me or is it odd that the #DoctorWho Unleashed 20th Anniversary Special didn't even mention Clara. It just skipped over her completely. I can understand if Jenna Coleman wasn't available, but to not even mention or show the character seems really strange,' commented JovialVulcan. 'The whole time when Jenna Coleman played Clara, was skipped over. Her name not mentioned & only a glimpse of her from the distance in a scene from 'Deep Breath'. I wonder why that was?' said PayneNotes1. Also missing from the line-up was Series 3 and 4 companion Martha Jones, as played by Freema Agyeman. Surprisingly, Millie Gibson's Ruby Sunday didn't rate a mention either, although she did appear in the background during an interview with Ncuti and Varada Sethu. Former companions who were included in this love letter to Cardiff-era Who included Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill, who played Amy and Rory Pond during Matt Smith's run on the show. Representing Peter's time, Pearl Mackie also addressed her time as Bill Potts, while Jodie Whittaker's TARDIS-mate Mandip Gill provided some insight of her own. Catherine Tate may not have appeared in an interview, but showrunner Russell T Davies and the documentary did at least acknowledge her existence. Meanwhile, as the most recent companion, Varada joined Ncuti on the red carpet to discuss their stints on the show. As perhaps the Doctor's most well-known companion, Billie Piper joined David Tennant as they reflected on their time in the TARDIS together. Both have returned to the show since their exit, with David starring in three special episodes last year after (re)regenerating from Jodie's much-maligned Thirteenth Doctor. His three-episode return culminated in the show's first bi-generation – heralding the arrival of Ncuti Gatwa as the show's Fifteenth Doctor. More Trending In shocking scenes during this month's series finale, Ncuti stepped down from the show after only two seasons – apparently regenerating into Billie Piper as the episode ended. Whether Billie is actually the Doctor remains to be seen, but her return to the show has left fans worried for its future. View More » Amid rumours that David Tennant might come back (again!) some have suggested that the show is 'running out of ideas' and coasting on its past. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: 'I had to snort pure glucose': Inside BBC's outstanding 80s crime drama MORE: BBC's 'brilliant' true crime drama made me question my own morals MORE: Divisive horror movie full of 'grotesque monsters' now streaming on BBC iPlayer
