Millie Gibson is Doctor Who’s New Companion

Thus far she hasn’t said where she comes from, but one can guess she’s from one of those planets with a north. Friday morning we all got a bit of a surprise, or at least I did, as my phone rang due to Russell T Davies posting something on Instagram and it was of two hearts, a plus, and a red diamond. Similar to all the other teases, we’re now in full swing into the second Russell T Davies era. After the massive surprise that Tennant’s return is the 14th Doctor, the tease of a new companion was worrying. Russell’s post (as is evident now) told everyone to watch that night’s Children in Need charity telethon that’s for disadvantaged young people as a new companion would be revealed.

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While Yasmin Finney’s “a Rose by any other name” may be joining the Doctor-Donna special(s) in 2023, she won’t be a companion joining Ncuti it seems. Millie Gibson, an 18-year-old from the planet Manchester (we’ll giggle at Broadbottom and move on), will play Ruby Sunday in the upcoming series with the 15th Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa. The young actor professionally started with the CBBC football focused-drama Jamie Johnson which tackled difficult topics. Later she played the sister to Callum Booth-Ford’s Maxine Duffy in the drama about a trans teen in Butterfly, and most notably she was teen Kelly Neelan in the Manchester-based soap opera Coronation Street.

It would be unfair to lie and say I’m familiar with Millie. It has been more than 14 years since I last saw an episode of Coronation Street in full. I will admit, much like Finney’s role in Heartstopper, I’ll be going back to find the highly praised three-part drama Butterfly, co-starring Anna Friel from the fantastic Pushing Daisies. Of course, what criticism is being levied towards the casting is the same to everyone that isn’t immediately known for a massive part in the latest hit films and TV. Unless you care about the music of the 1998 Pokémon movie, you wouldn’t know the name Billie Piper. No one knew the name Freema Agyeman, and I still don’t know who this Karen Gillian is.

As much as I’ll douse the criticism with simple facts, I also have to temper the annoying unquestionable comparison with glee for it: Gibson is not Jenna Coleman or Clara. I’ll stick my hands up now, I knew who Jenna was because I’d seen plenty of the Yorkshire-based soap opera Emmerdale at the time. As much as I’ll criticize the characterization of Clara, Coleman’s acting is great. Though my point is that Bradley Walsh, Tosin Cole, Michelle Ryan, Kylie Minogue were in soaps before Doctor Who. If it wasn’t for Micheal Crichton’s ER being a medical drama or The Bill being a police procedural, we could include Alex Kingston as actors that were in soap operas before Doctor Who too.

Personally, I’m really excited not only for what Russell will do with Ruby Sunday but to see Millie and Ncuti on screen together. On Saturday, a video was uploaded to the Doctor Who YouTube channel featuring the two leads for series 14, where Ncuti gave Millie some softball questions just so we can get to know her, and it is great. Sure, I feel older than dust listening to the two of them, but hearing Millie (short for Amelia) talk about loving Amelia Pond is one of those happy weird coincidences. I’m also really happy she can point to specific recent episodes too, like “The Witchfinders.”

In the press release following the TV reveal, Gibson said, “Whilst still being in total disbelief, I am beyond honoured to be cast as the Doctor’s companion. It is a gift of a role, and a dream come true, and I will do everything to try and fill the boots my fellow companions have traveled in before me. And what better way to do that than being by the fabulous Ncuti Gatwa’s side, I just can’t wait to get started.” At the moment, we don’t exactly know when that start will be on screen, though as you’ll find on social media owned by a man-child, filming is being done all over the place, including Cardiff.

Ncuti also had some words about his new companion in the blue box, adding: “Millie just is the companion. She is full of talent, strength, she has a cheeky sparkle in her eye[,] and is sharp as a razor. From the moment she walked into the room she captured all of our attention with her effervescence and then solidified that attention with the sheer torque of her talent. This adventure is going to be so wild and so fun, I cannot WAIT to sail the universe with Millie!” He also mentioned in the interview video that he told Russell that Millie is the(!) companion once she left the room for the audition.

Of course, the man himself had to give a few words on the second young blonde woman he’s cast with the first letter in her name being R, saying, “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.” I won’t say I am blindly trusting Russell to nail it, but I’ve not been this excited for an episode of Doctor Who since Jodie’s first and before that Russell and David’s last.

We do know the specials will air next November with the recent reveal the series will continue to air on the BBC in the UK and Ireland, while internationally episodes will be joining Disney+. Though at the end of the press release, this may be a sign of excitement and thus entirely speculation based on reading too much into it, there is a line about Ncuti taking over from David: “[…] takes over the role as the Fifteenth Doctor over the festive season.” Hopefully, this will mean the Christmas specials will once again make a return.