John Barrowman Gives Some Hints About The Future Of Captain Jack

With only a matter of weeks until Captain Jack Harkness makes his heroic return to Doctor Who, the excitement for fans of the character are at fever pitch and John Barrowman who portrays the role is as enthusiastic as the many Doctor Who and Torchwood fans who await his return to the series with baited breath.
At present there are more questions about Captain Jack than there are answers. Questions such as: How did he get to the 21st century after being abandoned on Satellite Five? And: Why was he less of a flirtatious character on Torchwood than he was on Doctor Who? While talking to Starburst John Barrowman gave some of his insights about the role, which has made him a household name.
“We discussed that and we took it from when Captain Jack was left behind on Satellite Five. He was angry, he was gutted and that’s why he didn’t become involved with people so much because he had detached himself. He has also come back to a point of time [in the past] where he has to live through everything again, and you’ll find out more about that in series three of Doctor Who and series two of Torchwood. He’s a bit angry, so that’s why he doesn’t show much warmth or humour. But that’s gonna come around, that all I will say.”
While at present Captain Jack does not show a great deal of warmth, the same cannot be said for John Barrowman whose sense of fun and playful nature has given him a reputation for being somewhat of a wildcard on the set of Torchwood, and Barrowman is fast to admit that he does like keep his co stars on their toes so to speak.
“Last time I answered questions like this honestly one person complained that it wasn’t Gay Times and your people should not be reading it. One of our National Newspapers picked up on it and I got blamed when the editor was the one at fault, so I won’t tell you exactly what I did. All I’ll say is that… things come out.”
Of course Jack is returning to Doctor Who and his first episode ‘Utopia’ which is number 11 in the running order is only a matter of weeks away. That last time we saw Jack on Doctor Who was when Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper still had the two lead roles, and Barrowman is quick to point out that it was a little different for him acting alongside David Tennant due to the fact that a new chemistry needed to be established.
“It was weird because I was there with Billie and Chris, and part of that team that brought it back and created the beginning. I am the only one left from the beginning. With Torchwood that is my show, and with Doctor Who it is David’s – or whoever plays the Doctor, and I know that. So I came back as one of three, but that was kind of nice because he got to say all the big blurb! The responsibility of saying all the big words and the exposition was taken away from me, which was wonderful. I could just say, ‘Yes Doctor!’ ‘OK Doctor!’ ‘What do you mean Doctor?’”
“But it was also finding the dynamic again, because you have two actors who have never worked together as these two characters who we firmly established with each other. I’ve watched Doctor Who with David, he has watched Torchwood, so it was a neat experience, but weird. But towards the end it was good fun. I learned again that Jack still has something to add to it, so who knows.”
As to the future for Captain Jack, Barrowman couldn’t be happier with the role and truly enjoys the character to such an extent that he is open to portraying the role as long as he is needed to do so.
“As long as I can do something like ‘Any Dream Will Do’ and fit in some other things, I am happy to play Jack for the next five or 10 years if the audience wants it. I just think he is great.”
You can read much more of this interview in the 350Th edition of Starburst Magazine which is out now in all-good news agencies.