Search for new Doctor Who's partner begins

 

The producers of Doctor Who have begun the search for a "high profile" female companion after unveiling little-known actor Matt Smith as the new Time Lord.

 

By Anita Singh, Showbusiness Editor

Daily Telegraph.co.uk 6:55AM GMT 05 Jan 2009

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01215/lily-allen_1215699c.jpg

Singer Lily Allen has been tipped to join the doctor in the Tardis Photo: GETTY IMAGES

 

Smith, 26, a surprise choice for the 11th Doctor and the youngest actor ever to take the role, is largely unfamiliar to audiences and BBC bosses are keen to pair him with a showbusiness name.

 

The singer Lily Allen is an early favourite, while sources say Strictly Come Dancing stars Rachel Stevens and Kelly Brook are high on the BBC's wish-list.

 

Producers are looking for someone who is famous outside the world of acting – replicating the success of former Doctor's assistant Billie Piper, who was better known as a teenage popstar and the wife of DJ Chris Evans when she landed the role but proved a hit with viewers.

 

Auditions will take place over the coming months and filming begins in the summer. Piers Wenger, executive producer of the BBC One show, said: "Having got the casting of the Doctor out of the way, the companion role is where we will be looking next.

 

"Someone terribly exciting like Billie Piper, who was at the beginning of her acting career but who had a profile for other reasons, would be great. We are looking for someone whose light can burn brightly."

 

Allen, 23, was linked with the role once before, but it went to comedienne Catherine Tate. She is a favourite with bosses at the BBC, where she has her own chat show, and is keen to try her hand at acting. She would follow in the footsteps of singer Kylie Minogue, who was cast as the companion in the 2007 Christmas special.

 

Wenger said: "We would never cast anyone on the basis of their celebrity, but if Lily wanted to audition we would be delighted. It would be a lot of fun."

 

Brook, 29, has acting experience, including a remake of the Italian Job, but has never had a major television role. Doctor Who sources say her name has come up in discussions several times. She will face competition from Stevens, 30, who is keen to carve out a screen career and recently took acting lessons in Los Angeles. Model Agyness Deyn, 25, is another possible choice.

 

All are close in age to Smith, who takes over from David Tennant in 2010. Nearly seven million viewers tuned in to BBC One on Saturday to discover the 11th Doctor's identity.

 

There had been much talk of a black Doctor Who, with actor Paterson Joseph among the favourites. Wenger disclosed: "We saw a dozen or so people, some of them black. There was never any resistance to the idea of a black Doctor and it would have got us all sorts of headlines and brownie points, but we set out to cast the best actor for the role irrespective of ethnicity or age, and that was Matt."

 

Who would you like to see as the next Doctor Who's assistant?

 

 

Lily Allen would be most amusing :heehee: Rachel Stevens, not so much :/ Michelle Ryan ftw.

Kelly Brook or Michelle Ryan plsss.

oh god no..... not lily allen or rachel stevens (though shes had enough practice at acting.... acting being a pop star ... :lol: )

 

i hope they pick a reletive unknown, someone with no 'big' previous . a new face.

how about they pick someone that can actually act rather than famous like Lily Allen or Rachel Stevens?

 

 

 

Someone original, plzzzz.

Hopefully an actress.

 

I think it might be a good idea if they go for someone who is not too well known like they did witht he Doctor? Reason for this, is too many people make up their minds already about the show if they don't like the actress/actor!

Anyone but Lily Allen please

 

Someone like Michelle Ryan would be good

I think any of those mentioned would be great tbh!

I thought that an original would be better before, but I much preferred Billie and Catherine to Freema :unsure:

Why not a male assistant? Sort of widens it for them :lol:

 

How about Georgia Moffett returning as the Doctor's Daughter, or to get some people excited, Sally Sparrow :w00t:

If Lily Allen gets the gig, I will not watch Dr. Who full stop

 

As I said in another thread, Michelle Ryan is perfect as the companion, or even Sally Sparrow.

 

Surely they will have to go with a young companion if the new Dr. is only 26, having a female around the age of 32 plus, makes the show most stupid, the companion older than the Dr.

It won't be Lilly Allen. The only reason she's favourite is because some daft producer joked that it could be her. I don't think (and hope) they'd go for her anyway. I imagine her character would be too similar to Rose.

If Lily Allen gets the gig, I will not watch Dr. Who full stop

 

As I said in another thread, Michelle Ryan is perfect as the companion, or even Sally Sparrow.

 

Surely they will have to go with a young companion if the new Dr. is only 26, having a female around the age of 32 plus, makes the show most stupid, the companion older than the Dr.

 

Why have people got a problem with Lily Allen?

 

After all at public school she excelled at acting far more than music until her music teacher noticed her talent for writing lyrics. As a 13 year old she was in the Oscar winning British costume drama Elizabeth (starring Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush, Christopher Eccleston, Joseph Fiennes, Richard Attenborough, John Gielgud, Kathy Burke & Eric Cantona) & she'd earlier appeared in a couple of Comic Strip Presents, and has always expressed an interest to go back to acting especially when her music career "flops".

 

Whilst her father Keith Allen is a rather fine comedy dramatic actor/writer; her mum Alison Owen is an English film producer most famous for 2004's Shaun Of The Dead; her stepdad is comedian actor Harry Enfield & her younger brother Alfie Owen-Allen is building up a respectable acting career.

 

Therefore her pedigree does not appear too different to that of Billie Piper before she got the Doctor Who assistant role, and look how that turned out.

 

..... Anyway I hope Carey Mulligan gets the gig.

Why have people got a problem with Lily Allen?

 

After all at public school she excelled at acting far more than music until her music teacher noticed her talent for writing lyrics. As a 13 year old she was in the Oscar winning British costume drama Elizabeth (starring Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush, Christopher Eccleston, Joseph Fiennes, Richard Attenborough, John Gielgud, Kathy Burke & Eric Cantona) & she'd earlier appeared in a couple of Comic Strip Presents, and has always expressed an interest to go back to acting especially when her music career "flops".

 

Whilst her father Keith Allen is a rather fine comedy dramatic actor/writer; her mum Alison Owen is an English film producer most famous for 2004's Shaun Of The Dead; her stepdad is comedian actor Harry Enfield & her younger brother Alfie Owen-Allen is building up a respectable acting career.

 

Therefore her pedigree does not appear too different to that of Billie Piper before she got the Doctor Who assistant role, and look how that turned out.

 

..... Anyway I hope Carey Mulligan gets the gig.

 

for me its simply because shes already a well known person . i didnt like catherine tate for the same reason, i kept hearing 'lauren' or the cantankerous old bag coming through. this detracts from the character.

 

lily allen might have been a good choice IF she hadnt embarked on a pop career, not sure i can get past that..... but then again so did billy piper and she made the transition successfully i suppose, but i was never into pop star billy piper...

 

I think any of those mentioned would be great tbh!

I thought that an original would be better before, but I much preferred Billie and Catherine to Freema :unsure:

Awww I Loved Freema :( Billie>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Freema>>Catherine IMO!

 

VERNE TROYER FTW!! (I'm joking BTW -_-)

 

I would love Any of those mentioned. But Lily Allen may go well with the new Dr. I dunno why but they would look quite good together! :lol:

 

They should have each of the mentioned Actresses in each of the Specials that are airing then, get People to vote online or something ;)

Donna>>>>Martha>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Rose

Big name would be really good, but please someone who can act. Billie had acting experience so that's why she was cast, Lily or Rachel no no thanks...

Lily Allen would be hilarious I think. :lol:

And yes a male companion would be good. A homosexual rendezvous?

 

Anyone want to place money on Cheryl Cole getting the job even though she probably can't act to save her life?

I can't deal with any comedy person again like Catherine! I want to watch a Drama not a comedy.

I can't deal with any comedy person again like Catherine! I want to watch a Drama not a comedy.

 

Pretty much how I feel tbh.... Tamsin Greig would be good (in fact, she'd've been a bloody good Doctor if you ask me...), although a "comedy actress" on the face of it, she's not exactly unfamiliar with the more serious side of acting, and anyway, stuff she was in like "Green Wing" had a certain "nervousness" and darkness within the humour...

 

I'm seriously beginning to worry about this show now... I mean, the choice for the new Doctor is either going to work extremely well or it's going to be the worst acting disaster since George Lazenby took over from Sean Connery as Bond..... The Assistant needs to be someone with the requisite experience and talent (which rules Michelle Ryan and Lily Allen out... :lol: ) to make up for Matt Smith's lack of 'lead TV role' experience....

 

So, in saying this, I go for Greig, or Gina Bellman (who played "Mrs Jackman/Hyde" in the excellent "Jekyll" series), or, if they could get her, Tilda Swinton.....