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Russell T Davies has praised Indira Varma ahead of her appearance on the upcoming season of Doctor Who.
The showrunner, 60, revived the long-running series in 2005, leading the franchise for five years, during which time he also created the spin-off’s Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures.
He returned to the series last year, with the first episodes of his second tenure being the 60th anniversary specials starring David Tennant and Catherine Tate.
The next full season starring Ncuti Gatwa is set to hit screens next month, but Russell has now revealed how impressed he was seeing Indira, 50, on set too.
The actress has previously starred in Luther and Game of Thrones, Obi-Wan Kenobi, as well as Suzie Costello in two episodes of Torchwood in 2006.
She will now return to the Doctor Who universe playing the ‘mysterious’ Duchess who has previously been described as ‘terrifying’ by Russell.
Russell T Davies has praised an actress appearing in the next season of Doctor Who (Picture: PA)
At the premiere of the new season, he also told Metro.co.uk how it was a ‘joy’ to watch her at work.
‘Indira’s spectacular, actually. I think Jinkx (Monsoon) was the most amazing villain, but I was kind of expecting that, it’s what we hoped for. Indira really leant into it,’ he explained.
‘She’s in what we call the Bridgerton episode set in 1813 in Regency Bath, and she kind of looks like a lady at the manor she looks very privileged, posh, haughty, smart and aloof.
Indira Varma will play the Duchess (Picture: Anthony Harvey/REX/Shutterstock)
‘And then oh my god she lets rip and runs and fights and is completely wonderful, so that was a joy to see.’
When her casting was announced, Indira said she was ‘thrilled’ to star and was also ‘particularly excited to be crossing cosmic paths with Ncuti’ as the Doctor.
‘I look forward to creating interplanetary mischief with him.
‘I loved playing Suzie Costello for Russell T Davies in Torchwood so am thrilled to be entering this world again,’ she added.
This season will star Ncuti Gatwar as the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and Millie Gibson as his companion Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) (Picture: James Pardon/Bad Wolf/BBC Studio)
Meanwhile Russell said he was ‘overjoyed’ to reunite with the actress and labelled her part ‘truly spectacular’.
‘A whole new audience will be hiding behind the settee when the Duchess unleashes her terror,’ he teased.
Other guest stars this season include Jinx, the winner of the fifth season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, as well as Glee’s Jonathan Groff.
The first of the eight episodes is titled Space Babies, while subsequent are called The Devil’s Chord, Boom and 73 Yards.
Doctor Who returns on Saturday May 11 to the BBC.
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