Doctor Who star Alex Kingston has opened up on whether viewers can expect a Time Lord-inspired routine on this year's Strictly Come Dancing.
Kingston, who will appear on this year’s Strictly series, may have disappointed fans when she revealed contestants don’t have a say about themes or creative choices behind their routines.
The actor, best known for playing the character River Song in the long-running sci-fi series, said in a new interview: “We don't have a say. We don't know. And the dancers, the choreographers, they're the ones that sort of go and make the decisions and I think we just are then told, ‘Well, this is what you're going to be doing now.’”
Speaking about the forthcoming live shows, Kingston said she is terrified about the movie and musical themed weeks, because they require another layer of performance.
Asked about why she feels more apprehensive about those shows, she told the RadioTimes: “There's a different sort of pressure I feel because it's not just the dance, it's also the character, and I don't want to be dressed as a Teletubby!”
While Kingston didn’t give away whether there will be a Doctor Who routine this year, it wouldn't be the first time the show has inspired a Strictly dance. In 2018, Stacey Dooley and Kevin Clifton performed a Doctor Who-themed Tango for Halloween Week, dressed as Jodie Whittaker's Thirteenth Doctor and a Cyberman.
In 2022, DJ Tyler West and Dianne Buswell performed a Tango to the Doctor Who theme tune, with West dressed as the Time Lord and Buswell dressed as a Weeping Angel.
Ahead of her Strictly debut, Kingston said she was inspired to join the show after seeing her friend, Miranda actor Sarah Hadland, finish as a runner-up on last year’s series.
Kingston said: “I reached out and asked her what her experience of having been part of the show [was], and she was really honest with me about how hard it is, how overwhelming it can be but also how it absolutely changed her life and that she would do it again in a heartbeat.”
Kingston will be competing against the likes of reality star Vicky Pattison, Dutch football legend Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and former England footballer Karen Carney on this year’s programme.
The new series will kick off on Saturday 20 September with the usual pre-recorded launch programme, which will see the new cohort of celebrities paired up with professional dance partners.
The first live show of the series will then air the following week. Find the full cast list here.
