TV legend Golda Rosheuvel auditioned for Doctor Who ‘a thousand times’ before bagging role-Sabrina Barr-Entertainment – Metro

The actress says she was ‘pipped at the post’ by her friends (Picture: BBC)

Doctor Who star Golda Rosheuvel has revealed that she’s been waiting years for her chance to appear in the BBC series, auditioning around ‘a thousand times’ before being cast.

The new era of the epic sci-fi show has officially launched with season 14, as Ncuti Gatwa takes over the lead role of the Doctor with Millie Gibson as his new companion Ruby Sunday, who made her debut in the 2023 Christmas special.

In the launch episode for the new outing, the Doctor and Ruby wind up travelling in the Tardis to a space station packed with babies, in an instalment aptly called Space Babies.

Bridgerton and Queen Charlotte star Golda, who previously appeared in Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood, spoke to Metro.co.uk about her character Jocelyn, who meets the pair during the surreal, nappy-filled adventure.

The actress, who was filming in Scotland when we caught up with her over Zoom, revealed she hadn’t had a chance to watch her Doctor Who episode yet – and couldn’t believe it had been 16 years since she played Dr Angela Connolly in Torchwood.

‘I was starting to do little bits of television back then. I’d done loads of theatre, lots of tours and stuff, musicals predominantly. Television was something that I wanted to do. Every actor wants to get into it, and film and stuff like that,’ said Golda, 54.

The actress starred as Dr Angela Connolly in two episodes of Torchwood (Picture: BBC)

‘Torchwood was one of the series that I got, working with John Barrowman. It was great.’

While it’s therefore been a while since Golda joined the Whoniverse, she has tried on many occasions over the years to bag a role in Doctor Who.

‘I’ve auditioned for Doctor Who, it must be a thousand times now. Never quite got it. Always been pipped at the post by mates,’ she shared.

‘Getting to it last year was an interesting journey because I’d just come off the back of Queen Charlotte, a big press tour. And I knew that Julie Anne Robinson, who directed this episode, she had directed the first episode of Bridgerton in season one.’

Golda is best-known for playing Queen Charlotte in Bridgerton and the spin-off centred around her character (Picture: Liam Daniel/Netflix)

When Golda finished working on Queen Charlotte, her agent asked her what she’d like to do next, to which she suggested that they contact Julie Anne to see whether there was a chance of a ‘completely different’ part in her Doctor Who episode.

‘They went and they asked, and Julie Anne was like, “Yeah! Come and play Jocelyn.” So it was one of those moments where the stars and the universe and the Doctor Who Whoniverse aligned,’ she said, adding: ‘All good things come to those who wait.’

Looking back on the parts in Doctor Who that she auditioned for, Golda remembered one in particular – a ‘lead role’ depicting a character ‘like a general’ who was in the army, with filming taking place in a setting like a bunker.

But – as Golda said herself – the stars aligned for her to play Jocelyn, in an episode that is both surreal and bonkers in the best possible Doctor Who way.

She now returns to the Whoniverse as Jocelyn in Doctor Who (Picture: James Pardon/Bad Wolf/BBC Studios)

‘It’s great to be immersed in that world and imagination and storytelling of Russell and this iconic show,’ she said, referring to the returning showrunner Russell T Davies.

For Jocelyn, Golda placed a great emphasis on making sure that she remained ‘grounded’ – something that she does for all of the characters that she plays.

‘I think that’s important to do when you’re flung into a bonkers world, to try and keep the character and the script focused and grounded. Because then the imagination around you can be as wild and as big and as bonkers as possible,’ she said of the ‘joyous’ experience.

Getting to be a part of the Space Babies was just as fun as it looks, from the sounds of it.

She has also worked extensively in the theatre, appearing in plays including Fame, Hair, Romeo and Juliet and The Frontline (pictured with Fraser James)(Picture: Alastair Muir/Rex/Shutterstock)

A huge spaceship, tons of adorable babies (with the occasional bout of screaming and poonamis)… what more could you want?

‘It’s great because it’s childlike,’ Golda said of being on set, and witnessing people in green costumes pushing the prams around to make the TV magic happen.

‘There’s such an element of playfulness about it, which I really, really love. I always strive to be playful, even like playing Queen Charlotte or any of the other characters. It’s about the moment.

‘It’s about that fizz that we as human beings have, that it’s not all planned out. That it’s exciting to live as your moments happen.’

Golda looked every inch a queen at the Bafta TV Awards last year (Picture: Karwai Tang/WireImage)

She continued: ‘I think Russell and his writing and all the team and the producers and the iconic show that Doctor Who is really really lends itself to that fizz of playfulness and getting rid of your ego and becoming a child again. I love that.’

Not only is it wonderful full stop that Golda is finally in Doctor Who after waiting so long to join the cast, but the introduction of her character Jocelyn also comes at a pivotal moment in the series – the start of Ncuti and Millie’s journey as the Doctor and companion.

‘I’m really excited. It feels like a new injection of energy,’ the Bridgerton star said of the new era.

Golda said that new era of Doctor Who with Millie and Ncuti ‘feels like a new injection of energy’ (Picture: James Pardon/Bad Wolf/BBC Studios)

‘It feels like something different, that we’ve created something different. Ncuti’s an amazing actor. He’s really generous. He really gets what he needs to do for this role, and I think he really has cherished the Doctors that have gone before him, but bringing something new to it, bringing his energy and grace and kindness to the role.’

Hinting at the joy that Whovians can expect from Ncuti’s Time Lord, Golda emphasised how the Sex Education star has ‘such a wit about him’, and a ‘twinkle in his eye’.

The actress would ‘absolutely’ love to play Jocelyn again in future (Picture: James Pardon/Bad Wolf/BBC Studios)

‘Working with them was a joy. It was a real joy. It was very easy, very playful. I can’t wait for people to see his creation of the Doctor. I think it’s going to be really powerful, and a complete change to what we’ve had before,’ she shared.

As for Jocelyn, could we ever see her return one day after her debut?

‘I would love to come back as Jocelyn. At the moment it’s just a one-off, so we’ll see. I’m putting it out there, Russell! Yeah. I would jump at the chance. Absolutely, 100%.’

Doctor Who launches with two episodes on BBC iPlayer at midnight on Saturday 11 May followed by a broadcast of both on BBC One from 6.20pm.

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