KAREN GILLAN AND THE RIDE OF HER LIFE

WORDS I ADRIAN HARVEY

T

IMAGES I BBC

elevised Doctor Who has twice visited the Inverness area. He was here during

the Battle of Culloden and has investigated the mystery of the Loch Ness monster. But now in the real world, Inverness actress Karen Gillan is the Doctor’s latest companion in his travels through time and space. Karen was chosen for the role by

producer Steven Moffat. “I wasn’t allowed to tell anyone what I was going up for – not even the staff on reception at the BBC. I had to say I was up for something called ‘Panic Moon,’ which is an anagram of ‘companion’,” Karen said of the audition. “We saw some amazing actresses for

this part, but when Karen came through the door the game was up. Funny, and clever, and gorgeous, and sexy,” said Moffat. “Or Scottish – which is the quick way of saying it. A generation of little girls will want to be her.” She had to keep her casting a secret and only told her parents an hour before it

was made public, even though her mother is a massive Doctor Who fan. “My mum is a proper science-fiction geek. When I told her I had the job on Doctor Who she was beside herself.” The job meant shifting base from

London to Cardiff, which was no big deal for Karen. “When I was 16, I moved away from Inverness to Edinburgh (to study acting at Telford College). Then a year later I moved to London.” In London she attended the Italia Conti stage school, and appeared in Rebus, Harley Street, The Kevin Bishop Show and The Well, along with small parts in the movies New Town Killers and the recent Outcast. She also had a part playing a soothsayer in the 2008 Doctor Who episode Fires of Pompeii. Karen returned to Inverness with new

Doctor, Matt Smith, as part of a UK-wide tour to introduce the new team ahead of the first episode broadcast at Easter. Asked about the character of Amy, Karen says “She’s different to other companions

because she’s not so in awe of the Doctor. She’s sceptical and doesn’t trust very easily, but underneath all that she’s a bit lost and alone. The Doctor has traits of that loneliness too, so they’re similar.” The 22 year old was recently voted

Scotland on Sunday’s 19th most eligible woman, but nothing prepared her for seeing her first Amy doll. “They do this incredibly detailed head scan. It’s freaky, because it’s so accurate. It really does look like me!” she exclaimed. As if having an action-figure doll made

of oneself, when asked how she will cope with fame, Karen replies “I’m not really sure. I’ll just have to take it as it happens. How can you prepare for it, apart from trying to handle it all with good grace? My plan is just to be nice all the time and give autographs!” 

Doctor Who screens on BBC1 Saturday evening.

The BBC announced in May last year that Inverness actress Karen Gillan would play Amy Pond, the latest companion to the new Doctor Who.

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