Steven Moffat has vowed the new 'Doctor Who' companion will be a "brand new character".
Steven Moffat at the Doctor Who Festival
The showrunner is yet to start his search for Jenna Coleman's replacement after she announced she would not be reprising her role as Clara Oswald next year, but he is certain the Time Lord's new TARDIS traveller will be a completely fresh character.
Speaking at the 'Doctor Who' Festival at London's ExCel Centre over the weekend, Moffat revealed: "I think I'm prepared to say it will be a brand new character. It will not be someone you've already seen, because bringing a new character for the companion in to 'Doctor Who' means the story begins again, from the point of a new person you can invite a new audience on board. If you look at how 'Doctor Who' always begins, whether it's 'An Unearthly Child' or 'Rose', it begins with that companion character - dreadful word but that's what we call them - encountering the Doctor brand new and then it starts the series anew as this character gets to know the Doctor."
A handful of names have been linked to the part in recent months, including former 'Coronation Street' star Michelle Keegan, and although Moffat is yet to start casting he insists he wouldn't rule anyone out based on their current level of fame.
He said: "I've no idea of the level of fame that the current performer in question will have. Being famous doesn't count against you, it also doesn't count for you. I know when Russell (T. Davies) cast Catherine Tate, who was a huge success in the show, he was worried she was too well known to be the new companion. But I haven't thought about it."
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