Interview: Sophie Aldred

Now I could write a cringeworthy intro about how amazing Sophie Aldred is, but I don't need to. Because she is. And I interviewed her. Also, she has the nicest voice ever.

Mac: Have you been enjoying today's show?
Sophie: It's been a fantastic event! I arrived a little late because of the trains, but it has been so lovely to catch up with everybody again, particularly the girls - Katy Manning, Sarah Sutton and Deborah Watling. It's always so lovely to have a good old chinwag with them and get together.

Mac: So in The Sarah Jane Adventures, Sarah Jane addressed many companions and one of them was Dorothy, who supposedly ran a charity called A Charitable Earth, the initials being A.C.E. What do you think Ace would be doing in 2011?
Sophie: Well when I first heard that, I thought, Oh no, I can't imagine Ace doing charity work! And then I had another think and thought, well actually, if she was doing anything it would be like Greenpeace, direct action in space, and I actually thought that it was a really great idea that she could be behaving her normal self and using unorthodox methods but helping and giving to people who needed it.

Mac: It was reported a few months ago that you were doing a Cbeebies show with David Tennant. How's that going?
Sophie: It's going really well! We're actually having a preview next week, I think. So we're just going to be seeing a couple of episodes on the big screen. It's actually coming out in March and David and I are just starting to film a few things for publicity, so watch this space!

Mac: Great! When I was younger, I remember you on Words and Pictures and then a few years later on Zzzap! as Minnie the Magician. Would you say that your home was on children's TV?
Sophie: I guess. I suppose that's what i did a lot of. Perhaps I'll come back and do some 'grown up' TV? I did do some grown up TV, but not as much as children's. I do love working for children and it was wonderful time I had doing those things but maybe when I come back, I'll be a bit old so maybe I'll have to do some grown-up telly. We all have to grow up eventually! (chuckles)



Mac: And finally, how do you feel about Ace's fanbase running strong to this day?!
Sophie: Oh I am so delighted! Without the fans, we wouldn't get the opportunity to come here and meet up with each other and have a laugh. I really, seriously believe that there would not have been a new series if it was not for the support of the fans. So yeah, keep 'em coming! 

Mac: Thank you so much for the interview!
Sophie: Oh my pleasure!

Interview: Frances Barber

Amongst many other things, many of you probably know Frances Barber for playing the evil/marvellous Madame Kovarian. In a fit of excited nerves, I caught up with the super-actress to chat about her role on the show and more!

Mac: Hi Frances, I'm such a fan!
Frances: Well I'm glad!

Mac: So to start off... to the viewer, Moffat's storylines are sometimes quite complex. When you first got your scripts, did you feel the same way about the stories?
Frances: Well, I personally found them quite complicated to understand, I have to admit! But then I am not the sort of Doctor Who expert, and I thought maybe it was just me who didn't understand and that I was a bit dim, but now I understand that they were complicated for everyone. They end up making sense in the long run, but when you get them episode-by-episode, they get a bit complicated.


Mac: Were you a fan of Doctor Who before you joined?
Frances: A massive fan, yes! And when it started again with Chris Eccleston and Russell T Davies, I was desperate to be in it. And everyone else seemed to be in it except me, so I was so thrilled to be asked. And I have to say, Matt Smith is a sensational Doctor and he's probably my favourite.

Mac: So out of all the episodes you did, which would you say was your favourite?
Frances: Erm... I mean, the one that I suppose was my most favourite to film was the last one because Amy kills me and we think she kills me and we don't know because it was a different time line etcetera etcetera, but that was fun because we were all there together with River Song and I really enjoyed that.

Mac: What was your initial reaction when you read about the strange method in which the Doctor would escape his death?
Frances: Well I was just as surprised as everyone else, to be honest. I presume even Matt was surprised! So like everyone it was like, Wow, look at that! When I saw the first episode with the Astronaut coming from the deep, I just thought it was one of the most exciting episodes I've ever seen. So I knew that it was going to be super clever.

Mac: So I was doing some research on your fantastically eclectic career; you've done theatre, films, TV... out of everything you've done, what would you say was the most enriching or rewarding?
Frances: It's really hard to answer that question because I am in the lucky position to have so many different things with so many actors so I always like to believe that the next job will be just as exciting and as wonderful as the others. I've love doing theatre and film and Doctor Who.

Mac: Did you have fun playing Madame Kovarian?
Frances: Oh yes I loved it! I relished every second of it! (laughs)



Mac: With Doctor Who comes a massive fanbase, (and I have been following your zany tweets!) How would you say you have reacted to this massive fan universe that you've been thrown into?
Frances: Oh I have to say I have absolutely adored it! All the Doctor Who fans are really respectful, they are really knowledgeable. I mean, I think that's the biggest thing that they're respectful and courteous and I am loving the fact that, like at the last convention I did, girls came dressed as Madame Kovarian! And I was so chuffed and blown away by that.
Mac: Yes they do make an effort!
Frances: Yes, by their dedication and the huge effort they made and it's really appreciative. So yes, I am loving it! And I return every fan letter I get as soon as I possibly can!

Mac: Would you ever return to the show?
Frances: Oh I'd leap at it in a heartbeat!

Mac: Thank you so much, Frances!
Frances: It has been my pleasure!

Interview: Save Doctor Who Confidential!

With closing time for the Save Doctor Who Confidential petition coming up, we caught up with the person behind the campaign to discuss it and more...

What were your reasons behind the campaign?

My heart sank when I heard the news and not many shows that get axed have that effect on me like DWC did. I was actually surprised at how much I cared about the show. You don't know what you got till it's gone I guess. You just realise the good things it did and how sad it is to take it away from people. ALOT of people on Twitter we're complaining about the cancellation of the show on Twitter so something had to be done to amplify that annoyance, these people pay for a television licence and they have had a great show taken away from them so something needed to be done. Having seen the Script to Screen clip [below] I realised how terrible it actually was to cancel such a great show, a show like this reaching out to kids are very hard to come by. I just wish I had this show when I was a kid, I think I would have changed my view on television.



How have you found the support so far? Has anything shocked you?

Everyday I'm surprised at the amount of support and the amount of media coverage and the fact that Steven Moffat agrees really makes me happy. What Steven said in Doctor Who Magazine really answers your first question, he's hit the nail on the head.

Out of all the 'behind the scenes' counterparts the BBC have created (Heroes Unmasked, Torchwood Declassified etc.), Doctor Who Confidential remains the most successful. Why do you think that is?

Well, Doctor Who Confidential has helped new Doctor Who fans out with understanding the show; most New Who fans I know told me that DWC helped them understand what all the fuss was about. It's also helped a lot of people decide what they want to do at college. Not many shows have an influence like this on people, it's so much more than being just about Doctor Who it's grown and developed into so much more than that and that is why it has lasted until now. But Confidential was evolving into interesting areas and reaching out to schools with the Script to Screen competition. Not many shows can say they do the same or care about people the way confidential have. This is the kind of shows that we should have on our TV screens: informative and entertaining.


If Doctor Who Confidential came back on another platform (e.g. the website only), would that suffice?

It would be great if it came back on website only, however, not everybody has the internet. A lot of people in rural areas would still lose the show so I can't help but feel it should still be on TV as it deserves that platform. I personally feel, the Red Button could be a possibility. So after Doctor Who you could press your red button and access the show that way.

And finally, out of the 80+ episodes and 6 series of DWC, what have been your favourite moments?

My favourite moments... David Tennant's Farewell, the introduction of the Eleventh Doctor, the story of River Song and finally the Script to Screen.

So many people say to us that they use Confidential to keep up if they have missed any episodes, so to lose that for those casual viewers will be concerning to me for one.



__

Don't forget, you can sign the petition here and follow Save DWC here.

An Interview with Katy Manning & Finn Jones - Part One

Nabu, from SARAH-JANE.tv, and I caught up with the wonderful Katy Manning and her on-screen grandson, played by Finn Jones, to discuss the latest series of Sarah Jane Adventures, as well as some other outrageous stuff!

Nabu: So, how is today for you? How have you found the experience so far [at the convention]?

Finn: Yeah it's been great! This is my first convention, I'm breaking my virginity.
Katy: I had to be with him.
Finn: Yeah, Granny had to be there...
Katy: Granny had to check this out! (laughs)

Mac: That's going to be quoted in the interview, y'know.

Finn: Oh it's recording?! (laughs) Yeah, my Gran was there when I lost my virginity...
Katy: Well this is the kind of Granny who would! (laughs)

Nabu: What was it like returning to the BBC set after so many years? Was it like a learning curve? Mac: Was it reminiscent of the past?

Katy: Yeah well first of all, the moment I found myself on that freezing cold mountain, it was like old times, y'know. The only difference was, I wasn't wearing a mini skirt, which was a great relief because everybody was watching! And going into the TARDIS was fascinating because it has changed and become very cutting-edge and it was very exciting because, although I was quite nervous to bring back this character, and you have no rehearsal, you go straight in—

(At this point, Tommy Knight enters!)

Finn: Tommy Knight has just come in here! Tommy Knight, get here now, we're having an interview, and you are just causing a scene...
Katy: I think you'd better come and sit here with us... (pointing at Tommy's 'hip' walking style) Did you see his walk? Did you see the walk?!
Finn: He needs to keep his trousers up!
Tommy: Look, right, I don't have a belt [for my trousers] so I had to use a shoelace!
Katy: It's like a bad-man Saturday Night Fever.
Tommy: Well, maybe I am a bad man out on a Saturday night...!

(everyone laughs)

Mac: This is all going up on the site, you know.
Katy: (laughs) But it really was a terrific experience being back. As I say, no rehearsing and so you just had to go through it. How could you go wrong with a Russell T Davies script? And you know, such wonderful actors, like Matt. I think including the audiobooks now, I'm into seven or eight Doctors!

Nabu: Did you collaborate with Russell about your character?
Katy: Well, he was constantly in touch: very hands-on, very caring. Absolutely lovely. And in terms of the character, if you look at the piece, it's the perfect carry-on from where she left off. For three years, from being this little, cunning 18 year old and this sort of, slightly 'knowing' young lady, going off and getting married. I think with everything that she did, you can imagine her doing that.

Mac: So, Finn, what was the experience like for you compared to Hollyoaks? How was it different?

Finn: It was great. Really really great. Both sets were really welcoming. And Doctor Who is a massive world, y'know these people are so established in what they do, so to come along first it was a bit like 'Oh I might be out of my depth,' but everyone was so welcoming and so lovely and the script was so great. And it wasn't 'The Matt Smith Show' or 'The Katy Manning Show', it was a collaborative double episode where everyone had a fair story in it. I had the time of my life!

Katy: And working with Lis, for me, I thought that [Jo and Sarah] complimented each other really well, and I loved working with her. Yeah, it's true, everybody had their little moment.
Finn: Except for Tommy, 'cause he wasn't it. Were you Tommy?
Tommy: No, I was... er... (Katy laughs)
Finn: Thank God, because if you were in it, I wouldn't have been in it!
Tommy: You're sort of like an upgrade, aren't you?
Finn: Upgrade? Oh thank you!

Mac: Oh, nobody could upgrade you, Tommy.
Tommy: (laughs) Yeah.
Katy: Hang on, if you [Finn] hadn't been in it, and you [Tommy] had been in it, what would I have been?
Mac: A Shansheeth?
(everybody laughs)
Katy: Mrs Shansheeth! Yes, with a bright, nylon frock.

Read the rest of the interview,

where we discuss naughty Katy Manning's double-entendres and a possible spin-off... tomorrow! Also, don't forget to check out Nabu's site, the lovely SARAH-JANE.tv!

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)

____________

Make sure to check out Nabu's world-famous SARAH-JANE.tv for all the SJA gossip you'll ever need, including Nabu's interview with SJA writer, Joe Lidster!

An Interview with Anjli and Tommy

Hot on the heels of the fourth series of The Sarah Jane Adventures, I caught up with Tommy Knight and Anjli Mohindra a.k.a. Luke and Rani to chat about their take on the show amongst other things.

Hi guys! So the current series has just finished and the general reception has been good. What are your thoughts on it; do you think it was better than the previous ones in terms of storyline, drama etc?

Tommy: I think in terms of storyline, the fact that I wasn't in it just completely destroyed it! Haha, only kidding; I dunno, I don't think I can pick out a favourite series...

Anjli: Yeah, it's really hard to do that.

Tommy: Yeah, I think it's more like I'll pick favourite days, like 'Oh that's my favourite scene of all time,' because with every series we're going to do, the scenes are going to be similar, so...

So what was your favourite scene from this series?

Tommy: My favourite's are always the ones where we get gooed! That's my favourite.

How has the level of fame that you now receive affected your studies and your personal life?

Anjli: It doesn't really affect it a great deal. I think because our main audience is children, our largest fanbase is with children, so because we are a lot older - especially because I am a lot older than the target audience - I don't really hang out in those circles, so it's avoidable to an extent, unless you are picking up siblings from school or whatever.

Tommy: Yeah I pick up my little brother from school, like every now and then, and so every time I go there, the little kids go really mental. It makes things a bit awkward...

Anjli: But it's nice, in a way. Because kids aren't ashamed to say whether they like something or not, whereas adults get formal or try to be 'cool' about it, but kids just get straight to the point and it's really nice. You get instant feedback too.

Tommy: Yeah.

Speaking of older viewers, what is your response to older viewers tuning into The Sarah Jane Adventures due to the Classic Doctor Who connection with Sarah Jane?

Anjli: The writers are great, they always put in little jokes for adults as well as the kids, because they will go straight over [the kids'] heads, but we definitely pick them up, so it's nice having a mixed audience, I think.

Would you say that you have become more interested in the Classic series now because of The Sarah Jane Adventures?

Tommy: (laughs) I'm not even like a telly watcher, so I don't know...

Anjli: I'm not sure about Classic Doctor Who, but it's definitely got me interested in Doctor Who. I don't think I'd have watched it before, but because of Sarah Jane, I have started to watch it. And with the Matt Smith and Karen series, I have really followed every story because they're just great, they really are.

Do you ever check forums or discussion boards on opinions about the series, or do you choose to stay out of them?

Anjli: (laughs) No! I stay away.

Tommy: My mum checks them. She's a poster on one of them... yeah she's cool. She tells me now and then what people are saying.

Yeah, I've heard she is more in touch with the fanbase than you are! 

Tommy: (laughs) Oh yeah, definitely. She's got lots of friends. 

So... Katy Manning was in this series. What was it like working with her?

Tommy: I didn't.

Anjli: (laughs) I did. She's brilliant, she's a wicked lady. Just as a woman and an actor, she's great. There is so much to learn from her.

Tommy: She's so funny.

Anjli: Yeah, she's from Classic Doctor Who, so what you meant before, it's nice to see different sides like working with Nick Courtney and stuff. So yeah. (Nick was a legend!)

Tommy, would you agree that Series Four was a turning point for Luke's character, especially in The Nightmare Man?

Tommy: Yeah! It's sort of made Luke a bit more... 'humanoid' if you know what I mean. It's not so alien, because he's having dreams and things like that and he's becoming way more social.

Anjli, you starred in the production of East Is East and Tommy, you did The Bill. Are there any more plans for you in terms of TV and films and theatre etc?

Anjli: Just to keep going really. It's hard to say that you've got stuff lined up, but some people are fortunate sometimes to know that you could be doing something in a few months. But we're very much in a sort of 'nomadic' lifestyle of just going along and seeing what happens. 

Tommy: I dunno what I'm going to do. I don't think I'm going to keep on acting forever and ever. 

Yeah I heard you wanted to be a paediatrician.

Tommy: I did want to be a paediatrician, I changed my mind (laughs) I'm so thick, I shouldn't be allowed to pick things for myself. It's really not a good idea for me. I honestly don't know what I'm going to be doing with my life. I'll do a bit of travelling next year. 

Finally, Tommy you were doing your A Levels during filming this year. What is your advice to people juggling stuff like that?

Tommy: (laughs) I am not the best person to be asked that! I always try to make sure that my education is Number One. Acting is such a flippity-flippity world (Anjli laughs) you don't know what's round the corner, but if you have good grades at school or anything then it doesn't matter if my career goes to pot 'cause I'm secure in my life.

And the lovely duo recorded this special message for all ye dedicated supporters!