The Next Doctor’s Next Companion

The BBC recently announced the new Companion to play opposite incoming lead Matt Smith in Doctor Who. 21-year-old Scottish actress Karen Gillan is a relative newcomer to showbiz, but has already appeared once on Doctor Who as a Soothsayer in the season 4 episode, “The Fires of Pompeii.”

In the BBC press release, incoming executive producer and head writer Stephen Moffat says good things for Gillan. 

‘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. A generation of little girls will want to be her. And a generation of little boys will want them to be her too.’

Jon Cooper of The Mirror has nothing but praise for Moffat’s choice of Companion:

“Total unknown” as the Doctor along with a “total unknown” as his companion? The fact is, under the guiding eye of Steven Moffat – the man responsible for some truly stunning TV including Coupling, Jekyll, and some of the finer episodes of Doctor Who itself – “total unknown” seems like one of the most promising prospects I can think of. I’ve got absolutely no idea what direction the 2010 series is going to take, but goshdarnit I’m looking forward to finding out. 

And The Den of Geek has some interesting facts about Gillan, plus a bit of tongue-in-cheek with a list of ten Companions younger than Gillan when they boared the TARDIS.

I am hardly the first person to note Gillan’s red hair. Anyone else remember that the Doctor’s last season-long companion (Catherine Tate’s Donna Noble) also had red hair? Gillan’s character is yet to be named, and I don’t know if said character will be Scottish, or, like outgoing Doctor David Tennant, affecting a different accent.

As Cooper mentions in his article, the term “unknown” as applied to an actor is too often derogatory. I have great faith that the exceptional Stephen Moffat chose the right actors for the TARDIS– unknown or not. 

Hat tip to Outpost Gallifrey!