Doctor Who: Could Olivia Colman show up in season 11?

Another familiar face from Broadchurch could feasibly show up on the new season of Doctor Who. Maybe. If we’re lucky.

Filming is under way on season 11 of Doctor Who, the first under new showrunner Chris Chibnall and the first in series history with a female lead. Broadchurch alum Jodie Whittaker will play Thirteen when the series returns this autumn, but she might not be the only star from the popular mystery series to pop up on or around the TARDIS next season.

Apparently, award-winning actress Olivia Colman has already talked to her former boss about a possible role on the show.

At the recent Radio Times Covers party, Coleman herself told the titular publication about their conversation, and what kind of role she’d like to play.

"We’ve already talked about it. I want to play a really horrible baddie, whether or not it fits in… It’s a bit much to just ask someone, ‘Can I be in it?’"

I say: If you have the contacts, use them!

The Broadchurch connection makes all of this seem extremely possible, since Chibnall has worked with both Whittaker and Colman in the past. (And the two actresses also worked with one another quite extensively on the show.)

Even the fact that Colman has appeared on Doctor Who before might ultimately end up working in her favor. (She briefly portrays a form of the villainous Prisoner Zero in season 5 premiere “The Eleventh Hour.”) Plenty of actors have done bit appearances on this show prior to going on to more substantial roles, including companion Karen Gillan and Twelfth Doctor Peter Capaldi. Why not Colman too? After all, her first appearance wasn’t even as a real person, but as the projection of an evil monster. That hardly counts.

Granted, it’s not entirely clear how a Colman guest spot might work. The actress was recently announced as the replacement for Claire Foy in Season 3 of Netflix’s The Crown. So how she might find herself in the Whoniverse when she’s probably going to be busy playing Queen Elizabeth for the foreseeable is anyone’s guess.

But I’m keeping my fingers crossed, at least.

Next: Doctor Who’s Jodie Whittaker helped design Thirteen’s look

Doctor Who will return at some point in the autumn of 2018.