After dropping several housebrick-sized hints across the media, comedian Frank Skinner has been offered a part in the new season of Doctor Who. Brummie Skinner, 57, will appear opposite latest Time Lord Peter Capaldi in the first episode of the forthcoming run, which is written by Jamie Mathieson (Being Human).
Mirroring a similar story in which Peter Kay (WALLACE & GROMIT – THE CURSE OF THE WERE RABBIT) won a role in the 2006 series by writing a fan letter to the production team, the host of Room 101 will join a roster of high profile BBC guest stars such as Keeley Hawes (Line Of Duty) and Hermione Norris (Spooks).
Showrunner Steven Moffat commented:
“It’s no secret that Frank’s been pitching vigorously to get into Doctor Who for a while… He’s been volunteering to be ‘third monster on the left’ as long as I’ve been in this job. But now, in Jamie Mathieson’s sparkling script, we finally have a part that can showcase all of Frank’s famous wit and charm. Hopefully he’ll get out of my garden now.”
Skinner also made a cameo appearance in Peter Davison’s spoof film The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot. The show has cast its fair share of British comedic talent over the years, from CARRY ON star Joan Sims in 1986 to Ken Dodd a year later. Capaldi’s introductory season will also feature comedian Ben Miller (Death In Paradise).
Though Skinner’s acting talents are largely unheard of, he did appear in a short-lived ITV sitcom called Shane in 2004 and recently created Don’t Start! for Radio 4, appearing with The It Crowd‘s Katherine Parkinson. The Who production team have proved adept over the past few years at avoiding stunt casting, with even songstress Katherine Jenkins being provided with a part that suited her talents in A Christmas Carol, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if Frank featured playing someone who is pretty much himself. Either way it will be intriguing to see exactly what he’s doing when the programme returns in the Autumn.
Source: BBC
