{"id":51208,"date":"2024-05-10T18:00:11","date_gmt":"2024-05-10T16:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=2038407"},"modified":"2024-05-10T19:14:01","modified_gmt":"2024-05-10T17:14:01","slug":"who-is-carla-sunday-in-doctor-who-michelle-greenidge-character-explained","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/who-is-carla-sunday-in-doctor-who-michelle-greenidge-character-explained\/","title":{"rendered":"Who is Carla Sunday in Doctor Who? Michelle Greenidge character explained"},"content":{"rendered":"

Michelle Greenidge plays a key figure in new companion Ruby’s life. <\/p>

By James Hibbs\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Friday, 10 May 2024 at 16:00 PM<\/p>

\n\n

Millie Gibson\u2019s new Doctor Who<\/a> companion Ruby Sunday was first introduced in 2023\u2019s Christmas special The Church on Ruby Road<\/a>, but she is now returning for her first full season alongside new Doctor Ncuti Gatwa<\/a>.<\/p>\n

With many of the show\u2019s companions comes their family members \u2013 think Jackie to Rose Tyler<\/a>, Tish to Martha Jones<\/a> or Wilf<\/a> to Donna Noble<\/a>.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s certainly the case with Ruby, as we have already met her adoptive mother Carla and Carla\u2019s own mother Cherry<\/a>, both of whom are set to return in the new season. But just what do we know about Carla so far and what has actor Michelle Greenidge said about playing the character?<\/p>\n

Read on for everything you need to know about Michelle Greenidge\u2019s<\/a> Doctor Who character Carla Sunday.<\/p>\n

Who is Carla Sunday?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"Michelle\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
Michelle Greenidge in Doctor Who<\/span><\/figcaption> James Pardon\/Bad Wolf\/BBC Studios 2023<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Carla Sunday is Ruby\u2019s adoptive mother, who first took Ruby in as a foster child when she was found on the doorstep of the church on Ruby Road.<\/p>\n

Carla is traditionally a foster mother, and has fostered 33 children over the years. However, Ruby is the only one who Carla and adopted, and who has stayed permanently.<\/p>\n

They lived together in Manchester for most of Ruby\u2019s life, but later moved to London to take care of Carla\u2019s mother Cherry.<\/p>\n

In the 2023 Christmas special, The Church on Ruby Road, Carla took in a new foster child, Lulubelle, who was targeted by goblins trying to eat her. The Doctor and Ruby saved Lulubelle, but the goblins then took the opportunity to travel back through time and take Ruby as a baby.<\/p>\n

This led to the Doctor witnessing an alternate version of Carla, one who had only ever fostered a small number of the children the other version had, and whose life was without joy having never met Ruby.<\/p>\n

The Doctor fixed the timeline, restoring Ruby to her proper place, meaning everything went back to normal. Ruby then ran off to find the Doctor in the TARDIS.<\/p>\n

What has Michelle Greenidge said about playing Carla Sunday?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"Michelle\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
Michelle Greenidge at the Doctor Who premiere.<\/span><\/figcaption> BBC Studios\/Jonanthan Birch<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Greenidge spoke<\/a> with RadioTimes.com<\/a> about playing Carla, admitting that a big draw to the role for her was working with showrunner Russell T Davies again, having previously appeared in his series It\u2019s a Sin.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is just an incredible talent,\u201d she explained. \u201cThe scripts are just so enthralling, you can really become immersed in all of the characters. He\u2019s so great at writing the story arcs and everything is so tightly-written.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe word is overused, but Russell, he is genuinely a genius. Any show that Russell\u2019s involved with, you\u2019re lucky to be involved with \u2013 it\u2019s a blessing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Of Carla\u2019s relationship with Ruby, Greenidge said: \u201cCarla\u2019s bond with Ruby is very special, and there isn\u2019t anything Carla wouldn\u2019t do for Ruby. Their love for each other is very strong.\u201d<\/p>\n

The actor also spoke about working with Ruby star Millie Gibson and Cherry star Angela Wynter, the latter of whom she previously worked with on a stage play at the Royal Court in 2018.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was overjoyed when I learned that Angela was playing my on-screen mum,\u201d Greenidge said. \u201cShe\u2019s such an established part of the acting scene and also such a sweetheart with it, so I knew from the off that we would work really well together as a family unit.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a lovely, busy, complicated, modern family \u2013 three generations of wonderful women under one roof. They are defiant, independent women, bonded together in a loving and caring family.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s really important with the roles that we play that it comes from a place of real truth, so it was definitely a real help that there was an instant natural bond between myself, Millie and Angela.\u201d<\/p>

What has Michelle Greenidge starred in before?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"Diane\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
Diane Morgan as Mandy and Michelle Greenidge as Lola in Mandy.<\/span><\/figcaption> BBC\/BBC Studios Comedy\/Richard Harrison<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Greenidge has had major roles in After Life<\/a>, in which she played Valerie, It\u2019s a Sin<\/a> as Rosa, Code 404 as Judith and Mandy<\/a> as Lola.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, she has also had roles in episodes of Doctors<\/a>, Casualty<\/a>, I May Destroy You, Small Axe, Adult Material, King Gary, Grantchester<\/a>, Alex Rider<\/a> and The Witchfinder.<\/p>\n

On the big screen, she has appeared in films including Cruella and Venom: Let There be Carnage<\/a>.<\/p>\n