Girl Of The Moment - Pearl Mackie

You’re about to hit our screens as Doctor Who’s latest companion, Bill. How did it feel to land the role? ‘It was so surreal. I was asked back to read with Peter [Capaldi] at The Soho Hotel in London, but I couldn’t tell anyone – it was like MI5 stuff. I didn’t hear anything for over a week, so when my agent called, I didn’t believe [I’d got] it. There was a lot of crying and laughing.’

Doctor Who is a British TV institution. Do you worry about living up to the fans’ expectations? ‘Nerves come with all of the best things in life. Jenna Coleman, Karen Gillan – there’s such an amazing legacy in terms of companions, but Bill’s really different to all of them. She has quite an interesting way of perceiving the Doctor. I’ve watched various episodes over the years, but I wanted to bring something fresh to the role, so I’ve tried to avoid seeing previous companions’ work. I’ll do a binge-watch when I finish filming.’

What’s it like working with Peter Capaldi? ‘Peter is wonderful. He’s a real actor’s actor – so encouraging and supportive. For someone with that much experience, he’s really open to what I have to bring.’