Doctor Who's Pearl Mackie reveals it wasn't her inside that Cyberman suit

Turns out the Doctor Who cyborg was actually played by a bloke called Liam

Published: Monday, 5 February 2018 at 1:49 pm

Remember that hair-raising moment in Doctor Who series 10 when Bill Potts was revealed as a Mondasian Cyberman? When the Doctor’s companion shed a tear behind her thinly veiled face? Well, that wasn’t actually Pearl Mackie – it was a bloke called Liam.

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Mackie, who played Peter Capaldi’s Doctor’s companion on the show until last year, recently revealed during a live Guardian webchat with fans that she never actually donned the Cyberman outfit. “Unfortunately it wasn't me inside the costume. I'm too short,” she told fans. “They decided a 5ft 6in Cyberman wouldn't be scary. And fitting in my afro would have been tough to navigate. So a 6ft 4in man called Liam played him instead.”

However, Mackie still helped portray Cyber-Bill: “I did have a hand in plotting out his movements though."

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During the webchat, Mackie also revealed what advice she had for incoming Doctor Who companions Bradley Walsh, Tosin Cole and Mandip Gill. “I would say learn your lines! As thoroughly as possible!” she said before adding: "And enjoy yourself, play around, there's a lot of room for interpretation in the scripts […] Mostly, have fun. It's such a fantastic job. And appreciate what a crazy ride you're on.”

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Doctor Who returns to BBC1 in Autumn 2018

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Radio Times Staff

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