Doctor Who showrunner forced into Meep script change by BBC bosses

Doctor Who showrunner forced into Meep script change by BBC bosses

‘Doctor Who’ boss Russell T Davies wanted to reveal The Meep twist much earlier.

The adorable looking character – who was voiced by Miriam Margolyes – appeared in the first anniversary special ‘The Star Beast’ over the weekend as David Tennant and Catherine Tate returned to the show, but BBC bosses urged the showrunner to show its true menacing nature later in the episode.

Russell told the ‘Official Doctor Who Podcast’: “In the very first draft of this script, the Meep revealed himself much earlier.

“In draft one, it was practically straight away, or in Rose’s shed, as in the comic strip, he reveals himself a significant chunk earlier – before the chase, not after the chase.

“So in the very first script, it’s like he’d be in Rose’s shed and she’d say, ‘I was making toys,’ and things like that, and every time she turned her head… he’d look at camera and go, ‘Soon I will feast on her blood!’ which I thought was really funny.

“I was told, my bosses gave me notes, they said he revealed himself as a villain too soon. I don’t know to this day.

“I still watch it thinking, I think that was really funny. And then Rose would turn back to him, she’d go, ‘Did you say something?’ And he’d go, ‘Meep Meep!’ “

The character was created by Pat Mills and Dave Gibbons, and the episode revealed that despite looking cute, the creature was actually “a cruel beast”, and the leader of all Meepkind.

Reflecting on the role, Miriam previously spoke of her delight at being able to “flesh it out”, while the character had been “well written” in the comic strip.

She told Doctor Who Magazine: “With the Meep, you do feel that you’re creating something.

“Because this was a character that only existed in a drawing and it’s up to me to flesh it out and give it something that will be memorable and helpful for the episode.”