{"id":9426,"date":"2022-01-01T21:00:24","date_gmt":"2022-01-01T20:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1541161"},"modified":"2022-01-01T21:24:10","modified_gmt":"2022-01-01T20:24:10","slug":"the-sea-devils-will-return-to-doctor-who-in-spring-2022-special","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/the-sea-devils-will-return-to-doctor-who-in-spring-2022-special\/","title":{"rendered":"The Sea Devils will return to Doctor Who in Spring 2022 special"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

Published: Saturday, 01 January 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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The Sea Devils are one of the few iconic Doctor Who<\/a> monsters from the classic series never to have appeared post-2005, but that\u2019s about to change.<\/p>\n

The Next Time trailer aired during the end credits of New Year\u2019s Day episode Eve of the Daleks<\/a> confirmed that the Silurians\u2019 aquatic cousins will return in the next special, titled Legend of the Sea Devils.<\/p>\n

A synopsis reads: \u201cThis episode finds the Doctor (Jodie Whittaker), Yaz (Mandip Gill) and Dan (John Bishop) in 19th<\/sup> century China, where a small coastal village is under threat \u2013 from both the fearsome pirate queen Madame Ching (Crystal Yu) and a monstrous alien force which she unwittingly unleashes. Will the Doctor, Yaz and Dan emerge from this swashbuckling battle with the Sea Devils to save the planet?\u201d<\/p>

The episode will also star Arthur Lee as Ji-Hun and Marlowe Chan-Reeves as Ying Ki, alongside the central TARDIS trio.<\/p>\n

The special, which is set to air in spring 2022, will mark the Sea Devils\u2019 first appearance in Doctor Who since 1984\u2019s Warriors of the Deep<\/a>, and only their third major appearance overall including their debut in 1972\u2019s The Sea Devils<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Unlike the Silurians, who were radically redesigned for the new series, it looks as though the Sea Devils\u2019 classic look has been more or less retained, though updated to allow for more realistic expression.<\/p>\n

\""Jon\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Jon Pertwee\u2019s Doctor vs a Sea Devil (BBC)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

As noted, Legend of the Sea Devils will see the Doctor (Jodie Whittaker), Yaz (Mandip Gill) and Dan (John Bishop) encounter the creatures \u2013 originally created by writer Malcolm Hulke \u2013 on the high seas, along with pirate queen Madame Ching (real name Zheng Yi Sao, played here by Crystal Yu).<\/p>\n

Zheng Yi Sao was a Chinese pirate who was active in the South China Sea during the early part of the 19th century.<\/p>\n

The final scenes of Eve of the Daleks saw the Doctor decide to discover whatever happened to the lost treasure of the Flor de la Mar \u2013\u00a0a Portuguese ship which sunk in November 1511 carrying a large treasure trove intended for the Portugese king.<\/p>\n

Doubtless this too will feature into the plot of Legend of the Sea Devils, with a hunt underway for the lost treasure interrupted by a \u201cdemon\u201d of the sea\u2026<\/p>\n

\""Doctor\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
BBC<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\n

The episode is Jodie Whittaker\u2019s penultimate outing as the Thirteenth Doctor ahead of her exit in another special which will air in autumn 2022 to mark the BBC\u2019s centenary.<\/p>\n

Though the next Doctor<\/a> is yet to be revealed, Whittaker herself has nominated It\u2019s A Sin star Lydia West<\/a> as her replacement.<\/p>\n

Speaking to RadioTimes.com<\/a> back in November, West said it would be \u201can honour\u201d to play the character.<\/a> \u201cI mean the fact I\u2019ve been named as one of the favourites is quite special,\u201d she said. \u201cSo I mean, it would be an honour to be the Doctor. I\u2019m glad people think I could do it!\u201d<\/p>\n

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