Sorry if there's already a thread on this, tiny bit confused;

Has Jenna confirmed whether she's staying or leaving? I don't even think she knows... as far as I can tell, she was leaving, hence the pretty "final" scene she had with the Doctor in DIH, then she changed her mind and Moffat had to rewrite the Christmas special to include her in it.

Now all that's been cleared up, I guess she's now undecided on whether she wants to return to S9 for half the season, the whole season or not at all. For some reason she is keen on messing the production crew about a bit.

What's the deal with her? Also, if she's only doing half a season, why bother? What's stopping her committing to the entire season? I'd be well annoyed if I was producer.

Lot of assumptions there. Amy also got a farewell scene over a year before she left... then got a half series, too. Nothing new in Moffat land.

If there was a newbie filming in January they would have announced it; methinks she is staying for now.

It looks like she's staying, unfortunately.

They only usually announce things if they have to. Why would they spoil a good plot surprise for no reason? If there was a new companion and they had started filming before Christmas for the new series, then they would most likely announce the change officially rather than have it leak from people seeing filming. As it stands though, the filming dosen't start until January so they could easily have hired a new companion months ago and kept it under wraps knowing full well that there would be no way it would be spoiled until January when the audience would already know that Clara was gone anyway.

The evidence available doesn't prove whether she is staying/going either way but until we know for sure I will remain optimistic in thinking that she is leaving (and I say optimistic because I can't wait to see the back of her) and will be very happy if it turns out to be true.

They've kept it under wraps either way. Without needing to film until January they could keep either her involvement or a newbies involvement in Series 9 under wraps. It'll likely become clear at the end of Last Christmas... there are suggestions it could go either way.

I hope she stays. And I hope we get an addition for Series 9 as well.

Don't be silly.


If as you say she suddenly changed her mind and wanted to stay it would have been far easier to just drop the goodbye scene in Death in Heaven than totally rewrite the Christmas Special.


Jenna has never publicly said anything about leaving. She will likely have signed the contract to do the Christmas Special the same time she signed on for Series 8.


What happens after the Christmas Special remains to be seen.

Haven't they had to film new scenes because coleman has changed her mind and now wants to stay?

Link please

From what I've read and have taken with a pinch of salt, Jenna will stay until the middle of series 9 thus giving the crew time to choose a replacement and leave.

Hopefully going

I really hope she stays!
Clara is easily the best companion since NuWho began in 2005.

The producers and Moffat would be MAD to let Jenna go! I'd say she's been a bigger draw and played a bigger role in popularising the series than either Matt Smith or Peter Capaldi.... let alone the other companions or poor old Chris Eccleston.
Possibly only David Tennant has been a bigger asset to the series than Jenna.

If they get rid of Clara, I'll definitely stop watching!

Then again some of us find Clara irritating and would welcome her leaving to make way for someone fresh and new (preferably not yet another smart talking, feisty mid 20s modern earth female. Now if they'd kept Victorian Clara, who knows?) She was annoying enough taking over Matt's last series unnecessarily, and Capaldi needs someone new to work with.
Just goes to show how we all have different opinions

Clara is a dead end character and season 9 will stumble if she's still the companion. They need to hit the ground running in 2015 with a new companion from episode one.

Nothing has been announced or confirmed either way.

All I will throw into the discussion is that during the 'world tour' I thought Jenna looked somewhat distant from the proceedings. I remember wondering at the time if she had already left the show.

Except Moffat said in an interview that they had to rewrite the CS.

I agree with this. I think Moffat made the mistake of giving her the big storyline in her first season. Since then, I've just felt like she's had her moment and doesn't need to stick around.

Link Please.


A Proper Interview and not something made up by the Daily Mirror.





There was only a little over a month IIRC between them finishing filming Series 8 and filming the Christmas Special most of which was taken up by the World tour.


The BBC would have been absolutely stupid if they hadn't got Coleman and Capaldi signed up for the Christmas Special the same time they signed up for Series 8.

Just think, they finish filming Series 8, do the World Tour promotion and then Capaldi and Coleman could have turned around and said Bye leaving Moffat a couple of weeks to cast a new Doctor and Companion.

To answer the question in the thread title......Yes.

Have no idea and like it that way. Rate Jenna so perfectly happy if Clara stays. Soon find out.

Alright then, which actor/actress could replace Clara?!
I can't think of a single current actor/actress who could fill her shoes.

As someone else said, she's probably a bigger reason for people watching DW than either Peter Capaldi or Matt Smith.

please god save us and more importantly the doctor from another series of this horrid ego inflated doctor slapping demon

Until we see Last Christmas, we really don't know.

They seem to be teasing it either way, don't they?

Only the very lonely.

Most DW fans watch for the continuing adventures of the most fantastic character the BBC has ever devised. *

It would be nice if Clara stayed for another season. Good actress, good character, good chemistry with the Doctor. But, no companion is bigger than the show.



* Obviously with the exception of John Noakes.

I'd love Natasha O'Keeffe or Antonia Thomas. Emily Bevan would be amazing.

Of course, that's if you want young & female. Luke Newberry would be great to, as would many other actors.

I would like some 'out side the box' thinking like Donna - I never thought Catherine Tate would work but she was my favourite companion of all time. I personally didn't like Wilf, but he was very, very popular. You'd never get her but Kathy Burke would be a hoot

Does it even have to be a British Actor/Actress? Tom Wlaschiha has a real charm to him

But it all depends on the character - I suppose I'm basing my preferences based on characters they have played and there are many, many good actors & actresses out there. Anyone who has died in GoT would do But it does all boil down to the character - and if the actor/actress is right for the part.

I actually like Jenna and think she is a good actress but I utterly loath and detest Clara. I do think there is supposed to be an ambiguity to her which can lead to ambivalence or even animosity towards the character which I think Jenna brought out beautifully. But I think the character's time is done. Even if you replaced this Clara with one of her 'splinters' (Victorian one could have worked) they would be too much like this Clara. And we need someone fresh. And preferably male & German

Since RTD left, there have been fewer gay characters.
I'd like to see a stocky, middle-aged gay man as the new companion.
He should wear all leather and part of his story arc could be his huge crush on the doctor and trying to convert him to being gay. He could even try to snog the doctor or pin him up against the TARDIS walls just to tease him!
I'd love to see the terrified look on the Doctor's face every time he brushes past him in a suggestive way! It would make great comedy!
And they could have a field day with the whole "companion or *companion*?" play on words! As Nine would say, "Fantastic!"