The Christmas special of Doctor Who will star Bridgerton actress Nicola Coughlan in a major guest role as the Doctor’s companion.
Neither departing sidekick Millie Gibson nor incoming helper Varada Seethu will appear in the festive episode, which was filmed last year.
But Coughlan, who also starred in Channel 4’s smash-hit comedy Derry Girls, will take charge of the action alongside Ncuti Gatwa as he faces a fresh menace for Christmas Day.
The Galway-born actress, 37, is best known as hilarious Clare Devlin in Derry Girls and as lovelorn Penelope ‘Lady Whistledown’ Featherington in Bridgerton.
She has worked with 15th Doctor Ncuti before, with both actors enjoying a role in Hollywood blockbuster Barbie.
Showrunner Russell T Davies favours using guest stars at Christmas - his previous hirings include Catherine Tate in 2006 as Donna Noble - who later returned as a regular companion - Kylie Minogue as Astrid Peth in 2007 and David Morrissey as Jackson Lake in 2008.
It was revealed last year that Coughlan would have an undisclosed role during the upcoming BBC1 series, which starts on Saturday, but not that she would appear at Christmas, nor as a main character. She is now set to make a huge impact when she takes a trip though time and space in the TARDIS.
Singing her praises once filming ended, Russell said: “This has been the most brilliant shoot, with Nicola lighting up the set and bringing joy. From Derry, via Bridgerton, to the TARDIS, it’s the trip of a lifetime.”
Nicola declared she was thrilled to be joining the so-called Whoniverse, adding: “I’ve been a fan of Ncuti Gatwa for some time and getting to share the screen with him as the Doctor has been an absolute joy”.
The new series of the sci-fi show launches this weekend with Millie playing orphan Ruby Sunday in all eight episodes. By Christmas, however, she will be absent, which marks the start of her gradual departure. Next year she appears in less than half of the episodes, as the Mirror first revealed in January.
Instead, the Doctor will be flanked by Varada Seethu, who arrives as a brand new companion in 2025.
But fans will come face to face with Varada sooner than they think - because she first appears on screen, briefly, this summer. It is not clear if she will be playing the same character.
Last week it was revealed that Millie, 19, who previously appeared in Coronation Street, has signed up to star in the new adaptation of The Forsyte Saga, from the makers of Poldark.
The drama was a major hit in the 1960s and last aired in the UK on ITV in 2002.
Huge Disney deal set to be reviewed
Disney’s multimillion pound deal with the BBC to become the official home of Doctor Who outside the UK will be reviewed early next year.
The cash injection from the US streamer has seen budgets for the BBC sci-fi show soar from around £2million per episode to as much as £10million taking the show to a new level.
But the deal will run out after 26 episodes - which takes viewers through to the end of Ncuti Gatwa’s second full season next summer.
Negotiations will need to start ahead of any work beginning on Gatwa’s third run, likely to again fall under showrunner Russell T Davies.
The 26 episode partnership covers the three David Tennant specials from 2023, Ncuti's first Christmas special which aired last year, eight episodes in the first series, a second Christmas special for 2024, and eight episodes in 2025.
This is topped off with the five-episode spin-off Whoniverse series, The War Between The Land and the Sea, which will feature the Sea Devils.
Production is due to begin soon on the spin-off, following in the footsteps of 1980's K9 and Company, Torchwood, The Sarah Jane Adventures and Class.
In the current issue of SFX Magazine, Davies said: "We were ordered for two years of a series off Disney, and we're delivering two years.”
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