{"id":7976,"date":"2021-11-29T15:04:31","date_gmt":"2021-11-29T14:04:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1522348"},"modified":"2021-11-29T15:23:22","modified_gmt":"2021-11-29T14:23:22","slug":"doctor-who-flux-star-reveals-their-character-was-supposed-to-die-early-in-the-series","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/doctor-who-flux-star-reveals-their-character-was-supposed-to-die-early-in-the-series\/","title":{"rendered":"Doctor Who: Flux star reveals their character was supposed to die early in the series"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Huw Fullerton\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Monday, 29 November 2021 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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The Sontarans are back! Yes, Doctor Who<\/a>: Flux\u2019s penultimate episode ended with quite the cliffhanger as the Earth was invaded (again) by Sontaran forces \u2013 but apparently, that wasn\u2019t always the plan for series 13.<\/p>\n

In fact, according to series guest star Jonathan Watson (who plays Sontaran characters including Skaak and Ritskaw), earlier drafts saw the potato-headed soldiers dispatched at the end of series 13 episode two, with no scheduled comeback later in the series.<\/p>\n

\u201cOriginally, there was no guarantee that the Sontarans were coming back,\u201d Watson told RadioTimes.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think in the first script, I was kicked over a cliff, dead. Thankfully, that was rewritten. The script [for episode two] is now along the lines of me saying to Jodie [Whittaker], \u2018I will return.\u2019 So I knew, then, it was going to be OK.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, it was good to come back for the finale, and it was great to go back down in the spring of this year, to complete it. I really enjoyed it.\u201d<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>\n

In Survivors of the Flux, it was revealed that the Grand Serpent (Craig Parkinson) had been working with the Sontarans all along, using time travel to weaken Earth\u2019s defences against extra-terrestrial attack \u2013 and apparently this partnership will continue in the finale as the invasion begins.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you go into a long-running series, especially something as iconic as Doctor Who, you\u2019ve got to hit the ground running,\u201d Watson told us.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo do that, you\u2019ve got to feel part of it all, and that\u2019s what everybody was great at, especially Jodie. She made me feel so welcome, right from the off.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo it was very easy to get into the rhythm of things. I absolutely loved working with her, and John Bishop. And then when I come back, you\u2019ll see that most of the stuff is with Craig Parkinson. It was a great job to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\""Doctor\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Sontarans in Doctor Who series 13 (BBC)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Exactly what the Sontarans get up to in the finale remains unknown \u2013 Watson promised \u201cconfrontation and destruction<\/a>\u201d with no further details \u2013 but for now, we\u2019re just happy they didn\u2019t all fall off a cliff in episode two.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fans\u2019 reaction has been so positive, saying it\u2019s got back to what they were \u2013 a warrior race \u2013 and less of a comedic sort of approach that\u2019s still quite funny, but the main thing is that they\u2019re warmongers. And that\u2019s what you\u2019ve got to try and get across,\u201d Watson said.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople responded very positively about the sort of route I took. So I was pleased at that. Relieved and pleased!\u201d<\/p>\n

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