Doctor Who: Pearl Mackie Won’t Return For Season 11

Doctor Who fans better prepare for one different re-entry to the series when its eleventh season premieres. Not only will Peter Capaldi hand over his role as the Doctor to a female actress, but the 12th Doctor will also see his companion go bye-bye as well.

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Yes, that’s right. Pearl Mackie has confirmed Bill will wrap her Doctor Who tenure with the show’s impending Christmas special.

The cast of Doctor Who made a much-awaited appearance at San Diego Comic Con today, and it was there Mackie broke the news. That actress confirmed Bill’s time with the show would end this December, saying, “What was really special to me about Bill was that she’s so real.”

Of course, fans of

“What was really special to me about Bill was that she’s so real.” – @Pearlie_mack on playing Bill #DoctorWho

Doctor Who fans will be sad to see the spunky companion go. Bill was a fresh air as the dubious companion kept the 12th Doctor in line with her grounded wit.

The last time fans saw Bill, the companion was brought back from a fate which many didn’t think she could escape. The season finale of Doctor Who’s tenth season saw Bill get turned into a Cyberman, but the companion was ultimately saved by a former love interest named Heather. The girl turns Bill into a creature like herself, and Heather takes the companion traveling off into time and space. The finale ended with Bill believing the Doctor to be dead, so the Christmas special will give the pair a reunion before Capaldi ushers in Jodie Whitaker’s tenure as the Time Lord. Well, lady in this case.

Steven Moffat will hand over the reins of Doctor Who to Broadchurch creator Chris Chibnall for Season 11. Chibnall is a longtime Doctor Who fans who has written for the series during the Russell T. Davies time and acted as head writer on the Doctor Who spin-off series Torchwood.

Doctor Who Season 10 introduced Pearl Mackie as the Doctor’s new companion Bill Potts. The newcomer replaced the previous companion Clara Oswald once Jenna Coleman left after Season 9. Whether Bill will join the new Doctor in Doctor Who Season 11 is still unknown, but fans don’t seem to think the companion will carry on with the Time Lord for much longer.

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