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BBC announces new companion for Doctor Who
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The BBC has ended months of fevered speculation by announcing that little-known Scottish actress Karen Gillan will join Matt Smith as the Time Lord’s full-time companion when Doctor Who returns for its fifth full series next year.
The announcement comes after various names had been put in the frame. These ranged from feasible suggestions like Skins star Hannah Murray to more speculative punts, such as model and presenter Kelly Brook and gobby pop moppet Lily Allen.
Steven Moffat, who is taking over as the show’s head honcho, is obviously a big fan. “We saw some amazing actresses for this part, but when Karen came through the door the game was up.”
“Funny, and clever, and gorgeous, and sexy. Or Scottish, which is the quick way of saying it,” he purred. “A generation of little girls will want to be her. And a generation of little boys will want them to be her too.”
Karen studied acting in Edinburgh before attending the Italia Conti academy in London. She previously appeared in the series as a soothsayer, in last year’s episode The Fires of Pompeii, and she’ll shortly appear on the big screen with James Nesbitt in a film entitled Outcast.
Meanwhile, the BBC has had some more good news for anyone who might get withdrawal symptoms when David Tennant hands in the keys to the Tardis at the end of the year. The broadcaster will be showing the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) production of Hamlet, in which the soon-to-be-ex-Time Lord took the title role.
And it gets better! Although he finished filming his last full Doctor Who appearance last week, it’s also been announced that Tennant will show his cheeky little face in two episodes of the CBBC spin-off show The Sarah Jane Adventures. He’s also going to lend his voice to Dreamland – a short series of animated mini-episodes featuring the Doctor.
by Tom Murphy, Friday 29 May 2009
Sources: BBC, Daily Telegraph
