Doctor Who: Jenna-Louise Coleman to be new companion

Former Emmerdale actor Jenna-Louise Coleman is to replace Karen Gillan as the Time Lord's companion in BBC1 drama Doctor Who. Coleman, 25, who played lesbian Jasmine Thomas in the soap, will make her first appearance in the Doctor Who 2012 Christmas special. However, Doctor Who executive producer and showrunner Steven Moffat, who delights in keeping viewers and journalists guessing, declined to reveal what Coleman's character would be called. Coleman is reported to have impressed TV bosses in screen tests with Doctor Who star Matt Smith. Gillan, who plays Amy Pond, is due to leave the BBC1 sci-fi drama this year and Coleman was unveiled on Wednesday morning at a press conference. She will soon appear as Annie Desmond in Julian Fellowes's new ITV1 Titanic drama, while her other TV credits include Waterloo Road.