Millie Gibson was confirmed as the sci-fi icon’s latest companion in November.
The Coronation Street actress will star as Ruby Sunday in the BBC series, while Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa will join her as the Fifteenth Doctor in the Christmas Day episode.
Millie was only 18 when she got the role and is the youngest actor to be cast in the role. This surpasses the record of Matthew Waterhouse, who was 19 when he was cast in Doctor Who in the 1980s.
When Ncuti heard about Millie’s casting, he said, “Millie is just the companion. She is full of talent, strength, she has a brutal sparkle in her eyes and is sharp as a razor.
“From the moment she walked into the room, she captured our attention with her effervescence and then amplified that attention with the sheer power of her talent. This adventure is going to be so wild and so much fun, I can’t wait to sail through the universe with Millie!’
It’s all happening: the news all Doctor Who fans have been eagerly waiting for was finally revealed last night, Millie Gibson confirmed as the Sci-Fi icon’s latest companion
The Coronation Street actress will appear as Ruby Sunday in the BBC series, starring Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor on Christmas Day
So who is Millie Gibson – and where you might have seen her before?
Millie is best known for her portrayal of teenager Kelly Neelan in the ITV soap Coronation Street, in which she appeared between 2019 and 2022.
Her role won her Best Young Actor at the British Soap Awards in 2022, with nominations at the National Television Awards and Inside Soap Awards.
But this was far from Millie’s first role.
The Tameside-born actress first appeared in the CBBC drama Jamie Johnson as Indira Cave between 2017 and 2018.
She looks familiar: Millie is best known for her portrayal of teenager Kelly Neelan in the ITV soap Coronation Street, which she played between 2019 and 2022
She guest-starred in an episode of the BBC show Love, Lies and Records during the same period – a BBC drama starring outgoing Doctor Who companion Mandip Gill.
Millie later appeared in the ITV series Butterfly, before taking on the role of Kelly in Coronation Street and quickly becoming a fan favourite.
Off-screen, Millie appears to lead a relatively normal family life.
The Tameside-born actress first appeared in the CBBC drama Jamie Johnson as Indira Cave between 2017 and 2018
She was born in Greater Manchester in 2004 and is said to have attended the Blue Coat School in Oldham, a Church of England school founded in 1834.
As a child she took classes at the Oldham Theater Workshop.
It is here where Millie was reportedly spotted by Manchester Media City talent agency Scream Management, who helped launch her into her TV career.
Millie announced her casting in Doctor Who during the 2022 Children in Need fundraiser on BBC One.
She was born in Greater Manchester in 2004 and is said to have attended the Blue Coat School in Oldham – a Church of England school founded in 1834.
In a statement, the star said the role of Ruby Sunday is a “dream come true.”
She said: “While I am still in total disbelief, I am extremely honored to be cast as the Doctor’s companion.
“It’s a gift of a role and a dream come true, and I will do everything I can to fill the boots that those who have come before me have come before me.”
‘This is a dream come true!’ Corrie star Millie Gibson has been announced as the new Doctor Who companion Ruby Sunday. Pictured during the Children in Need fundraising campaign
The Doctor’s companion is the character who travels or shares adventures with the Doctor, with Millie set to make her debut during the holiday season in 2023
“And what better way to do that than to be alongside the fantastic Ncuti Gatwa, I can’t wait to get started.”
The Doctor’s companion is the character who travels or shares adventures with the Doctor, with Millie set to make her debut during the 2023 holiday season.
Many see his casting of Millie and Ncuti as welcoming a new, younger era of the much-loved BBC series.