Doctor Who viewers react as fan-favourite character makes unexpected comeback

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Warning: Major spoilers ahead for Doctor Who episode The Reality War.

In the final episode of Doctor Who’s season 15, titled “The Reality War,” there were numerous unexpected events. These included Ncuti Gatwa taking on the role of the new Doctor, Billie Piper’s sudden appearance, and a heartwarming moment between the Fifteenth Doctor and Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor.

However, another comeback at the start of the episode also stirred up excitement among viewers – enter everybody’s beloved hotel receptionist, Anita Benn.

In last year’s holiday special “Joy to the World,” the character portrayed by Steph de Whalley quickly won over audiences with minimal screentime.

After the celebratory event, fans of Doctor Who expressed their desire for Anita’s reappearance – and Russell T Davies complied with their wishes, bringing her back on scene just in time to rescue the Doctor by dragging him through a doorway into the Time Hotel as he was about to fall.

I had the privilege of taking on a pivotal role that helped the Doctor bring back UNIT’s lost memories from the realm of wishes. On top of that, I shared some delightful personal news – I’m expecting a new addition to my family!

Taking to social media, Doctor Who fans were united in their delight seeing Anita’s return.

One exclaimed with surprise upon Anita’s arrival, “There she is, the QUEEN herself!” Meanwhile, another suggested, “If Doctor Who comes back on air, Anita should become the Doctor’s new associate. She’s just that remarkable, a true icon.

“The cheer that was let out when Anita turned up,” a third added. “That’s our hotel manager!”

Previously, when asked if character Anita might appear again in a future episode of Doctor Who, created and penned by former showrunner Steven Moffat (author of “Joy to the World”), he remained cryptic about any potential return.

The spaceship resembles a telephone booth due to budget constraints, making it similar to Anita, who had to stand in for our actor, Ncuti Gatwa, as we couldn’t afford to send him globetrotting to find other accommodations.

In simpler terms, we’ve developed something akin to a low-key romantic situation with Anita, though not quite traditional romance. Anita, in this context, represents a significant improvement or highlight, despite being a reduction in budget, similar to her role in Doctor Who series.

Anita’s return also answers another Moffat-related mystery.

Back in May 2024, it was disclosed that the author had previously gone through the script for the Season 15 finale – a detail that, looking back, strongly hints at Anita being instrumental to the plot.

Currently, there is speculation about the possibility of Doctor Who having a Season 16. At this point, we are still waiting for an announcement regarding the series’ continuation.

Currently, but not too far off, a spin-off titled “The War Between the Land and the Sea” featuring Russell Tovey and Gugu Mbatha-Raw will be making its debut. A tantalizing sneak peek has been revealed recently.

Doctor Who is available to stream on BBC iPlayer in the UK and on Disney+ outside of the UK.

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2025-06-01 00:35