Doctor Who star Jodie Whittaker has revealed that filming her final scenes for the BBC sci-fi show was a "grief-ridden" experience.
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The actress, who plays the 13th Doctor, explained that she found shooting her regeneration scenes in late 2021 incredibly emotional.
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She told Entertainment Weekly: "I've shot my version of regen[eration], and it was singularly the most emotional day on set I think I've ever had," she said. "It's a really bizarre feeling, because it's the best time I've ever had on a job, and I made the decision to leave it, so it's a really strange thing to do to yourself.
"It feels like you're giving yourself stitches – like, 'Why have you done it?' But... it felt right."
She continued: "It was a wonderfully celebratory-slash-grief-ridden day that I could spend with the family that I'd made. I suppose the best thing about it is that the episodes are still on. So until they're off, I don't have to really get my head around the fact that it's not my part!"
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Fans won't have to say goodbye just yet as Jodie, who joined the iconic series in 2017 as the first female Doctor, will be appearing in two specials, including one in spring titled Legend of the Sea Devils, which will see the Doctor and her companions battle iconic Doctor Who monsters, the Sea Devils, after landing in 19th century China.
Jodie will star in two more specials
Her final episode will air in Autumn 2022 and will feature her regeneration as part of the BBC’s Centenary celebrations.
The Broadchurch actress also revealed that she hopes to return to the much-loved BBC show one day. She told EW: "Once you're in [Doctor Who] you never want to leave.
"I suppose [Davies' return] gave me a bit of hope – like, 'Oh, when you do leave, it doesn't necessarily mean you leave forever.'"
Russell T Davies will return as showrunner after Jodie's departure, handling the series' 60th-anniversary special.
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