Sontaran actor feared 'Doctor Who' role

Christopher Ryan feared that playing Sontaran General Staal in the latest Doctor Who story would be a "frightening" experience due to the pressurised working conditions.

The former Young Ones actor told Radio Times magazine: "It's quite frightening coming into Who - like running alongside a speeding train and having to jump on and be up to speed."

However, the 65-year-old found solace in the daily three-hour session in the make-up chair for his role as the warmongering clone in 'The Sontaran Stratagem'. "Having the make-up put on was a break," Ryan said. "It was actually quite relaxing... the prosthetics team was brilliant."

Ryan previously appeared in Doctor Who in 1986 as Mentor Kiv in 'Mindwarp', a role that also required heavy prosthetics.

> Click here for our review of 'The Sontaran Stratagem'