Although Nicola Coughlan plays the companion in Doctor WhoIn the 2024 Christmas special, the actress admits that she had no experience before being cast in the role. Coughlan's breakthrough role was in the Channel 4 historical sitcom Derry Girls as anxious teenager Claire, before joining the Netflix period drama Bridgerton as season three's romantic lead, Penelope Featherington. Set after the events of Doctor Who In season 14, the Christmas special “Joy to the World” sees Ncuti Gatwa's fifteenth doctor traveling through human history in a hotel that offers rooms from across time and space.
Although Christmas sees Doctor Who air its 18th seasonal special, admitted Coughlan during an appearance on The Graham Norton Show (through PA Media) that she had no prior connection to the long-running sci-fi series. Coughlan explained that she didn't watch it while growing up in Ireland, which led to her needing to do research when being cast. Even when Coughlan joined the production, she had little understanding of the details of what was happening:
I can't say anything, not for reasons of secrecy, but because I had no idea what was happening. I was brought up in Ireland so I didn't see that as a kid, so when I got the role I looked it up on Wikipedia – it was like reading War and Peace and it was very confusing with monsters and time travel.
Even so, Coughlan said she enjoyed the experience of working on the show and would be open to returning. Check out Coughlan's comment below:
It was a fun experience and I had a lot of fun. If they wanted me back, I would do it again.
Many beloved Doctor Who Stars entered the series with little experience
Although Doctor Who is a mainstay of the science fiction genre with a rich history spanning over 60 years, Coughlan is hardly the only actor in a pivotal role to come into the series without having knowledge of the wider show. Despite portraying the main Time Lord themselves, Christopher Eccleston and Matt Smith have stated that they had little to no interest in the series before being cast. Even so, the two actors took on the role for their own reasons and committed to giving their best in two of the series' most famous seasons.
As such, Coughlan's inexperience with Doctor Who should not cause any alarm. Joining the series shortly after leading his own Bridgerton season, the star's presence could not only bring new attention to the series, but it will also give a talented actor the opportunity to play a pivotal role and create his own captivating character.
Our thoughts on Coughlan's Doctor Who experience
Coughlan may have the opportunity to return
Although Coughlan may not have been able to understand all the details Doctor Whoseasonal special, it's clear she's proud of her work. As such, many may wonder if there is an opportunity for the star to return to the sci-fi series in the future. Catherine Tate's Donna Noble became a companion to the main series after her experience as a guest on “The Runaway Bride,” which means it's not an unprecedented move.
However, Doctor WhoThe future of is currently in a state of flux, as any future series beyond the 15th season and spin-off The war between land and sea will not be decided before the 2025 season airs. As such, Coughlan Doctor Who the future may not be decided for some time.
Source: PA Media