Inbetweeners star James Buckley teases Doctor Who guest role

Inbetweeners star James Buckley has teased his guest appearance on Doctor Who and said the episode “felt like making a big sci-fi movie”.

The actor is best known for playing fantasist Jay in The Inbetweeners and will join Jodie Whittaker’s Time Lord in the third episode of Doctor Who’s latest series.

While the exact details of his role have been kept under wraps, it has been revealed Buckley will play a character called Nevi.

The 32-year-old has told fans to expect big things.

He said: “It felt like making a big sci-fi movie. There’s special effects, there’s explosions, there’s action and there’s chasing… I hope people are really going to like the episode.”

Buckley – who starred in The Inbetweeners as serial liar Jay for three series – said filming the interstellar Doctor Who was a nice change of scenery.

“Usually everything I do is shot in suburban Britain or somewhere like that,” he said.

“As an actor, you want to be on these big sets with fun props, make-up, costumes and things like that. So all those things.

“It’s sort of why you dream of being an actor as a kid when you do a project like this.”

Buckley is not the only guest star who joined usual cast members Whittaker, Tosin Cole, Mandip Gill and Bradley Walsh for the 12th series of Doctor Who.

Sir Lenny Henry and Stephen Fry have already appeared.

Buckley, whose other TV credits include Only Fools And Horses spin-off Rock & Chips, said it was an “honour” to be part of a beloved show like Doctor Who.

“The viewers who watch it and how passionate the fans behind the show are is one of the reasons I wanted to do it,” he said.

“I want to be involved in things that people support like they do a sports team, where something is so loved by so many people. Really huge fans, taking the word ‘fan’ back to its actual meaning – fanatical.

“That was really exciting for me and I obviously hope people enjoy the episode.”

Doctor Who is on BBC One on Sunday at 7.10pm.