Doctor Who: The Reality War cast
Season 15 comes to a dramatic end full of returning friends and foes.
Following the dramatic cliffhanger to Wish World, this week sees the 15th season of Doctor Who come to a close in epic style, with an episode titled The Reality War.
According to the episode's synopsis, it will see battle rage across the skies as the Unholy Trinity unleash their deadly ambition. Meanwhile, the Doctor, Belinda and Ruby have to risk everything in their quest to save one innocent life.
Of course, Ncuti Gatwa, Varada Sethu and Millie Gibson are all back, as are Archie Panjabi, Anita Dobson and Jonah Hauer-King who play the episode's central villains. But who else will we see back for the finale and who do they all play?
Read on for everything you need to know about the cast of Doctor Who season 15 episode 8, The Reality War.
Who's in the cast of Doctor Who: The Reality War? Full list of characters in season 15 episode 8
The main cast for Doctor Who: The Reality War is as follows. Scroll on to find out more about the characters, plus where you may have seen the actors previously.
- Ncuti Gatwa as The Doctor
- Varada Sethu as Belinda Chandra
- Millie Gibson as Ruby Sunday
- Archie Panjabi as The Rani
- Anita Dobson as Mrs Flood
- Jonah Hauer-King as Conrad Clark
- Sam Lawton as Winnie Petheridge
- Ruth Madeley as Shirley Bingham
- Michelle Greenidge as Carla Sunday
- Sienna-Robyn Mavanga-Phipps as Poppy
- Jemma Redgrave as Kate Lethbridge-Stewart
- Susan Twist as Susan Triad
- Alexander Devrient as Colonel Christopher Ibrahim
- Aidan Cook as The Vlinx
- Yasmin Finney as Rose Noble
- Bonnie Langford as Melanie Bush
- Angela Wynter as Cherry Sunday
- Nila Aalia as Lakshmi Chandra
Ncuti Gatwa plays The Doctor
Who is the Doctor? The Doctor is a time traveller from Gallifrey, and the last of the Time Lords. He travels in space and time in the TARDIS. This version of the character is known as the Fifteenth Doctor, although we know there have been a number of additional incarnations.
Where have I seen Ncuti Gatwa before? Beyond his role as the Doctor, Gatwa is best known for his role as Eric Effiong in Sex Education, as well as for starring in Barbie and Masters of the Air.
Varada Sethu plays Belinda Chandra
Who is Belinda Chandra? Belinda is a nurse from London who, in The Robot Revolution, was kidnapped by robots and flown to the stars on their rocket.
At the end of the episode, she told the Doctor to take her home in the TARDIS, but he found himself unable to get back to that particular date, time and location. In The Interstellar Song Contest, they found out this was because the Earth was destroyed on that date. In Wish World, she believed she was married to the Doctor, who was known as John Smith, and that Poppy was their daughter.
Where have I seen Varada Sethu before? Sethu is no stranger to Doctor Who, having played Mundy Flynn in last season's episode 3, Boom. She is also known for her roles in series such as Andor, Strike Back, Doctor Foster, Hard Sun and Annika, as well as films including Now You See Me 2, Jurassic World: Dominion and I Came By.
Millie Gibson plays Ruby Sunday
Who is Ruby Sunday? Ruby is the Doctor's former companion, who left the TARDIS to return to her old life after the Doctor helped her find her birth mother. In Wish World, she was seen joining Shirley, Winnie and their team to rebel against Conrad, as she had more access to her old memories than most.
Where have I seen Millie Gibson before? Outside of her role in Doctor Who, Gibson is best known for playing Kelly in Coronation Street, while she has also appeared in Jamie Johnson and Butterfly.
Archie Panjabi plays The Rani
Who is the Rani? In The Interstellar Song Contest, Mrs Flood bi-generated, splitting into two incarnations of the same Time Lady – the second, played by Archie Panjabi, declares herself "The Rani – the definite article".
The Rani is no stranger to long-time Doctor Who fans. A renegade Time Lord and amoral biochemist, she first appeared in the 1980s, portrayed by Kate O'Mara. Known for her ruthless scientific pursuits and disregard for ethical boundaries, The Rani clashed with both the Doctor and the Master in classic stories such as The Mark of the Rani and Time and the Rani. Her last on-screen appearance came in 1993’s charity special Dimensions in Time, but she’s remained a fan favourite, resurfacing in audio dramas and novels, with Siobhan Redmond taking on the role in Big Finish productions.
In Wish World, she was seen using the God of Wishes to create a false reality from the mind of Conrad Clark. Her plan was always to make the Doctor doubt the reality, causing into crumble and open up the Underverse, where she hopes to find Omega.
Where have I seen Archie Panjabi before? Panjabi is best known for her Emmy-winning role as Kalinda Sharma in the US TV drama The Good Wife.
Panjabi made early impressions in British films such as East Is East and Bend It Like Beckham, and later gained international recognition for her powerful performances in both television and film. She became the first Asian actor to win a Primetime Emmy Award for acting, earning widespread acclaim for her portrayal of the enigmatic Kalinda.
Beyond The Good Wife, Panjabi has appeared in shows including The Fall, Blindspot, Departure and Hijack, as well as films like A Mighty Heart.
Anita Dobson plays Mrs Flood
Who is Mrs Flood? As revealed in The Interstellar Song Contest, Mrs Flood is an incarnation of the Doctor’s old nemesis and Time Lady, the Rani. Ever since The Church on Ruby Road, she has appeared as a mysterious figure, even posing as the next-door neighbour of the Doctor's companions, Ruby Sunday and Belinda Chandra.
She has a habit of speaking directly to the camera and has made many threatening assertions towards the Doctor, although he is yet to become aware of her. In The Interstellar Song Contest, she bi-generated, and is now a subordinate to her next incarnation.
Where have I seen Anita Dobson before? Dobson is best known for playing Angie Watts in EastEnders, while she has also appeared in series including Casualty, Call the Midwife, Dodger and Inside No. 9, and took part in Strictly Come Dancing in 2011.
Jonah Hauer-King plays Conrad Clark
Who is Conrad Clark? Conrad is the leader of Think Tank, a group he used to amplify dangerous conspiracy theories about UNIT for financial gain. He previously posed as an alien-obsessed podcaster and struck up a romance with Ruby Sunday to trick her. At the end of Lucky Day, he was freed by Mrs Flood, and is now in league with her and The Rani, creating 'Wish World'.
Where have I seen Jonah Hauer-King before? Hauer-King is known for his roles in series including World on Fire, The Flatshare and The Tattooist of Auschwitz, as well as films such as A Dog's Way Home, The Little Mermaid and William Tell.
Sam Lawton plays Winnie Petheridge
Who is Winnie Petheridge? Winnie is a key member of Shirley's team leading a rebellion against Conrad's rule.
Where have I seen Sam Lawton before? Lawton has previously had roles in Silent Witness and You Don't Know Me.
Ruth Madeley plays Shirley Anne Bingham
Who is Shirley Anne Bingham? Shirley is UNIT's scientific advisor. In Wish World, she was seen leading a rebellion against the tyrannical Conrad.
Where have I seen Ruth Madeley before? Madeley has had roles in series including Fresh Meat, Outnumbered, Cold Feet, Years and Years, The Long Shadow, Brassic, Renegade Nell and Nightsleeper, as well as films such as Joy and the TV movie Then Barbara Met Alan.
Michelle Greenidge plays Carla Sunday
Who is Carla Sunday? Carla is Ruby's adoptive mother.
Where have I seen Michelle Greenidge before? Greenidge has previously had roles in series such as It's a Sin, After Life, Mandy, Code 404, The Witchfinder, Alex Rider, Grantchester, Small Axe, KAOS and Death in Paradise. She has also had roles in films including Cruella and Venom: Let There Be Carnage.
Sienna-Robyn Mavanga-Phipps plays Poppy
Who is Poppy? Poppy was one of the babies abandoned on Baby Station Beta that the Doctor and Ruby met in Space Babies. At the end of that episode, she and her crew flew to a new planet, but she was recently seen as an apparition, appearing to Belinda in Lagos, Nigeria, in The Story and the Engine. In Conrad’s wish world, Poppy was reimagined as the daughter of Belinda and ‘John Smith’ (aka the Doctor).
Where have I seen Sienna-Robyn Mavanga-Phipps before? Doctor Who is young actor Mavanga-Phipps's only credit thus far.
Jemma Redgrave plays Kate Lethbridge-Stewart
Who is Kate Lethbridge-Stewart? Kate is an old friend of the Doctor and the daughter of the Brigadier, who now runs UNIT. In Wish World, Kate was transformed into the leader of the “Unified National Insurance Team”.
Where have I seen Jemma Redgrave before? As well as her role in Doctor Who, Redgrave is also known for appearing in series such as Bramwell, Holby City, Grantchester and Silent Witness, as well as films including Howards End, Red, White & Royal Blue and The Beekeeper.
Susan Twist plays Susan Triad
Who is Susan Triad? Susan Triad was previously an angel of death created by Sutekh, who was planted across the universe and timeline wherever the TARDIS landed. One version of her became a tech mogul in 21st century Britain, founding Triad Technology. When Sutekh was defeated, this version of her became a normal human, and was offered a job at UNIT.
Where have I seen Susan Twist before? Twist has been seen in Coronation Street and In the Flesh.
Alexander Devrient plays Colonel Christopher Ibrahim
Who is Colonel Christopher Ibrahim? Colonel Ibrahim is a key soldier at UNIT. Like his comrades, Ibrahim worked at the “Unified National Insurance Team” in Conrad’s wish world.
Where have I seen Alexander Devrient before? Devrient has had roles in films such as Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows and The Danish Girl, as well as series including Emmerdale, Industry, Motherland, Ted Lasso and The Lazarus Project.
Aidan Cook plays The Vlinx
Who is The Vlinx? The Vlinx a robotic being who works for UNIT, and was first seen in 60th anniversary special The Giggle.
Where have I seen Aidan Cook before? As well as playing multiple costumed characters in Doctor Who, Cook has had roles in Fimbles, ZingZillas, Horrid Henry, multiple Star Wars projects and Willow.
Yasmin Finney plays Rose Noble
Who is Rose Noble? Rose is the daughter of the Doctor's former companion, Donna Noble. She was last seen working at UNIT in Empire of Death.
Where have I seen Yasmin Finney before? As well as her role as Rose in Doctor Who, Finney is best known for playing Elle in Netflix's Heartstopper.
Bonnie Langford plays Melanie Bush
Who is Melanie Bush? Mel is a companion who first travelled with the Sixth and Seventh Doctors in the classic run of Doctor Who. She returned as a staff member at UNIT in the 60th anniversary specials. In Conrad’s wish world, Melanie was cast as Belinda and John’s neighbour.
Where have I seen Bonnie Langford before? Aside from Doctor Who, Langford is known as a theatre icon, and starred as Carmel Kazemi in EastEnders from 2015 to 2018.
Angela Wynter plays Cherry Sunday
Who is Cherry Sunday? Cherry is Carla's mother and therefore Ruby's grandmother.
Where have I seen Angela Wynter before? Wynter is best known for playing Yolande in EastEnders, while she has also had roles in series such as Holby City, Cleaning Up, Doctors, Mood, This England, Vampire Academy, Call the Midwife, Three Little Birds and Time.
Doctor Who continues on Saturday 31st May at 6:50pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK. The series is available on Disney+ outside of the UK.
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Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
