Keeley Hawes to play an evil banker in Doctor Who

Line of Duty star Keeley Hawes is to play a villain in an episode of the new Doctor Who, featuring new Time Lord Peter Capaldi.

The versatile former Ashes to Ashes star will play an evil banker, Ms Delphox, who is described as 'a powerful out of this world character with a dark secret'.

Doctor Who lead writer Steven Moffat said: "Anyone watching the amazing Line Of Duty will know that Keeley Hawes is having one hell of year...

"And now it's about to get even better as she achieves the greatest villainy yet attempted on Doctor Who: she plays a banker."

The story, written by Steve Thompson, sees the 12th Doctor and his companion, Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman), meet Ms Delphox when they arrive 'on a strange and puzzling planet'.

The episode will be directed by Douglas Mackinnon, whose previous work includes Line of Duty and Doctor Who.

Keeley said: "I am delighted to join Doctor Who and to be working with this incredible team. Ms Delphox is a great character and someone I've had a lot of fun playing."

Photo: courtesy BBC

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Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix.

An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.