New Doctor Who companion revealed

The BBC has announced that Pearl Mackie will join the Doctor Who cast as The Doctor’s new companion "Bill".

Pearl was exclusively revealed to audiences in a special scene with the Doctor and the Daleks shown on BBC One:

On joining the cast in her first major television role, Pearl said:

 “I'm incredibly excited to be joining the Doctor Who family. It's such an extraordinary British institution, I couldn't be prouder to call the TARDIS my home!

 Peter Capaldi is such a brilliant actor, and his Doctor is such a wacky and wonderful character, I can't wait to see what adventures are in store for him and Bill throughout time and space. Reading the script at the audition I thought Bill was wicked. Fantastically written, cool, strong, sharp, a little bit vulnerable with a bit of geekiness thrown in - I can't wait to bring her to life, and to see how she develops through the series.

I always loved stage combat at drama school so I can't wait to get on set and kick some evil monsters into the next dimension!"

She has also recorded a short interview for the Doctor Who website and YouTube channel:

It is not yet known if Bill will be introduced in this year's Christmas special or next year's series.

Sherlock series 4 begins filming

Filming for series four of Sherlock started last week.  The first of the three feature-length episodes will be directed by Rachel Talalay, who also worked on the last two series of Doctor Who.  

Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss introduce the series: 

"Sherlock series four - here we go again! Whatever else we do, wherever we all go, all roads lead back to Baker Street - and it always feels like coming home. Ghosts of the past are rising in the lives of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson bringing adventure, romance and terror in their wake. This is the story we’ve been telling from the beginning. A story about to reach its climax...”

BBC press release

Cast of Doctor Who spin-off Class revealed

BBC Three today announced the stars of the Doctor Who spin-off series Class.  Pictured from left to right below are Vivian Oparah, Greg Austin, Sophie Hopkins and Fady Elsayed, who play sixth formers at Coal Hill School, and Katherine Kelly who takes on the role of a teacher:

The premise of the show has also been described by the BBC:

"Like all sixth formers, these four Coal Hill School students have hidden secrets and desires. They are facing their own worst fears, navigating a life of friends, parents, school work, sex, sorrow - and possibly the end of existence.

Coal Hill School has been a part of the Doctor Who Universe since the very beginning, but that has come at a price. All the time travelling over the years has caused the very walls of space and time to become thin. There’s something pressing in on the other side, something waiting for its chance to kill everyone and everything, to bring us all into Shadow.

Fear is coming, tragedy is coming, war is coming. Prepare yourselves, Class is coming."

The series has now started filming and will premiere on BBC Three this year.