She’s Back! Doctor Who Series 15 Confirms Terrifying Return of Iconic Villain
Press release:
A legendary villain is returning to the Whoniverse, as the Rani is set to appear in the epic two-part finale of Doctor Who, airing this May on BBC One and iPlayer.
First introduced in 1985’s The Mark of the Rani, the character was originally portrayed by the late Kate O’Mara as a brilliant, coldly logical scientist and renegade Time Lord. Operating without empathy or restraint, the Rani stood apart from other villains in the Doctor’s rogues’ gallery by pursuing knowledge at any cost. A former classmate of both the Doctor and the Master, her complex relationship with Gallifrey and her morally questionable experiments have long made her one of the most fascinating and elusive figures in the series’ rich history.
The finale, titled “Wish World” and “The Reality War”, is written by Showrunner Russell T Davies and directed by Alex Sanjiv Pillai. Described as a “mind-bending, reality-shattering climax” to the Fifteenth Doctor’s current run, the two-parter will see Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor face deadly consequences that stretch across all of time and space.
While plot details remain tightly under wraps, the return of the Rani marks the first on-screen appearance of the character in close to four decades.
Archie Panjabi, best known for her Emmy-winning role in The Good Wife, has been confirmed to appear in the final episodes in what the production team have described as a “pivotal, game-changing role”.
Russell T Davies, Showrunner says: “She’s not the Master. She’s not Omega… She’s not the Toymaker. She’s something altogether more dangerous. It’s a joy to bring the Rani back to the screen, and I can’t wait for fans to see what we’ve done with her.”
Davies adds: “People have been speculating about Mrs Flood since she first appeared, and Anita Dobson has been having a wonderful time teasing the mystery. And now with Archie Panjabi joining the cast in a rather… mysterious role, well… let’s just say some connections run deeper than time itself. Are they linked? Are they the same person? Bi-generated? Opposites? Allies? Enemies? You’ll have to watch and see!”
Anita Dobson, who has played the enigmatic Mrs Flood since the 2023 Christmas special, says: “Doctor Who has always been full of surprises, hasn’t it? I’m just delighted to be part of it all. As for Mrs Flood… well, I think viewers will enjoy finding out who she really is, or isn’t.”
Doctor Who is produced by Bad Wolf with BBC Studios for the BBC and will air exclusively on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK, and on Disney+ outside the UK (where available).
