Jenna Coleman Reportedly Quitting ‘Doctor Who’ In December
For the impossible girl, it’s impossible to stay: Jenna Coleman, who plays companion Clara Oswald on Doctor Who, is reportedly set to depart the iconic science fiction show in December.
According to The Mirror, the 28-year-old Coleman is thought to be leaving the show in a Christmas storyline that they describe as “sensational.” Coleman’s departure would bring an end to her 18 month tenure as the Doctor’s companion, which included Doctor Who‘s 50th anniversary celebrations.
.@Jenna_Coleman_ at a press conference in Mexico City for the #DWWorldTour. We wonder what she’s saying. pic.twitter.com/BH051Dquct
— Doctor Who on BBCA (@DoctorWho_BBCA) August 16, 2014
According to a source quoted by The Mirror, “The conversations about Jenna’s exit have started, and a plan is in place which is being ironed out.” The source went on to say that “By the time she leaves she will be one of the longest-standing companions ever. She has been absolutely brilliant in the role, but everyone agrees it is a part that should change after a period,” before adding that the decision for Coleman to exit was entirely mutual.
*EXCLUSIVE* According to the Mirror, Jenna Coleman is to leave Doctor Who in the Christmas special. pic.twitter.com/jTYVYBMQoI — Time Lord Database (@TimeLordFans) August 16, 2014
As Nerdist points out, Coleman’s departure from Doctor Who wouldn’t be without precedent. Companions rarely last more than two seasons on the show, and it is common for them to change as the Doctor does. There have been almost 60 companions over the course of Doctor Who‘s 50 years, and if Jenna Coleman does depart at Christmas, she will have appeared in 25 episodes, an amount similar to modern companions Catherine Tate and Freema Agyeman.
Peter Capaldi and @Jenna_Coleman_ at the Top Of The Rock today in NYC for the #DWWorldTour! #doctorwho pic.twitter.com/I65oVLG9xN
— Doctor Who on BBCA (@DoctorWho_BBCA) August 15, 2014
Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat has dropped hints that Coleman’s relationship with the Doctor would change after Capaldi’s arrival in the role following last year’s Christmas special. Though fans had speculated that the Doctor and Coleman’s character would engage in a romantic relationship, Capaldi shot down those rumors, as The Inquisitr reported.
i honestly think that peter capaldi would protect jenna coleman like she’s his own flesh and blood pic.twitter.com/OmpUPr9h1j
— alicia ? (@katecastIe) August 15, 2014
Series 8 of Doctor Who is set to premiere in just under a week, on August 23rd. The BBC has released neither a statement nor a comment regarding Jenna Coleman’s departure.
[Image via Sunday Express]
