New 'Doctor Who' companion announced

[Perdita]

21-year-old Karen Gillan has been named as the new companion for series five of Doctor Who.

The Scottish actress will star alongside Matt Smith, who takes over from David Tennant as The Doctor in series five of the long-running cult show.

"I am absolutely over the moon at being chosen to play the Doctor's new companion," said Gillan. "The show is such a massive phenomenon that I can't quite believe I am going to be a part of it. Matt Smith is an incredible actor and it is going to be so much fun to act alongside him – I just can't wait to get started!"

Gillan previously appeared in Who as a soothsayer in the series four episode 'The Fires of Pompeii'. Her other credits include The Kevin Bishop Show, Rebus and Stacked.

Of Gillan's casting, new executive producer Steven Moffat said: "We saw some amazing actresses for this part, but when Karen came through the door the game was up. Funny, and clever, and gorgeous, and sexy. Or Scottish, which is the quick way of saying it. A generation of little girls will want to be her. And a generation of little boys will want them to be her too."

Rumoured contenders for the role of Matt Smith's assistant had included Lily Allen, Kelly Brook, Georgia Moffett and Skins star Hannah Murray.

Filming on the new series will begin in July for transmission around Easter 2010. Tennant's final episodes will air this Christmas.

[StarsOfCCTV]

Again....who?

:lol:

[Perdita]

More info on her:


Little-known actress Karen Gillan has been unveiled as the next assistant in Doctor Who.

The 21-year-old will star alongside new Time Lord Matt Smith in the new series, to be broadcast next year.

Gillan has already appeared in the drama, having played a Soothsayer in The Fires Of Pompeii in the last run.

"I am absolutely over the moon at being chosen to play the Doctor's new companion. - I just can't wait to get started," she said.

'Incredible actor'

"The show is such a massive phenomenon that I can't quite believe I am going to be a part of it.

"Matt Smith is an incredible actor and it is going to be so much fun to act alongside him," she added.

"When she auditioned alongside Matt we knew we had something special," he said.

INSIDER'S VIEW

Lizo Mzimba, Entertainment correspondent
The 2010 series is a crucial one for the programme. David Tennant has been such a big part of the show's success, that expectations for his successor are huge.

So the choice of a relative unknown to accompany the new Doctor in The Tardis is an unsurprising one.

If a well-known actress had been chosen, there would always be the danger that they would overshadow Matt Smith in his first series.

And The Doctor needs to be the main focus of the show, even though the companion role is much more significant now than it was in the classic series between 1963 and 1989.

Writer and executive producer Steven Moffat said they saw some "amazing actresses" but Gillan "walked through the door the game was up".

He described her as "funny, and clever, and gorgeous, and sexy".

"A generation of little girls will want to be her. And a generation of little boys will want them to be her too," he added.

Head of Drama, BBC Wales, Piers Wenger said she brings "energy and excitement" to the role.

Gillan developed a love for acting after attending several youth theatre groups and taking part in various school productions.

At the age of 16 she had decided to pursue her career further and left school to study acting at Edinburgh's Telford College.

She went on to secure a place at the Italia Conti drama school in London and landed her first role in the Scottish drama Rebus.

Parts in Channel 4's Stacked, The Kevin Bishop Show and James Nesbitt's forthcoming film Outcast followed, but her Doctor Who role is her first high profile to date.

BBC News

[Abbie]

I really dont know who she is, but I recoginse her

It could be good using people that are pretty 'unknown' to quite a few people

[Chloe O'brien]

Well she'd better be good she's scottish. I suppose they had to have an unknow actress playing the role as they couldn't have a well know one upstaging the new Dr. Her new film Outcast with James Nisbett was filmed in Edinburgh some of it was near the college.