The Star Beast

Meep! Meep!

One episode (The Star Beast)

First broadcast: Nov 25 2023
Audience for story: 7.61m

REGULAR CAST

David Tennant (The Doctor) Born Apr 18 1971 Click here for David Tennant's entry on The Parting of the Ways

Catherine Tate (Donna Noble) Born Dec 5 1969 Click here for Catherine Tate's entry on Doomsday

GUEST CAST

Archie Backhouse (Sergeant) Born 1990

Career highlights

Archie's only other screen credit to date is The Sandman (2022).

Jordan Benjamin (Wrarth Warrior)

To be added...

Isabella Carey (Soldier)

To be added...

Jamie Cho (Colonel Chan) Born 1982

Career highlights

Sometimes credited with the surname Hayden, Jamie's first work was the 2001 short Pure Vengeance, followed by an un credited role in the Bond film Die Another Day (2002), then Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life (2003), Batman Begins (2005), EastEnders (2005), New Town Killers (2008), Law and Order UK (2010), Harrigan (2013) and Bulletproof (2020). He also played Degang Adams in 10 episodes of Acquitted (2015).

Karl Collins (Shaun Temple) Born 1971

Doctor Who credits

Played: Shaun Temple in The End of Time (2009-10), The Star Beast (2023), The Giggle (2023)
Career highlights
Karl debuted at the age of 12 in the 1983 Dramarama Because I Say So (credited as Carl Myers), then made appearances in the children's series Your Mother Wouldn't Like It (1985), Hard Cases (1988), As Time Goes By (1992), EastEnders (1992), Metrosexuality (1999), Grease Monkeys (2004), Silent Witness (2008), Shelfstackers (2010), Come Fly With Me (2011), Attack the Block (2011), Twenty Twelve (2011), The Fades (2011), The Slammer (2011), Black Mirror (2011), Blackout (2012), Our Zoo (2014), Transporter: The Series (2014), The Driver (2014), Transporter: The Series (2014), Midsomer Murders (2019) and The Larkins (2021). He has also had two regular roles, as DC Danny Glaze in The Bill (1999-2003) and Louis Loveday in more than 220 episodes of soap Hollyoaks (2015-19).
Facts
Karl's brother is fellow actor Johann Myers. Here he is on Twitter.

Cecily Fay (The Meep) Born Apr 6 1978

Career highlights

Stunt and physical performer Cecily has also appeared in The Purifiers (2004), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005), Ten Dead Men (2008), Starhyke (2009), Dragon Crusaders (2011), Prometheus (2012), Snow White and the Huntsman (2012), Warrioress (2013), Tarzan (2013) and Babes with Blades (2018).

Facts

Cecily is 4ft 8in tall. She is also a composer and musical performer.

Max Fincham (Lad) Born 2005

Career highlights

Max debuted in The Alienist (2018), then Dark Money (2019), The Duchess (2020), Invasion (2021), California Dreaming (2021) and Returned (2023). He also voiced the title character in 34 episodes of the CGI series Ricky Zoom (2019-20).

Yasmin Finney (Rose Noble) Born Aug 30 2003

Doctor Who credits

Played: Rose Noble in The Star Beast (2023), The Giggle (2023), The Legend of Ruby Sunday/ Empire of Death (2024)

Career highlights

Yasmin rose to prominence playing Elle Argent in the series Heartstopper (2022), and has also appeared in the short film Mars (2022).

Facts

Yasmin is a trans woman.

Anna Martine Freeman (Chief technician)

Career highlights

Anna made her debut in Le reve d'Orphee (2013), then The Helen Project (2014), Jas (2018), Spoon the Prune (2019), EastEnders (2019) and Pennyworth (2022). She might best be recognised as Sarah in Ted Lasso (2020-23).

Facts

Anna Martine played a lesbian woman who lives her life as a man in the Olivier-nominated play Rotterdam.

Matt Green (BBC reporter) Born 1978

Career highlights

Matt is a stand-up comedian who was a member of the Cambridge University Footlights alongside Richard Ayoade, John Oliver and John Finnemore. His acting work includes Knowing Me, Knowing You with Alan Partridge (1994), Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps (2001), Ali G Indahouse (2002), Garth Marenghi's Darkplace (2004), Finding Neverland (2004), EastEnders (2005), Extras (2006), Starlings (2013), Doctors (2015), Fresh Meat (2016), Cuckoo (2019), The Witchfinder (2022) and Mrs Sidhu Investigates (2023). He also created and wrote 13 episodes of Roommates in 2013.

John Hopkinson (Voice of Zreeg)

To be added...

Jacqueline King (Sylvia Noble) Click here for Jacqueline's entry on The Runaway Bride

Dara Lall (Fudge Merchandani)

To be added...

Stephen Love (Wrarth Warrior)

Career highlights

Creature performer Stephen's other work includes The Great (2020), The Crown (2022) and The Peripheral (2022).

Facts

Stephen is also a website and brand designer.

Harley McEvilly (Lad)

To be added...

Ruth Madeley (Shirley Anne Bingham) Born Aug 4 1987

Doctor Who credits

Played: Shirley Anne Bingham in The Star Beast (2023), The Giggle (2023)

Career highlights

Ruth debuted in the 2009 series Half Moon Investigates, followed by roles in Fresh Meat (2011), The Level (2016), Outnumbered (2016), Five By Five (2017), Cold Feet (2017), Years & Years (2019), The Rook (2019), The Accident (2019), The Watch (2020-21) and The Almond and the Seahorse (2022).

Facts

Six weeks before Ruth was born she was diagnosed with spina bifida, a defect of the spine, requiring her to use a wheelchair. In 2022 Ruth debuted as the Sixth Doctor's new companion Hebe Harrison in a range of Big Finish audios.

Miriam Margolyes (Voice of Beep the Meep) Born May 18 1941

Doctor Who credits

Played: Voice of Leaf Blathereen in The Sarah Jane Adventures: The Gift (2009)

Played: Voice of Beep the Meep in The Star Beast (2023)

Career highlights

Miriam's earliest credit was in the Theatre 625 production Enter Solly Gold (1965), followed by roles in Boy Meets Girl (1967), Scott On... (1972), Words and Pictures (1972-73), Fall of Eagles (1974), The Girls of Slender Means (1975), Kizzy (1976), Angels (1976), Stand Up, Virgin Soldiers (1977), The Battle of Billy's Pond (1977), Tales of the Unexpected (1980), The Awakening (1980), The History Man (1981), Take a Letter, Mr Jones (1981), The Black Adder (1983), Yentl (1983), A Kick Up the Eighties (1981-84), Morons from Outer Space (1985), Oliver Twist (1985), Blackadder II (1986), The Life and Loves of a She-Devil (1986), Little Shop of Horrors (1986), Little Dorrit (1987), Blackadder's Christmas Carol (1987), Mr Majeika (1988-89), The Butcher's Wife (1991), The Age of Innocence (1993), Moonacre (1994), Cold Comfort Farm (1985), The Phoenix and the Carpet (1997), Vanity Fair (1998), Magnolia (1999), Magic Grandad (2001), Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002), Ladies in Lavender (2004), Jam and Jerusalem (2006), Merlin (2010), Doc Martin (2011), Hebburn (2013), Trollied (2014), The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017), The Windsors (2020), Call the Midwife (2018-21) and Next to You (2023). She also voiced most of the female characters into English in the dubbed version of the series Monkey (1978-80).

Awards

1993: Sony Radio Award for Best Actress on the Radio (The Queen and I)

1994: BAFTA Film Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role (The Age of Innocence)

2002: Officer of the order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to drama

Facts

Miriam, known for her controversially plain-speaking nature, claims to be the first person to use the word "fuck" on British TV, when she appeared on the first series of University Challenge in 1963. Since 1968 she has been in a relationship with Australian historian Heather Sutherland, although they do not live together. Miriam's plain-speaking has often got her into trouble: in 2016 she was accused of being racist because she told will.i.am that she was surprised a rapper could be philanthropic, while in 2022 she told a caller to a morning TV advice line to "stop mixing with cripples". She has also been very honest about disliking some of the people she has worked with over the years, including the Monty Python team, Harry Potter actor Richard Harris and American comedy actor Steve Martin.

Ronak Patani (Major Singh) Born 1993

Career highlights

Debuted in the 2012 short Hannah, then Point Break (2015), Stella (2016), Mayfair (2018), Call the Midwife (2022) and Andor (2022).

Ned Porteous (Voice of Zogroth) Born Jul 7 1994

Career highlights

Ned debuted in Holby City (2015), followed by Suspects (2016), Delicious (2016), Astral (2018), Bridgerton (2020) and Extraordinary (2023). He played Mark Fowler in 13 episodes of EastEnders in 2016), but is best known for portraying Joe Tate in more than 180 episodes of soap Emmerdale (2017-18).

Awards

2018: TV Choice Award for Best Soap Newcomer (Emmerdale)

Vasilli Psaltopoulos (Wrarth Warrior)

To be added...

Robert Strange (Wrarth Warrior)

Career highlights

Robert first appeared on screen in The Nightmare of Nevermoor (2014), then Penny Dreadful (2014), Howl (2015), Red Dwarf (2016), The Crown (2016), Zapped (2017), The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022) and The Winter King (2023). He was also a creature performer and puppeteer on five Star Wars films between 2015-19.

Facts

Until 2021, Robert's screen surname was Nairne. He is 6ft 5in tall.

CREW

Russell T Davies (writer) Born Apr 27 1963 Click here for Russell T Davies' entry on Rose

Rachel Talalay (director) Born Aug 16 1958 Click here for Rachel Talalay's entry on Dark Water

Vicki Dellow (producer)

Doctor Who credits

Produced: The Star Beast, Wild Blue Yonder, The Giggle (all 2023)

Career highlights

Vicki began as a script editor on soap EastEnders in 2005, followed by work as a senior editor and script editor on both EastEnders (2006) and Holby City (2008), before becoming a producer on That Thing That Happened (2014), The Tunnel (2016), Tin Star (2017), Humans (2018), The Last Kingdom (2020) and His Dark Materials (2022).

Chris May (producer)

Doctor Who credits

Produced: The Star Beast, Wild Blue Yonder, The Giggle (all 2023)

Career highlights

Chris's other work includes being associate producer on the 2012 short film Bacon, and first assistant director on Sex Education (2019), His Dark Materials (2019-20), The Mezzotint (2021), Litvinenko (2022) and The Last Bus (2021).