An Interview with Katy Manning & Finn Jones - Part Two

 (Check out Part One here, if you haven't done so already!)

Mac: Katy, had you been a fan of Elisabeth Sladen or Sarah Jane Smith prior to returning?
Katy: Well, we didn't have it where I was living (in the Andes!) No, we didn't have it. So I'd actually only seen what I had seen; I had met this lovely young man called Tommy—
Tommy: In Gally [Gallifrey One LA, 2010]
Katy: ...yes, in America, and obviously I know Lis, so it was important to me to have a little look to see what it was. I thought that the production values of that show were fabulous! And I thought Lis was brilliant in it, and I was really really happy to be part of it.



Nabu: I was really impressed with your knowledge of the show, because you seemed to have just immersed yourself in it. I remember at a recent screening of Death of the Doctor—
Katy: Which one was that?
Nabu: The one at the BFI.
Katy: Ah yes, the one at the BFI!
Nabu: The one with your raunchy interview...
Finn: A raunchy interview?!
Katy: I have a problem, I say things and I don't actually what I said, until everybody points it out. And everything I say has a double-entendre, apparently. (laughs)

Mac: It's probably because of your Iris Wildthyme connection.
Katy: (in Iris' voice) Oh I don't think it's anything to do with Iris, darling! I think this is summat I've been doing for a long time!
(everyone laughs)

Nabu: So yeah, I was really impressed with your knowledge of the show, did you research it well before you got into it, or did you just jump in?
Katy: I'm an old actress, darling, I just pick it up instantly(!)
Finn: Alright—! Jesus! (laughs)

Nabu: Is there a potential for you to do more Doctor Who in the future? You know, like come onto the main show, or do your own show?
Finn: It'll be the 'Jo Jones and Santiago Trials'...
Katy: When it comes to the grandson, here, I think he would be a fabulous character to go back into with. I think if I were a producer or whatever, I'd see a lovely moment for you to return. It's lovely; what kid has never been to school, you know? [He and his parents] have been dragged all around the world, very happily for most of the time, but he's suddenly seen that there was something else out there, and that was beautifully played. I love how she has had 7 children and 13 grandchildren, and dropped them at the foothills and then gone off and chained herself to Robert Mugabe!

Mac: Finn, how did you approach your character since you were 'replacing' Tommy Knight? Obviously, Tommy has his loyal fanbase etc.
Finn: Well I wanted to go in, be better looking than Tommy and steal all of his fans... nah, I'm joking.
Tommy: Well it sort of worked! Earlier on in the day, someone came up to me with a photo of Finn!
Finn: That's happened to me, too! Someone people come up to me with Tommy's photo, and I'm like 'W-w-w-what?!' But yeah, I just kind of went with it, worked with the script and stuff.

Mac: Cool. And I asked Tommy this yesterday; do you follow forums and discussion boards to see what people are saying about you?
Finn: I don't. I've done that before and it's just not worth it. I appreciate that everyone has their own opinions, but you've got to have some kind of barrier. It's nice to hear a few things or a few articles, but if you get obsessed with it, you become dependant on it - and it's not healthy.
Katy: It would be mind-numbingly boring. I cannot think of anything worse...

Finn: It's nice that people are speaking about it, but I think that you should go in, do your job, have fun and that's it.
Katy: I think also, if you read what people say about you, it must have some effect - deep down in your head - that you're actually caring what somebody is thinking! It's like in the old days, you used to read somebody's publicity and people used to start to believe that they were that person.

Nabu: Finishing off, what kind of stuff do you have lined up for the future?
Finn: I am doing a show for HBO at the moment, called Game of Thrones. It's based on a series of books called A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin. I'm playing a character called Ser Lores Tyrell, who is a knight.
Nabu: Did you have to put on outfits?
Finn: Yeah, it's like the Lord of the Rings territory, so kind of Middle Earth-esque.
Katy: He looks so handsome in his armour!
[pause]
Mac: Is that the end of the interview?
(everyone laughs)

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