https://twitter.com/bbcdoctorwho/sta...81644616962048
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/doctorwho...9-2fad42c46da3

Interesting that her wording of it makes it seem like she will be leaving before the series end, she said "during" series 9.

That's to keep the viewers on their toes and increase the sense of mystery and peril.
If they said she'd leave at the end of the series then any threat to her during the season would be lessened.
Having said that she was spotted on location for what is believed to be episode 12, though working as a waitress... But exactly when she leaves, and how she leaves is still very unclear.

more information here:

http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/j...s-quit-6466257

Why do we need to know?
Speaking as an ex-fan surely it would have more impact if you didn't know? Then she could leave the TARDIS either dead or whatever and it would have more of an emotional impact

Because most fans had already worked it out, she needs to start filming for that ITV drama which the ITV already want to start publicizing and also because it helps the BBC's ratings if people know she's leaving.

Spot on. An incoming or departing companion makes plenty of headlines, so to announce this one day before the new series is very sensible. All the press stories this creates will, after all, be mentioning the date and time the show is on. If that pulls in more casual viewers, great. Add a cracking cliffhanger, and we might have a few new converts who'll stick with it!

You will be like uzzzz. You will be like uzzzz......

I like it better when I don't know as it's more interesting to be surprised
Sounds like not many are bothered about surprises though
Shame

It's impossible to keep quiet because Jenna has her own career to think about and, as said, her new employers want the publicity for their own project. So for the BBC and the Doctor Who team it's about making the most of the inevitable.

Great news!

Thanks Jenna for your contribution to the show.

I will miss Clara but it's time for someone new though.

Good luck to Jenna in her future projects though.

http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-ra...-was-emotional Jenna Coleman confirms Doctor Who exit: 'It was emotional!'
The actor who plays the Doctor’s assistant Clara Oswald confirmed her decision to Nick Grimshaw on his Radio 1 breakfast show

Well, Clara has popped her clogs a few times in the show, the asylum, the snowmen and jumping through the whatever it was but if its anything like Amy's departure its going to be a hard one to watch.

Sad to see her go but looking forward to seeing the new companion, hopefully one without a romantic partner being dragged along.

On BBC iPlayer
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...its-doctor-who

Sadly, this just shows how it's the victim of it's own considerable success. Were it not as popular, either Jenna wouldn't have been cast in something else as high-profile, or not as many people would have been following. Due to the show, and therefore the actors on the show, being incredibly popular still, there's simply too much scrutiny, and the actors are in far too much demand (at least immediately after) for people to leave as a surprise.

I am very, very sad to see Jenna Coleman leave the show, but wish her all the best for her future endeavors! She has been terrific as Clara and I have loved both of her arcs. I wish she and Matt had had one full series together before he left, but that was not to be.

Still, long live the new companion, eh?

Talked about for a few days, but it's still sad to hear it made official. I've ended up loving Clara, and would have happily have seen her stay into Series 10 - even if I never suspected she would. I'll remember Oswin as being perhaps my favourite introduction to a companion ever, and hopefully her exit won't disappoint either.

Jenna herself is superb and I hope she continues to do well for herself.

Personally, glad to see Clara's leaving the TARDIS. She just hasn't gelled, for me, as a companion. Too much storyline and not enough heart.

Great news. Long distance Clara was a rather average companion for me who out-stayed her welcome.

Osgood would be good, but I suspect it'll be the end of 2016 before they cast someone, and if Moffat is still there she'll be a pretend badgirl like Mels or Courtney Woods.

The show needs someone endearing like Rose, Donna and even Rory and his dad were.

Very sad to see her go. Easily my favourite companion. Look forward to seeing her take on Queen Victoria.

I hope the producers make note of the fact that probably out of any of the Doctor's companions EVER, he has known her the longest. I think we are meant to forget he spent about 1000 years on Trenzalore, and she was there before, and after. He should be absolutely distraught so much more than any other companion before hand.

They never should of put in that 1000 year wait because it has never been mentioned upon. The doctor should of really forgotten who he was completely, but I do not think they specifically mentioned that long wait he had EVER in series 8, and that bugged me intensly.

This.

Apart from Susan? Or Sarah Jane ( with intervals). Or Jack.
Clara didn't travel with him without stopping off, remember, like any of the others left on Earth time passed differently for him and her.

I think Jenna has been quite clever. She waited until a starring role in a big budget production about Queen Victoria was in the bag before announcing her departure. Dr. Who made her a star, but it is very easy for the prominence that the role brings also to be the companion's effective swan song. That doesn't apply to all companions, of course, but there have been plenty over the years who never achieved that degree of popularity again.

She is a very good actress, and I am sure she will take Queen Vic in her stride. She'll need some heavy prosthetics to play her in her old age, though. I will be watching, for one.