Kris Marshall may be ‘Doctor Who’ new companion after losing title role to Jodie Whittaker

Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor in "Doctor Who" BBC

Kris Marshall might have lost to Jodie Whittaker for the title role in “Doctor Who,” but he’s not out of the TARDIS yet. The “Love Actually” actor was the favourite to become the Thirteenth Doctor in polls, but according to a new report, the role waiting for him wasn’t the Time Lord.

According to The Sun, Marshall is now the frontrunner to become the next companion. Pearl Mackie is leaving the series after playing the delightfully curious Bill Potts in just one season. Marshall is being apparently considered to replace her.

If chosen, he would be accompanying Whittaker, who was recently announced to replace Peter Capaldi as the Doctor, in her time travel and intergalactic journeys in season 11. He would most likely be introduced in the first episode of season 11 next year.

“Kris is a big fan of the show and the BBC are a big fan of his,” a source told the publication. However, a spokesperson at the network said there had been no decisions made yet on the companion casting.

Marshall, 44, recently left the British-French series “Death in Paradise,” where he played detective inspector Humphrey Goodman for four seasons. He had a memorable role in the 2003 rom-com “Love Actually,” playing a British man who left for America to meet girls. His big break was in 2000 when he played Nick Harper in the sitcom “My Family.”

In the past few months, online polls had shown that he was the favourite to star as the Thirteenth Doctor in the long-running BBC sci-fi series. However, as it was revealed earlier this week, the role went to Whittaker, who will be the first female to nab the highly coveted role. But if he can’t be the Doctor, he can still go on adventures with her, that is if he is indeed cast as a companion.

Whittaker will make her debut as the Doctor in the Christmas Special episode when Twelfth Doctor (Capaldi) regenerates into her. The episode will also see the First Doctor, played this time by David Bradley, interact with his much later incarnation.

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