‘Doctor Who’ Casts Millie Gibson as Companion to Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor
Gibson is best known for starring in British soap opera “Coronation Street” in the series regular role of Kelly Neelan from 2019 to 2022. Her other screen credits include the ITV drama “Butterfly,” the BBC drama “Love, Lies and Records” and the CBBC children’s series “Jamie Johnson.”
The BBC announced that Gatwa had been cast as the 15th Doctor in May, making him the first Black actor to anchor the long-running series (though Jo Martin has played the Fugitive Doctor a.k.a. Ruth Clayton in a handful of episodes since 2020).
Jodie Whittaker is the most recent Doctor, and Mandip Gill (playing Yasmin Khan) and John Bishop (playing Dan Lewis) have the roles of her companions. The final episodes featuring the trio aired in January, April and October of this year. The BBC announced last month that David Tennant, the 10th Doctor, would reprise his role in three special episodes airing in November for the series’ 60th anniversary, making him the 14th Doctor. He will be joined by Catherine Tate, who originally played his companion.
Gatwa and Gibson will debut in their roles in November 2023, per BBC. The new season will air on the BBC in the U.K. and Ireland and stream on Disney+ in the U.S. and other territories.
Said showrunner Russell T. Davies, “It’s the great honour of my job to find the next generation of talent, and Millie shines like a star already. She’s brilliant, dynamic, clever and a wonderful actor. As a ‘Coronation Street’ fan, I’ve seen Millie survive chases, guns and sieges, but that’s nothing compared to what lies ahead for Ruby Sunday.”
