It's with a heavy heart that at the end of this year, we bid farewell to Jodie Whittaker's indelible version of the Doctor.
We've loved seeing her face old enemies and make new friends, all the while learning more about Gallifrey's enigmatic history! So, to celebrate, we sat down with the Doctor herself (Jodie Whittaker) and her companion Yaz (Mandip Gill) to ask them 14 burning questions about their time on the show!
1. BuzzFeed UK: Across all three seasons, what's been your favourite episode to shoot and why?
Jodie: I think it was my first episode – "The Woman Who Fell To Earth" – because of all the things I've done in my career, reading and learning the lines of the Doctor is one of the most exciting! Then I got used to it, and realised how hard it is to learn all those lines!
I loved stepping on set for the first time, making friends for life, and just that whole epic start. Of all my entrances into a TV show, falling into a train from the sky was the best! I don't think I'll top that on any other show.
Mandip: It's difficult – it's between "Rosa" and "Demons of the Punjab", but I think for personal reasons I'm gonna go with "Demons of the Punjab". It was about a subject that's really relevant to me, and so it was nice to have that issue on mainstream television but in a sci-fi setting. I think we were all really proud of that episode.
2. BuzzFeed UK: Which Doctor Who baddie do you think you could beat in an arm wrestle?
Mandip: Pting!
Jodie: Pting?!
Mandip: I could beat the Pting – they've got little arms!
Jodie: I could beat a Sontaran.
Mandip: The thing is, actually you're really good.
Jodie: I'm really good at arm wrestling... The three-fingered grip I think would be [a Sontaran's] downfall. Yeah, Pting and a Sontaran.
Mandip: I'll be honest, I think you'd beat them all.
Jodie: I mean, I'm not being funny, you've really set yourself a low bar, [Pting are] about that big!
Mandip: Yeah, that's what I mean, it'd be easy!
3. BuzzFeed UK: Jodie, did you take anything from set as a momento?
Jodie: Both of us did.
Mandip: Bits and pieces were all off! There was one thing I got and everyone was like, "I really wanted that".
Jodie: Is that...?
Mandip: [mouthing silently, making a sphere with her hands].
Jodie: I know, the ball. I knew you'd get that.
Mandip: You helped me get it! She was like, "you can get it out!"
Jodie: Come on, foot on the side, come on! I broke something off from the TARDIS and it was good.
Mandip: You know what, they did say after we wrapped, "we were gonna use the set again but all the bits and pieces were gone". But they said we could do it!
Jodie: Well, they didn't say we could do it, we were just ragging around but then we forgot there were pick-ups to do for three days after wrapping. Also, I proper pocketed the shrunken cyberman!
Mandip: Aw, that's cute.
Jodie: I know.
Mandip: It's in storage.
Jodie: Yeah, it's in storage.
BuzzFeed UK: They'll never find it!
Jodie: It's so little, I don't know where I've bloody put it!
4. BuzzFeed UK: What past episode do you wish you starred in and why?
Jodie: I think "Blink".
Mandip: Yeah! No one had seen the weeping angels at that point, so it was all new. I remember saying it would be so ace to work with them, 'cause everybody talks about them and they're such a big part of the series. Then when it happened it was really hard to keep your eyes open! Why am I copying all your answers?
Jodie: Because they're so good! It's alright little Mandip, you just follow the bossy leader.
5. BuzzFeed UK: Do you ever make the sonic screwdriver noise yourself when you're filming?
Mandip: Have you been you been on set? He's been on set!
Jodie: I make all the noises! I don't know I'm doing it, I'm a sound nightmare because obviously they've then got to tell me to do it again. I'm a box of sound effects. It's the fact that I have no idea, especially when we're doing rehearsal and I'm like, "peow peow peow peow! Get down, get down!"
Mandip: That is exactly what she does!
Jodie: I do everything. You don't.
Mandip: I'm not allowed to touch the sonic. I do the sound from the side when she's doing it.
6. BuzzFeed UK: If you had to choose between a tall talking dog (like Karvanista) or a small robot dog (like K9) which would you choose?
Mandip: K9. I am PETRIFIED of dogs... We don't need six foot dogs!
Jodie: She was even scared of Craig.
Mandip: With a Northern accent!
Jodie: I'll pick Karvanista because he's so cute! You just wanna give him a little stroke, even when he's angry!
Mandip: He was good on set.
Jodie: Yeah, he was very well trained, there was no peeing on set.
Mandip: And he drank from a straw.
Jodie: He did!
Mandip: Good boy.
7. BuzzFeed UK: If you had to play an iconic Doctor Who villain, who would it be?
Jodie: I'm thinking of comfort.
Mandip: Yeah, you don't wanna be in prosthetics for hours.
Jodie: Ooh, I'd like to be in a little chair... inside a Dalek!
Mandip: Sometimes I forget there's people in there.
Jodie: I know, I lean on them sometimes and then I'm like, "oh, sorry mate".
Mandip: You're gonna love my answer.
Jodie: Why, what's yours?
Mandip: I'd play the Master.
Jodie: That is a great answer. You'd be a brilliant Master.
Mandip: It would be so fun to play. It'd be hard work, but I'd love it. I'd go home and study, try things out in the mirror. I'd want a really big say in the costume too! Basically, I'd just copy what Sacha did.
Jodie: Yeah, he was amazing. You're not getting better than Sacha babe.
8. BuzzFeed UK: In a dream world, who would you love to see take over as the Doctor?
Jodie: When we had the read-through for some of the episodes of The Flux, and Thaddea Graham started speaking, I was like – why have we used her?
Mandip: I thought the same thing!
Jodie: Me and her were texting – really professionally because it was on Zoom – and I was like, "oh my god, that is the Doctor".
Mandip: Whoopi Goldberg – I only say that because she has said that she would love to do it.
Jodie: How amazing would it be if Whoopi Goldberg was the Doctor? They're two good choices – Thaddea and Whoopi.
9. BuzzFeed UK: Will we ever see Graham and Ryan again?
Mandip: We'd love to see them again, shall we say that?
Jodie: We'd love to.
Mandip: It would be a laugh.
Jodie: Sometimes we do a four-way WhatsApp call, and it would be nice if that weren't just on WhatsApp.
10. BuzzFeed UK: Who is your favourite Doctor or sidekick of all time and why?
Jodie: So–
Mandip: You're supposed to answer me, the person sitting next to you!
Jodie: So I'm my favourite Doctor, and Mandip's my favourite sidekick. To be honest, there's so much influence from everyone, but because I'm a new Whovian I'm gonna say David [Tennant]. I love David and I loved his energy. Also, Ace because she had the coolest clothes!
Mandip: Yeah, she did have a good jacket.
Jodie: I'd wear that now, I mean it's come back around!
Mandip: I would go with Matt Smith. I saw some stuff that was just really–
Jodie: Oh yeah what was that bit that you loved?
Mandip: When he's eating fish fingers and custard. Like, did he decide that, who decided that? Were they real fish fingers? Were they warm? Like, obviously Jodie, but I do love Matt.
11. BuzzFeed UK: What would you say to critics who take issue with casting women in prominent sci-fi franchises?
Jodie: I'd say, I don't want to give them any airtime.
Mandip: That's exactly what I was thinking!
Jodie: No airtime! I mean, where's the argument?
BuzzFeed UK: A perfect answer!
12. BuzzFeed UK: As the Doctor and the Doctor’s sidekick, you’ve been everywhere – what planet, period, or place would you choose to be stranded in?
Jodie: Neptune! I always say this. I'd love to have a sense of and perspective on our solar system, and I just think, what a view! Neptune now as well, just to see what's going on. I'd obviously take a jacket 'cause it would be freezing.
Mandip: Right, well, that was a brilliant answer.
Jodie: You can't copy that.
Mandip: Neptune! No, I'm gonna stay on earth, and I'm gonna go to Egypt to see the pyramids.
Jodie: When? Now, or when they were being built?
Mandip: No, when they were being built. Then I'd have that knowledge and I'd come back and say to people–
Jodie: I can build a pyramid!
Mandip: No, pay me 50 quid and I'll tell you! Then I'd be loaded!
13. BuzzFeed UK: What is next for you, Jodie?
Jodie: Well, I'm really going on about it because I'm hoping it gets embedded in everyone's memories, but I turn 40 in 2022. I just think that's the next big thing on everyone's mind. What is Jodie gonna do for her 40th? What should we get Jodie for her 40th? How should we all celebrate it? Should we have a national holiday?
Mandip: I know what you should do – I think you should give up your birthday to charity. That'd be nice. Don't get presents, just give them to charity.
Jodie: Hmm, yeah, that's a great idea. No, that is a really amazing idea. Oh, why'd you say it on here so I can't argue?
Mandip: Sorry! Now you have to give your presents away.
BuzzFeed UK: You've gotta do it now 'cause we're recording you.
Jodie: It's a brilliant idea. I was actually my idea – I'm such a giver at this time of year.
Mandip: She's got a charity in her own name.
Jodie: Yeah, the charity is Jodie Whittaker dot org.
14. BuzzFeed UK: Finally, will Yaz stay with the new Doctor or head home?
BuzzFeed UK: I don't know if you can answer that.
Mandip: No, not gonna answer that.
Jodie: What's your answer, you've got a new answer, don't you?
Mandip: Oh yeah! I've got a new answer, right. I'm just in the moment. I don't wanna talk about the past, I don't wanna talk about the present, I just wanna talk about–
Jodie: No!
Mandip: Oh, have I got a new answer?
Jodie: You said it wrong, you are talking about the present.
Mandip: Oh, sorry sorry sorry! So, I'm in the moment, I don't wanna talk about the past, I don't wanna talk about the future, I just wanna be in the present.
Jodie: Brilliant, smashed it!
Thank you to Jodie and Mandip for chatting with us! Doctor Who "Eve of the Daleks" will air at 7pm on New Year’s Day 2022 on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Correction: a previous version of this post stated that Jodie Whittaker's final appearance would be "Eve of the Daleks", but it will actually be some time in Autumn 2022.