No, 'Doctor Who' Is Not Replacing Millie Gibson as a Companion After One Season

By Dustin Rowles | TV | April 15, 2024 |

By Dustin Rowles | TV | April 15, 2024 |

In January, it was widely reported that Millie Gibson would be dropped as the Doctor Who companion after the upcoming 14th season. The reports, originating from The Daily Mirror’s Nicola Methven and characterized as “well sourced” by Deadline, suggested that Gibson’s character Ruby Sunday would be replaced by Varada Sethu (Andor) as the new companion.

I personally had no issue with this potential change. Doctor Who has a history of one-season companions, some of whom have become quite memorable (Freema Agyeman’s Martha Jones, Catherine Tate’s Donna Noble, Pearl Mackie’s Bill Potts), while others have been less so (Matt Lucas’ Nardole).

However, months later, showrunner Russell Davies announced that Gibson will not be replaced, and the 15th season, which has already begun filming (the 14th season premieres in May), will feature two companions: Gibson as Ruby Sunday, as well as Sethu.

In a statement accompanied by a photo, Davies said, “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!”

I’m good with this development, though it does come with a couple of potential concerns. First, Davies has now spoiled the fate of Gibson’s character, as we know Ruby Sunday will survive into the 15th season. Additionally, there is a risk of having too many companions, which was an issue during Jodie Whittaker’s tenure as the 13th Doctor (she had, by my count, 46 companions).

However, given Davies’ strong track record and the early promise of Ncuti Gatwa’s episodes, I’m willing to trust that he has a well-considered plan for balancing the two companions and elevating the stakes in the 15th season of Doctor Who.