“Right enuff Doctor Who,” could soon be a catchphrase uttered by thousands of Time Lord fans if Karen Gillan of Inverness gets her way.
Flame-haired Miss Gillan, who stars as Amy Pond, new Time Lord Matt Smith’s plucky assistant, makes her television debut on April 3 when the new series begins.
Having swapped the Tardis for a bus, the duo are in Inverness on Tuesday to host the Scottish premiere of episode one for city children.
Speaking in the build-up to the event, Miss Gillan said: “I am so excited about coming to Inverness as it’s not the sort of thing that happens there every day.
“The show is such a massive phenomenon that I can't quite believe I am part of it.
“It’s strange in some ways as the role is already established and the bar set very high, so I have a lot to live up to.
“I hope I have done a good job and am delighted at being able to use my own accent.
“I definitely need to get a right enuff in there somewhere.”
After confessing to not watching the show as a youngster, Miss Gillan, whose parents, Marie and John, live at Kinmylies, said: “My mum is a massive fan.
“After landing the role I was allowed to tell my immediate family but rather than phoning I waited until I was home so I could see the look on my mum’s face.
“I only told her an hour before it was made public.
“She was washing dishes and just looked at me with an expression I’ll never forget as long as I live. She was ecstatic.”
After being schooled at Charleston Academy, Miss Gillan attended Telford College, Edinburgh, before joining the famous Italia Conti stage school in London.
She said: “I am lucky as I’m still in touch with my friends from here. I’ve known since I was four I wanted to be an actress.”
Returning to the stage of Eden Court on Tuesday will bring memories flooding back.
Miss Gillan said: “When I was at Charleston we performed a school play there and I remember shaking as I had bad stage fright. But I had lots of fun there too as I attended several drama classes and loved them, and think Inverness continues to offer some of the best arts events for young people anywhere.”
At the premiere, fans can get their photograph taken tumbling through “the giant vortex” and meet some of the scariest monsters that have had viewers watching from behind their sofa for generations.
BBC Wales executive producer Piers Wenger said: “This is a great opportunity for the new doctor and his companion to interface directly with the people who matter most to Doctor Who, the fans.”
