We don’t know about you, but we’re a little suspicious of these new Daleks. Yes, they look cool and shiny; yes, they’re as deadly as ever and yes, we’re as likely to hide behind the sofa during the Doctor Who New Year’s special this year as we’ve ever been – but something’s not quite right.

Advertisement

You see, recently we’ve shared our suspicions that the new-look Daleks arriving to bother Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor in the Doctor Who Christmas special Revolution of the Daleks aren’t Daleks at all – rather, we think they might be man-made rip-offs based on leftover technology, created by humans to try and marshal some of that Dalek strength.

It was just a theory – but now one Doctor Who star may have confirmed the whole whole thing, with actor Nathan Stewart-Jarrett (who plays scientist Leo Rugazzi in Revolution of the Daleks) dropping a crucial piece of information in a recent interview with Doctor Who magazine.

“He’s really excited about discovery and creation and science,” Stewart-Jarrett said of his character.

“And he’s been cultivating this embryo which, unbeknownst to him, is an evil being.”

Given that in the episode trailer we see Leo and Jack Robertson (Chris Noth, confirmed to be Leo’s boss in the same article) poring over a Dalek mutant in a blue case, and also opening up one of the new Dalek’s casings exactly where said mutant would live, we reckon this embryo can be nothing else but a Dalek clone – and this opens up a lot of possibilities for the episode.

Our theory (based on hints from series boss Chris Chibnall, among other things) was that the Dalek casing left behind in 2019 festive special Resolution had been studied and recreated by scientists, with a view to using them as protective drones – but what if they also found traces of the Dalek inside, and realised that for the mini-tanks to work they needed a pilot?

Chris Noth in Doctor Who: Revolution of the Daleks
Picture Shows: Robertson (CHRIS NOTH), Leo Rugazzi (NATHAN STEWART-JARRETT) - (C) BBC Studios - Photographer: James Pardon BBC

What if Leo was the scientist tasked with recreating the creature within, not knowing that he was following in the footsteps of Davros and rebirthing a genetically hateful Dalek? Really, it’s like Terminator 2 all over again, but with more slimy tentacles.

Of course, it could be that Leo is creating some other kind of er, evil embryo, but given that this episode is called Revolution of the Daleks it seems almost certain that he’s actually been cooking a baby Dalek.

And who knows? If the rumours of the “real” Daleks returning in the episode are true, Leo might find himself in a bit of trouble for trying to meddle in their affairs…

Advertisement

Doctor Who: Revolution of the Daleks comes to BBC One at 6:45pm on New Year’s Day. Want something else to watch? Check out our TV Guide.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement