AcrossDoctor Who’s more than 60-year history, it’s celebrated plenty of milestones.This year marks 20 years since the show was initially rebooted, in 2005,by showrunnerRussell T. Davies, who currently serves as showrunner once again. Now, as part of the 20th anniversary celebration, the behind-the-scenes featurette seriesDoctor Who: Unleashedis planning an hour-long special. As part of it, the BBC announcedthey’re also bringing back two fan-favorites to reflect on the series' longevity:Karen GillanandArthur Darvill. The special will air on Saturday, June 7.
The pair played the married couple that traveled withMatt Smith’s Eleventh Doctor, affectionately nicknamed “The Ponds.” Amy Pond and Rory Williams played a huge role in The Doctor’s development. Amy’s face, as a child, was the first face he saw when he regenerated.
Alex Kingston Reflects on Working With “The Ponds”
During Matt Smith’s tenue as the Doctor,the show found a scale of international success that had been unheard of prior. While Gillan and Darvill played The Doctor’s full-time companions, they were also occasionally joined byAlex Kingston’s River Song. Her character would not only later be revealed to be Amy and Rory’s daughter, but also The Doctor’s wife (yes, The Doctor was traveling with his in-laws).
During a panelmoderated byCollider’s Maggie Lovitt,Kingston reflected on her time working with Gillan, Smith, and Darvill, saying, “I’d be asked to come along and join in, and it was really great because every time I joined in… the group, which wasMatt, Karen and Arthur had sort of bonded more and had become more confident in themselvesand in their relationships and everything, which was so lovely to see.” Not only was she able to see the synergy within that TARDIS team, but behind the scenes, at events promoting the long-running science fiction show. Kingston explains:
“It was sort of stressful to begin with, but then each time I came back they were so much better and having such a good time. And it was like… towards, I mean, I’d say a couple of years in, it was literally…I felt like I was working with a sack full of puppies.”
You can watch Gillan and Darvill as The Ponds now on past episodes ofDoctor Who, streaming on Max. Stay with Collider for the latest updates.
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