32 years after their last Doctor Who appearance, the actor behind a shock returning character says "fan power" brought her back

The actor behind one of the more shocking returns in Doctor Who history has spoken out about the "fan power" that saw her make her comeback on the BBC show.

During 'The Interstellar Song Contest', Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor reveals he's seen a vision of his granddaughter Susan (Carole Ann Ford). It's not until later in the episode, however, that viewers see it, too.

"Come find me," Susan says on the TARDIS. Her whereabouts may be known, but her intentions aren't yet clear – especially with the looming threat of the returning Rani also on the horizon.

"Well, I think it was fan power," Carole Ann Ford says on the most recent episode of behind-the-scenes show Doctor Who: Unleashed. "I think fans have been saying, 'Where is she? What's happening to her? Are we going to see her again?'"

Susan has long been mentioned through the show's history, but the Doctor's granddaughter hasn't appeared on screen since the non-canon adventure Dimensions in Time in 1993. Prior to that, she was part of 1983's The Five Doctors crossover and formed part of the first team of companions across the show's very first season in 1963.

"Russell and I hadn't met, and we had both been hoping to meet," Ford revealed. "We went to a party – it was the screening of [60th Anniversary Special] 'Star Beast'. So, we met there and it was big screams and hugs… While we were hugging, Russell said to me, 'Would you like to come back?' And I said of course I'd like to come back!"

On how the show's TARDIS set compares to the rather more quaint version back in the 1960s, Ford added, "This is like a universe of its own. It's stunning. I feel very honored to be here."

Doctor Who is currently airing on BBC iPlayer and BBC One in the UK. It's also streaming on Disney Plus worldwide. For more, check out the Doctor Who season 2 release schedule.