Pearl Mackie is the new Doctor Who companion: first photos

Doctor Who (Peter Capaldi) and Pearl Mackie

It’s a massive year of changes for DOCTOR WHO, with showrunner Stephen Moffat announcing his departure from the series following the next full season in 2017. Now the BBC has announced that actress Pearl Mackie will take over from Jenna Coleman as Bill, the important companion character to Peter Capaldi’s Doctor.

Mackie has previously been known for playing Anne-Marie Frasier in Doctors in 2014 and is currently performing in the National Theatre’s West End production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time.

“I’m incredibly excited to be joining the Doctor Who family,” she told the BBC. “It’s such an extraordinary British institution, I couldn’t be prouder to call the Tardis my home.”

Mackie has described Bill as “wicked”, adding that she is “cool, strong, sharp, a little bit vulnerable with a bit of geekiness thrown in”. Sounds a little bit like the DOCTOR WHO audience, right?

The 2017 series will commence filming this year, with a solitary Christmas Special being the only offering from 2016.

Doctor Who (Peter Capaldi) and Pearl Mackie

Doctor Who (Peter Capaldi) and Pearl Mackie

Doctor Who (Peter Capaldi) and Pearl Mackie

Programme Name: Doctor Who S10 - TX: 23/04/2016 - Episode: n/a (No. n/a) - Picture Shows: MEET PEARL MACKIE - THE DOCTOR'S NEW COMPANION Pearl Mackie - (C) BBC - Photographer: Ray Burmiston