Who Will Be Season 8’s “Big Bad”? [Major Spoilers]

Rumours have been doing the rounds for some time as to the identity of Season 8’s “big bad” with gossip focusing squarely in the direction of The Master. Given the return of Gallifrey and the ending to The End of Time, it wouldn’t be any great creative stretch to bring the Doctor’s one true nemesis back from out behind the curtain.

Sylvester McCoy seemingly blew the gaff on the Master’s return at The Newcastle Film and Comic Con when he stated that he had been told of the iconic villain’s return while filming The Hobbit in New Zealand and he would be “very, very scary”, which some have taken to indicate the actor worked on the movie trilogy with McCoy, yet this was never expressly stated by Syl, despite claims that he was indicating that Richard Armitiage had won the role.

Wales Online, amongst other sources, suggest former Eastenders actor Steve John Shepherd will be cast in the role. However, the evidence is circumstantial and seemingly more the result of fan sleuthing rather than any legitimate leak or source.

Shepherd began filming a project in January, the same time as Doctor Who began filming, of which he could say nothing in an interview on ITV Daybreak earlier this year. The actor has also seemingly grown a suspiciously evil looking beard for the role and pictured himself, according to some, on the South Wales Coast.

Finally the name that has been doing the rounds in fan circles for months - Charles Dance. Currently appearing in Game of Thrones as Tywin Lannister, Dance is a highly respected name in British acting who would bring a gravitas and weight to the role to match that of Peter Capaldi.

So who will be The Master? Any of these.. Or none of these? Time will tell.