Making waves... but without the Doctor

WRITER RUSSELL T DAVIES AND STARS RUSSELL TOVEY AND GUGU MBATHA-RAW DISCUSS NEW DOCTOR WHO SPIN-OFF SERIES, THE WAR BETWEEN THE LAND AND THE SEA, WITH LYNN RUSK

- 

Davies says that those who have never watched Doctor Who can still enjoy the series. "It's a brand-new show for a brand-new audience," he explains.

"It's all from Barclay's point of view, that's the key. He saw the Doctor, met the Doctor, but only for 10 seconds, so he knows nothing. He doesn't have that perspective.

"Even within UNIT he's the one ordering the taxis, so he doesn't have that sort of cosmological frame of reference.

"And that's exactly like new viewers coming to it: they won't have that knowledge either. They'll arrive with a completely blank slate.

"That brings the whole story to life, it makes it fresh and new and dynamic."

Tovey, 44, who previously worked with Davies on Years and Years and has also guest-starred in Doctor Who, says he was thrilled to be reunited for this series.

"I'm in awe of Russell, as growing up, Queer as Folk had a huge impact on me," says the actor.

"I also watched Bob & Rose [another of Davies' series] with my mum; it was something we shared.

"I remember sharing that with him when we did Doctor Who. At that time, David Tennant was at the absolute height of the show, the most culturally relevant character in the zeitgeist.