Doctor Who’s new companion Varada Sethu was seen on set for the first time on Monday, after Millie Gibson’s shock axe.
Varada, 32, who is best known for playing DS Mishal Ali in the BBC apocalyptic TV Series Hard Sun, filmed scenes in Wales with Ncuti Gatwa.
Over the weekend, Whovians were shocked when it was revealed former Coronation Street star Millie, 19, had been dropped after just one series.
Millie took on the role as the Fifteenth Doctor’s companion Ruby Sunday and had only just made her debut in the Christmas special.
But it was Varada who was seen on set with Ncuti, 31, on Monday as Penarth Pier was transported back to the 1950s with American cars, including a 1954 Cadillac sat outside the Palazzo theatre.
The actress looked incredible in a retro yellow halterneck swing dress, while her hair was styled in pin curls.
Ncuti, who wore a pale blue suit and pink bow tie, grabbed Varada’s hand as they ran through billowing smoke out of the cinema.
The Palazzo’s advertisement for the film The Harvest Bringer starring Rock Hudson had lost some of it letters in the chaos.
In a clever nod, it now spelt Harbinger – a term used for something that foreshadows a future event.
Crowds gathered to watch the cast and crew film the scenes, thought to be set in Miami.
Varada has also starred in Disney+ dystopian thriller Andor and Now You See Me.
While filming has begun, Varada won’t appear on screens until next year.
Millie will star alongside Ncuti in the eight-episode run for the 14th series in May and only around three episodes of the following series, with her exit storyline being kept strictly under wraps.
An insider told The Mirror: ‘Millie Gibson has all but left now and there’s a brand new companion, which is really exciting. Russell is keeping things moving and isn’t letting the grass grow, that’s for sure.’
Previous Doctor Who companion Bill Potts, portrayed by Pearl Mackie, only had a one-series run on the sci-fi show alongside Peter Capaldi’s version of the Doctor.
Other companions have had stayed on the show for a number of years, including Jenna Coleman’s Clara Oswald, Billie Piper’s character Rose Tyler and Karen Gillan’s Amy Pond.
The actress has jetted off to Cosa Rica and has been sharing photos of her trip with fans online.
Amid reports of her axing, a resurfaced interview saw Millie admit that if her new role on Doctor Who ‘went wrong, at least she’d tried it’ as she gambled her steady job on Coronation Street.
After starring as trouble-prone teen Kelly Neelan on Coronation Street since 2019, the actress decided to take a huge risk and leave the soap, a prospect which appeared to have initially paid off.
Speaking to the Independent last month, Millie explained: ‘I’d thought: “I’m so young, why the hell not? I’ve not got a mortgage, I’ve not got kids, not got anyone to pay. So if it does go wrong, at least I’ll have tried it.'”
During her last day on the set of the ITV soap opera, she recalled, ‘feeling a little bit sorry for myself, wondering if I’d made the right decision’.
Luckily, after her final episode aired, she received ‘a group call from all three of my agents.’
‘Whenever you get that, it either means you’ve been cancelled or you’ve got an amazing part. Thankfully, it was the latter,’ Mille added.
James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
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