Samuel Anderson makes his debut as new recurring Doctor Who character Danny Pink in this weekend’s episode.
Written by Phil Ford (‘The Waters of Mars’) and Steven Moffat, ‘Into the Dalek’ airs at 7.30pm on Satuday 30 August on BBC One.
Here’s everything we know so far about Danny Pink…
Samuel Anderson has acted with Jenna Coleman before
The pair appeared together in ITV soap Emmerdale a few years ago.
> Watch Jenna Coleman and Samuel Anderson sharing a scene in Emmerdale.
He shared his big break with two other Doctor Who actors
Anderson starred as Crowther in The History Boys, alongside Doctor Who guest stars Russell Tovey (‘Voyage of the Damned’) and James Corden (‘The Lodger’, ‘Closing Time’). His other roles include guest parts in Death in Paradise, Gavin & Stacey, Midsomer Murders and Bedlam.
Danny Pink is a teacher at Clara’s school
Steven Moffat says: “For the fourth time in Doctor Who history, Coal Hill School is coming to the aid of the TARDIS. In 1963 teachers Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright accompanied the First Doctor. These days it’s the turn of Jenna Coleman as Clara Oswald. And very soon now, Sam Anderson as Danny Pink will be entering the world of the Doctor. But how and why?”
He is the perfect boyfriend
Jenna Coleman says: “[He’s] a teacher – who’s charming and lovely. He’s that perfect boyfriend really and is very supportive, but he doesn’t know anything about this double life she lives. She tries to hide it from him whilst at the same time falling in love.”
It’s a family affair
Danny Pink’s little sister will also appear in Series 8, played by Ellis George.
Clara struggles to hide her double-life from Danny
Jenna Coleman says: “She becomes very torn between [Danny and her adventures with the Doctor]. It’s almost as if she’s having an affair, without having an affair, but the lying becomes more and more. Basically she’s trying to manage the two, and have these two men in her life. It becomes quite a hurtful thing and quite a hard thing for her because she’s totally torn between the two, and trying to have both at once without being able to do it successfully.”
He’s not a companion
Executive producer Brian Minchin says: “[Danny] is in most of the series. He’s not a companion, he’s another teacher in Coal Hill school and throughout the series we’ll be telling the story of Clara’s life on Earth with Danny and her life in space with the Doctor.”
Danny had better be careful
Steven Moffat says: “One of the watchwords we have this year is there are consequences for choosing to live like this. It’s not a fairytale. If you have people back home, if you run away it’s going to have an effect on them.”
Samuel Anderson sounds pretty awesome
Jenna Coleman says: “He’s a dream. I think he’s going to be really popular in the show. He’s very laid back, very cool and collected, and he plays the trumpet in-between takes as well on set! He’s lovely.”
> Here’s everything we know so far about Series 8.
Are you looking forward to seeing Danny Pink? Let us know below…