A Belt Made of Shoelaces

Katy Manning, ladies and gentlemen. MacMachiavelli from Planet Gallifrey and I got to interview her and her on-screen grandson, Finn Jones, over the weekend at Birmingham's Memorabilia convention! Many many thanks to Mac for taking the time to type up the interview. I've added in a few additional bantery bits of info in my version which some fans may find of interest.

Many thanks to SARAH-JANE.tv's very own KirstyJay for providing me with a fair majority of the questions asked! And, of course, many thanks to the delightful organisers of Fantom Films for going out of their way in providing us with the opportunity! Be sure to check out their future events!

Katy Manning at her signing table

Nabu: Hiiii! Nice to meet you. I'm Nabu, and I write for a leading Sarah Jane Adventures website.

Katy: Ohh!

Mac: I'm Mac, I write for a leading Doctor Who website.

Nabu: So yeah, we're a good combination there.

Katy: And...I don't do computers!

Nabu/Mac: Ahahaha. :D

Nabu: So, how are you today? How have you found the experience so far [at the convention]?

Finn: Yeah it's been great!

Nabu: Your first convention, I believe?

Finn: Yep, this is my first convention, I'm breaking my virginity!

Katy: I had to be with him.

Nabu: You've popped your cherry!

Finn: Yeah, Granny had to be there...

Katy: Granny had to check this out! (laughs)

Mac: That's going to be quoted in the interview, y'know.

Finn: Oh, it's recording?! (laughs) Yeah, my Gran was there when I lost my virginity...

Katy: Well this is the kind of Granny who would! (laughs)

Nabu: Ahaha, indeed! Well, we've prepared a list of n00by questions we'd love to ask you.

Finn: Go for it.

Katy: n00by?

Finn: Word from our generation.

Katy: Like 'innit'? :P

Finn: And 'Lol' (laughs)

Nabu: Ahaha, you're down with the kids. :D

Katy/Finn: (laughs)

Nabu: Right, first of all - what was it like returning to the BBC set after so many years? Was it a bit of a learning curve?

Mac: Was it reminiscent of the past?

Katy: Yeah well first of all, the moment I found myself on that freezing cold mountain, it was like old times, y'know. The only difference was, I wasn't wearing a mini skirt, which was a great relief because everybody was watching! And going into the TARDIS was fascinating because it has changed and become very cutting-edge and it was very exciting because, although I was quite nervous to bring back this character, and you have no rehearsal, you go straight in—

(At this point, Tommy Knight enters!)

Finn: Tommy Knight has just come in here! Tommy Knight, get here now, we're having an interview, and you are just causing a scene...

Katy: I think you'd better come and sit here with us... Did you see his walk? Did you see the walk?

Finn: He needs to keep his trousers up!

Tommy: Look, right, I don't have a belt [for my trousers] so I had to use a shoelace!

Katy: It's like a bad man's Saturday Night Fever.

Tommy: Well, maybe I am a bad man out on a Saturday night...!

(everyone laughs)

Mac: This is all going up on the site, you know.

Katy: (laughs) But it really was a terrific experience being back. As I say, no rehearsing and so you just had to go through it. How could you go wrong with a Russell T. Davies script? And you know, such wonderful actors, like Matt. I think including the audiobooks now, I'm into seven or eight Doctors!

Nabu: Did you collaborate with Russell about your character?

(at this point Tommy Knight opens a packet of Magic Stars and starts dividing them up with Finn) xD

Katy: Well, he was constantly in touch: very hands-on, very caring. Absolutely lovely. And in terms of the character, if you look at the piece, it's the perfect carry-on from where she left off. For three years, from being this little, cunning 18-year-old and this sort of, slightly 'knowing' young lady, going off and getting married. I think with everything that she did, you can imagine her doing that. (notices the chocolate stars the boys are eating) Ooh, can I have one, too? :D

Finn Jones plays Santiago alongside

Anjli Mohindra in 'Death of the Doctor'

Mac: So, Finn, what was the experience like for you compared to Hollyoaks? How was it different?

Finn: It was great. Really really great. Both sets were really welcoming. And Doctor Who is a massive world, y'know these people are so established in what they do, so to come along first it was a bit like 'Oh I might be out of my depth,' and I hoped I could live up to the reputation of the show.

Nabu: Oh, you most certainly did!

Finn: Everyone was so welcoming and so lovely and the script was so great. And it wasn't 'The Matt Smith Show' or 'The Katy Manning Show', it was a collaborative double episode where everyone had a fair story in it. I had the time of my life!

(Tommy and Finn proceed to throw chocolate stars at eachother) xD

Katy: And working with Lis, for me, I thought that [Jo and Sarah] complimented each other really well, and I loved working with her. Yeah, it's true, everybody had their little moment.

Finn: Except for Tommy, 'cause he wasn't in it. Were you Tommy?

Tommy: No, I was... er... (Katy laughs)

Finn: Thank God, because if you were in it, I wouldn't have been in it!

Tommy: You're sort of like an upgrade, aren't you?

Finn: Upgrade? Oh thank you!

Tommy: Yeah, you're taller!

Mac: Oh, nobody could upgrade you, Tommy. :D

Tommy: (laughs) Yeah.

Katy: Hang on, if you [Finn] hadn't been in it, and you [Tommy] had been in it, what would I have been?

Mac: A Shansheeth?

(everybody laughs)

Katy: Mrs Shansheeth! Yes, with a bright, nylon frock.

The interview goes on, but we'll be posting the second-half in due time! Return soon to learn more about mistaken identities, and what the cast think of reading the opinions of fans online! In the meantime, be sure to check out Mac's blog over at Planet Gallifrey for all the latest Doctor Who news!