Jodie Whittaker, David Tennant and Matt Smith chatted about being part of Doctor Who as they joined forces for the first time on Wednesday.
The actress, 38, Broadchurch star, 49, and actor, 37, took part in the reunion for HBO Max, and reminisced together about their experiences on the iconic sci-fi show.
Detailing the importance of being in a role that has been played by so many other actors, David admitted the show was ‘so precious’ to him.
Is there a Doctor in the house? Jodie Whittaker, David Tennant and Matt Smith joined forces for the first time as they reminisced about their time on Doctor Who for HBO Max on Thursday
‘There’s an expectation of what it will be like and what it actually is I suppose,’ he explained. ‘Growing up in Britain you’re very aware of Doctor Who as it has been ubiquitous in our lives even if it wasn’t on TV.
‘So when you realise it’s your turn you do kind of know what that means in terms of loss of anonymity, and the fact the first line of your obituary has almost certainly been written but I think that’s different to knowing what it feels like and carrying that around.
‘It’s a huge privilege and also feels very precious because people love it so much, and it means so much to people all through their lives, you just want to make sure you don’t break it. you want it to be special, precious and exciting for the next generation as it was for the old one.’
Gushing: Detailing the importance of being in a role that has been played by so many other actors, David ‘It’s a huge privilege and also feels very precious because people love it so much’
Hilarious anecdote: Matt then chimed in by saying: ‘I once had someone shout across the street, and I hadn’t shot a single frame, “don’t break Doctor Who!”‘
Matt then chimed in by saying: ‘I once had someone shout across the street, and I hadn’t shot a single frame, “don’t break Doctor Who!”.’
Sharing a similar story, Jodie admitted: ‘When I was announced, and you haven’t shot anything have you, I got a girl come up to me in a cafe and I was so excited because I was like “it’s my demographic”, she was sixteen and said “I really wanted it to be Ben Whishaw.’
Teasing her over the encounter, Matt claimed ‘everyone wanted Ben Whishaw’ while David joked that ‘he would have been really good.’
Going on to discuss what it’s been like in the role, Jodie went on: ‘Because I haven’t handed off so I’m still in that strange floating space where I own it, I’m not kicked out of the club yet.
Teasing: Jodie said she was approached by a girl who said she wanted Ben Whishaw to take the part when she was first cast, and David and Matt joked he would have been ‘ really good’
Candid: Of her concerns when starting the role, Jodie added: ‘The thing I would say to the next person is the pressure of the history of the show is all made up in your own head’
‘The thing I would say to the next person is the pressure of the history of the show is all made up in your own head, on set all the crew who have transitioned onto the show they are kind of excited and with you to bring something new because that is the beauty of this as a role.
‘You’re not supposed to be recreating what someone did you’re supposed to take it. There is a pressure and an actor’s monologue for a long time, but when you’re in your doctor’s clothes and you’ve got your own friends in it feels in a weird way all that pressure disappears because it’s yours to play with.’
Talking about handing off the show, David said of his five-year tenure as the Tenth Doctor which ended in 2010: ‘You always know that’s coming because you know what you’re getting into.
‘But it’s like what Jodie says, when you’re in it you’re like “yea this is it, this is my TARDIS”, it is quite weird that it carries on without you.
Delighted: Discussing what it’s been like in the role, Jodie went on: ‘Because I haven’t handed off so I’m still in that strange floating space where I own it, I’m not kicked out of the club yet’
‘I was there on Matt’s first day and you’re kind of there and then matt shows up and we say hello and have our photograph taken and then you walk off and they say right next, and the camera swings around to the next one.
‘There this thought of “oh I think for a second I felt indispensable” but then that’s how that show works, and then you become part of the history of it.’
Matt then added: ‘I’ve got that picture David and I gave it to my granddad and you’re smiling at me as if like “you’ve got no idea” and I look like I’m peeing myself or something, I just look so nervous.
‘The thing I miss, the one thing is the Christmas special, that’s just fantastic. It’s a great thing to pass on, it’s a great gift to go “good luck, don’t be too good.”‘
David went on: ‘It never goes away, it’s 15 years since I did it and I’m here today, it never goes away.’
The trio also chatted about the memorabilia they have from the show, after eagle-eyed fans noticed David had a TARDIS in his garden during his show Staged.
Admitting it wasn’t a real one, David said it was made for his kids by their step-granddad who ‘got very into [the show] briefly and then they moved on like the fickle heart breakers that they are.’
Huge significance: David gushed about being a part of the show’s history: ‘It never goes away, it’s 15 years since I did it and I’m here today, it never goes away’
Jodie said she had a few Funko Pops of the Thirteenth Doctor, while Matt -who was the Eleventh Doctor until 2013- admitted he had two Cybermen from the show.
Showing off the memorabilia to his fellow Time Lords, Matt claimed it was a parting gift which David joked he was ‘furious’ about given he didn’t get given anything.
Jodie also revealed the forthcoming special for the show would be called Revolution Of The Dalek, though she claimed that was the only thing she could give away.
Coming up: Jodie ended the chat by revealing the forthcoming special would be called Revolution Of The Dalek, though she claimed that was the only thing she could give away