Has anyone compiled a complete list of these single-story almost-companions?


If not, I'll start it off with:


Samantha Briggs
Will Chandler
Rachel 'Ray' Defwydd


Are there more?

Astrid Peth?

Lynda Moss

I'm not sure whether you mean considered as full-time companions by the writers or The Doctor himself. If it's the latter, Lynda counts as she was definitely going to join The Doctor if she survived the events of the story (which she didn't )

I'm open to correction here, but I remember reading somewhere once that Anne Chaplet from The Massacre was briefly considered as a new companion but after the problems with Katarina as a historical companion they changed their minds and went for Dodo instead.

Sorry, I meant by the writers.

To me, if they appear on the titles, they are full time companions!

They wanted Pauline Collins character, Samantha Briggs, from The Faceless Ones to stay apparently, but she declined. (From the documentary on The Krotons dvd)

Edit: of course I could read the 1st post and realize it'd been mentioned, but where's the fun in that.

Lenora Crichlow played a long standing 7th doctor companion whose time line was wiped so it never happened in the Big Finish release The Architects of History, does that count?

Well, if that counted then I could mention a character called either Nik or Albert Marlow who came dreadfully close to replacing Jamie in the unmade story 'The Prison in Space'. (also done later by Big Finish)

You're right. It's mentioned in the book Doctor Who - The Sixties.

Another interesting snippet of information from that book is that Pauline Collins, who played Samantha Briggs in The Faceless Ones, was originally offered the role of Zoe before it went to Wendy Padbury, but she turned it down. They obviously really wanted Pauline Collins in the TARDIS!

Was Sally Sparrow ever considered??

Doubt it, RTD created a new character for series 4, the journalist character from Partners in Crime, to be the companion before Catherine Tate offered to do the series. They had an actress in mind to play the part, though the name is not revealed in The Writers Tale.

Even if they had wanted her, I doubt Carey Mulligan would have been willing to commit to Dr Who, she was an in demand actress even at that point.

I never knew that!!

The Writers Tale is actually a really good book, I'd recommend it.

The journalist was to be called Penny Carter. Penny was northern and had a northern mother; a Sheridan Smith type. The Writers Tale then talked about a 'Miss X' who would be a brilliant Penny (presumably not Sheridan Smith who was mentioned seperately.) And then Julie Gardner had lunch with Catherine Tate on 22nd March 2007 and Tate apparently out the blue offered to do all of series 4, and Penny Carter never happened. (All from chapters 1 and 2 of The Writers Tale.)

I think Ray from Delta And The Bannerman was considered a companion before they decided to go with Ace instead.

Of course, Tom Baker apparently wanted a parrot and a talking cabbage!

She was ... mentioned in first post.

And it's things like this that make me glad the production team ignored him

And it backfired spectacularly when they gave him what he wanted and called them Tegan and Adric.


There was Sara Kingdom of course, in the classic 'Dalek's Masterplan'.

I Believe Jeremy Bulloch (sp?) from the 'Space Museum' was considered at one point in William Hartnell's Day.
I personally wish they had taken on Varsh (Adric's brother in 'Full Circle') - much better-looking and better actor!

How true

Thanks! I'm glad I remembered that right!

I think Pauline Collins would have made a great companion! She was brilliant in The Faceless Ones!

As for a historical companion, they could have made it work if they tried. Victoria Waterfield showed it could be done but I can understand after Katarina, who was quite limited as a character, that they would be wary.

I have to admit, much as I liked Ace, I really wish Ray had been taken on as a companion instead. She had a very sexy Welsh accent and I loved her look. She also had this mix of innocence and action girl which I liked as well and she could ride a motorbike!

Not sure if she would have worked as well as Ace in the long run, that we shall never know.....

I wonder how much of Ace's character was inspirewd by "Ray"

Meerya Syal

In reverse Jamie was never meant to be a regular but public opinion made sure he was, and one of the greatest at that.