LONDON — Before landing the role of the next Doctor Who in the long-running BBC series, British actor Peter Capaldi was better known for his career-defining role as Malcolm Tucker, the foul-mouthed spin doctor from the BBC’s highly rated political comedy The Thick of It.
According to Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat, the latest Time Lord could well share some of Tucker’s traits as opposed to his mild-mannered predecessor Matt Smith.
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Speaking to SFX magazine, Moffat said while “Peter will be very much the Doctor,” he could also be among the least friendly. “He has a tremendous ability with throwaway humor, and a lot of it is around the fact that sometimes he is terribly rude. I think kids will think he is the rude Doctor,” he said. “You might want to cuddle him, but he really will resist.”
Speaking about the new Doctor’s relationship with assistant Clara Oswald — played by Jenna Coleman — Moffat added that there would be little of the flirtatious activity of before. “From a Doctor she could sort of control because he had a crush on her, she has landed with a Doctor who barely registers at all that she is a girl,” he said.
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The season-eight premiere of Doctor Who, directed by rising U.K. filmmaker Ben Wheatley, is due to air on BBC One Aug. 23. Following a deal between BBC America and Fathom Events, the show will also be screening at midnight at cinemas across the U.S., followed by two days of theatrical events nationwide.
