The Torchwood actress is returning to the Whoniverse!
With Doctor Who season 14 comes a whole host of noteable guest stars – and one of them is the incredible Indira Varma, who’s returning to the Whoniverse as the Duchess, an intriguing new character.
The actress, who previously appeared in Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood, will unleash terror on the Doctor and his companion Ruby Sunday.
She’ll star alongside Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson, as well as fellow guest stars including Jinkx Monsoon, Jonathan Groff and Golda Rosheuvel.
But what exactly can we expect from Varma and the Duchess?
Who is the Duchess of Pemberton in Doctor Who?
The Duchess of Pemberton is a character in the Regency period who encounters the Doctor and Ruby in the new episode of Doctor Who, Rogue.
She’s the host of the party the pair are attending – but it seems things are going to go very wrong.
A synopsis for Rogue reads: “The Doctor and Ruby land in 1813, where guests at a duchess’s party are being murdered and a mysterious bounty hunter called Rogue is about to change the Doctor’s life forever.”
Announcing her casting last year, showrunner Russell T Davies referred to the Duchess “unleashing her terror” and suggested audiences will be “hiding behind the settee” – so she certainly sounds like a formidable foe.
The Duchess unleashed! 👀
— Doctor Who (@bbcdoctorwho) May 24, 2023
Award-winning actress Indira Varma is crossing galaxies as she joins the new series of #DoctorWho. Find out more here ➡️ https://t.co/MGsX22jL8L pic.twitter.com/h9Ye5o7wVs
Speaking at the time of her casting, Varma said: “I’m thrilled to be in Doctor Who, and particularly excited to be crossing cosmic paths with Ncuti, as the Doctor, and 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.”
One of the main theories about the Duchess is that she’s one of the Toymaker’s “legions”, which were previously teased in the 60th anniversary episode The Giggle.
Neil Patrick Harris’s villain declared the arrival of more monsters, which are sure to cause chaos for the Doctor.
Who did Indira Varma play in Torchwood?
Of course, this isn’t Varma’s first role in the Whoniverse, as she previously played Suzie Costello in Torchwood.
Suzie first appears in the very first episode of Torchwood. When it’s revealed she’s behind the murders that brought Gwen Cooper (Eve Myles) into Torchwood, she takes her own life – but she’s later resurrected in the season 1 episode They Keep Killing Suzie.
The character made various further appearances in audio adventures.
There’s no suggestion at the moment that the Duchess and Suzie Costello are linked – but you never know when it comes to Doctor Who!
What else has Indira Varma been in?
Aside from her parts in the Whoniverse, Varma has had a whole host of illustrious roles.
Her first film role – and her breakout role – was in the Indian film Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love, with the star going on to appear in various TV series and films including The Quatermass Experiment, Mad Dogs and Bride and Prejudice.
In 2006, Varma appeared in Torchwood and she went on to land roles as Niobe in Rome, Zoe Luther in Luther and Ilsa Pucci in Human Target.
She received even greater recognition when she starred as Ellaria Sand in Game of Thrones.
In the past few years, Varma has also appeared in Carnival Row, This Way Up, Spitting Image and Obsession. Last year she also appeared in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One.