Doctor Who teases new companion for 2025 in first-look photo

Martin Shore
·2 min read
The 15th Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) against a colored background in a promo shor for the Doctor Who Christmas Special 2023.
The 15th Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) against a colored background in a promo shor for the Doctor Who Christmas Special 2023.
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We're just under a month out from the return of Doctor Who, but the BBC has already released a first look at the 15th Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa, and his companions from the next series, scheduled to air in 2025.

Ahead of the premiere of Doctor Who season 14, the BBC has confirmed that a third person will be stepping inside the TARDIS and traveling through space and time alongside the Doctor and Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) with some new snaps of the trio from a table read.

We have no information about her role, but we at least know that Varada Sethu will be joining the show for the next series. Sethu already has a number of projects under her belt, including the roles of Cinta Kaz in Andor and Shira in Jurassic World: Dominion. You may also know her from Strike Back, I Came By, Hard Sun, Annika, and Mrs. Sidhu Investigates.  

Sethu is clearly excited to set foot in the TARDIS! She says: "I feel like the luckiest person in the world. It is such an honour to be a part of the Whoniverse, and I'm so grateful to the whole Doctor Who family — because that is what they are — for welcoming me with open arms and making me feel so at home.

"I couldn't ask for a better team than Ncuti and Millie to be on this adventure with, this is SO much fun!", she added. You can see one of the snaps from the table read for the future series below.

Millie Gibson, Ncuti Gatwa and Varada Sethu (L-R) photographed together at a table read for Doctor Who season 15
Millie Gibson, Ncuti Gatwa and Varada Sethu (L-R) photographed together at a table read for Doctor Who season 15

Returning Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies is just as excited to have Varada Sethu onboard for the future season. Of the casting announcement, he said: "I first worked with Varada on a BBC production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, and it's a joy to welcome her on board the TARDIS.

"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!

Doctor Who returns on Saturday, May 11 to BBC One (with two episodes available to stream from midnight on BBC iPlayer). New episodes will drop on a weekly basis.

Outside of the UK, the series is streaming on its international streaming home of Disney Plus from Friday, May 10 at 7 pm ET, again with a two-episode premiere.