Miriam Margolyes is one of the most accomplished British actresses around. Known for her roles in everything from Harry Potter to Martin Scorsese’s The Age of Innocence, she is regarded as a national treasure. One iconic franchise she’s never had the chance to play around in, however, is Doctor Who. But that’s about to change.
With well over 800 episodes made to date, Doctor Who has featured thousands of actors over the decades. In many ways, appearing on it has become an institution and a rite of passage for many British actors. However, Margolyes has never been able to make an appearance… until later this year, when she will voice the alien Meep in the 60th Anniversary specials. Meep is an alien creature who has become a cult figure in the Whoniverse over the years, first appearing in Doctor Who magazine back in the 1980s.
After BBC made the announcement that the 82-year-old actress had been cast in the anniversary specials, Margolyes expressed her gratitude to the BBC. “I’m relieved I got to work on Doctor Who before I died,” she said. “With sci-fi you never know. Thank you for making an old woman very happy.”
The specials will see David Tennant return as the Doctor, who will then pass the baton on to Ncuti Gatwa, who will take on the role on a more permanent basis. Catherine Tate will also return as Donna Noble. New cast members include Neil Patrick Harris and Yasmin Finney.
Doctor Who’s three-episode 60th Anniversary begins in November. It will air on the BBC in the UK and Ireland before dropping on Disney+ internationally. Who’s ready for more adventures through space and time?
