Some Early Suggestions for Next Companion

Guest contributors Luke Gwalchmai & Kane Andriunas make their picks.

After a series of speculation and wondering, Last Christmas revealed to us that Jenna Coleman would in fact be staying on the show for another year, much to the delight of Clara Oswald fans across the globe. Many were divided on whether she should stay or go, but the general consensus now seems to be that Series 9 will be Clara’s last, and with that in mind I wanted to share with you all a couple of actors and actresses who I feel would be very capable replacements for the talented Lancastrian when the time comes for her to depart, be it later this year, or some other point in the future.

Jonathan Bailey and Pippa Bennett-Warner

I love a good TARDIS trio. There is always an interesting dynamic between the companions and the Doctor. I loved the dynamics at play between the Doctor, Amy and Rory, they worked so well together and are easily my favourite TARDIS team. So I would enjoy seeing the Doctor travelling with two companions in Series 10.

I would love to see Jonathan Bailey and Pippa Bennett-Warner back on their show, as them being the next companions would mean the return of Psi and Saibra, who we were introduced to in Time Heist. I really enjoyed these characters. I felt they were a very refreshing presence and brought something different to the table. Both characters were very likable and after a rough start they both formed their own relationship with the Doctor that felt earned and natural. Jonathan and Pippa both did excellent jobs at fleshing out their characters; they were both given enough backstory and had individual scenes with Capaldi and Coleman that helped to provide real depth to their characters.

I think it would be really nice to see the Doctor go and pick Psi and Saibra up for some adventures when Clara leaves, they are two very interesting characters that have tons of potential. Bailey and Pippa are both very capable actors who I feel would rise to the challenge of returning on the show as regulars to explore their respective characters more.

Danny Miller

I have never hidden the fact that I would love to see a full time male companion again. I love Rory, he’s one of my favourite characters from the show’s history, but I do feel as though he could be sidelined on occasions due to him being Amy’s husband and arriving on the TARDIS after her. Having two people like Psi and Saibra as companions would put them on equal footing which would hopefully avoid the male becoming sidelined, as is often the case with male companions, during the revival at least.

Apart from Jonathan Bailey as Psi, an actor I would quite like to see given the companion role is Danny Miller, who is best known for playing Aaron in Emmerdale. His performances have won him awards and he has received a huge amount of acclaim for his portrayal of a gay character who struggled to come out and accept himself. His character Aaron is quite volatile and can be violent and aggressive, yet deep down he is very emotional and vulnerable. Danny has done a fantastic job of creating a multi-dimensional character with real depth. He has the ability to show every emotion in the book with such great conviction, and it’s this ability which has won him a strong fanbase over his time with the soap, myself included. He is one for the best actors that I have had the privilege to watch develop since he arrived on Emmerdale. When he left in 2012 he bagged himself roles in Lightfields and popular crime drama Scott and Bailey, both of which he was very good in.

Currently, Danny is back in Emmerdale wowing viewers once again with his portrayal of Aaron, so I do think it is unlikely that he will be one to replace Jenna, though you never know. I would love to see Danny Miller given the chance to work on Doctor Who, he is a brilliant actor and it would be great to see him given global exposure by such a popular show.

Ophelia Lovibond

I’ll be honest with you, I would absolutely love to see Ophelia Lovibond on Doctor Who, and she would be my number one choice to replace Jenna Coleman. For those of you who don’t know of her, she is probably best known recently for her stint as Kitty Winter in Elementary, a US contemporary take on Sherlock Holmes. She was only in half a series, and although her casting was met with scepticism from the show’s fans, the majority were won over by the character by the time she left, with Lovibond’s performances receiving plenty of praise from critics and fans alike.

Ophelia Lovibond is one of the most talented actresses that I have had the pleasure of watching; she absolutely nailed the character of Kitty, showcasing how confident and strong she is whilst also showing a very clear vulnerability to the character that endeared her to myself and many other viewers. She had a tough exterior, but she was mentally scarred and Ophelia was able to portray a recovering rape victim brilliantly; she had been forced into a shell after her ordeal but you could see week by week she was improving and growing in confidence, and Lovibond handled the development of the character with great care.

She can portray a wide range of emotions, but is able to do so in a way that it doesn’t seem as though she is overacting. She brings a subtlety to her performance in Elementary that really is something to be admired. Her comedic timing is absolutely fantastic, which would work tremendously opposite the sharp wit of Peter Capaldi’s Doctor I feel. She’s one of those actors, like Arthur Darvill for example, who are able to make you laugh just from a facial expression, or the movement of an eyebrow.

In her last episode on Elementary, [spoiler warning…] Ophelia was given the opportunity to explore a darker side to Kitty as she kidnapped and tortured her attacker. Before she was talked out of killing him, Kitty was extremely menacing and Lovibond expertly displayed a coldness and ruthlessness to Kitty that had only been hinted at before, and whilst she didn’t kill her attacker, she did dump acid all over him, scarring him for life like he had done to her. So Lovibond can display many sides to a character, and could play an evil character if the show ever wanted Missy to have a companion who could infiltrate the TARDIS to help her keep tabs on the Doctor.

She also has experience of playing an alien character, for those of you who can’t stand the thought of another female from Earth taking a trip in the TARDIS. She briefly played a slave named Carina in Guardians of the Galaxy, before she blew herself up! She didn’t really get much to do here, but she was able to add some depth to the character who was tired of being a slave, and yearning for the chance to get rid of her boss.

I can’t stress to you all enough quite how much I would absolutely love to see Ophelia Lovibond take over from Jenna Coleman, she is a fantastic actress, capable of playing a wide range of character and I think she would play a brilliant companion. I feel that she would work really well opposite Capaldi, and that their acting styles would suit one another, I think they’d have a good on screen chemistry. Plus Ophelia Lovibond seems like a really nice, humble, genuine person which is always nice to see. I can’t speak highly enough of her, and I’d be delighted if she were to appear on the show one day.

Kane’s Picks

Sheridan Smith

Recently starring as Cilla Black in ITV’s Cilla, former assistant to Jonathan Creek and probably most recognised for her role in BBC’s comedy Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps. Of course Big Finish listeners better know her as Lucie Miller. Could the actress who seems to making an impression in every role she plays be joining the Doctor onscreen next year?

Michelle Keegan

Most known for playing Tina in ITV’s soap drama Coronation Street, she’s been in very little since leaving the soap role. She has the looks and talents, but could you see her joining the Doctor?

Michelle Dockery

Famously known for playing Lady Mary in ITV’s Downton Abbey, could she be joining the Doctor? It’s well known that Downton Abbey is due to end this year, which would make her free to travel all of time and space in the TARDIS.

Hayley Atwell

She’s recently expressed desire to be the first female Doctor, what this a red-herring? Could she be taking a break from the MARVEL universe to star as the Doctor’s next companion?

Maisie Williams

The Games of Thrones star is going to be joining the Doctor in episodes five and six and recently Steven Moffat has stated that she will not be a recurring character. However, he has been known to tell some porkies, as his character River Song would say… ‘Spoilers!’

Hetti Bywater

She was part of one of TV’s biggest ever murder mysteries last year, as Lucy Beale in EastEnders. Now she’s been soap-free, could the blonde be joining Doctor Who?

Conclusion by Luke

There is a chance that this article is a little premature, but I wanted to share with you all who I would love to see replace Jenna Coleman once she leaves. While I have stated my preferences from the ones I have said here, I would be delighted if any of these four hugely talented actors and actresses were selected to replace her.

Now it’s your turn! Do you agree with any of the choices? Or do you have your own dream TARDIS team? Thanks for reading!