So - it's official. Billie Piper will be hanging up her combat pants and leaving the Tardis. The role has given her career real sparkle and shown that a rather lame pop singer can make a charming, popular and not unbrilliant actress. But who do you fancy to take over the role? The papers have made a number of conflicing predictions today - Former Corrie actress Nikki Sanderson is tipped by the Express while The Sun plumps for former Crossroads "stunner" Freema Agyeman. But what about some left field ideas? Anyone for bringing back Bonnie Langford as Melanie Bush?
Or are the pundits wrong in assuming that it will have to be a woman? If the current trend for generating sexual tension between the Doctor and Piper is anything to go by, she probably will. But the tactic - which has seen Piper and new Doctor David Tennant kiss (although she was possessed by someone else at the time) - has upset some traditionalists. So what about a man? Or even a gay man who falls in love with the Doctor?
That'd be unlikely if we get someone like Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart who was the foil to Tom Baker's doc in the 1970's when military men were in vogue on the show. For my money he is still the best. So can he come back full-time? He and the Doc were great friends after all and we have seen K-9 make a triumphant return haven't we?
But which of the others would you like to see return?
Susan, Ian, Barbara, Vicki, Steven, Katarina, Sara, Dodo, Polly, Ben, Jamie, Victoria, Zoe, The Brigadier, Liz, Sgt. Benton, Jo, Captain Yates, Sarah Jane, Harry, Leela, K-9, Romana, Adric, Nyssa, Tegan, Turlough, Kamelion, Peri, Mel, Ace, Rose. It's certainly a long list.
