Your Whose Who for Series 10
The year-long wait is over: our favourite Time Lord is taking control of the Tardis once more for another series of Doctor Who.
And what a series is in store: over the next 12 episodes the Movellans, Daleks, Ice Warriors AND Mondasian Cybermen will cause havoc throughout space and time.
But who are the friends and foes we’ll meet through these adventures? Here’s all you need to know about the cast and characters of Doctor Who series 10, starting with the key players…
Peter Capaldi as The Doctor
Who is The Doctor?
Nobody is certain exactly what his name is, but we do know he’s a talented Time Lord, an alien from planet Gallifrey gifted the power to travel through four dimensions in his trusty Tardis. The character we see in series 10 is the 12th incarnation of The Doctor – one who will soon depart the show for good…
Who is Peter Capaldi?
Before Who, Capaldi was best known for playing the profanely funny political bulldog Malcolm Tucker in comedy The Thick of It and its spin-off film In the Loop.
Capaldi has taken up two previous roles in the Whoniverse: he played Lobus Caecilius in the 2008 episode The Fires of Pompeii with the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant), and civil servant John Frobisher in 2009’s Torchwood: Children of Earth.
Pearl Mackie as Bill Potts
Who is Bill?
She’ll be The Doctor’s latest partner in time. However, when the two first meet, Bill is working in a university canteen, the same university the Time Lord is teaching at. “It’s quite interesting at the beginning – their relationship is very much tutor/student,” explains Mackie. “There’s a definite fascination for Bill in terms of the Doctor – she’s really interested in the way his mind works.”
Who is Pearl Mackie?
Mackie is a relative newcomer to TV, but has done plenty of theatre work – having been described as “a star in the making” by the British Theatre Guide.
She also had a short stint on BBC daytime soap Doctors…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kb0H7kiYcmo#action=share
Matt Lucas as Nardole
Who is Nardole?
He’s a character The Doctor first met in 2015 Christmas special The Husbands of River Song. Although Nardole was beheaded in that adventure, The Doctor returned to piece him back together, although the exact details of that haven’t yet been revealed.
“[Nardole] plays quite a crucial part in the show this season,” hints Capaldi. “He’s not there all the time but he is there a lot of the time – I don’t want to give anything away really.”
Who is Matt Lucas?
The comedian/actor is best known for working with David Walliams on sketch shows Little Britain and Come Fly with Me. Lucas also played both Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee in Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland and its sequel, Alice Through the Looking Glass.
And yes, he did play scorekeeping baby George Dawes in Shooting Stars.
Michelle Gomez as Missy
Who is Missy?
She’s the female incarnation of rogue Time Lord The Master. She’s battled The Doctor several times since series 8, and momentarily teamed up with him on Dalek homeworld Skaro. Spoiler: that didn’t last long.
Who is Michelle Gomez?
A Scottish actress who before Who was best known for her comedy work: she starred as the unhinged Sue White in Green Wing and deputy headteacher Isobel Pickwell in Jack Whitehall’s Bad Education.
John Simm as The Master
Who is The Master?
A very very very bad Time Lord who’s wreaked havoc on the universe since he first appeared on Who in 1971. Originally a friend, he soon became a deadly opponent of the Doctor and last faced off his nemesis in female form as Missy (see above).
However, before he regenerated into Missy (off screen), The Master was last seen in 2009/2010 special The End of Time opposite David Tennant’s Doctor.
It was recently announced that The Master would be returning back to the show to team up with Missy in what’ll surely be a time-bending plot.
Who is John Simm?
Simm’s long list of TV acting credits include Life on Mars (he played time-travelling cop Sam Tyler), State of Play (journalist Cal McCaffrey), The Lakes (Danny Kavanagh) and Mad Dogs. He’s also starred in several films such as Wonderland, Everyday, Boston Kickout and Human Traffic.
David Suchet as The Landlord
Who is The Landlord?
A very very good question. And one, we’re afraid, we’re not too sure about. That hasn’t stopped us guessing, though.
Who is David Suchet?
He’s a giant of British acting with countless credits and accolades but you probably recognise him best as Hercule Poirot – he played Agatha Christie’s Belgian detective in the ITV adaptations from 1989 to 2013.
Stephanie Hyam as Heather
Who is Heather?
Wet Dalek Lady. Well, at least that’s what we know her as because a) she looks like she really needs a towel, and b) she materialised into the series 10 trailer shouting Dalek catchphrase “exterminate!”. She’ll be appearing in the first episode of the series, The Pilot – the same episode the old tinpot nemeses of The Doctor will appear.
Who is Stephanie Hyam?
The actress has starred in some of the biggest shows on the box: she was in the third series of Peaky Blinders (as Charlotte Murray) and appeared briefly in Sherlock special The Abominable Bride (as sassy maid Jane). Fans of Jekyll and Hyde might also recognise her as love interest Lily.
Jennifer Hennessy as Moira
Who is Moira?
She’s the foster mother of new companion Bill.
Who is Jennifer Hennessy?
Hennessy played Jude in The Office, a man-hating shop-assistant named Julie in Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, and even appeared as a vet in Pulling. More recently you may have spotted her playing Emily Cratchit in BBC1’s Dickensian. Oh, and this is not her first time in Doctor Who. In series three episode Gridlock she played Valerie, the wife of Ardal O’Hanlon’s feline humanoid Thomas Kincade Brannigan.