Though Doctor Who may be in an off-season right now, it seems like the series has never been buzzier—between the heartbreaking (but undeniably epic) 13th Doctor regeneration story, to the surprise twist ending of David Tennant’s return, and the building excitement towards next year’s 60th anniversary, it’s safe to say that it’s a great time to be a Doctor Who fan. But in between the major announcements and returning favorites, the long-running BBC series has also dropped some exciting new information about series 14: a new companion!
While it may be easy to forget in all the hubbub surrounding the 60th anniversary, series 14 of Doctor Who—which will feature Ncuti Gatwa as the 15th Doctor—is right around the corner, and thanks to a recent press release from the BBC, another key piece of the puzzle has fallen into place. Last week, it was announced that 18-year-old Millie Gibson will be joining series 14 as Ncuti Gatwa’s series-long companion, Ruby Sunday.
Who is Millie Gibson?
Though American Doctor Who fans may not be familiar with Gibson, British audiences will likely recognize her as Keely Neelan in the long-running soap opera Coronation Street. She’ll be departing the series for Doctor Who after spending four years with the show, a tenure that also saw her win the British Soap Award for Best Young Actress.
In addition to her turn time on Coronation Street, Gibson has also appeared on Jamie Johnson, Love, Lies, and Records, Butterfly—an impressive career that began at just thirteen. Born in Greater Manchester, Gibson joins the ample ranks of Doctor Who companions from Northern England—a borderline tradition in and of itself. Talking to the official Doctor Who website, Gibson expressed her excitement about being cast:
“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 the fellow companions have travelled in before me,” she said. “And what better way to do that than being by the fabulous Ncuti Gatwa’s side, I just can’t wait to get started.”
Who is Ruby Sunday in Doctor Who?
In addition to being introduced to Gibson herself, fans were also given a teaser about her character – her name! Gibson’s character will be called Ruby Sunday—a somewhat eccentric name that invokes the likes of River Song and Amy Pond. Unfortunately, though, beyond her name, there’s not a lot of confirmed information yet about Ruby herself: in the past, fans may have been able to speculate based on her costume, but the promotional photos released alongside Gibson’s announcement show both she and Gatwa in everyday clothes.
Showrunner Russell T Davies and actor Ncuti Gatwa (The Doctor) were also quoted in the press release, which could provide insight as to Ruby’s personality. Of Gibson, Gatwa said: “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!”
Though the ‘sharp as a razor’ is likely referring to Gibson herself, there’s always a chance that Gatwa’s quote could nod to her personality as well—a “cheeky sparkle in her eye” sounds like just the type of personality that could fit with the TARDIS. As for Davies, he referenced Gibson’s time on Coronation Street in a slight hint at Ruby’s possible adventures with The Doctor: “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.”
(image via the BBC)
