I don't think it's ever been made public, but I think the common consensus was that she didn't turn out to be as good as the production team hoped. Plus Catherine Tate, who had only ever been intended as a one-off companion for the Christmas special, showed an interest in becoming a full time companion which the production team hadn't been aware of when Freema was originally cast.

"I can't wait for Chibnall to take over and fix this mess!"

*Two years later*

"Just saw a preview clip of Chibnall's series with somebody running down a corridor... can't believe this is happening to me, Doctor Who is dead and buried"

Linekar looked like he just smelled dogshit when the clip ended and the FA cup coverage resumed.

Deleted!

I don't think that is correct. See my earlier post.

At the "We need to go to 2017" (or whatever it was) point, if you press a button on your remote it brings up a sad looking person in the corner of the screen, this is the honest interpreter who can translate what is happening and being said (like the sign language translators).. The honest interpreter translates the 2017 line as follows - Uh yeah, so uh, there's not going to be a series until next year, this little skit and the X-mas episode is your fill for 2016, but you know, there's the new companion and there's a shot of a Dalek... yay...

2005 Doctor Who clearly owes everything to Russell T Davies, that initial blast onto out screens has sustained the show ever since even as it becomes like an orange cordial that's been diluted too much.

Not judging the new companion as much as where this show is now in terms of creativity and social relevance.

The transition into just some chavvy comedy soap opera would appear to be entering the final stages based on that risible clip. I would've hoped Capaldi had more clout to prevent this show devolving even further but it appears he hasn't or just doesn't care.

Time to cancel it before it gets any worse.

Rubbish. Martha had a specific arc, it played out and she appeared in Series 4 and Torchwood Series 2.

I really liked Martha, she was unfortunate coming in after Rose who was very popular at the time and they made a mistake in having her falling in love with the doctor. Not Freema's fault. They never capitalised on her potential as an intelligent woman.

Trawled through a few pages; think I'll go back to the football! Chavy, ugly, probably typical BBC tokenism, won't bother watching.....delightful. Still, gives me a taste of how my beloved Donna was received back in the day. (Although do recall reading some of those reactions, even though only popped on DS occasionally pre joining.)

Still...welcome Pearl Mackie. Stay away from tinternet forums and good luck to you.

Possibly cos he's not a fan of the show rather than he is a fan and doesn't like the new companion

I'm starting to think the show is getting a kind of McCoy era stench about it, sort of something embarrassing that people don't like to admit watching.

Probably the most stupid comment I have ever read.

Missed the clip, never heard of her but as usual with Doctor Who, will take a deep breath, sit back and hope for the best.

Thanks for the helpful response. Have you anything to back this up? No, thought not. As far as I remember she was originally given a 2 year contract.

Good finish by martial to win the game. Keeps the bbc schdule neat not going into extra time.

Probably because he thought "what's that rubbish clip doing interrupting the football?".

That one annoys me. God forbid the BBC cast someone whose skin is a little darker than the others, because that's just pandering, right?

Every time somebody tries to use the late 80's as an example of the show now being "unsuccessful" an Alpha Centaurian dies.

She seems OK. Its actually impossible to judge from such a small clip.
I am always more worried about the writing these days than the cast!
Though i was hoping for a surprise and we got TWO new companions at once. I quite like the Tardis to have an entourage

Crap. Freema had darker skin yet never got that abuse aimed at her

Yep, this, I made the same point in one of my earlier posts, I don't understand why, it just makes the show come across as cheap, and that's not going to help possibly attracting new people, its instead probably going to put them off...

Its a poor way of introducing the companion because people will no doubt judge her on this clip, and that's not a good way for the actress and the character to make a good first impression... not having enough time to really get into it, and being in a clip with a production that only the power rangers would be pleased with...

She got 2 years. 1 year as main companion, 5 episodes in 2008, 3 episodes of Torchwood, a cartoon episode and a ton of audiobooks and a Torchwood radio play.

She was always intended to be a one season companion.