Doctor Who's Jenna Coleman Signs On For Another Season

Jenna Louise Coleman, who plays Clara on Doctor Who, will return to the series next year in spite of long-simmering and seemingly-credible rumors that she would leave the role after today's Christmas episode, The BBC reports.

"I get a whole other series of stories with the Doctor and I couldn't walk away with the story being unresolved," Coleman said, adding, "There is so much more to do. I think they've finally just reached a point where they really understand each other. The arrival of the 12th Doctor has just kind of dropped this whole bombshell and allowed the dynamic to totally change, so I think just when Clara was feeling more comfortable in the relationship, it has suddenly thrown something new up."

"I'm thrilled," said series star Peter Capaldi. "Jenna has just been fantastic and such a pleasure to work with."

The episode title, "Last Christmas," underlined the fact that many fans believed it would be the final episode for Coleman.