Sarah Lancashire is an English actress who appeared in the "Doctor Who" television series. She played the character Miss Foster in the 2008 episode titled "Partners in Crime," which is the first episode of the fourth series of the revived show. Miss Foster is depicted as an enigmatic and powerful businesswoman who is involved with an alien threat called the Adipose. Lancashire described her character as a "warped Mary Poppins" and was part of a high-profile cast secured by the show's executive producer Russell T Davies to make the series "bigger and blowsier"

. Sarah Lancashire was born on October 10, 1964, in Oldham, Lancashire, England. She is best known for her extensive work in television and theatre, including roles in "Coronation Street," "Clocking Off," "Last Tango in Halifax," and "Happy Valley." She graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 1986 and has received numerous accolades, including three British Academy Television Awards. She was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2025 for services to drama

. In "Doctor Who," her character Miss Foster is revealed to be an alien matron responsible for fostering a new generation after the loss of their breeding planet, linked to the Adipose storyline

. The episode "Partners in Crime" focuses on stopping the death of thousands of people in London due to the alien plot orchestrated by Miss Foster

. In summary, Sarah Lancashire is a distinguished English actress from Lancashire who guest-starred as Miss Foster in the 2008 "Doctor Who" episode "Partners in Crime," playing a key role in the alien Adipose storyline