Doctor Who actress Jenna Coleman has revealed that Clara finds herself in a “web of lies” in the new series.

Coleman told the BBC: “You see a lot more of her home life. We see how she lives her life, and how she lives a double life. Spending time at home, being a teacher and living a normal life, and then very separately sneaking off and having these mad, wonderful, magical adventures with the Doctor.”

She added: “Actually, it is quite exhausting for her. She’s trying to keep a lid on it, and she arrives back at school soaking wet with seaweed on her shoulder for example, and she has to explain that. It’s a theme throughout the series, lying and why we lie, lying to protect someone you love. It’s this web of lies that she gets herself tangled in.”

The actress also hinted at how Clara reacts to Peter Capaldi’s new Doctor: “For Clara it unbalances her and throws everything up in the air. She has gone from feeling safe – in moments of danger the Doctor would catch her – and thinking she had it all sussed, then suddenly this new guy has come along who she can’t quite access in the same way.”

She explained: “He’s removed, he’s not as patient, and he’s much more alien and enigmatic. It’s really hard for her. Her best friend is a changed person, and it is a very difficult for her to accept that and move forward.”

Coleman teased: “It’s very funny, there’s a lot of bickering. There’s no one that can wind her up as much as this Doctor can, because he’s just a loose cannon. He has this mad curiosity. It puts Clara out of her comfort zone and totally out of control, so we see the control freak in her really ramp up. What I think is really good about it is it’s an unlikely friendship. Even if she wanted to leave she can’t, because she’s bonded to him. He absolutely infuriates her. He annoys her. No one else can wind her up quite like it – but she just loves him. The friendship is strange and charming.”

Coleman has also hinted at what to expect with Clara and new character Danny Pink: “He’s that perfect boyfriend really and is very supportive, but he doesn’t know anything about this double life she lives.”

Series 8 begins on Saturday 23 August on BBC One with ‘Deep Breath’.

> Here’s everything we know so far about Series 8.

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