3. Stunt Casting
Its absolutely a necessity that Doctor Who attracts big name talent, especially when its competing with small name talent on ITV. There are some occasions, however, when this can veer into disaster. Comedians just dont seem to get sci-fi- see Peter Kay in Love & Monsters, if you can stomach it- which is why the casting of Frank Skinner smacks ever so slightly of stunt casting. Now, Skinner is a fully paid up Doctor Who fan, but hes not known for dramatic work of any kind, so his inclusion in Series 8 can, at the moment, be considered nothing but a play for tabloid attention. Dodgier still is news that Foxes will be acting/singing in one episode. Yes, that Foxes. That Foxes that no-one has heard of. Apparently shes a lady pop star, but isnt everyone these days? Now, lest we forget, the history of singers in Who is even less distinguished than that of comedians. Theres Leee John enunciating woodenly in Enlightenment. Much later, we got Kylie in Voyage of the Damned and Katherine Jenkins in A Christmas Carol, both of whom werewell, they were what they were. Pretty, but not overly gifted in the thesping department. The flipside is Billie Piper, a much better actress than she was a singer. But Foxes isnt playing the new Rose Tyler. Shes in one episode and shes singing a song in it. If she had any fans, would even they want that?