‘Doctor Who’ Star Jenna Oswald Not Leaving the Show Yet, Peter Capaldi Says
“Doctor Who” star Peter Capaldi is not looking for a new companion. The 12th Doctor addressed reports that Jenna Coleman has quit the show, but said she may not even last until the Christmas special.
Earlier this week, the Daily Mirror reported that the 28-year-old actress’ last episode will be in a Christmas storyline as the companion Clara Oswald. The decision for her to leave the show is said to be mutual.
“It’s important to keep the series moving and fast-paced, and the time is just starting to feel right and the feeling is that it could be a perfect Christmas storyline,” a source told the paper.
Read: ‘Doctor Who’ Companion Jenna Coleman Quits as Clara Oswald – Report
However, Capaldi, who will debut as the Time Lord on Saturday, assured fans that Clara is here to stay at least for now.
“I’m not looking for a new assistant,” he told “The One Show” hosts Matt Baker and Alex Jones.
That should have appeased “Doctor Who” fans who have watched Clara assist the 11th Doctor (Matt Smith) since season 7, but the way Capaldi has put it, Clara may not even last until her purported last appearance.
“I’ve read she may be leaving at Christmas, but I don’t even know if she’ll get to Christmas, you’ll have to watch it and see what happens.”
Coleman first appeared as Oswin Oswald in the first episode of the seventh series. The character died at the end of the episode to save the Doctor (Smith) and his companions Amy Pond and Rory Williams (Karen Giillan and Arthur Darvill). Coleman appeared again in the 2012 Christmas Special, this time as Oswin’s incarnation Clara, who also died in the episode.
She was reintroduced in the sixth episode “The Bells of St John” as the modern Clara, who has become her travelling companion since.
The eighth season of “Doctor Who” will premiere on Saturday on BBC One.