Doctor Who spoilers follow.
Doctor Who star Anita Dobson has hinted at the “reason” for season 14’s Mrs Flood cliffhanger.
The EastEnders legend has appeared throughout Ncuti Gatwa’s era as Ruby Sunday’s neighbour — though there’s more to Mrs Flood than meets the eye.
The character has demonstrated knowledge of the TARDIS and predicted the arrival of Sutekh the Destroyer, before a fourth-wall-breaking cliffhanger where she warned The Doctor’s story would end in “absolute terror”.
Speaking to Doctor Who (via The Radio Times), Anita revealed how a planned guest role in the 2023 Christmas special developed into recurring appearances.
“[Showrunner] Russell T Davies called me into his office. It was scary! Like going to the headmaster. But I tootled in there and he was ever so nice,” she recalled.
“He said, ‘We want you to come back,’ and I said, ‘I’m very happy to.’ An immediate response, ‘Will you stay?’ ‘Of course I will.’ Then he said, ‘And now I’m going to tell you what Mrs Flood gets up to in season 2…'”
The actor went on: “He loves this show so much, and that’s what makes you want to be part of it. He’s lovely and encouraging, and always very jolly and excited, which is incredibly infectious, and these season 2 scripts are fascinating, extraordinary pieces of writing.
“You have to understand the character’s psyche. Why does Mrs Flood behave this way? There has to be a reason. People very rarely flip on a moment. Even if they do, there’s usually something that made that happen. Trying to find that trigger is fascinating.
“I think, if I hadn’t been an actress, I would have been a therapist!”
hile viewers don’t know much yet about Mrs Flood’s true identity or motives, producer Russell T Davies has promised some definitive answers for the character.
“Why was Mrs Flood standing on a rooftop making those pronouncements? All I can say is, you are literally in for the ride of a lifetime. Please come back,” he recently teased.
Doctor Who airs on BBC One in the UK and Disney+ elsewhere. Classic episodes of Doctor Who are available on BBC iPlayer in the UK.
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