{"id":24362,"date":"2022-10-23T21:45:24","date_gmt":"2022-10-23T19:45:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1725197"},"modified":"2022-10-23T22:18:10","modified_gmt":"2022-10-23T20:18:10","slug":"doctor-whos-sacha-dhawan-overwhelmed-at-getting-to-play-the-doctor","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/doctor-whos-sacha-dhawan-overwhelmed-at-getting-to-play-the-doctor\/","title":{"rendered":"Doctor Who\u2019s Sacha Dhawan \u201coverwhelmed\u201d at getting to play the Doctor"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Morgan Jeffery\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Sunday, 23 October 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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Only a handful of actors have played the Doctor in Doctor Who<\/a>, and fewer still have played the Time Lord\u2019s nemesis, the Master \u2013 but only one actor can say they\u2019ve played both<\/em> roles.<\/p>\n

In the BBC sci-fi drama\u2019s centenary special The Power of the Doctor<\/a>, viewers saw the Master capture the Doctor and force her to regenerate \u2013 but more than that, the elaborate device constructed by the villain forced the Doctor to regenerate into him<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The twist means that, technically, Sacha Dhawan is the only actor to have played both the Master and the Doctor in the series\u2019 entire history \u2013 something that isn\u2019t lost on him.<\/p>\n

\u201cChris [Chibnall, Doctor Who showrunner] in our early chats told me about this and explained how it\u2019d work \u2013 forced regeneration,\u201d Dhawan told RadioTimes.com<\/a>. \u201cI was really overwhelmed and really excited that I get to be the Doctor, albeit briefly.<\/span><\/p>\n

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James Pardon\/BBC Studios<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cBeing the Master\u2019s been amazing but I\u2019ve always thought, would I ever get the chance to be the Doctor? So it was amazing and, actually when I came to do that scene, there\u2019s a lot of my own reaction in it. Obviously, the Master is so moved and there\u2019s a lot of my own reaction in that, because it\u2019s an amazing moment.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBeing the first British South Asian actor to be playing the Master, and then to kind of be the Doctor, I felt really proud to do it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Following the regeneration, the Master \u2013 in the Doctor\u2019s body, but still with his own intellect and personality \u2013 attempts to ruin his foe\u2019s reputation by causing chaos across the universe in the Doctor\u2019s name. Part of him, though, seems to genuinely want to be the Doctor of old, encouraging companion Yaz (Mandip Gill) to remain at his side.<\/p>

\u201cI suddenly felt this immense pressure, because I\u2019m in the TARDIS and I had to say to Mandip, \u2018So what does Jodie do? How do I operate it?\u2019,\u201d Dhawan recalled. \u201cThat felt odd, but kind of exciting. But also, yeah, quite overwhelming.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt felt odd in the sense that I\u2019m so comfortable playing the Master and I think that\u2019s what happens with the Master \u2013 he\u2019s waited for this moment and actually, it doesn\u2019t quite feel right, b<\/span>ecause he person he\u2019s chased the majority of his life and the person that he sparred with no longer exists. I think it throws him slightly.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Dhawan also spoke to RadioTimes.com<\/a> about his other most memorable scene in the latest episode \u2013 that<\/em> Rasputin dance sequence<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Though The Power of the Doctor is expected to mark his final appearance as the Master, the actor revealed\u00a0that he\u2019d be open to reprising the role to face off against Ncuti Gatwa\u2019s Doctor<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Read more about Doctor Who:<\/strong><\/p>\n