Who should audition to be the next Doctor Who companion?
Peter Capaldi needs a new time-travelling chum - will it be one of these bright young stars?
Time travelling Time Lord seeks companion for travel through space and time. May involve danger, contact with extraterrestrial life-forms, and risk of death.
That's how we imagine the Doctor's classified ad might look right about now, what with series 10 due to begin filming in May and no new companion announced for Steven Moffat's last big trip in the Tardis.
In fact, sources tell RadioTimes.com nobody's even auditioned yet – so we've knocked our Whovian heads together to come up with a list of people who should most definitely give it a go...
Amy James-Kelly
Maddie Heath left Coronation Street in a blaze of glory, killed in a fire caused by Tracy Barlow, and now Amy James-Kelly is starring as Jessica Raine’s teenage daughter Martha Quaintain in period drama Jericho. That’s proof, if ever you needed it, that she can handle high drama and a spot of time travel.
Kimberley Nixon
We all know Doctor Who’s filmed in Wales so why not bring a local lass on board, eh? Kimberley Nixon’s played a blinder as Josie in Fresh Meat (not to mention her starring turns in Cranford, Cherrybomb and err, Angus Thongs and Perfect Snogging) so with the series wrapping this year she might just have a bit more time on her hands. There’s basically never been a better time for her to try out for the Tardis.
Rakhee Thakrar
Shabnam Masood went through the wars on EastEnders in the past 12 months, tackling tragic storyline after tragic storyline, so there’s clearly nothing actress Rakhee Thakrar can’t handle. She’s just left Albert Square for pastures new – could her new adventures feature a stint on Doctor Who too?
Bel Powley
BAFTA Rising Star nominee Powley is no stranger to TV screens, having starred in M.I High as Daisy Miller and Benidorm as Bianca Dyke. Now ,with a few films (Diary of a Teenage Girl and A Right Royal Night Out) under her belt, she’s become a real all-rounder. Oh, and she’s a right youthful live-wire on screen – just the kind of companion The Doctor might need to lift his spirits.
Georgina Campbell
Her incredible performance in BBC3’s Murdered By My Boyfriend earned her a BAFTA but could Georgina Campbell cut it in the Tardis? Well, if you were watching E4’s sci-fi series, Tripped, you’ll know there’s little this girl can’t handle. She’s just the kind of up-and-coming talent that Doctor Who seems to seek out – will 2016 be her year?
Faye Marsay
Faye Marsay is already a fan-favourite following her hilarious role as the all-talking, all-dancing Shona in Last Christmas. Marsay herself is in that perfect stage of her career where she’s known but not too known. Could she pull a Catherine Tate and make a return? The actress is definitely up for it “I would absolutely love to go back into Doctor Who” she told RadioTimes.com last June. “I had a great time on it. I just got to play myself basically, which was quite nice.”
Luke Newberry
If The Doctor’s on the hunt for another male companion he’d be a fool to overlook Luke Newberry. Best known for playing a zombie in cancelled fan favourite In The Flesh, Newberry returned to TV last year in BBC’s From Darkness. He’s never far from Doctor Who, though. "People always used to think that I looked like David Tennant so when I went out they would always shout 'It's the Doctor!' at me. Which is very bizarre – but flattering!", he told RadioTimes.com last year.
Michaela Coel
Chewing Gum’s breakout star effortlessly lights up a TV screen so who’s to say she couldn’t light up The Doctor’s life? Coel’s made waves in Channel 4 drama Top Boy and BBC’s London Spy too, though, proving she’s definitely not a one trick pony. Everyone’s predicting BIG things for the actress – could the companion role be one of them?
Aisling Loftus
You might recognize her as Sonya from War & Peace but Aisling Loftus is one of those actresses who’s been biding her time, working away on lots of little projects. She made a splash in 2010 BBC drama Drive (opposite Skins’ Jack O’Connell) and has also popped up in both a Boxing Day adaptation of The Borrowers, and Mr Selfridge. Could Doctor Who’s companion vacancy offer her the opportunity to work her magic and step into a leading role on Saturday nights?
Charlie Murphy
Should The Doctor’s next companion be Irish? Well, if Charlie Murphy was cast it wouldn’t really matter. The Co Wexford native’s already proven she can do both accents, with roles in The Village, Ripper Street and Happy Valley to her name. She’s a big star in her native land, but she’s still a relative newcomer to the UK scene. Could Who make her a household name?
Charlotte Spencer
She’s about to join Merlin himself, Colin Morgan, in BBC’s spooky new drama The Living and The Dead, but could BAFTA nominee Charlotte Spencer team up with The Doctor? She’s certainly got that “this girl could be huge” vibe going on, and that’s something the Who powers that be most certainly seem to love.
Wunmi Mosaku
She starred opposite Matt Smith in Moses Jones just after the news of his Doctor Who casting broke, so could Wunmi Mosaku follow in his footsteps? The Nigerian-born British actress has previously starred in Dancing On The Edge, Vera and In The Flesh, most recently popping up in BBC’s Capital. She’s still waiting for that big primetime role, so why not have a crack at Doctor Who, eh?
Ciara Baxendale
Ever since Amy Pond departed there’s been a gaping ginger hole in the Tardis and if anyone’s fit to fill it it’s My Mad Fat Diary’s Ciara Baxendale. Best known to fans of the E4 drama for her hilarious yet heartfelt performance as Izzy, she’s been busy treading the boards in plays ever since. She’s got the spark every good companion needs, and resides just far enough off the radar to bring a bit of mystery to the role.
Dan Cohen
Maybe it’s the Amy and Rory vibe we’re still feeling after talking about Ms Baxendale but if the Doctor’s on a hunt for a male companion he should at least meet Dan Cohen. The actor made quite the impression as My Mad Fat Diary’s confused yet completely together Archie. He’s got that mix of youthful curiosity and determination every companion needs when dealing with The Doctor – could he be the ying to Peter Capaldi’s yang?
Kerrie Hayes
Her role in The Mill earned her a BAFTA nod back in 2014 but we haven’t seen much of Kerrie Hayes on TV screens since the series was axed. With roles in John Lennon biopic Nowhere Boy and Black Mirror already under her belt, she’s proved she’s got the talent to take on whatever TV throws at her. Why not try a spot of sci-fi next?
Chloe Pirrie
Last but by no means least, is Chloe Pirrie, who had every man chasing after her fortune as Julie Karagina in War & Peace. Before she took on Tolstoy she was The Game’s Wendry Straw, a wide-eyed PA who eventually learned the ways of MI5 and became as lethal a team member as the rest. We know the Doctor’s in the habit of taking on wide-eyed companions – why not team up the Doctor with a fellow Scot (Pirrie’s an Edinburgh lass) for Steven Moffat’s last full series?
Who do YOU think would make a great Doctor Who companion? Share your thoughts in the comments box below...
