Dinosaurs on a Spaceship

Amy (Karen Gillan) with her new team,
Riddell (Rupert Graves) and Queen
Nefertiti (Riann Steele)

One episode (Dinosaurs on a Spaceship)
First broadcast Sep 8 2012
Average audience for story: 7.57m + 1.77m iPlayer = 9.34m

REGULAR CAST

Matt Smith (The Doctor) Born Oct 28 1982 Click here for Matt Smith's entry on The End of Time

Karen Gillan (Amy Pond) Born Nov 28 1987 Click here for Karen Gillan's entry on The Fires of Pompeii

Arthur Darvill (Rory Williams) Born Jun 17 1982 Click here for Arthur Darvill's entry on The Eleventh Hour

GUEST CAST

David Bradley (Solomon) Born Apr 17 1942
Doctor Who credits
Played: Voice of Shansheeth Blue in The Sarah Jane Adventures: Death of the Doctor (2010)
Played: Solomon in Dinosaurs on a Spaceship (2012)
Played: William Hartnell in An Adventure in Space and Time (2013)
Played: The Doctor in The Doctor Falls, Twice Upon a Time (both 2017)
Career highlights
David made his debut in the sitcom Nearest and Dearest (1971), then secured the role of Colin Woodcock in A Family at War the same year. After that, he found work in The Professionals (1978), The Frisco Kid (1979), One By One (1985), Prick Up Your Ears (1987), Between the Lines (1992), The Buddha of Suburbia (1993), Martin Chuzzlewit (1994), Our Friends in the North (1996), Cracker (1996), Reckless (1997-98), Our Mutual Friend (1998), Tom's Midnight Garden (1999), Shades (2001), The Intended (2002), Nicholas Nickleby (2002), Exorcist: The Beginning (2004), Blackpool (2004), Red Mercury (2005), Sweeney Todd (2006), Hot Fuzz (2007), The Color of Magic (2008), Ideal (2006-08), Ashes to Ashes (2009), Harry Brown (2009), Waking the Dead (2011), Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), Benidorm (2012), Broadchurch (2013), Prisoners' Wives (2012-13), The World's End (2013), The Young Messiah (2016), Medici (2016), The Lodgers (2017), Await Further Instructions (2018), Les Miserables (2018-19), Gangs of London (2020), Jolt (2021) and The Responder (2022). His most memorable roles include Argus Filch in the Harry Potter film franchise (2001-11), Old Jake in Wild West (2002-04), Charlie in Mount Pleasant (2012-14), Abraham Setrakian in The Strain (2014-17), Druid Quane in Britannia (2018-21), Tony's Dad in Afterlife (2019-22) and of course, the much reviled Walder Frey in Game of Thrones (2011-17).

Awards

1991: Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (King Lear)

2014: BAFTA TV Award for Best Supporting Actor (Broadchurch)

2021: British Short Film Award for Best Actor (Roy)
Facts
David can be seen in the music video for Louise and the Pins' Bell Jar (2012). Since 2018 David has played his version of the First Doctor for Big Finish audios.

Noel Byrne (Robot 1 operator)
Career highlights
Noel's only other credit is playing Matthew King in The Real Dick Turpin (2007). However, he is a member of the Box Tale Soup theatre company, and has worked in motion capture as well as done voiceover work. He is also a street performer and can often be seen entertaining in London's Covent Garden.
Facts
Noel is married to actor Antonia Christophers, who has appeared in Game of Thrones and The Hour.

Rudi Dharmalingam (ISA worker) Born May 11 1981
Career highlights
Debuted in Cutting It (2003-04), then The Bill (2007), Hollyoaks (2010), Coronation Street (2011), Casualty (2010/14), Rellik (2017), Electric Dreams (2017), Our Girl (2017), Strike Back (2019), Dark Money (2019), Tin Star (2020), Wakefield (2021), The Split (2018-22) and Extinction (2022).
Facts
Here he is on Twitter.

Richard Garaghty (Robot 2 operator) Born 1975

Doctor Who credits

Played: Senator in Death Comes to Time (2001-02, audio)

Played: Soldier in Death Comes to Time (2001-02, audio)

Played: Civilian in Death Comes to Time (2001-02, audio)

Played: Man in Death Comes to Time (2001-02, audio)

Played: Robot 2 in Dinosaurs on a Spaceship (2012)

Career highlights
Richard's other credits include Back to the Garden (2013), Machine Stopped Working (2014) and Dumbo (2019). He is principally a street performer, having appeared at the Edinburgh Festival, Covent Garden and at the National Theatre. He is one half of the comedy duo Garaghty and Thom, with Goronwy Thom. Here's a video of Richard's juggling unicycle act at Covent Garden.

Rupert Graves (Riddell) Born Jun 30 1963
Career highlights
Rupert debuted in Return of the Saint in 1978, aged 15, then found work in The Famous Five (1979), Vice Versa (1981), Puccini (1984), A Room with a View (1985), Maurice (1987), Fortunes of War (1987), The Children (1990), Damage (1992), The Madness of King George (1994), Bent (1997), Room to Rent (2000), The Forsyte Saga (2002-03), Spooks (2005), V for Vendetta (2005), Clapham Junction (2007), The Dinner Party (2007), Wallander (2010), Made in Dagenham (2010), Garrow's Law (2009-11), The White Queen (2013), Last Tango in Halifax (2014-15), The Family (2016), Native (2016), 12 Monkeys (2017), Krypton (2018), Swimming with Men (2018), The War of the Worlds (2019), Riviera (2020), Smyrna (2021) and Washington Black (2023). He also regularly plays Inspector Lestrade in Sherlock (2010-17).
Facts
Rupert worked as a circus clown before getting into serious acting, as well as in a shoe shop and a chip shop. In 2020 he opened up about attempting suicide at the age of 15, when he struggled with his body image.

Richard Hope (Bleytal) Born Oct 11 1953
Doctor Who credits
Played: Malohkeh in The Hungry Earth/ Cold Blood (2010), The Wedding of River Song (2011)
Played: Bleytal in Dinosaurs on a Spaceship (2012)
Career highlights
Richard debuted in Secret Army (1977), then Crown Court (1978), Heartland (1979), Brideshead Revisited (1981), Scandalous (1984), Bellman and True (1987), Piece of Cake (1988), Victoria Wood (1989), Boon (1991), The Riff-Raff Element (1993-94), Band of Gold (1995), Alive and Kicking (1996), Bramwell (1997), The Demon Headmaster (1998), Rhona (2000), High Stakes (2001), A is for Acid (2002), The Forsyte Saga (2003), MIT: Murder Investigation Team (2003/05), Chromophobia (2005), The Shell Seekers (2006), The Wild West (2007), EastEnders (2008), Last Love (2013), The Smoke (2014), Poldark (2015-19), Broadchurch (2017), The Village in the Woods (2019) and Mandy (2022).
Facts
Richard may also be remembered for his appearance in a number of TV commercials for Uncle Ben's rice, as well as John Smith's lager (there's also several to view on his own website here). He is married to prolific make-up artist Louise Fisher. Here he is on Twitter.
In 2016 Toby Hadoke released his Who's Round interview with Richard here.

David Mitchell (Robot 1 voice) Born Jul 14 1974
Career highlights
David is best known as one half of the comedy act Mitchell and Webb (with Robert Webb), making his debut on The Jack Docherty Show in 1997, then making appearances in Comedy Nation (1998), Bruiser (2000), Fun at the Funeral Parlour (2001), tlc (2002), Look Around You (2005), All About George (2005), Magicians (2007), Jam and Jerusalem (2006-09), The Bleak Old Shop of Stuff (2011-12), Ambassadors (2013), Professor Branestawm Returns (2015), Gun Shy (2017), Greed (2019), Upstart Crow (2016-20), Back 2017-21) and The Cleaner (2021). David and Webb also starred in and wrote their own comedy sketch shows - The Mitchell and Webb Situation (2001), That Mitchell and Webb Sound (2003-07, on radio), and That Mitchell and Webb Look (2006-10) - and also had their own sitcom, Peep Show (2003-15). David also wrote material for The Armstrong and Miller Show (1999), Bruiser, TV to Go (2001), Big Train (2002), David Mitchell's Soap Box (2009-12), 10 O'Clock Live (2011-13) and Outsiders (2021), as well as having appeared on comedy/ panel shows such as Fanorama (2001-02), FAQ U (2005), The Best of the Worst (2006), Mock the Week (2005-09), The Bubble (2010), 10 O'Clock Live, Was It Something I Said? (2013), Have I Got News for You (2005-21), Would I Lie to You? (2007-22), QI (2005-21), Outsiders (2021) and The Last Leg (2015-21).

Awards

2007: BAFTA TV Award for Best Comedy Programme (That Mitchell and Webb Look) - shared with production team

2007: British Comedy Award for Best TV Comedy Actor (Peep Show)

2008: Royal Television Society Award for Best Comedy Performance (Peep Show) - shared with Robert Webb

2009: BAFTA TV Award for Best Comedy Performance (Peep Show)
Facts
David is married to Victoria Coren-Mitchell, best known as a newspaper columnist and presenter of the quiz show Only Connect. Before he broke the big time, David worked in the cloakroom on the Channel 4 variety show TFI Friday. It's interesting to watch the Kids' Stuff episode of David's web series Soapbox from 2010 in the light of the fact he a) gave his voice to Robot 1 two years later, and b) now has a child of his own. He criticises 21st century Doctor Who for being aimed too much at adults, and prefers the 20th century version's focus on the younger audience. Here's David on Twitter.

Sunetra Sarker (Indira) Born Jun 25 1973
Career highlights
Debuting as Nisha Batra in the soap Brookside (1988-90/2000-2003), Sunetra then appeared in sitcom Bread (1991), Cracker (1993), Wing and a Prayer (1999), Playing the Field (2000), Emmerdale (2003), Holby City (2004), The Smoking Room (2004), Mobile (2007), Ideal (2005-08), Puppy Love (2014), Death in Paradise (2017), Broadchurch (2017), Safe House (2017), Informer (2018), The Bay (2021), Cockney and Scouse (2022) and Sherwood (2022). Regular roles include Anji Mittel in No Angels (2004-06), Clare Burnes in The Chase (2006-07), Dr Zoe Hanna in more than 330 episodes of Casualty (2007-18) and Kaneez Paracha in Ackley Bridge (2017-21). She also directed episodes of Casualty in 2010 and 2012, produced episodes of Casualty and Ackley Bridge in 2021. In 2014, she was a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing, partnered with Brendan Cole, finishing sixth.
Facts
In 2012, Sunetra and her husband Scott Carey founded the  eco-friendly food firm Keep Me Fresh, which markets the BerryBreeze device. Sunetra's mother Bisakha was awarded the MBE in 2013 for her contribution to Indian classical dance. Here she is on Twitter.

Riann Steele (Queen Nefertiti) Born Apr 25 1981
Career highlights
American-born Riann debuted in Hamlet (2009), then Pete Versus Life (2010), 360 (2011), In the Flesh (2013), The Tunnel (2013), Misfits (2013), Casualty (2014), Scrotal Recall (2014), Critical (2015), Lovesick (2014-16), Crazyhead (2016), NCIS: New Orleans (2018), Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018), The Magicians (2020) and Debris (2021). She also played Lauren Minster in 12 episodes of Holby City (2009-10).

Robert Webb (Robot 2 voice) Born Sep 19 1972
Career highlights
Robert is best known as one half of the comedy act Mitchell and Webb (with David Mitchell), making his debut on The Jack Docherty Show in 1997, then making appearances in Comedy Nation (1998), Bruiser (2000), Fun at the Funeral Parlour (2001), People Like Us (2001), My Family (2003), Blessed (2005), Confetti (2006), Magicians (2007), The Bleak Old Shop of Stuff (2011-12), Threesome (2012), Fresh Meat (2011-12), Marple (2013), Ambassadors (2013), Cold Feet (2016), Back (2017-21) and Frayed (2019/21). He also appeared in the sitcom The Smoking Room as Robin (2004-05). Robert and Mitchell also starred in and wrote their own comedy sketch shows - The Mitchell and Webb Situation (2001), That Mitchell and Webb Sound (2003-07, on radio), and That Mitchell and Webb Look (2006-10) - and also had their own sitcom, Peep Show (2003-15). Robert also wrote material for The Armstrong and Miller Show (1999), Bruiser, TV to Go (2001), Big Train (2002) and Robert's Web (2010). In 2011 he appeared on Celebrity Mastermind, his specialist subject being the novels of Ian McEwan (he came third out of four).

Awards

2007: BAFTA TV Award for Best Comedy Programme (That Mitchell and Webb Look) - shared with production team

2008: Royal Television Society Award for Best Comedy Performance (Peep Show) - shared with David Mitchell

2018: National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor (Back)

Facts
Robert is married to actress and comedy writer Abigail Burdess. In 2017 he published his first memoir, How Not to Be a Boy, and his first novel, Come Again, was published in 2020. That same year Robert underwent emergency heart surgery for a mitral valve prolapse, which he put down to alcohol-dependency. Here he is on Twitter.

Mark Williams (Brian Williams) Born Aug 22 1959
Doctor Who credits
Played: Brian Williams in Dinosaurs on a Spaceship, The Power of Three (both 2012)
Career highlights
Mark's debut came in 1982's Privileged, followed by High Season (1987), Tumbledown (1988), Red Dwarf (1988), Alexei Sayle's Stuff (1988-89), Great Expectations (1991), Merlin of the Crystal Cave (1991), Kinsey (1992), The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer (1993-95), 101 Dalmatians (1996), The Borrowers (1997), Shakespeare in Love (1998), Gormenghast (2000), The Strangerers (2000), Happiness (2001), The Final Curtain (2002), Grass (2003), Carrie and Barry (2004-05), Stardust (2007), Sense and Sensibility (2008), Merlin (2010), The Indian Doctor (2010), Being Human (2012), Blandings (2013), Still Open All Hours (2013-15), Golden Years (2016), Hospital People (2017), Sister Boniface Mysteries (2022) and Surprised by Oxford (2023). He will be best remembered for playing various roles in the sketch show The Fast Show (1994-2000, which he also wrote material for), Albert Weasley in the Harry Potter film franchise (2002-11), or the title character in Father Brown (2013-22). Mark has also presented his own programmes, including Mark Williams On the Rails (2004), Industrial Revelations (2002-05) and game show The Link (2014-15).

CREW

Chris Chibnall (writer) Born Mar 21 1970 Click here for Chris Chibnall's entry on 42

Saul Metzstein (director) Born Dec 30 1970
Doctor Who credits
Directed: Good as Gold (2012), Pond Life (2012), Dinosaurs on a Spaceship (2012), A Town Called Mercy (2012), The Snowmen (2012), The Crimson Horror (2013), The Name of the Doctor (2013)
Career highlights
Saul's earliest work behind the camera was as a production runner on the film Shallow Grave (1994, which starred future Doctor Christopher Eccleston). Other roles include location assistant on Trainspotting (1996) and second unit director on the films Dredd (2012), Black Sea (2014) and Suffragette (2015). As an outright director he debuted on the short Santa/ Claws (1997, which he also wrote), followed by Late Night Shopping (2001), Guy X (2005), Micro Men (2009), Upstairs, Downstairs (2010), The Musketeers (2014), Ripper Street (2014), You, Me and the Apocalypse (2015), Living the Dream (2017) and Brassic (2020).

Awards

2002: BAFTA Scotland Award for Best Feature Film Director (Late Night Shopping)
Facts
Saul's father was architect Isi Metzstein, who helped design a number of notable churches in and around Glasgow, as well as Robinson College, Cambridge. Here he is on Twitter.
In 2013 Toby Hadoke released his Who's Round interview with Saul here.

Marcus Wilson (producer) Born Jul 4 1973 Click here for Marcus Wilson's entry on The Impossible Astronaut

Lindsay Grant (script supervisor)
Doctor Who credits
Script supervisor: A Good Man Goes to War (2011), Dinosaurs on a Spaceship (2012), A Town Called Mercy (2012), The Woman Who Fell to Earth (2018)
Career highlights
Lindsay started out as a production assistant on Casualty in 1990, and also worked in this capacity on EastEnders (1993) and Between the Lines (1993-94), before overseeing continuity on Silent Witness (1996), The Ebb-Tide (1998) and Hustle (2005-06). She has been a script supervisor on shows such as Ballykissangel (1996), North Square (2000), The Last Detective (2005), Five Days (2007), Paradox (2009), Lewis (2008-10), Whitechapel (2009-12), Silk (2011-12), Sherlock (2014), You, Me and the Apocalypse (2015), Lucky Man (2016), Love, Nina (2016), Silent Witness (2017), Dark Heart (2018), The Durrells (2017-19), Dracula (2020) and Killing Eve (2019-22).