Jenna Coleman says getting to work with her "great friend" Peter Capaldi is the thing she’s going to miss the most about ‘Doctor Who’.
The 29-year-old actress has quit her role as companion Clara Oswald in the BBC sci-fi show with her appearances in the current run of episodes being her last.
Jenna has formed a close bond with Twelfth Doctor Peter, 57, in the two series she has starred opposite him and admits it will be weird not working with him most days.
Speaking during a fan Q&A at the Doctor Who Festival at London’s ExCel Centre on Saturday (14.11.15), she said: "It’s such an unlikely friendship but we are really similar and we love each other. He is a lovely man and a really great friend and it isn’t every day you get that."
It was her close bond with Peter and showrunner Steven Moffat and excitement about the 2015 episodes that convinced her to stay on beyond last year’s Christmas special.
The brunette beauty – who also appeared opposite previous Doctor Matt Smith – explained: "It was more a personal decision of how do I want to spend the next year, how much am I enjoying my time on this job, how much do I love working with Peter, how good are the scripts that Steven is providing and is it the right time to walk away? I stayed another year because it wasn’t."
Although Clara is still being seen on screen in the latest adventures, Jenna’s association with ‘Doctor Who’ ended several weeks ago and she admits it will be "odd" not to be involved when shooting starts again on this year’s festive adventure.
Jenna – who will be playing a young Queen Victoria in ITV programme ‘Victoria’ – said: "I have already left, but technically not yet because I’m still on screen at the moment. Nobody’s filming at the moment so it doesn’t feel too odd. It is very strange, it’s been my life for the past four years, so it is going to be very strange without time travel and a TARDIS and a best friend who is an alien."
Jenna received numerous tributes and questions and countless cheers from the thousands of people at the event.
At one point a devoted ‘Whovian’ came up to the stage to present her with a "thank you book" and a bracelet on behalf of her fans as goodbye presents.
Accepting the gifts, Jenna said: "Thank you so much, that’s wonderful. I shall read it and weep."
Jenna Coleman will miss ‘great friend’ Peter Capaldi
