During the latest Doctor Who special, “Eve of the Daleks,” Yaz (Mandip Gill) made a huge confession: she finally admitted that she is in love with the Doctor (Jodie Whittaker)! And according to producer Matt Strevens, it was Gill and Whittaker who were the driving forced behind making this storyline a reality.
During the Doctor Who con, Gallifrey One, Strevens shared that Whittaker very specifically asked for the show to explore a Yaz-Doctor romance. When pre-production on season 11 began, the writers had no plans for a romantic relationship. However, after Gill told Whittaker (who is not on social media) that fans were rooting for such a relationship, Whittaker took it upon herself to ask for more scenes between their characters.
Jodie Whittaker pushed for more Thasmin scenes
“Jodie had brought it [‘Thasmin’ social media content] to set after the first season, and said ‘there’s speculation out there’ and we hadn’t really thought about it,” said Strevens. “But it became quite a big thing, and if you think about the history of Doctor Who since Russell brought it back, every companion story with the Doctor is a love story.
"I think the way that Mandip did it and the way that Jodie’s Doctor reacts is brilliant. Yaz isn’t sure what these feelings are that she’s having, but they’re fundamental feelings. And I think it’s a testament to John Bishop’s performance that he’s sort of wheedling it out of them – which I think was brilliantly done."
If you’re hoping for more Thasmin content, you’re in luck! Strevens said “there’s more to come” in the upcoming special “Legend of the Sea Devils,” which will likely air around or on Easter Sunday. Then we’ll have a final special later this year to mark the end of Whittaker’s tenure as the Doctor.
I can’t wait to see more Thasmin storylines, although I’m sad it’s happening as both characters are about to exit the series. But hey, we’ll take what we can get!
To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.
Get HBO, Starz, Showtime, and MORE for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels
h/t SYFY Wire