Actress Bethany Black has revealed that she’s been cast in a forthcoming episode of long running sci-fi series ‘Doctor Who’.
The trans activist who had a big role in Russell T Davies comedy drama series ‘Cucumber’ and ‘Banana’ last year shared her excited with her fans through a Facebook post.
Ever since I was little, I mean tiny, the TV has been my best friend. Growing up as a queer kid in rural Lancashire in the early 80’s That and my Commodore 64 were my only escape. I watched everything, but especially Doctor Who. My earliest TV memory was Peter Davison in Doctor Who in Four to Doomsday, I remember running into the lounge, running away from the music, running back in and hiding behind the couch, leaving when it got too much. I’ve been a Doctor Who fan ever since. The first time I remember seeing someone I wanted to be when I grew up it was Sophie Aldred as Ace. And I was heart broken when it was cancelled. As time went on I was a casual fan, I’d watch anything Doctor Who related when it came on the TV, whether it was BBC four showing old episodes, or the BBC’s “Doctor Who Night” with sketches by the members of the League of Gentlemen.
When it came back my passion was fired up again, stronger than when I was a kid, and my friendship with Toby Hadoke, who is one of the most knowledgeable Doctor Who fan I’ve ever met really cemented that. About ten years ago he was just starting an Edinburgh fringe run of his show “Moths Ate My Doctor Who Scarf” a show all about growing up as a Doctor Who fan, and how it helped him build a relationship with his kids. It’s an amazing show, and I suggest you find yourselves a copy of it on CD or something, it’s ace. I was fortunate enough to drive Toby on the tour that followed and saw his show over 40 times.
Driving up and down the country I got to fill out the gaps in my knowledge. The excitement when Toby got help with the show from Russell T Davies, and then David Tennant recorded some bits for the show was immense, like touching a world of dreams that had seemed to perfect and out of reach, and now it wasn’t, it was a tangible thing. And that’s as close as I thought I’d get to it.
Then last year, I accidentally ended up with an acting career. Honestly, I’d not thought about acting since I quit my performing arts A-level in 1996, I was having a tough time, I was skint, I’d broken my leg and couldn’t work and suddenly someone passed me on an open casting call for Banana; Russell T Davies new series. I honestly never thought I’d get it. And then I did. And then two days later I was walking through the offices of the production company with Andy Pryor, the casting director of Doctor Who, when former show runner Russell T Davies came bounding out of his office and greeted me, my head was spinning, then I got sat in a room waiting to go into the read through with Andrew Hayden Smith, who’d been in David Tennant’s first Cybermen story. I thought how lucky I was to be alive and to get to do this. It was an honour and a privilege.
Anyway cut forward a year. I’m kind of thinking “well acting was fun, maybe I’ll never get cast in anything else though.” When my agent sent me a message that I’d got an audition for Doctor Who.
I got it. I got the job. I had to keep it silent. But I GOT THE JOB!
When I went down for the read through and saw my name on the table next to Jenna Coleman’s it suddenly started to feel real.
It is genuinely the greatest job I could ever have imagined getting. Everything about it is magical. I’m enjoying every day of filming and cherishing it, because you never know if you’ll ever get to do anything like this again. I only hope that I do the role and the show justice, and that you all enjoy it. For me it’s the gig of a lifetime.-Bethany Black
The new series of Doctor Who starts later this month. Bethany is set to appear in episode 9 of the series. Not much is known about this episode, except it’s being written by Mark Gatiss and is being directed by Justin Molotnikov.
Molotnikov has previously directed episodes of the TV series ‘Atlantis’ and ‘Merlin’, this will be his first time on ‘Doctor Who’, he’s also directing episode 10 of the series.
The only other actor confirmed for this episode is Reece Shearsmith, who alongside Gatiss, is one of the creators of ‘The League of Gentlemen’.
