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Freema Agyeman recalls "magical" time as Martha on Doctor Who
Speaking on the Radio Times Podcast, Freema Agyeman spoke about her time as the Doctor's companion.
BBC
- Morgan Cormack
Published: Monday, 27 March 2023 at 9:00 pm
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Freema Agyeman's latest series is soon landing on our screens, with new Sky comedy Dreamland being released this April.
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In the show, Agyeman stars as Trish, one of four sisters living in Margate, and the series is an exploration of relatable characters, family drama, sisterhood and female identity.
But one of the roles to really land Agyeman on a lot of people's radars and saw her rise to fame was as the Doctor's companion Martha Jones in Doctor Who.
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Chatting on The Radio Times Podcast, Agyeman revealed more about her time as the fun-loving companion. When asked whether she'd do anything differently now, knowing what she knows about the industry and fame, she admitted: "I wouldn’t have done anything differently – it was magical.
"There are moments you never forget – I can still feel it in my stomach, getting that call. I worked as an usher in the theatre, and stayed there for five months before it was [publicly] announced. I couldn’t say anything!"
David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor and Freema Agyeman as Martha in Doctor Who.
She continued: "We had a lot of support; we were media-trained and told to be ready for our lives to change. While shooting, it felt like we were in a tiny bubble. Being present is important – I kept saying, 'I’m here on set! I’m in the TARDIS!'"
Having spoken before about her surprise over racist backlash from being one of the first Black companions in the long-running sci-fi series, Agyeman spoke of the upcoming season 14 which will see Ncuti Gatwa taking on the lead role of the Doctor.
Read more:
- Jodie Whittaker and Mandip Gill open to Doctor Who returns after exit
- Doctor Who's new TARDIS interior is an "impossible, logic-defying set"
When asked whether she thinks the show has been at the forefront in pioneering and shaping British television, Agyeman stated: "The only way to make any sustained and meaningful change in the industry is by having authentic representation behind the camera.
"With Doctor Who, Russell T Davies and [casting director] Andy Pryor are very intelligent, self-aware, socially aware and politically aware human beings who are able to shape that show to reflect the people and the topics that are relevant and resonate with as many people as you possibly can. I have all the respect in the world for them."
You can listen to the full conversation with Freema on your chosen podcast provider by clicking here, or via the player below.
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Doctor Who is available to stream on BBC iPlayer with episodes of the classic series also available on BritBox – you can sign up for a 7-day free trial here.
Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what's on tonight.
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Authors
Morgan CormackDrama Writer
Morgan Cormack is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering everything drama-related on TV and streaming. She previously worked at Stylist as an Entertainment Writer. Alongside her past work in content marketing and as a freelancer, she possesses a BA in English Literature.
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