BBC has issued a press release for DOCTOR WHO Season/Series 9, It discusses the return of Michelle Gomez to the show, revealing that the Season/Series opener will be two installments, the title of the second installment (we’ve previously known that the first S9 episode would be called The Magician’s Apprentice), and who’ll be directing them.
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MICHELLE GOMEZ RETURNS AS MISSY IN BBC AMERICA’S DOCTOR WHO
Gomez to appear in two-part season premiere written by Steven Moffat and directed by Hettie Macdonald
Jemma Redgrave to guest star in the season opener
Cardiff, Wales – February 19, 2015 – Michelle Gomez is back as Missy (also known as The Master) in the new season premiere of Doctor Who this fall on BBC AMERICA. She joins Peter Capaldi for his second season as the Doctor and Jenna Coleman as Clara Oswald. Gomez appeared last season on Doctor Who, which was the highest rated season ever on BBC AMERICA. (Watch a scene from season finale)
Michelle Gomez said: “Things have been a little beige since I left Missy behind, so I'm delighted to be putting my lippie back on. I'm positively dying to see The Doctor again!”
The two-part episode, The Magician’s Apprentice and The Witch’s Familiar, is written by the show’s lead writer Steven Moffat, produced by Peter Bennett and directed by Hettie Macdonald (Blink, the Hugo Award-winning Doctor Who episode).
Steven Moffat, lead writer and executive producer, added: “Everybody hide – Michelle Gomez as Missy was an instant hit last year, so she’s straight back to plague the Doctor and Clara in the series opener. But what brings her back into their lives is the last thing they’d expect.”
Following appearances in Doctor Who’s 50th anniversary special, The Day of the Doctor, and last season’s Dark Water and Death in Heaven, Jemma Redgrave returns to the guest cast for the new season. Also guest starring in the season opener are Laurence Olivier Award nominee Kelly Hunter, Clare Higgins and Jaye Griffiths.
Confirmed guest stars for the new season include Daniel Hoffmann-Gill, Jami Reid-Quarrell, Aaron Neil, India Ria Amarteifio, Joey Price, Dasharn Anderson, Harki Bhambra and Demi Papaminas.
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Concurrently, the network also offered this little video bit featuring/announcing Gomez’s reprisal of her ‘the Master’ role on S9.
The Magician’s Apprentice/The Witch’s Familiar marks helmer Hettie Macdonald’s first and only return to DOCTOR WHO since her excellent work on Blink back in 2007.
No word yet on when S9 will transmit, although late August/early Septemberish would seem to be a good bet at the moment…
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Glen Oliver
“Merrick”
