Doctor Who's Tony Curran reveals emotional impact of Van Gogh episode
"I had some people come up to me and say they were in a really dark place."
It's the standout Doctor Who guest performance that was fleeting but oh-so memorable – and there's never a dry eye in the house when it comes to Vincent and the Doctor.
More than a decade on since playing Vincent Van Gogh, actor Tony Curran chatted to RadioTimes.com about the lasting legacy of the episode, in which he starred alongside Matt Smith's Eleventh Doctor and Karen Gillan's Amy Pond.
When asked whether he's watched the episode or any clips back from it, Curran – who can currently be seen in the formidable role of King James VI of Scotland and I of England in Sky's Mary & George – said: "I watched it a while ago with my daughter, a few years ago or something, and she was crying away, bless her."
He continued: "We did a video a few years ago, it's on my Instagram, it was Vincent's birthday and I do a little 'Happy birthday Vincent' and I pull up the painting that the BBC very kindly gave me as a wrap gift.
"Of course, it was the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who and I was voted on Radio Times as the most beloved guest star or cameo. That didn't go unnoticed. That was very humbling."
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Speaking about the emotional impact of the episode, Curran said: "[The episode] was art, how can art affect people? Hopefully in a good way. It was the first time actually, after that episode came out 10 years ago or whatever it was, there was a [phone] number for people living with depression or mental health issues.
"I guess, as an actor, as an artist, to entertain people, to inform people is great. But maybe, and hopefully at times, to help people is a great feeling.
"I had some people come up to me and say they were in a really dark place and that they'd thought about making some very dark decisions and they watched that episode, it made them cry and it made them contact people who [said] 'It's OK to not be OK', as it were."
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The emotional gallery clip of the episode has notched up an impressive amount of views on YouTube – the most on the official Doctor Who channel – and commenting on it, Curran added: "26 million [views], that's very good!”
Read more:
- Doctor Who’s Tony Curran would “definitely consider” returning
- Mary & George's Tony Curran: 'It was a riot playing King James'
The episode was directed by Jonny Campbell and written by Richard Curtis (Love Actually), who revealed that he penned the script for the episode in tribute to his sister.
During a watch-along of the episode in 2020, Curtis wrote: "So – here’s the thing – the key reason I wrote this episode – was out of love for my sister, Bindy. She was a gorgeous and brilliant person, 2 years older than me. She loved Vincent Van Gogh and life. She couldn’t have been more full of generosity and joy.
"But half way through her life she was hit by depression and, intermittently, it hurt her for the rest of her life. And a few years before this show, like Vincent, she took her own life."
He continued: "That was me trying to show Bin how glorious she had been in our lives – and how nothing could change that."
For help and support on the issues raised in this article, you can contact Samaritans on 116 123 or visit its official website.
Doctor Who will return to BBC One and iPlayer in May, while Mary & George is available to watch now on Sky Atlantic and NOW. Find Sky deals here.
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