This is an example of us in America probably going, “Oh. Cool,” whereas people in the UK are probably quite excited: it has been announced that comedian Frank Skinner will guest star on an episode of Doctor Who Series 8. Skinner is best known for writing and presenting the panel show Room 101 and for being a popular touring stand-up. He also, evidently, played a Dalek Operator in Peter Davison’s hilarious The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot short film which accompanied the 50th Anniversary of Doctor Who.
Skinner does seem to have the requisite Who fan cred, though, if his statement on the casting is any indication. “I love this show. I subscribe to Doctor Who Magazine, I’ve got a TARDIS ringtone, a five-foot cardboard Dalek in my bedroom and when I got the call saying they wanted me to read for the part, I was in the back of my tour bus watching episode three of ‘The Sensorites.’ I am beyond excited.”
He was watching “The Sensorites” willingly, folks; he’s definitely a nerd.
The episode in question, which has no title yet, is being written by Being Human writer Jamie Mathieson and will also guest star David Bamber (The King’s Speech), Daisy Beaumont (You, Me & Them), Janet Henfrey (As Time Goes By) and Christopher Villiers, who played the role of Hugh in the 1982 Doctor Who serial “The King’s Demons”. So, you know, a whole lot of people we’ve probably never heard of.
Doctor Who executive producer and head writer Steven Moffat had this to say of Skinner’s casting: “It’s no secret that Frank’s been pitching vigorously to get into Doctor Who for a while. He’s been volunteering to be ‘third monster on the left’ as long as I’ve been in this job. But now, in Jamie Mathieson’s sparkling script, we finally have a part that can showcase all of Frank’s famous wit and charm. Hopefully he’ll get out of my garden now.”
For a bit of who Skinner is and what he’s all about, here’s a clip from Room 101.
Let us know in the comments who you’d love to see guest on an episode of Doctor Who if you could have your druthers, and for more in the way of Doctor Who casting and news on the upcoming series, keep watching this space.
