Curtis: I 'redrafted' Doctor Who

Richard Curtis has told how he redrafted his episode of Doctor Who because the Time Lord "talked too much" and the beginning was "too slow".

The Love Actually and Four Weddings And A Funeral writer, who is also responsible for the massively popular Blackadder TV series, was sent back to the drawing board while penning his adventure, which centres around Vincent van Gogh and will be broadcast on Saturday.

Speaking after a special screening of the episode at London's BFI Southbank, Curtis said: "I came up with the story and knew what form I wanted it to take, but then I was given all sorts of instructions in terms of what was happening with the Doctor and with Amy. I remember I was told, when I first handed in my first draft, the Doctor talked too much and that I should go back and watch some of the episodes and see that actually he was rather efficient in the way that he talked."

He went on: "I was told the beginning was too slow, that when he met Vincent it wasn't cute enough, so it was quite nice because when you're writing things all on your own it's quite lonely, you have to make so many of the decisions on your own. And it was nice being pushed around in the right direction and having a format."

Curtis said after his initial versions were criticised, "we had a read through with (stars) Karen (Gillan) and Matt (Smith) and I suddenly realised they were right and it was bad. And then I re-wrote it".

Source: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5iGNLNPtelC8qQQD2f-REir9RwkxA