James Marsters

James Marsters has admitted that his Torchwood character Captain John is similar to the role he played on Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

In an exclusive interview with Torchwood Magazine, Marsters said: "In a lot of ways, this role is very much like Spike was in my first three episodes of Buffy. After those three episodes, Spike was always taken down a peg, because Joss [Whedon, Buffy showrunner] didn’t want the audience thinking he was cool."

Marsters, who played cockney vampire Spike between 1997 and 2003, continued: "They basically deconstructed him, but it had the opposite effect, and he became cooler than ever: the outsider’s outsider, in a show of outsiders!"

Captain John initially appeared in the opening episode of Torchwood’s second season ’Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang’, but is scheduled to return later in the series. He added: "This role is about unrepentant evil, and having as much fun with it as possible. I wish Spike had been like that a little longer, to be honest."