Doctor Who star Matt Smith says the Time Lord's love-hate relationship with Earth-bound Sontaran Strax owes a debt to the dynamic between Rowan Atkinson's Blackadder and his manservant Baldrick, played by Tony Robinson in the classic period comedy.

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"Dan Starkey, who plays [Strax], is a comic genius," said Smith. "I sort of based the idea of the Doctor and Strax on Blackadder and Baldrick, because he's constantly berating Strax but he sort of loves him."

The pair crossed paths again recently in series seven episode The Crimson Horror, in which the loveable war-mongering Sontaran and his companions Madam Vastra, the Silurian detective, and her kickass girlfriend Jenny helped the Doctor defeat the evil Mrs Gillyflower. They are set to return for season finale The Name of the Doctor.

Like many Doctor Who viewers, Smith is a huge fan of the trio – even suggesting they deserve a spin-off series.

"I think those three should have their own show... They are just brilliant," he told BBC America. "They've been very patient with the Doctor, they stick with him."

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