Doctor Who confirms starring role for Susan Twist in season 14 finale

Twist has previously had small roles in almost every episode of Russell T Davies’s new era.

By James Hibbs

Published: Sunday, 26 May 2024 at 10:56 AM

There have been so many long-running mysteries featuring in the 14th season of Doctor Who that it can be hard to keep track, but one which has certainly had fans scratching their heads is the repeated appearances of actor Susan Twist.

Twist has appeared in every episode since last year’s Wild Blue Yonder, except for The Giggle, and each time has been playing a different character, most recently a hiker in 73 Yards.

All these roles have been relatively minor, with the Ambulance in Boom perhaps being her largest role to date. However, it seems that she will be taking on a larger, starring role in the season 14 finale, Empire of Death, perhaps suggesting a resolution to this mystery is just around the corner.

In the latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine, Twist is listed amongst the starring cast for the episode, alongside the following: Ncuti Gatwa, Millie Gibson, Bonnie Langford, Jemma Redgrave, Alexander Devrient, Yasmin Finney, Lenny Rush, Michelle Greenidge, Angela Wynter, Anita Dobson, Genesis Lynea, Fela Lufadeju and Tachia Newall.

Susan Twist in Doctor Who's The Church on Ruby Road
Susan Twist in Doctor Who’s The Church on Ruby Road
BBC

Twist has never appeared in one of the magazine’s starring lists for any of the previous episodes in the season, so it seems likely her role will be expanded in Empire of Death.

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Showrunner Russell T Davies previously teased that the episode will be “literally, the biggest finale ever” and also advised that fans should stay up until midnight to watch it if they can, to avoid falling victim to spoilers.

He said: “I have to say, we are dropping these episodes at midnight, and if ever you’re going to stay up until midnight with a bottle of cider or a box of chocolates and sit there and watch Doctor Who, I would recommend it for that one – because you will be screaming.

“Try to stay unspoilt, because it’s so hard to be unspoilt with things. Try, try, try, and you will have a whale of a time with that one.”

Twist will next be seen in Dot and Bubble, where she will be playing a character named Penny Pepper-Bean, presumably another major character in the episode, Lindy Pepper-Bean (played by Callie Cooke).