The \'Doctor Who\' cast were kept in the dark about the return of The Master.
The Doctor\'s arch-enemy - now played by Sacha Dhawan - returned at the very end of the New Year Day (01.01.20) episode before having a greater role on Sunday (05.01.20), and even Jodie Whittaker had no idea what kind of villain he would be.
Sacha told the Daily Star newspaper\'s Hot TV column: "No-one had seen my interpretation of the character. I was incredibly nervous but it was made all the more special by the immense support and love the crew gave me during that specific scene."
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The 35-year-old star - who has also appeared in \'Dracula\' and \'Line of Duty\' - is the latest actor to portray The Master, following the likes of Derek Jacobi, John Simm and Michelle Gomez, and he expressed his delight at receiving the seal of approval from the crew.
He added: "The crew have been lucky enough to see an array of different incarnations over the years and if anyone knows the show inside out it\'s them.
"Once I had their seal of approval, I knew that this was going to be a special journey."
The Master - who first appeared on the BBC One show in 1971 - is not the only long-running villain set for a comeback in the new series, as showrunner Chris Chibnall recently confirmed that the Cybermen will be appearing in the upcoming run.
Chris admitted that he is looking forward to seeing Jodie Whittaker\'s Doctor go up against one of the character\'s most formidable foes.
He said: "I really wanted to see Jodie against the Cybermen. There are certain monsters you want to see a Doctor go up against. She met a Dalek in Resolution last New Year.
"Cybermen feel like an important part of the rogues\' gallery and we\'ve done something slightly different with them this year - there was a particular story I wanted to tell. They\'re just relentless, the Cybermen. They just don\'t stop."
5 February 2025 - 3:39 PM
