Matt Smith’s final episode as the Doctor, ‘The Time Of The Doctor’, airs at 7.30pm on Wednesday 25 December on BBC One and guest stars Brady as a character named Tasha Lem.

> Find out everything we know so far about the Christmas special in our news summary.

Brady recalled what attracted her to the role: “So you’re sitting in your dressing room on an ordinary day (well, ordinary for an actress) playing a normal person who makes breakfast and loses her purse sometimes. Then along comes a call to play a galactic nun and whizz around the universe with Matt Smith. Now what girl wouldn’t be drawn to that?”

Discussing the Doctor’s relationship with Tasha, she hinted: “The Doctor goes to see Tasha as they are old friends. He needs her help and knows he will find it with her as although she is fearsomely powerful, she is loyal to her friend.”

The Fringe actress also commented on her costume in the episode: “The designer Howard Burden knows the Doctor Who world inside-out and had an image of Tasha that I loved from the start, so there was very little need for me to suggest anything. I just climbed into it really. Emma Cowen created a look that was a little spooky, referencing Blade Runner a little. We both wanted her to look as she is described in the writing, imposing, human, but with a touch of alien.”

Recalling the “joyous” experience of working with Matt Smith, Brady added: “I had heard through friends that he was a nice guy (and he is) but what struck me most is how enthusiastic and engaged he was in his role, in every single scene we played. It so often happens that someone playing a character for years sits back a bit. He didn’t. He was as full of energy and inventiveness as someone on their first day and it was truly good to be around.”

> Order ‘The Time of the Doctor’ on DVD on Amazon.

> Order ‘The Time of the Doctor’ on Blu-ray on Amazon.

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