Doctor Who cast: who is the new companion - and will Millie Gibson return?

• Doctor Who has returned for a new season on BBC and Disney.
• There is a fresh face in the Tardis in 2025.
• But who is the new companion?

A new face is stepping into the Tardis for the latest season of Doctor Who. Ncuti Gatwa is back and he will have yet another companion in this series.

Millie Gibson played Ruby Rose in the previous set of episodes - and you might be wondering if she will return. The creators have teased ‘big shocks’ in the upcoming season of the beloved BBC Sci-Fi show.

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Doctor Who is set to release on streaming earlier in the UK and USA yet again. While the live TV time has also been confirmed.

But who is in the cast of Doctor Who this year? Here’s all you need to know:

Who is the new companion on Doctor Who?

Ncuti Gatwa is back for another series as The Doctor on the BBC (and Disney Plus for the rest of the world). He will be joined by a fresh face in the Tardis this year.

Varada Sethu is playing the latest companion: Belinda Chandra. Speaking about the season she added: “There's twists and turns constantly, and you really don't know where they're going to land or who they’re going to run into on their journey home!”

If the new companion looks familiar, that is because she is. Varada appeared in an episode of Doctor Who last year (2024) - she played Mundy Flynn in Boom!

She is back as a new character in the form of Belinda, but the actor teased that the two are “linked”. Varada said: “I literally couldn't believe it, especially as I'd already been in ‘Boom’ in the previous season, I just thought it was a closed door. I didn't think there was any chance that they’d call me back, so it was a total surprise!

“Belinda is quick-witted, brave and independent, and is very rooted in her own values and beliefs. In that sense, she is kind of similar to Mundy – she isn’t afraid to stand up to the Doctor. They’re genetically linked thousands of years apart, and it adds another layer to why Belinda is so special to the Doctor, but you'll have to watch to find out more.”

Away from Doctor Who, Varada plays Cinta Kaz in the acclaimed Disney Plus series Andor - which is set to return for its own second season this month. She has also played DS Harper Weston in Annika and was also Lance Corporal Manisha Chetri in Strike Back: Revolution and Strike Back: Vengeance.

Will Millie Gibson be back this season?

Ruby Rose is set to return during the upcoming season - but when exactly she will be back remains firmly under wraps. It is not the first time The Doctor has had more than one companion - Jodie Whittaker’s 13th Doctor had three.

Who are the guest stars on Doctor Who?

Doctor Who has always been known for its big guest star appearances, especially since its return in 2005. And there are plenty of familiar faces to watch for again this season.

Rylan plays himself, the co-host of the Interstellar Song Contest and Alan Cumming voices the villainous cartoon character, Mr Ring-a-Ding.

Anita Dobson, Bonnie Langford, Jemma Redgrave, Caoilfhionn Dunne, Christopher Chung, Evelyn Miller, Ariyon Bakare, Julie Dray and Jonah Hauer-King all feature in the trailer for season 2, with Rose Ayling-Ellis MBE also joining the ranks for a thrilling and frightening adventure.

Freddie Fox will play a villain in the season. He said: “If audiences enjoy watching it half as much as I did making it, televisions are on course to explode right across the world.”

Derry Girls and Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan was in the Christmas special last year as the one-off companion for that episode.

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