Doctor Who and the sidekick: all the companions of the Timelord

The eagerly anticipated new season and new doctor hits our screens in November 2023. It has 3 hour-long episodes followed by a Christmas special.

Photo: BBC

Ncuti Gatwa will play the new Doctor in the 14th series of the brilliant BBC series, but who will be joining him for the ride?

As the 'Doctor Who' website tells us, Millie Gibson will be playing Ruby Sunday. She will be the young girl lucky enough to experience out-of-this-world antics with the Doctor. Best known for her role in the British TV show, 'Coronation Street,' Gibson and Gatwa have shown in their interviews that they clearly have great chemistry and we can't wait to see that on the screen.

According to 'Doctor Who Magazine', the casting of Gemma Arrowsmith, Billy Brayshaw, Mary Malone (Photo), and Majid Mehdizadeh-Valoujerdy has been confirmed.

Mehdizadeh-Valoujerdy is best known for playing Jesse Donovan in Hollyoaks. Gemma Arrowsmith is a writer and actress who you may have seen in 'Upstart Crow' and 'Stath Lets Flats'. Malone has appeared in the 'Vera' and 'The Prince'. Billy Brayshaw could be recognised for his role in 'Dawn Chorus'.

Now we know who will be joining the new Doctor on his travels, we look back at the Dr and his/her sidekicks through the years.

The First Doctor appeared to be a frail old professor type; but don't be fooled. He played deadly games with the Celestial Toymaker, and foiled the Daleks whenever they challenged him with.

The first Doctor was spoiled with a trio of companions when Doctor Who debuted in 1963, with Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright also in the first series, but it was the doctor’s granddaughter, Susan (Carole Ann Ford) who laid the blueprint for the traditional Doctor Who companion.

Dr number two was very different to his predecessor - a little darker and more playful, but a razor sharp mind. But alas he was forced in to exile by the time lords.

An 18th century Scotsman known as Jamie McCrimmon is the second Doctor’s sidekick. Jamie's roots made him more ignorant than The Doctor's other 20th century companions, but the character learned quickly and was fiercely loyal.

In case you didn’t know John Pertwee also played the original Worzel Gummidge and his son is the butler to young Batman in the series Gotham. The Third Doctor began his exile on earth with a new face and a new personality. He was confident and brash, but with a gentle fatherly side.

Jo Grant (Katy Manning). Arguably the originator for the current companion model, She was inquisitive and confident, but dazzled enough by The Doctor's genius to need everything explanations for most things.

Tom Baker is currently the longest serving doctor. Eccentric and brilliant a freewheeling bohemian spirit with a wide-eyed, childlike sense of wonder at the ways of the universe, with a taste for flair and Jelly babies.

Often considered the best companion of Doctor Who's classic run, Elisabeth Sladen made a lasting impression as Sarah Jane Smith. Special mention to K-9 a robotic dog, first appearing in 1977.

Clever and kind Doctor number five was a real science enthusiast; even reuniting with his past selves to fight in the Death Zone.

Janet Fielding played the fifth Doctor's sidekick. Davidson was a little short-changed in the companion stakes, and it's no real surprise that this era was the start of a gradual decline in viewership for the BBC's Dr Who series. More whiney and doubtful than the other sidekicks.

With an explosion of colours, words and emotions the sixth Doctor had a bit of a temper. You did not want to upset this doctor.

The first American companion to travel in the TARDIS, Peri (Nicola Bryant) was a more stereotypical assistant for Doctor number six, screaming when needed and lacking somewhat in personality.

Doctor number six was much more playful, even clown-like at times but also a master of dark secrets. Toppling empires and entertaining the Gods of Ragnarok.

One of the more action type of characters, Ace (Sophie Aldred) was brave and bold in relation to her Doctor's unassuming calm; and the duo made a really good team.

Paul McGann only played the doctor once, in a special 1996 Doctor Who Film. However, he did reappear briefly in a special 50th anniversary Doctor Who episode. In The Night of the Doctor, McGann's Doctor is seen for one last time before he regenerates into John Hurt, the War Doctor.

Lucie (played by the wonderful Sheridan Smith) was forced upon The Doctor by the Time Lords, and although at first it was a reluctant pairing, the two came to be extremely fond of each other.

Photo: BBC

Not technically classed as an official Doctor, we learn about him in a mini episode called ‘The Night of the Doctor'. In this special episode, Doctor number eight wants to regenerate as a warrior not a doctor. Muttering the famous line, ‘doctor no more’.

Photo: BBC

Bringing back and regenerating the famous franchise Doctor number nine was intense and emotional and sadly only did one season.

Billie Piper, partnering not one but two doctors and increasing the importance of the sidekick role in the series.

Voted the nations favourite doctor. His first full episode as the Doctor was the 60-minute special 'The Christmas Invasion', broadcast on Christmas Day 2005.

It would be a crime to suggest anyone other than Rose Tyler could be the one true companion to Doctor number ten. Not only was the chemistry between the two amazing, they were the first Doctor/companion pairing to be romantically linked. According to the Express, Rose Tyler could be back in the new series of Doctor Who in 2023.

Freema Agyeman had difficult shoes to fill after Rose Tyler was written out the script. Martha was a medical student whose hospital was transported to the moon. She had feelings for the doctor - they were not reciprocated - so she went back to live on earth after many adventures with the Doctor.

A multi-faceted character played by British Comedy legend, Catherine Tate. Donna originally appeared in the closing scene of the show's 2006 series and then as a special guest star in its following Christmas special, "The Runaway Bride". The role of the sidekick was taken over by Martha, but Noble came back for series 4. It has also been announced that Catherine Tate will reprise the role of Donna Noble for the series' 60th anniversary in 2023.

Smith became the youngest actor to play the Doctor on television (the record was held by Peter Davison for over 25 years)

Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) quickly came into her own, and her rock tight friendship with the Doctor ran much deeper than most TARDIS pairings. The real sign as to Amy's importance comes when Matt Smith's Doctor sees a vision of her shortly before regenerating.

Photo: BBC

He appeared briefly as the doctor in the 50th anniversary episode before making the role his own. He is the third Scottish actor to play the Doctor, after Sylvester McCoy and David Tennant. But, unlike Tennant, Capaldi portrays the character with his natural Scottish accent.

During the Capaldi Clara begin to exhibit more of her own personality, complimenting the Doctor number twelves brash, unsociable alien tendencies.

Photo: BBC

Our first female Doctor - and what a brilliant one. Down to earth and much more in touch with her human emotions, with a love for people and life: a modern Doctor for modern times.

Although Yaz could be in contention as Whittaker’s Doctor but the spark comes from different personalities when it comes to the Doctors’s flying companions. We say it is Graham (Bradley Walsh) who often asked the difficult questions and came up with the occasional reality-check at crucial moments.

Photo: BBC

The actor, born in Rwanda but raised in Edinburgh, Scotland, has been chosen by the BBC to replace Jodie Whittaker at the helm of this legendary series. In 2018, he rose to global stardom overnight thanks to Eric Effiong, his character in 'Sex Education' (Netflix). But from November 2022, Ncuti Gatwa will be remembered for being the 14th Doctor Who.

Although not yet confirmed if she will be Gatwa's new companion, she will certainly have a big role. Is there a new Doctor Who multiverse? Is she Donna's or the Doctor's daughter? We will have to wait until later on this year to find out. According to Digital Spy, she said, "This show has a place in so many people's hearts, so to be seen as a trans actress by the legend himself Russell, has not only made my year, it's made my life. I cannot wait to begin this journey and for you all to see how Rose blossoms. Get Ready."