Mandip Gill, who plays Yasmin (Yaz) Khan in Doctor Who: Flux, described some stunts she performed for the series in a BBC press release.
“We have a really exciting stunt scene over an acid ocean. Jodie and I spent the day on wires being hung upside down, spun around and winched up like small animals.”
Gill elaborated on this sequence to Radio Times and other press in a video interview.
“In the first episode, there’s a scene in which we’re above an acid ocean. It was wire work. We were quite excited. And then cut to an hour upside-down – I was like, ‘My head’s going to explode. It’s not fun anymore. The harness is too tight.’ ”
“We got some really unflattering behind-the-scenes pictures and footage, which I actually just looked at the other day. There’s a whole bit of being upside-down, swinging around, screaming.”
“We had to swing ourselves around. Jodie went first. So you’re on two wires, pushing yourself, pushing yourself… she did really well. And because we’re so competitive, when it was my turn, I went in, and absolutely smashed it, and got a clap – I got a clap off everyone [in the crew] for doing an extra twirl, just because I wanted to out-twirl her… I hope that bit makes it, because it was really painful!”
Gill also spoke of a sword fight Flux in the BBC press release.
“Yaz also has a quick sword fight. It was a short rehearsal before the shoot, but I really enjoyed it and am excited to see how it looks.”
“Yaz continues to go from strength to strength in terms of independence in space during this series. She can be seen to be taking charge in adventures without the Doctor but, naturally, at times is out of her depth and asks herself ‘what would the Doctor do?’. I very much enjoy these struggles as it naturally shows that no matter how many adventures she goes on, she will always need the Doctor.”
Written by Chris Chibnall and directed by Jamie Magnus Stone, the first chapter of Doctor Who: Flux, The Halloween Apocalypse will will air 31 October on BBC One at 6:25pm BT and on BBC America at 2:25pm and 8pm ET.