To win a lead role in a BBC drama before you've left drama school is inconceivable, but Tom Varey managed to do just that when he was cast as Bert Middleton in the second series of The Village.
"Working with Maxine Peake and John Simm on my first ever job was an amazing experience," he says. "I learned so much from them every day."
Yet while he was delighted to be working with some of Britain's finest actors, Tom had a burning desire to quiz John about his role as Doctor Who baddie The Master.
"...I'm a huge Doctor Who fan and the episode where John plays The Master and David Tennant is The Doctor is one of my favourites!
"I was really tempted to ask him loads of questions about it, but I didn't. I don't want to be that guy!"
The new series of Doctor Who begins on BBC1 this Saturday and the second series of The Village continues on Sunday night on BBC1.
