Bruno Langley is standing by a threatening Dalek as Coronation Street’s new bingo caller, Antony Cotton, gets a drink at the bar.

"This thing has given me nightmares," confesses the young actor, still best known as Weatherfield’s Todd Grimshaw.

"I filmed some of the scenes with the Dalek and when I went to bed that night I had all those dreams where people are chasing me," he laughs.

Bruno, 22, is here to talk about his guest role in two episodes of Doctor Who (BBC1, Saturday, 7pm). Friend Antony, who plays Corrie knicker factory worker and part-time bingo employee, Sean Tully, has come along to provide moral support.

Legs 11 would be the appropriate call this weekend, in an episode long-awaited by Whovians throughout the universe. The Dalek has a new command – "Elevate!" – and can, at last, climb stairs.

"It’s probably one of the biggest gags in the series and I get to say one of the best lines, so I’m very privileged," says Bruno.

The return of the Doctor’s greatest enemy contains a few more surprises.

For a start, the story features just one Dalek – like the Doctor, said to be the last of its kind – and the lethal tin can may even win the sympathy of the watching audience.

Writer Rob Shearman focuses on the creature inside the machine and gives us a Silence Of The Lambs moment when the Doctor, played by Eccles-born Christopher Eccleston, first meets his old foe after the Time Lord and Rose (Billie Piper) land deep beneath Utah, where billionaire alien collector Henry Van Statten (Corey Johnson) holds his prize exhibit.

Kept prisoner in chains, the lone Dalek is refusing to talk, despite being tortured, and sends out a distress signal which is picked up by the time traveller.

The Dalek’s voice is provided by Nicholas Briggs, who began voicing the machines five years ago on Doctor Who audio CDs.

He says: "The Dalek is initially very vulnerable and suffering from a mental breakdown.

"He came shooting to Earth through the time-space vortex many years ago and spent goodness knows how long in a huge crater just screaming.

"He is very much a character. That might sound ludicrous as people tend to think of Daleks as machines that go round shouting orders, but there is a living creature inside the machine and he strikes up a real relationship with the Doctor and Rose."

Manchester-based Bruno is just too late to repay Ant and Dec in the ratings for their "Toddo" visit to Weatherfield, when they fooled Bruno by disguising themselves as ardent Japanese fans. The Geordie duo’s Saturday night ITV1 show ended its run a few weeks ago, but the Doctor’s work is never done.

Having quit his role as confused gay Todd, Bruno plays scientist Adam Mitchell, who works for Van Statten. He also gets to travel in the Tardis in the following week’s episode, having taken a shine to Rose. There’s a definite frisson on screen.

"They’re attracted to each other," he smiles.

Bruno knew series lead writer Russell T Davies and landed the role while completing his final press interviews for Coronation Street as viewers saw his character depart on screen."I went straight from GMTV to the audition. I was in Linda Green for a bit and Russell wrote some of those episodes."

It’s his first TV job since leaving the soap last year, although he did film a role in the new League Of Gentlemen movie.

Having spent time visiting family in Australia, Norfolk-born Bruno’s next role is playing Romeo in a Stafford Castle production of Romeo And Juliet, alongside Scarlett Johnson, who played Vicki Fowler in EastEnders. It opens on June 30.

Dropped off in England at the end of next week’s episode, his character might be back in the next series of Doctor Who, when Casanova star David Tennant takes over from Eccleston.

And, despite what you see on screen this week, don’t rule out a comeback by the Daleks.

The door was also left open for Bruno to return to the Street one day, should the right storyline come along.

"I miss all the guys there so much, but it wasn’t a hard decision to leave. I wanted to go and the time was right. But I hope they all watch this. I think they’ll love it."

© Manchester Evening News, 30/4/05

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