Craig Parkinson on possible Doctor Who return: "Grand Serpent isn’t dead"
"He’s floating out there somewhere in space, so who knows?"
The 13th season of Doctor Who, subtitled Flux, not only featured a number of returning villains - such as the Daleks and the Weeping Angels - but it also introduced a number of new antagonists, including Swarm and Azure.
There was also The Grand Serpent, an alien creature that infiltrated UNIT and struck a deal with the Sontarans, but he was eventually brought down by Vinder and Kate Lethbridge-Stewart, who stranded him on an asteroid in deep space.
Parkinson recently caught up with RadioTimes.com exclusively, and when asked how he looks back at his time on Doctor Who, he said: "With so much love and fondness. I mean, talk about a juggernaut. That was incredible."
He continued: "Of course it was otherworldly, but to work with Jodie [Whittaker] and Mandip [Gill] on that was heaps and heaps of fun, and I think the way that Jodie left the show, it'll be in people's minds for a long, long time.
"But, you know, the Grand Serpent isn't dead – he’s floating out there somewhere in space, so who knows?"
Parkinson was speaking with RadioTimes.com about his current role in new detective drama Mrs Sidhu Investigates, in which he plays long-suffering divorcee DCI Burton, who forms an unofficial partnership with the titular sleuth.
Read more:
- Sylvester McCoy on his "emotional" return to Doctor Who
- Doctor Who boss teases "RTD universe" with upcoming show crossover
We currently know of a number of returning stars set to appear in future episodes of Doctor Who, including David Tennant, Catherine Tate, Jemma Redgrave and more, and we also know of a major new villain joining the show, played by Jinkx Monsoon.
When it comes to more familiar antagonists, all eyes are currently on the Toymaker, a character who originally faced off against William Hartnell's First Doctor and has not been seen on-screen in 57 years.
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He is being played in this year's 60th anniversary specials by Neil Patrick Harris, who previously explained how he became involved with the show.
He said: "I get a text from Russell T Davies saying, 'So, I'm doing this thing and I've written a thing and there's a part in it that you might like. I think it's delicious. Is it OK if I send it to you?'
"And I say, 'Of course, Russell, you're Russell T Davies. Of course.' And he sent it and I started reading it, and from the very, very first scene, I was like, 'Ah, this is delicious.'"
Doctor Who is 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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Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
