Star of stage and screen Charlie Condou will guest star with Ncuti Gatwa (the Doctor) and Varada Sethu (Belinda Chandra) in the sixth episode of Doctor Who Season Two, The Interstellar Song Contest, where his character Gary will come face-to-face with the Doctor.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining the Whoniverse, having been a fan for so long, and finally getting a chance to work with the legend that is Russell T Davies! It’s an honour to be part of such an iconic show and I can’t wait for everyone to see what I think is one of the most exciting and unforgettable episodes so far!”

Condou is no stranger to the Whoniverse, having voiced characters in multiple Doctor Who Big Finish audio dramas. He has also starred in multiple prominent dramas including Holby City, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, Unforgotten, Midsomer Murders, and Coronation Street, and has lit up stages across the country in the UK tours of The Rocky Horror Show and Arthur Miller’s The Crucible.

Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies, who co-wrote the episode with Juno Dawson, says:

“Welcome on board, Charlie. Some episodes of Doctor Who are so big and bold, they need all the talent we can throw at them, and that’s when you call for Charlie Condou! It’s a delight to work with him at last, and I can’t wait for people to see the wildness of this story.”

The Interstellar Song Contest, written by Juno Dawson and Russell T Davies and directed by Ben A. Williams, will transmit 17 May at 8am BT on BBC iPlayer and later that day on BBC One in the UK. Those outside of the UK can watch the episode on Disney+ simultaneously where available starting at 3am ET/12am PT.