Strictly Come Dancing champion Rose Ayling-Ellis is set to star in the beloved BBC series Doctor Who.
The EastEnders star, memorable for her 2021 Strictly victory alongside Giovanni Pernice, will join the acclaimed show alongside incoming 15th Doctor Ncuti Gatwa and fellow actors Lenny James, Jonathan Groff and Anita Dobson.
Excited about Rose’s addition to Doctor Who, showrunner Russell T Davies praised her impact, saying Rose “takes it a whole new level”. Russell commented: “We always want guest actors on Doctor Who to have fun, but Rose takes it to a whole new level.”
“She storms in with an astonishing performance of terror, anger and bravery in one of the most frightening episodes we’ve ever made.”
Rose herself expressed her enthusiasm about working with Sex Education star Ncuti, stating: “Ncuti is a wonderful Doctor, and I can’t wait for audiences to see what we have created together.”
Her attachment to Doctor Who dates back to her childhood, making this opportunity “a dream come true”, reports the Mirror.
“My inner child is ecstatic with excitement! Working with Russell and filming alongside the talented cast and crew has been an incredible experience,” Rose further stated. She’s widely recognised for portraying Frankie Lewis from 2020 to 2022 on EastEnders.
Post her departure, she also featured in Ludwig as Freya Chordwell. Earlier this year, it was announced that she will star in Reunion, a forthcoming BBC thriller. The series is described as an “emotional thriller of revenge and redemption”, with the majority of the cast and crew either deaf or using British Sign Language (BSL).
Reunion tells the tale of Daniel Brennan (portrayed by Matthew Gurney), a deaf man recently released from prison who finds it difficult to “fully integrate into the hearing world”. The synopsis reveals that Daniel is ostracised by his closest friends and the wider deaf community due to his appalling crimes.
He strives to rectify his wrongs while uncovering the truth about the events that led to his imprisonment. His only close relationship is with his daughter Carly (played by Lara Peake). Anne-Marie Duff, known for her role in Bad Sisters, portrays Christine, a woman desperate to uncover the truth about Daniel’s actions.
Eddie Marsan plays her boyfriend Stephen Renworth, while Strictly winner Rose takes on the role of Miri, Christine’s daughter. Other stars appearing in the show include Stephen Collins, Ace Mahbaz, Sophie Stone and Olive Gray.