Cutting edge
- Publication: TV Times
- Date: 2025-05-10
- Author: Steven Perkins
- Page: 36
- Language: English
ARIYON BAKARE on why playing an enigmatic barber is a shear delight
Mystery and mythology are at the heart of the latest instalment of BBC1's sci-fi adventure Doctor Who when the TARDIS touches down in Nigeria's most-populous city, Lagos. In The Story & the Engine, written by Nigeria-born playwright Inua Ellams, the Fifteenth Doctor (played by Ncuti Gatwa) and companion Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu) have an encounter with the mysterious Barber (His Dark Materials and Mr Loverman star Ariyon Bakare). They discover that he holds a lot of influence in a place where stories are immensely powerful, but an entity known as the Spider is posing a sinister threat.
Here, Ariyon, who previously portrayed alien Leandro in 2015 episode The Woman Who Lived alongside Peter Capaldi's Twelfth Doctor, reveals why the role of The Barber is a cut above...
You previously appeared in the Whoniverse almost 10 years ago. How does it feel to be back?
It came as a wonderful surprise, as they approached me directly for the part of The Barber. I was worried that they had forgotten I had been part of the franchise already, but then they remembered I was in full prosthetics before! After my experience playing Leandro, I was delighted to return to that world - it was an instant yes.
What clues can you share about this week's episode?
It's about storytelling - the origins of stories and the power they have to heal, educate and inspire. The Nigerian cultural element is authentic; the barbershop serves as a hub of conversation where these stories are shared. Inua brilliantly deploys old Nigerian folk tales, those bedtime stories we all heard as children, and he creates a timeless piece that is Nigerian in essence but universal in appeal.
Is there anything else we should expect?
Hair - lots of hair!
Ha! Was it difficult to keep your casting a secret from your family and friends?
Absolutely. I was bursting to tell them, but I had to keep it to myself until the official announcement. I felt like [Superman's alter ego] Clark Kent, having the best superpower ever and not being able to share it with the world. It was fun - I'd make a great spy!
Were you a fan of Doctor Who while growing up?
I was! As a kid, I would collect Doctor Who cards that you'd get in cereal boxes. I loved the Daleks, of course, but I was also a huge fan of the Cybermen.
What was it like working with the current TARDIS team of Ncuti and Varada?
They are two incredible young actors of their generation. I love them both, and their chemistry on screen is a real joy to watch. Varada's smile can melt any viewer's heart, and blend that with Ncuti's wit and charm, and you create instant magic.
And how did you find filming on the Doctor Who set in Cardiff?
I love this set the production design is always on point and the attention to detail is incredible. When you enter the set, your first reaction is, 'Wow,' and your second is, 'Where's the TARDIS? Can I get a picture next to it, and inside it?'
Finally, what do you think makes this show so special?
Doctor Who is genius, because it built change into its story with the whole regeneration concept. More than being quintessentially British, it always stays fresh with new faces, companions and creative teams.
I love how it can be whatever it wants. One week, you might get a historical episode, then suddenly it's a creepy thriller, then, boom, full-on sci-fi the next. But what makes it stand out is its hopefulness about people. At its heart, this show believes that we can be better, and that compassion and intellect matter more than violence.
DOCTOR WHO is previewed on pages 36-37
Captions:
Lagos-bound: Belinda and the Doctor head to Nigeria
Story time: As The Barber, with co-star Michael Balogun
Back for more: Ariyon also appeared in Doctor Who in 2015
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- APA 6th ed.: Perkins, Steven (2025-05-10). Cutting edge. TV Times p. 36.
- MLA 7th ed.: Perkins, Steven. "Cutting edge." TV Times [add city] 2025-05-10, 36. Print.
- Chicago 15th ed.: Perkins, Steven. "Cutting edge." TV Times, edition, sec., 2025-05-10
- Turabian: Perkins, Steven. "Cutting edge." TV Times, 2025-05-10, section, 36 edition.
- Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=Cutting edge | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Cutting_edge | work=TV Times | pages=36 | date=2025-05-10 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=12 July 2026 }}</ref>
- Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=Cutting edge | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Cutting_edge | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=12 July 2026}}</ref>
