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Michelle Gomez joins Doctor Who cast


Michelle Gomez has joined the cast of ‘Doctor Who’.

The ‘Bad Education’ star, best known for playing deputy head Miss Pickwell in the BBC Three comedy, has been cast as the Gatekeeper of the Nethersphere on the sci-fi show.

Head writer Steven Moffat said: "I’ve known Michelle for years and I’m thrilled to welcome her to ‘Doctor Who’. She’s everything we need – brilliant, Scottish, and a tiny bit satanic."

Michelle added: "Well, of course Peter Capaldi is our next Doctor, which makes complete sense. I’m thrilled to join him. Well, you would be, wouldn’t you?"

Meanwhile, it has emerged that Peter Capaldi has signed on to play the titular Time Lord for a period of at least two years.

When Peter first took over from Matt Smith, there were rumours he had only agreed to a 13-episode run, but show boss Steven has revealed he is also planning storylines for next year.

He told Doctor Who Magazine: "I usually write one season at a time. But right now I have figured out the cliff-hanger to the penultimate episode of the next series. And it’s a whopper. I don’t think you’ll see this coming."

Filming for the eighth series of the BBC One programme is under way, with Peter making his debut this summer.

Famous faces already confirmed for the new series are Frank Skinner, Foxes, Keeley Hawes, Ben Miller and Hermione Norris.