Doctor Who fans rejoice: Bill Potts actress Pearl Mackie is returning to sci-fi!

Mackie, companion to Peter Capaldi's Twelfth Doctor, is starring in a new sci-fi thriller podcast called Forest 404.

Commissioned by BBC Radio 4, the nine-part scripted podcast boasts an all-female cast that also includes Bodyguard’s Pippa Haywood and Sherlock’s Tanya Moodie.

Created by playwright and composer Timothy X Atack, Forest 404 doesn't exactly sound like your standard podcast. Each episode of the scripted thriller will be accompanied by its own "experimental soundscape" as well as a factual talk which "guides listeners through different themes of the drama," the Radio Times reports.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwVy3JtqUAY

The official synopsis teases: “Set in the 24th Century following a data crash called The Cataclysm, Timothy X Atack’s thriller follows Pan (Pearl Mackie), a sound archivist who uncovers some sound recordings from the early 21st century that haunt her. They are recordings of rainforests, places which no longer exist, and Pan feels compelled to hunt down the truth about how the forests of the old world died.”

BBC Radio 4's Digital Commission Rhian Roberts calls the podcast "genuinely experimental," describing it as a "rollercoaster of a story that’s unnervingly timely, with talks that bring footnotes to life, providing the insight and facts behind the drama."

Roberts adds: "These go along with the third element of bespoke soundscapes – so you can try out what effect the mixes have on your own brain."

Pretty darn intriguing, no? And best of all: the podcast will premiere in full tomorrow (April 4), so there's no time to over-think how it's all going to work! You can find out more about Forest 404 on its website.

Are you excited about Pearl Mackie's new podcast role?