Doctor Who star Millie Gibson has addressed the confusion surrounding the fate of her character, Ruby Sunday.
The 19-year-old Coronation Street actor plays the companion to Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor in the forthcoming season of the BBC sci-fi series.
When duo debuted in their respective roles in the Doctor Who Christmas special glowing reviews, fans were shocked to read reports claiming that Gibson would be replaced in Gatwa’s second season, after he was seen filming for the 2025 series with a different companion – Andor actor Varada Sethu.
Earlier this month, the BBC announced that Gibson was not being replaced, but Sethu will join the cast as a second companion to Gatwa’s Doctor in the 2025 series.
In a group interview with Variety, Gibson addressed the reports, calling it a “little bit of a misunderstanding”.
“But I’m very much in season two,” she clarified.
Gatwa chimed in: “Doctor’s not letting this one go. That’s what the show is, isn’t it? There’s always new actors coming in and doing different things.”
Showrunner Russell T Davies, who rebooted the cult series back in 2005, said of the misunderstanding: “This is the unfortunate thing about filming in public.”
Sethu is best known for starring in the Star Wars spin-off Andor, as well as roles in Jurassic World Dominion and Now You See Me 2.
She said in a statement about the casting announcement that she feels like the “luckiest person in the world” to be taking on the role.
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“It is such an honour to be a part of the Whoniverse, and I’m so grateful to the whole Doctor Who family – because that is what they are – for welcoming me with open arms and making me feel so at home. I couldn’t ask for a better team than Ncuti and Millie to be on this adventure with, this is SO much fun!”
Davies said of Sethu: “I first worked with Varada on a BBC production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and it’s a joy to welcome her on board the TARDIS. Right now in the studio, shooting for 2025, we’ve got Ncuti, Millie and Varada fighting side by side – we need all three, because the stakes are higher than ever!”
And although Gatwa’s groundbreaking casting was met with much praise, there were, of course, some haters. Gatwa’s message to the naysayers is simple: “Don’t watch. Turn off the TV. Go and touch grass, please, for God’s sake.”
Doctor Who will return on 11 May.