Dobson appeared in several series in the early 1980s including the
Jim Davidson sitcom
Up the Elephant and Round the Castle (1983). Dobson reprised her role for
EastEnders 40th anniversary, making a surprise one-off appearance as Sharon's hallucination in an episode broadcast on 19 February 2025.
Other roles Dobson appeared in
Red Dwarf (1993), and her own sitcom series
Split Ends (1989). The episode was broadcast on Christmas Day 2023. On 27 April 2023, Dobson appeared in an episode of the BBC series
Inside No. 9, "Mother's Ruin", as Frances. She returned as Mrs Flood in
Doctor Who for multiple episodes in both the 2024 and 2025 seasons, and in the episode "
The Interstellar Song Contest" it was revealed that Mrs Flood was an incarnation of
Doctor Who villain
the Rani. who later became her husband. She has also released several other singles and albums with minor chart success. Dobson played the role of Gertrude in the English Touring Theatre production of
Hamlet, at the
New Ambassadors Theatre in London's West End, following a UK tour in the autumn of 2005. In 2012, Dobson played the role of Mistress Quickly in the
Royal Shakespeare Company production of
The Merry Wives of Windsor. From September 2016 to January 2017, Dobson appeared as Madame Morrible in the musical
Wicked at the
Apollo Victoria Theatre in London. In May and June 2018, Dobson starred in
Katy Brand's new comedy-drama
3 Women at the
Trafalgar Theatre, playing the role of Eleanor alongside
Debbie Chazen and
Maisie Richardson-Sellers. In June 2019, Dobson joined
Trevor Nunn's West End revival of
Fiddler on the Roof at the
Playhouse Theatre, playing the role of Yente, alongside
Maria Friedman taking on the role of Golde, until the production's closure in November 2019.
Strictly Come Dancing On 6 September 2011, it was announced that Dobson would take part in the 2011 series of
Strictly Come Dancing. In the launch show of the
ninth series on 10 September 2011, it was revealed that she would be partnered by
Robin Windsor. She was eliminated on 27 November 2011 after Windsor had been unable to dance for a week due to an injury. Dobson therefore rehearsed and danced the Cha Cha Cha and the Swingathon with
Brendan Cole. • In Week 6
Jennifer Grey guest judged for Goodman.
Awards For her time on
EastEnders as
Angie Watts, Dobson received the Pye Award for Outstanding Female Personality. Dobson was nominated for a 2003
Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress for her performance in
Frozen at the
Royal National Theatre. In 2007, Dobson was made a Companion of the
Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. Dobson was appointed
Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the
2025 Birthday Honours for services to charitable fundraising and to philanthropy. ==Personal life==