A new companion may be in store for the Doctor in series 8. Samuel Anderson has joined the cast of Doctor Who as recurring character, Danny Pink, in the new season.
Like the Doctor’s (Peter Capaldi) current companion, Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman), Pink is a teacher at Coal Hill School. Other character details have yet to be released but perhaps he will be following in the footsteps of Rory Williams and Mickey Smith as the companion’s guy back home who eventually joins the Doctor’s traveling team.
Doctor Who’s lead writer and executive producer, Steven Moffat, points out Pink’s connection with a bit of the show’s history. “For the fourth time in Doctor Who history, Coal Hill School is coming to the aid of the TARDIS,” he said. “In 1963 teachers Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright accompanied the first Doctor. These days it’s the turn of Jenna Coleman as Clara Oswald. And very soon now, Sam Anderson as Danny Pink will be entering the world of the Doctor.”
Anderson is best known from ITV’s Emmerdale, where he played police officer Ross Kirk. He also appeared in the BAFTA award winning comedy, Gavin & Stacey and originated the role of Crowther in National Theatre’s 2004 production of The History Boys.
On his new role on Doctor Who, Anderson said, “I was so excited to join Doctor Who I wanted to jump and click my heels, but I was scared I might not come down before filming started! It’s a quintessential part of British culture and I can’t believe I’m part of it. It’s an honor to be able to work alongside Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman and I can’t wait to show people how my character becomes involved with such a fantastic duo!”
Series 8 of Doctor Who will be helmed by Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor and Coleman’s returning character, Clara. The show returns to BBC America later this year.
