John Barrowman has said that returning to the role of Captain Jack Harkness is always a "no-brainer", just days after a leaked book synopsis hinted he could appear in Doctor Who series 13.

Advertisement

The actor has recently joined the cast of Time Fracture, an immersive theatrical experience taking place this summer, which follows UNIT as they attempt to close a rift in space and time in the 1940s.

In the run-up to the event, Barrowman was interviewed for Doctor Who's official YouTube channel, where he was asked what keeps him coming back to Captain Jack Harkness.

"I never thought as a young boy, when I watched Doctor Who in Glasgow on the sofa on a Saturday evening, that I would ever be part of the TARDIS team," he said. "And then when I got the opportunity by Russell T Davies, he rang me up, I went to the audition and lo and behold they called me 20 minutes after and said: 'You're Captain Jack Harkness.'"

Barrowman continued: "Captain Jack changed my life. It was also a character who changed the face of television because we'd never seen anybody like him before, who was unapologetic about who he was and who he loved. It literally was groundbreaking. So, for me, Jack has not only been life-changing but Jack has opened up other doors for me.

"So that's why, at the drop of a hat, if someone says to me: 'We want you to come back and play Jack.' Absolutely. It's a no-brainer."

After an extended absence from the show, Barrowman returned in Doctor Who's 12th rebooted series, to the delight of fans, and reappeared in January's festive special: Revolution of the Daleks.

Rumours are now circulating that he could be due for another reprisal in series 13, which is currently filming, following a leaked synopsis for an upcoming Doctor Who graphic novel featuring Captain Jack.

The blurb claimed that this story "ties in directly" with the second episode of series 13, but the BBC declined to comment on this when contacted by RadioTimes.com.

However, given Barrowman's enthusiasm for the character, a return for his bold and fearless time agent will seemingly never be off the table.

Advertisement

Doctor Who is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Check out more of our Sci-Fi and Fantasy content or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.

Authors

David Craig
David CraigSenior Drama Writer

David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement