Looks Like Doctor Who’s New Companion Won’t Stick Around After Season 2
Although we just met her in the most recent Christmas Special, it seems like Millie Gibson is already hinting when Ruby Sunday will leave Doctor Who.
Ah, Ruby Sunday. We hardly knew ye. Just after getting her introduction in the most recent Christmas Special, “The Church of Ruby Road,” as new Doctor Who companion Ruby Sunday, it looks like actor Millie Gibson is already hinting at her exit from the program.
When asked about her plans for 2024 by Fabric Magazine, Gibson confirmed that she’s now looking for new roles after a recent nine-month shoot on Doctor Who: “I think, now that the strike’s over, probably auditioning again, for parts, and seeing what’s out there,” Gibson said, teasing what she’d like to do next. “Every year has seen such change for me, it’s hard to think what might come next. I’d like to play a villain… If not that I think I’m really intrigued by biopic roles that you really need to research. I think that would be a great challenge. I don’t know, I think I’m just excited to see what’s to come.”
Gibson also recalled her time on Doctor Who with wistfulness and happiness, but definitely in the past tense. “It was so much fun!” she told Fabric. “I think there were days where we got used to the madness of the job, and then when other people came in to do scenes with us, they were like, ‘Oh wow, this is your job, this is what you do every day!’ And we were like, ‘Oh my God, I know!’” After going through and listing all of the different people and departments involved, Gibson declares, “They were the most supportive, kind people. And in a heartbeat I would work with them all again.”
But lest you think Gibson is a one-and-done companion though, reliable production watchdog handle Doctor Who Filming Locations is reporting that Gibson has been filming for season 2 “across multiple locations.” Production on season 2 began in October 2023.
Recent set photos taken from the season 2 production even had her filming a morning shoot at Cliff Hill, Penarth, reportedly for episode 4:
To be clear, Gibson does not explicitly say that she’s out after two seasons on Doctor Who. However, her tone does match that of star Ncuti Gatwa, who hasn’t talked about anything beyond two seasons. As Den of Geek reported last year, Gatwa told Doctor Who Magazine that his immediate plans “after I finish season two of Doctor Who” were to return to theater roles.
While we usually know about a particular Doctor’s exit long before the regeneration actually occurs, companions come and go from the Doctor’s orbit more often and not always with a full announcement beforehand.
In case you’re wondering, if Gibson does indeed leave the show after two seasons, she won’t be the companion with the shortest tenure, not even in the NuWho era. Rose Tyler, the first companion of the new series, initially left after her second season, replaced by Martha Jones and Donna Noble, each of whom only had a single season as companions (at least, until Donna’s recent return for the 60th anniversary specials).
However, these companions all appeared in seasons with longer episode counts, something that will be different for Ruby. Including the Christmas Special, season 1 will consist only of 9 episodes. As Russell T Davies has previously confirmed season 2 will follow suit, that means we may only have Ruby for 18 episodes total, just one fewer than Donna’s extended run and just over Bill Potts.
Even if Ruby’s run ends up being a brief one, it’s been very special for Gibson. As she tells Fabric, “I think the Doctor and Ruby’s relationship is very different to what viewers will have seen before, in the sense that they’re kind of like two schoolgirls giggling and chatting and plotting, and yeah, they’re just the bestest of friends, and I think that’s such a beautiful thing to see on screen.”
That sounds like a special relationship, even if it only lasts for two seasons.
Doctor Who season 1 will air on the BBC in the UK and stream on Disney+ everywhere else starting in May 2024. Season 2 is slated for a 2025 release date.
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Joe George’s writing has appeared at Slate, Polygon, Tor.com, and elsewhere!