{"id":40579,"date":"2023-11-26T12:49:31","date_gmt":"2023-11-26T11:49:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1934300"},"modified":"2023-11-26T15:00:49","modified_gmt":"2023-11-26T14:00:49","slug":"doctor-whos-russell-t-davies-reveals-meep-script-change-in-the-star-beast","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/doctor-whos-russell-t-davies-reveals-meep-script-change-in-the-star-beast\/","title":{"rendered":"Doctor Who\u2019s Russell T Davies reveals Meep script change in The Star Beast"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Meep’s story could have been very different. <\/p>

By Louise Griffin\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Sunday, 26 November 2023 at 11:49 AM<\/p>

\n\n

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Doctor Who\u2019s first 60th anniversary special, The Star Beast.<\/strong><\/p>\n

With Doctor Who\u2019s<\/a> first anniversary special, The Star Beast<\/a>, finally bursting onto our screens, fans naturally want to know all the details about how it came together \u2013 and showrunner Russell T Davies is providing.<\/p>\n

The episode, which saw David Tennant<\/a> and Catherine Tate return to the sci-fi for the first time in 15 years, also introduced us to iconic creatures brought to life from a comic strip from Doctor Who Weekly (now Doctor Who Magazine).<\/p>\n

One of them was the adorable Meep<\/a>, voiced by Miriam Margolyes \u2013 but it wasn\u2019t quite everything it seemed. It revealed itself as a menacing villain during the episode, with the Doctor and Donna being forced to sabotage its ship to save London<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Showrunner Davies has revealed that he initially wrote that reveal as happening much earlier in the episode, but bosses at the BBC asked for it to be pushed back.<\/p>\n

\"David\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
David Tennant, Karl Collins and Catherine Tate in Doctor Who: The Star Beast<\/span><\/figcaption> BBC<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Speaking on the Official Doctor Who Podcast<\/a>, Davies explains: \u201cIn the very first draft of this script, the Meep revealed himself much earlier.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn draft one, it was practically straight away, or in Rose\u2019s shed, as in the comic strip, he reveals himself a significant chunk earlier \u2013 before the chase, not after the chase. So in the very first script, it\u2019s like he\u2019d be in Rose\u2019s shed and she\u2019d say, \u2018I was making toys,\u2019 and things like that, and every time she turned her head\u2026he\u2019d look at camera and go, \u2018Soon I will feast on her blood!\u2019 which I thought was really funny.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cI was told, my bosses gave me notes, they said he revealed himself as a villain too soon. I don\u2019t know to this day. I still watch it thinking, I think that was really funny. And then Rose would turn back to him, she\u2019d go, \u2018Did you say something?\u2019 And he\u2019d go, \u2018Meep Meep!\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The Meep is voiced by the great Miriam Margolyes, and was created by Pat Mills and Dave Gibbons.<\/p>\n

The Star Beast revealed that the Meep was, despite its adorable appearance, a \u201ccruel beast\u201d who \u201clived for conquest\u201d \u2013 the leader and \u201cmost cruel and despicable\u201d of all Meepkind.<\/p>