Between showrunner Steven Moffat’s forthcoming departure from the series and star Peter Capaldi’s uncertain future after 2016, the BBC’s science fiction staple Doctor Who is in for a possibly rocky couple of years. While news of the 57-year-old Scottish actor’s possible exit has led to all kinds of speculation about his replacement, one of the more pressing changes is its lack of a companion since Jenna Coleman announced that she would be leaving after series nine. Or at least it was the most important matter to be settled until Capaldi inadvertently revealed that a replacement had been hired.
The Radio Times reports that the Doctor himself opened his T.A.R.D.I.S.-sized mouth during an interview with the Brazilian website Omelete, saying he and the yet-to-be-named person had already been working together for some time.
“There will be a new companion, along any minute,” said Capaldi, “which I’m very excited about, ’cause obviously I know who that is and we’ve been doing a bit of work together already and it’s very exciting. Because it’s a very different sort of take on it.”
Capaldi also stressed that, unlike previous companion Clara Oswald (Coleman), the latest addition to Doctor Who wouldn’t be as knowledgeable about his titular character. He or she wouldn’t know anything about the Doctor’s lost home planet of Gallifrey, the Daleks or any of the other goodies espoused by the show.
Which leads to two interesting but early conclusions, the first being that an official casting announcement from the BBC might be on the way. And the second? Considering the fact that most past companions have been female, and despite Capaldi’s expressed sentiments against hiring a male actor, the next companion could be a dude. After all, Capaldi used gender neutral language throughout the interview when discussing the new hire.
(via Radio Times)
