Agreed. I love the idea of two teachers onboard again. I'm surprised it hasn't been done before to be honest!

Never seen the actor before. His promo picture looks brilliant. I utterly hate the name. Daniel Pink works ok. Danny Pink sounds like a missing character from Grease. That's said I thought Amy Pond sounded a bit dopey and what's in a name anyway?

Just glad we have confirmation of a new character to stir up the dynamic.

Surely we now need a teenage girl with weak ankles to complete the set?

did he and jenna work on emmerdale at the same time? Just wondering if their already familiar with working with each other.

I like the idea of bringing in a new recurring character but hopefully it'll be sporadically or in the back half of the season so that it won't have a negative impact on Clara and 12's relationship. Please dear God don't make him a love interest.

He's Chair of Governors now, isn't he? (I recall seeing it on the school notice board). It would be glorious to see William Russell again.

Is Clara at teacher at Coal Hill? I thought she was a childminder or a nanny looking after those twee little stageschool kids. Have I missed something? (chances are i have missed something ... that's normally the way things work).

Yes she is. Some people have said English based upon what was on the board (can't remember myself). Obviously some time had passed between Name of the Doctor and the 50th. Clara seems to have been travelling with him for a good couple of years.

I wouldn't like to see him have too big a role as he wasn't that big of a companion and he's getting on now- prehaps Clara could rush past him or something on the way to meet the Doctor- just as a little nod to the fans

Not that big of a companion?? He was only the male lead in the show!

I'm glad it's being done now though. It feels right and I think Danny will be a brilliant companion in his own right as well.

It would be incredibly cool if he was a Gay character, but I get the impression he's being set up as a love interest for Clara.

Hear hear! He led the show for two years, right through Dalekmania, and he is one of the all-time greats. He set the mold for every male companion and none of them have ever matched him. He was a huge character.

I REALLY hope we have an episode like School Reunion but with Ian.

Really? I can't stand him, I think as a character he just epitomised the 1960s male stereotype in a way that doesn't fit a show known for breaking the status quo. Anyway, what I meant was that he didn't define the show in the same way someone like Sarah Jane did- what made her comeback so iconic in School Reunion was that all of the parents who watched the show with their kids would have remembered Sarah Jane from their childhood. Ian's last appearance was 48 years ago, the casual viewer probably won't know who he is if he returned.

I'm not saying he shouldn't come back, but I wouldn't like to see him in anything more than a scene or two where he perhaps alludes to his former travels.

Do you remember the line in the Sarah Jane Adventures, when Sarah Jane tells the gang of a couple of retired school teachers in Cambridge who haven't aged a day since the 60s.

Here they are on set

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BhQHMAmIMAAX94K.jpg:large

I have no issue with Danny being a love interest for Clara and before people automatically assume it'll be Amy/Rory 2.0, it probably won't to be honest.

As long as Danny is an interesting character in his own right, would it really matter if him and Clara got involved romantically?

However, I certainly wouldn't object to Danny being gay either but I don't think he is though.

I had to look up what character he played but yeah they were on at the same time. His character was initially arrested for a murder Jenna's character did.



She did say that was a rumour though so they can ignore it if need be or just have it as an exaggeration and they aged slowly for a number of years but then started aging normally.

Oh good, that should that mean they will already be comfortable with each other and hopefully will mean that they will have good on screen chemistry from the start. Thanks for answering

There's rumours we might see him momentarily in episode 1 (which features one Coal Hill scene) before he properly debuts in episode 4.

The popularity of Who during it's first two years was immense, and the character of Ian was often the lead. Plenty of grandparents would respond to him the way some parents did with Sarah Jane.

Is this actor related to Hans Christian?


OK I'll also get my coat......

Whilst I was, for some reason, hoping for a Victorian male companion, maybe played by Damien Molony, I am incredibly excited to meet Danny Pink. I just hope he's interesting, likeable and doesn't bring any more dislike to Clara.

I actually can't believe how many people are bashing Moffat for trying to 'make Clara and Danny, the new Rose and Mickey'. Just because he shares the same skin colour does not mean he'll be in any way similar to Mickey. People are also saying he's just making Amy and Rory MK 2. The stuff I've seen on twitter is utter tripe. Some people just don't like his name, 'Danny Pink? Moffat has lost his marbles'. I understand not everyone likes Moffat's writing but some people will find anything to insult him with. There are people saying how stupid it is because he'll just be a love interest for Clara. RTD's era had the same, all of his companions had love interests. ROSE HAD 4 FOR GOD'S SAKE.

Inevitable but still somewhat disappointing. Not really a fan of two companions or male companions. Well we'll see how it goes.

Just the usual doom mongers/soothsayers on Twitter who will bash Moffat whatever. Fact is he cant win. Anything he does will be slated by some unless its bringing back Rose and Tennant. As such their opinions are worthless. Most fans will be excited to see this new character. I actually think the name is a little silly. But so what?

and some of the stuff I've seen written comparing him to Mickey is borderline racism and at worst just flat out racist. Whether they intend it or not there's some real ignorance being shown. Seeing comments from fellow Doctor who fans like 'i cant tell the difference between him and Mickey' make me wonder what show these people are watching and just how bloody stupid they must be. It basically translates to 'Oh look! A person of colour in Doctor Who! Its Mickey again!'. Shocking really.