Closing Time

Craig (James Cordern) hands
Stormageddon over to trusty
Val (Lynda Baron)

One episode (Closing Time)
First broadcast Sep 24 2011
Average audience for story: 6.93m + 1.14m iPlayer = 8.07m

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

Frances Barber (Madame Kovarian) Born May 13 1958
Doctor Who credits
Played: Eye Patch Lady/ Madame Kovarian in Day of the Moon, The Curse of the Black Spot (uncredited), The Rebel Flesh/ The Almost People, A Good Man Goes to War, Closing Time, The Wedding of River Song (all 2011)
Career highlights
Frances debuted in the 1978 short Wings of Ash, then found work in The Missionary (1982), Reilly: Ace of Spies (1983), A Zed & Two Noughts (1985), Castaway (1986), Prick Up Your Ears (1987), Behaving Badly (1989), Red Dwarf (1989), Inspector Morse (1992), Chef! (1994), Space Precinct (1995), Rhodes (1996), Real Women (1998-99), Shiner (2000), Gimme Gimme Gimme (2001), Manchild (2002), Having It Off (2002), My Family (2003), According to Bex (2005), Funland (2005), Hustle (2007), Casualty (2008), The Fattest Man in Britain (2009), Pete Versus Life (2011), Great Expectations (2011), The Spa (2013), Silk (2012-14), Psychobitches (2013-14), Mr Holmes (2015), Benidorm (2016), Vicious (2016), Medici (2016), Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool (2017), The Rebel (2017), Blue Iguana (2018), The Queen and I (2018), Trick or Treat (2019), Cold Feet (2020), Whitstable Pearl (2021), The Mezzotint (2021) and Dodger (2022).
Facts
When Frances studied drama at Bangor University she was dating fellow alumni, director Danny Boyle. She has often worked with the Pet Shop Boys - she appeared in their 2001 musical Closer to Heaven, sang live at one of their concerts in 2006 (the song Friendly Fire) and starred in their 2019 musical Musik. One of her closest friends is actor Ian McKellen, and he funded a library in her name in India. Here she is on Twitter.

Lynda Baron (Val) Mar 24 1939 to Mar 5 2022
Doctor Who credits
Sang: The Ballad of the Last Chance Saloon (soundtrack) in The Gunfighters (1966, uncredited)
Played: Captain Wrack in Enlightenment (1983)
Played: Val in Closing Time (2011)
Career highlights
Lynda debuted in Living for Pleasure (1958), and was then cast in The Rag Trade (1962), Hide and Seek (1964), Scott On... (1964), Mrs Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter (1968), The Kenneth Williams Show (1970), Universal Soldier (1971), Hands of the Ripper (1971), A Roof Over My Head (1977), Oh No, It's Selwyn Froggitt (1977), Crossroads (1978), Grundy (1980), Yentl (1983), Last of the Summer Wine (1983), KYTV (1990), Plaza Patrol (1991), Carry On Columbus (1992), The Upper Hand (1992-93), Coronation Street (1997), Dinnerladies (1998), Sunburn (1999), Peak Practice (2001), Down to Earth (2005), Rome (2005), EastEnders (2006-16), The Road to Coronation Street (2010), Love Matters (2013), Chasing Shadows (2014), Citizen Khan (2016), Father Brown (2017) and Dream Horse (2020). Lynda's most memorable roles are as Nurse Gladys Emmanuel in sitcom Open All Hours (1976-85) and spin-off Still Open All Hours (2013-16), Auntie Mabel in the children's series Come Outside (1993-97), Norma Patterson in Fat Friends (2002-05) and Linda Clarke in soap EastEnders (2006-09/16). Lynda also appeared as herself on Juke Box Jury (1965), BBC3 (1965-66), Blankety Blank (1983-90) and Countdown (2008).
Facts
Lynda started out as a singer and dancer, being a resident singer on satirical sketch show Not So Much a Programme, More a Way of Life in 1965. She carried on singing: here she is rehearsing A Hard Man is Good to Find in 2011.

Nicholas Briggs (Voice of the Cybermen) Born Sep 29 1961 Click here for Nicholas Briggs' entry on Rose

James Corden (Craig Owens) Born Aug 22 1978
Doctor Who credits
Played: Craig Owens in The Lodger (2010), Closing Time (2011), Night and the Doctor: Up All Night (2011, DVD extra)
Career highlights
James's earliest screen acting credit was on Out of Tune in 1996, followed by roles in Twenty Four Seven (1997), Boyz Unlimited (1999), Hollyoaks (2000), All or Nothing (2002), Cruise of the Gods (2002), Teachers (2001/03), Little Britain (2004), Pierrepoint: The Last Hangman (2005), Starter for 10 (2006), The History Boys (2006), Lesbian Vampire Killers (2009), Beast Hunters (2010), The Three Musketeers (2011), Stella (2012), Into the Woods (2014), Roald Dahl's Esio Trot (2014), The Lady in the Van (2015), Peter Rabbit (2018), Ocean's Eight (2018), Yesterday (2019), Cats (2019), The Prom (2020), Peter Rabbit 2 (2021) and Cinderella (2021). He had the regular roles of Jamie Rymer in Fat Friends (2000-05) and Phil in The Wrong Mans (2013-14), and also had his own comedy sketch show (with Mathew Horne) called Horne and Corden (2009). However, he'll be most remembered for playing Smithy in the sitcom Gavin and Stacey (2007-19), which he also co-wrote with Horne. He has also given his voice to the animations Little Charley Bear (2011) and the mouse in The Gruffalo (2009) and The Gruffalo's Child (2011). Between 2010-19 he has been the host of the sports panel show A League of Their Own, and in 2015 he became the host of The Late Late Show in the United States, on which he is also credited as a writer and producer (he's hosted more than 1,000 editions). Other presenting duties include the Brit Awards, the Grammys, the Emmys, the Tonys, the Oscars and Friends: The Reunion (2021).

Awards

2007: British Comedy Award for Best Male Comedy Newcomer (Gavin and Stacey)

2008: BAFTA TV Award for Best Comedy Performance (Gavin and Stacey)

2008: Writers' Guild of Great Britain Award for Television Comedy/ Light Entertainment (Gavin and Stacey) - shared with Ruth Jones

2012: Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play (One Man, Two Guv'nors)

2014: Royal Television Society Award for Writer - Comedy (The Wrong Mans) - with Mathew Baynton and Tom Basden

2015: Officer of the order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to drama

2016: Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special (The Late Late Show Carpool Karaoke Primetime Special) - shared with production team

2016: Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Interactive Program (The Late Late Show) - shared with production team

2017: Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Class Program (The 70th Annual Tony Awards) - shared with production team

2017: Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special (The Late Late Show Primetime Carpool Karaoke Special)- shared with production team

2018: Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Actor in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series (James Corden's Next James Corden)

2018: Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Short Form Comedy or Drama Series (James Corden's Next James Corden) - shared with production team

2019: Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded) (Carpool Karaoke: When Corden Met McCartney Live from Liverpool) - shared with production team

2019: Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Short Form Variety Series (Carpool Karaoke) - shared with production team

2020: Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Short Form Variety Series (Carpool Karaoke) - shared with production team

2020: Golden Raspberry (Razzie) Award for Worst Supporting Actor (Cats)

2021: Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series (Carpool Karaoke) - shared with production team

Facts
In 2012, James married actress Julia Carey, but had previously been in a relationship with actress Sheridan Smith (twice - 2007-08 and 2009). He appears in the music video for Rizzle Kicks' 2011 single Mama Do the Hump, and in 2010 released the chart-topping England World Cup anthem Shout with Dizzee Rascal. Here he is on Twitter.

Seroca Davis (Shona)
Career highlights
Debuted in Comin' Atcha! (1999-2000), followed by The Bill (2003/06), Prime Suspect 7 (2006), Horne and Cordern (2009), That Mitchell and Webb Look (2009), Second Coming (2014), Casualty (2019) and Call the Midwife (2021).

Holli Dempsey (Kelly) Born May 11 1990
Career highlights
Holli made her screen acting debut in The Bill (2010), after which she appeared in Tracy Beaker Returns (2011), Doctors (2011), Whitechapel (2012), Wizards vs Aliens (2012), Ice Cream Girls (2013), Breathless (2013), New Worlds (2014), You, Me and the Apocalypse (2015), Call the Midwife (2015), The Delivery Man (2015), Dad's Army (2016), The Aliens (2016), Black Mirror (2016), Songbird (2018), Endeavour (2020), The Alienist (2020), Ghosts (2020) and The Emily Atack Show (2020-21). She also regularly played Vicky in the Ricky Gervais sitcom Derek (2013-14) and Emily Lacey in Harlots (2017-19).
Facts
Here's Holli on Twitter.

Daisy Haggard (Sophie) Born Mar 22 1978
Doctor Who credits
Played: Sophie in The Lodger (2010), Closing Time (2011), Night of the Doctor: Up All Night (2011, DVD extra)
Career highlights
Debuted in the Ruth Rendell Mysteries (1996), followed by Swivel on the Tip (2001), Max (2002), Manchild (2003), Hardware (2003), Peep Show (2003), Green Wing (2004), Casanova (2005), Saxondale (2006), Man Stroke Woman (2005-07), Sense and Sensibility (2008), Ashes to Ashes (2009), The Persuasionists (2010), Psychoville (2009-11), Outnumbered (2011), Parents (2012), Cardinal Burns (2014), Ballot Monkeys (2015), Black Mirror (2016), Songbird (2018), The Guardians (2018) and Hilda and the Mountain King (2021). She also provided the voice of the Ministry Lift in two Harry Potter films (2007/10), played Myra Licht in 26 episodes of Episodes (2011-17), Sam in 20 episodes of Uncle (2012-17), voiced Mum in 26 episodes of Hilda (2018-20), played Ally in 20 episodes of Breeders (2020-21) and Miri Matteson in 12 episodes of Back to Life (2019-21).
Facts
Daisy, who is dyslexic, is the daughter of veteran director Piers Haggard, while her grandfather was actor and poet Stephen Haggard, and her great-great-great uncle was the Victorian adventure writer H Rider Haggard (author of King Solomon's Mines and She). Daisy once recorded an album in aid of Friends of the Earth Scotland entitled Silver Green (2004). Here she is on Twitter.

Paul Kasey (Cyberman) Born Aug 5 1973 Click here for Paul Kasey's entry on Rose

Alex Kingston (River Song) Born Mar 11 1963 Click here for Alex Kingston's entry on Silence in the Library

Christopher Obi (George) Born Sep 24 1970
Career highlights
Debuted in Trial and Retribution (2002), then Anita and Me (2002), Doctors (2003/04), The Calcium Kid (2004), Animal (2005), Burke and Hare (2010), Snow White and the Huntsman (2012), The Counselor (2013), Atlantis (2013), Roots (2016), Ghost in the Shell (2017), American Gods (2017), Star Trek: Discovery (2017), Strike Back (2019) and 3Below: Tales of Arcadia (2018-19). He also wrote and directed the short film Perfect in 2009.

CREW

Gareth Roberts (writer) Born Jun 5 1968 Click here for Gareth Roberts' entry on Attack of the Graske

Steve Hughes (director)
Doctor Who credits
Directed: Let's Kill Hitler prelude (2011), Closing Time (2011)
Career highlights
Steve started out as an editor on programmes such as Big Brother and Liquid News in 2000, followed by stints on Stressed Eric (2000), In the Know (2004), Comic Relief Does Fame Academy (2007), Deadline (2007) and Hanrahan Investigates (2007). His first directing work came on Doctors in 2005, which he worked on for five more years, followed by 2006's Dream Team, Holby City (2010), Land Girls (2009-11), Leonardo (2012), Waterloo Road (2012/15), The Evermoor Chronicles (2016), Suspects (2016), Wolfblood (2017), Creeped Out (2017-18), The Athena (2018-19), Casualty (2012-21), The Last Bus (2022) and Miss Scarlet and the Duke (2022). He has also worked as a second unit director on Frankie (2013) and From Darkness (2015). While working on Liquid News, Steve also appeared as the Movie Goblin between 2000-01.
Facts
Steve is on Twitter and has his own website.

Denise Paul (producer)
Doctor Who credits
Associate producer: The Impossible Astronaut/ Day of the Moon, The Curse of the Black Spot, The Rebel Flesh/ The Almost People, A Good Man Goes to War, Let's Kill Hitler, The Girl Who Waited, The God Complex, The Wedding of River Song, The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe, Dinosaurs on a Spaceship (2011-12)

Script producer: Asylum of the Daleks, A Town Called Mercy, The Power of Three, The Angels Take Manhattan, The Snowmen, Cold War, Hide, Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS, The Crimson Horror (2012-13)
Produced: Closing Time, Pond Life, The Making of the Gunslinger, The Bells of Saint John, The Rings of Akhaten, Nightmare in Silver, The Name of the Doctor, The Night of the Doctor, The Last Day (2011-13). Denise also produced the 2013 Doctor Who at the Proms.
Career highlights
Denise started as a script editor on Taggart (2005-10) and Rebus (2006-07), and after leaving Doctor Who she became producer on the TV movie Harry Price: Ghost Hunter (2015), and a development producer on Luther (2019) and Shetland (2018-19).

Lindsey Alford (script executive) Click here for Lindsey Alford's entry on Daleks in Manhattan