Doctor Who actress Mandip Gill has teased that her impending exit from the show will have fans in tears. Whovians are preparing themselves for Jodie Whittaker leaving the series this coming year, but it’s somewhat overlooked that her long-term co-star Yasmin Khan will also be saying goodbye to the TARDIS at the same time, after appearing opposite Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor since 2018. Fans have had a long time to get attached to Yaz, then, so unsurprisingly it sounds like her farewell could pack an emotional wallop.
While speaking to Radio Times ahead of Who‘s Easter special “Legend of the Sea Devils” landing this month, Gill promised that there will be “a lot of tears” when viewers discover how Yaz will be written out the show.
“I think just like me, just like my character, there’ll be a lot of tears,” the actress hinted. “But I loved where it ended up.”
Intriguingly, Gill went on to indicate that she expects some blowback from Yaz’s exit, but she thinks that fans will ultimately realize it’s the only way her story can end.
“I think it was the right thing. It’s exciting. There’s a lot of emotion. And I think [fans] will be – not pleasantly surprised, but I think they’ll realise that’s exactly where it should be going.”
In terms of the dramatic potential of the series, this is exciting to hear. For those wishing for some fulfilling ending to the Doctor and Yaz’s blossoming feelings for each other, though, it’s less encouraging. January’s New Year special finally saw Yaz admit her love for the Time Lord, though the Doc wasn’t able to express her own. So long as showrunner Chris Chibnall doesn’t add to the hated “Bury Your Gays” trope, fans might be able to handle it.
Whatever happens, it looks like this year’s third and final special, releasing as part of the BBC’s centenary celebrations this summer, will be an unmissable event that’ll wrap up this era of the Whoniverse in explosive style. But, before that gets here, we’ve got a lighter-hearted piratical adventure featuring some much-missed classic monsters to enjoy when Doctor Who: ‘Legend of the Sea Devils’ airs April 17.
