Aneurin Barnard is playing the new Doctor Who character in season 14 episode 4, titled 73 Yards.
As we head towards the midway point in Doctor Who season 14, one of the episodes we know least about so far is about to arrive – 73 Yards.
Described as a “welsh folk horror” tale, the episode is said to see the Doctor and Ruby go on the “strangest journey of their lives”, while showrunner Russell T Davies has called it “one of the greatest things I’ve ever made in my life”.
The episode will feature a guest cast including Siân Phillips and Maxine Evans, with another appearance also in store for Susan Twist.
Meanwhile, Aneurin Barnard will take on the role Roger ap Gwilliam – but just who is this new character?
Read on for everything we know so far about Aneurin Barnard’s Doctor Who character, Roger ap Gwilliam.
Who is Roger ap Gwilliam?
Little is known about Barnard’s character, Roger ap Gwilliam, at this point, but we do know that he will appear in the fourth episode of season 14, 73 Yards.
From photos taken on set while that episode was filming, it appears that he is a Welsh politician representing the fictional Albion party.
Posters were seen on set for Gwilliam’s election campaign, alongside the slogan: “For a bigger, better and bolder Britain.”
Other than that, details are currently thin on the ground, with the character having only been described as “mysterious” in press materials and by showrunner Russell T Davies.
The synopsis for the episode doesn’t give us any pointers either, as it says: “Landing on the Welsh coast, the Doctor and Ruby embark on the strangest journey of their lives. In a rain-lashed pub, the locals sit in fear of ancient legends coming to life.”
What has Aneurin Barnard said about playing Roger ap Gwilliam?
Aneurin Barnard has said very little at this point about starring in Doctor Who.
In 2023, when his casting was first announced, he posted on Instagram to say: “Pleased to announce I will be joining the @bbcdoctorwho family for a short while.”
Since then, he has not said anything further about his role. However, the actor has expressed his own love for the series in the past, when asked a while ago whether he would be interested in taking on the show’s central role.
Speaking to Radio Times magazine back in 2013, Barnard said that playing the Doctor “seems like a very good, fun job to be involved in”.
He continued: “It’s one of those roles that has lived through time. It’s an endless tale, and what’s interesting about Doctor Who is it can go in any direction at any point, and every Doctor is taken very differently.
“It’s a great piece of storytelling and you can have a lot of fun with that. I’m a fan, too, and I do catch it when I can, and I like all the old stuff.”
What has Aneurin Barnard starred in before?
Over the years, Barnard has had memorable roles in series including The White Queen, Cilla, War & Peace, The Pact, Time, Peaky Blinders, 1899, The Catch, Steeltown Murders and The Way, as well as the TV film Men Up.
On the big screen, he has been seen in movies including Legend, Dunkirk, The Personal History of David Copperfield and The Goldfinch.
Doctor Who: 73 Yards will air on Saturday 25th May on BBC iPlayer and BBC One. Previous seasons are available to stream on BBC iPlayer with episodes of the classic series also available on BritBox – you can sign up for a 7-day free trial here.
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