Observations: How to drive a Dalek

Barnaby Edwards is the closest you’ll ever get to meeting a Dalek. A principal operator since 2005, he’s the guy sitting inside the Dalek – bringing the Doctor’s most feared opponents to life.

“You’re reliant on three wheels, which isn’t the most stable construction to keep something from rocking side to side, so you have to keep your weight central inside it. Pretty much all of the Dalek operators come from a sort of dance background,” says Edwards.

In the series seven opener, “Asylum of The Daleks”, “Dalek boot camp” was required in order for 13 new operators to get to grips with an episode that features every Dalek – more than 30 different types – from the show’s 49-year history.

“We trained them how they move individually, how they move in a group, how to spin on the spot, and in operating the gun stalk – it was a lot of fun.”

‘Doctor Who’, tonight, 7.20pm, BBC1