March 03, 2026
The actor shares some memories and highlights of River Song's adventures with Doctor Who Magazine...
Appearing in several stories between 2008 and 2015, and crossing paths with at least three Doctors in her time, River Song has become an established fan-favourite character of the Whoniverse. After embarking on her own audio adventures with Big Finish and in the middle of releasing her second novel Stormcage, actor Alex Kingston has sat down with Doctor Who Magazine to reminisce on her time on the series, and what the future holds for River...
Doctor Who Magazine issue 627 is on sale from Thursday 5th March. You can order it here.
ALEX KINGSTON ON HER TIME PLAYING RIVER SONG:
“We filmed the first few episodes out of sequence, so it took that pressure off Matt Smith a little bit. But the Doctor was already fully there; he knew exactly what he was doing in terms of his performance.
“In a funny way, the person I’ve seen grow the most in terms of character is Karen [Gillan – companion Amy Pond]. The Doctor was already quirky, but I think it’s hard for the companions because they join the series as a sort of an innocent, as a person who knows nothing. They are taken on a journey by the Doctor, and on that journey they learn. So, in a sense, they have to form their character en route. There’s not much going for them to begin with, but they have to create a memorable character on that journey. Karen did that really well.
“I watched A Good Man Goes to War [2011] with Arthur [Darvill, who plays her dad, Rory]. He hadn’t seen it since it first aired. By the time the episode finished, I was in tears, and I was like, ‘This is so good’. It made me want to go back and start watching that journey again…”
Read the full interview in issue 627 of Doctor Who Magazine.
In this issue
- Brave heart! An in-depth chat with JANET FIELDING who played the irrepressible Tegan opposite the Fourth and Fifth Doctors.
- ALEX KINGSTON talks about playing River Song alongside the Tenth, Eleventh and Twelfth Doctors, as well as her on-going audio adventures with Big Finish, and her new book Stormcage.
- Meet MILES TAYLOR, who is assuming the role of the Eleventh Doctor in a new range of audio dramas!
- Monster actor RICHARD PRICE shares his memories of playing Cybermen, a Sea Devil and a Scaly Man!
- 40 Years of Fundraising! Looking back at the incredible artistry and charitable work of the Hyde fundraisers – including their contribution to last year’s season finale.
- We examine the forbidden text of the Veritas, in our FACT OF FICTION feature on the mind-bending Twelfth Doctor episode Extremis.
- Top Trumps! A stat-busting guide to Doctor Who editions of the popular card game.
- Back to 1985… Blake’s 7’s Paul Darrow joins the cast of Doctor Who…
- We assess the battle plans of the various factions in Remembrance of the Daleks.
- The inner workings of the Dalek City on Skaro explored!
- The Fifteenth Doctor and Mel learn more about the Daleks’ plans, in the latest instalment of Corruption of the Daleks…
Regular features
- GALLIFREY GUARDIAN: the latest news including the 4K Ultra HD release of the Paul McGann TV movie.
- Reviews – including the latest audio releases, books and action figures.
- Other Worlds – the essential guide to new stories in Doctor Who’s expanded universe – featuring a chat with ANNEKE WILLS who played companion Polly.
- Prizes to be won – including the new Season 21 Limited Edition Blu-ray boxset!
Doctor Who Magazine issue 627 is on sale from Thursday 5th March. You can order it here.
