Jenna-Louise Coleman has been chosen to play the next companion on Doctor Who after Karen Gillan leaves the TARDIS during the upcoming season. The BBC confirmed the story this morning after British tabloids ran stories on the choice. There are unconfirmed rumors that her character will not be from earth.
Coleman will make her first appearance in the 2012 Christmas episode.
“I want to get started already,” says Jenna. “I’m a huge fan of the show”.
“Matt Smith did my audition with me. It was fun and I felt like we were in it together.”
Steven Moffat said: “We saw a lot of brilliant actresses. But Jenna was the only person going faster than Matt – he had to keep up!”
On her favourite companion: “Between Billie Piper and Karen Gillan”
Coleman was born in Blackpool, Lancashire, England on April 27, 1986. She played the role of lesbian Jasmine Thomas on an ITV soap, Emmerdale in 2005. She joined the cast of the BBC’s Waterloo Road in 2009. Coleman had a small role in Captain America: The First Avenger and appears in an upcoming ITV mini-series Titanic (picture below). Coleman has been nominated twice for ‘Sexiest Female’ at the British Soap Awards
Steven Moffat had been tweeting about Sophia Myles, who previously appeared in the Doctor Who episode The Girl in the Fireplace, creating speculation that she would play the next companion. Perhaps she will have another role in the upcoming season. While her character did die, others (including Karen Gillan who appeared in The Fires of Pompeii prior to playing Amy Pond) have returned to the show in different roles.
Update: More news on the upcoming season
The BBC has confirmed rumours that Doctor Who Series 7 will be split over two years. They will only air six episodes in 2012.
“There will be 6 episodes this year, including the Xmas Special. Then 8 next year,” says the BBC.
Amy and Rory will leave after five episodes. Steven Moffat revealed: “Amy and Rory will leave in a final encounter with the Weeping Angels in episode 5.”
Adding: “Not everyone gets out alive. And I mean it this time!”
The Daleks have also been confirmed to appear in the Autumn run.
Jenna-Louise Coleman To Play Next Companion On Doctor Who http://t.co/z1EQ5hsd
BBC confirms choice of Jenna-Louise Coleman as next companion on Doctor Who. She will make her first appearance… http://t.co/9jU0f2aS