russell Tovey on returning to Doctor Who: ‘I just find a character and go – I’m desperate to play that’

Russell Tovey is returning to Doctor Who as a companion to Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor, a role he describes as a “dream come true”.The actor, known for his roles in Years and Years, Gentleman Jack, and Being Human, previously appeared in the show’s 50th-anniversary special, The Day of the Doctor, in 2013.

Speaking to City A.M., Tovey expressed his excitement about rejoining the iconic sci-fi series. “Its just brilliant. It’s a dream come true, honestly. To be back in the TARDIS, it’s… it’s everything you want it to be.”

He revealed his approach to taking on a new role, explaining, “I just find a character and go – I’m desperate to play that.I’m desperate to find out what makes them tick, what their flaws are, what their strengths are. And then I just throw myself into it.”

Tovey remained tight-lipped about specific details of his character and the upcoming series, but hinted at the dynamic between his companion and the new Doctor. “Ncuti is unbelievable. He’s just… electric. And the dynamic between the Doctor and the companion is always so crucial,and we’ve got something really special brewing.”

The actor also discussed the importance of Doctor Who‘s representation, especially for LGBTQ+ viewers. “It’s so important to see yourself represented on screen. And Doctor Who has always been at the forefront of that. It’s a show that celebrates difference, and that’s something I’m really proud to be a part of.”

Tovey’s return to Doctor Who is highly anticipated by fans, and he promises a thrilling ride for viewers.”It’s going to be bigger, bolder, and more brilliant than ever before.Get ready!”

Russell Tovey on returning to Doctor Who: ‘I just find a character and go – I’m desperate to play that’

Russell Tovey is buzzing with excitement about his return to Doctor Who as a companion to Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor. The actor, known for his roles in Years and Years and Gentleman Jack, previously appeared in the show’s 50th-anniversary special, “The Day of the doctor,” in 2013.

Speaking on the CityAM podcast, tovey described his approach to acting: “I just find a character and go – I’m desperate to play that. And that’s what I did with this.I was just so desperate to play this character.” He didn’t elaborate on the specifics of his new role, maintaining a playful air of mystery.

Tovey’s enthusiasm for Doctor Who is palpable.He expressed his joy at being part of the show’s resurgence under showrunner Russell T Davies, whom he previously worked with on Years and Years. “It’s just brilliant to be back with Russell,” he said. “he’s just a genius, and he’s got such a vision for the show.”

The upcoming season of Doctor Who is generating significant anticipation, with Gatwa taking the helm as the latest incarnation of the iconic time Lord. Tovey’s return adds another layer of excitement for fans eager to see the new adventures unfold.

Russell Tovey on pints, preferring IRL dating and perfect roles

Russell Tovey speaks to city AM the Magazine about returning to doctor Who and his love for his London local. this piece is published in City AM The MagazineWinter edition, distributed at major Tube stations and available to pick up from the Royal Exchange

There are lots of lovely things you could say about russell Tovey, but perhaps the most striking is how relatable he seems. Not that it always comes across in his roles: in his breakthrough as Rudge in Alan Bennett’s The History Boys, he showed a bluntness and confidence beyond his years; then came the guardedly complex Kevin from Looking, followed by a plethora of sci-fi roles (three with Russell T Davies), including his beguiling career high as werewolf George Sands in Being human. So it’s testament to Tovey that, despite how established he has become, his cheeky-chappy, guy-next-door friendliness precedes his work.

I get a dose of it when we meet in an Old Street cafe near his apartment. when I arrive, Tovey has already ordered two smoothies, one with kale and the other fruit; I pick the kale. “Oooooh, look at you,” he says flirtatiously as he slides it across the table.It feels like meeting an old friend rather than a storied star of stage and screen.

Despite being built like the kind of man who knows his way around a kale smoothie, Tovey says he loves the local boozers, pointing to The eagle around the corner, which he explains is featured in the nursery rhyme Pop Goes the Weasel, before singing me the tune. “Up and down the City road, in and out The Eagle, that’s the way the money goes, pop goes the weasel!” He clicks his fingers to illustrate cash disappearing on pints. “Pop. Gone. You just think, wow! The rhyme that we all know. It came from that pub! There’s history on the doorstep here, everywhere you go.”

He goes on to say that a quirk of east London life is that he’s stopped by fans far more often when he wears light blue.”I’m like, what the fuck’s different today? I wonder why people are looking at me and I’m wearing fucking blue again.” Then a dose of that cheeky-chappy energy: “So if I’m having a bad day, I’ll put blue on, ’cause I’d like an ego boost!”

Russell tovey on pints, preferring IRL dating and perfect roles

Russell Tovey on LGBTQ roles: ‘I remember going, ‘this is a big deal!’ It changed my life’

Davies admires how well Tovey can juxtapose comedy with emotion, which is the compliment to end all compliments for Tovey, given his teenage inspiration was Robin williams. “I crack the joke to break the pain,” he says. “I deflect into that. Russell writes characters where even at their most scared, they find humour.” More than once during our conversation Tovey uses the word angry when relating to the show’s climate change narrative. He wants viewers “to be angry and do something. That’s what good drama does. To realise we can – and we have to. We learned about Mr Bates and the Post Office scandal through drama. Isn’t that amazing? is it actually making a difference? Yes, because of that drama we now understand it.”

The History Boys – the tale of a group of shining but troublesome boys at a 1980s grammar school – broke his career back in 2006, starring alongside James Corden and Dominic West. he says he’d love to work on another project with Alan Bennett, the author of the play the film was based on who turned 90 recently, and Nicholas Hytner the director of the film and subsequent National Theater play, in which Tovey also starred. Talking Heads, Bennett’s series of dramatic monologues, could have been that chance, given it was revived in 2020, but Martin Freeman “brilliantly” played the only role he could realistically have been cast for. Tovey would have loved to do it but “I can’t begrudge him for that.” Is there any way to tell people you’d really like to work with them? “It’s difficult. You’d hope they would know that you want to do it. when I like someone’s work I say to them I’d love to work with you, just put it out there.”

Russell Tovey is perhaps most known for 2009’s Being Human, BBC Three’s biggest hit at the time, as well as the dystopian 2019 family drama Years & Years. He speaks particularly proudly of looking, the HBO show that broke him in America back in 2014, following the lives of a group of gay men in San Francisco.More recently, his led role in 2022’s American Horror Story – taking the AIDS pandemic as its backdrop – f

Russell Tovey on ‘Plainclothes’ and Destigmatising Cruising

“I’m very malleable… I don’t come onto a set fully formed with exactly what I’m going to do,” says Russell Tovey.

In Plainclothes,Tovey plays Andrew,a closeted man in his mid-forties. Married with two children, he spends his free time cruising public toilets. There he finds Lucas, played by Tom Blyth, a closeted police officer sent on sting operations to catch men like Andrew. It’s an intergenerational story, and for Tovey, playing the older man of the two was a big deal. “The 90s was a big decade for me: growing up, working out who I was. To go back to that period and play someone who is the age I am now was really captivating.”

Writer-director Carmen Emmi’s film is so slow and methodical that it feels almost hypnotic. It examines the point between fear and eroticism, and it’s a sadly contemporary tale: this year, 200 men have been arrested for cruising in New York’s Penn Station, with a significant proportion of them sent to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody. At the heart of the movie is an attempt to destigmatise cruising. As a whole, the piece is a testament to the power of TV to educate. “Isn’t it great that there are so many stories that not everybody knows about,” says Tovey. “That’s the generosity of art; there are still so many stories to tell.”