Doctor Who fans think Rose Ayling-Ellis is joining Ncuti Gatwa as companion

A new Rose has also been confirmed, to be played by Heartstopper's Yasmin Finney. It's unclear at this stage who her character might be – and if indeed she is a version of Billie Piper's Rose.

And now, it seems like we could be on the cusp of another exciting announcement, this time involving a possible companion for Gatwa's Doctor – Strictly winner Rose Ayling-Ellis.

The actress recently quit EastEnders after two years of playing Frankie Lewis. That on its own doesn't immediately scream Doctor Who, but the actor did also start following Gatwa, showrunner Russell T Davies and casting director Andy Pryor on Instagram shortly after.

She also rather ominously told The Mirror: "You will find out more at the end of this month. I'm not allowed to say anything."

Fans took to Twitter to speculate what this could mean, with one saying: "Rose Ayling-Ellis has spoken on her new job role.. 'you will find out more at the end of this month. i’m not allowed to say anything.' I wonder if this could be for #DoctorWho?"

Another wrote: "Having an actor who started out in Dundee being the next Doctor and an actress who could be the first companion with a disability would be a dream come true for me! I really really hope this is true!"

Though it isn't much, it's certainly not nothing. Should Ayling-Ellis, who is deaf, be confirmed for the new season, she would be the Doctor's first disabled companion onscreen. Ruth Madeley voiced wheelchair-using companion Hebe Harrison in The Rotting Deep audio story.

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