Millie Gibson admitted in a resurfaced interview that if her new role on Doctor Who had gone wrong, she would have at least tried as she jeopardized her permanent job on Coronation Street.
The former soap star, 19, made her highly anticipated debut as the Fifteenth Doctor's companion Ruby Sunday in the 2023 Christmas special but has now reportedly been axed after just one series.
After showrunner Russell T. Davies wrote Millie's character, her co-star Ncuti Gatwa has since broken his silence by expressing his support.
The upcoming 2024 season of the hit sci-fi series will return to screens in May with eight episodes, with Ncuti taking on the role of the legendary Time Lord.
However, Millie will now reportedly only appear in a handful of episodes before being replaced by Varada Sethu, 32, who has reportedly already started filming.
19-year-old Millie Gibson previously admitted that if her new role on Doctor Who had “gone wrong, she would have at least tried” by jeopardizing her regular job on Coronation Street
The former soap star made her highly anticipated debut as Ruby Sunday, the Fifteenth Doctor's companion, in the 2023 Christmas special, but has now reportedly been dropped (pictured with co-star and new Doctor Ncuti Gatwa).
After playing the role of troubled teenager Kelly Neelan on Coronation Street since 2019, the actress decided to take a big risk and leave the soap, a prospect that initially seemed to have paid off.
Speaking to the Independent last month, Millie explained: “I thought, 'I'm so young, why the hell not?' I don't have a mortgage, I don't have kids, I don't have anyone to pay.'” If it fails, at least I tried.'”
On her last day on set, she recalled, “she felt a little sorry for herself and wondered if I had made the right decision.”
Luckily, after her final episode aired, she received “a group call from all three of my agents.”
“If you get that, it either means you've been canceled or you have a great role. Luckily, it was the latter,” Mille added.
On Friday, it was claimed that Millie will be coming to an end on Doctor Who in the coming weeks to “tie up loose ends” and that she will not appear in the 2024 Christmas special.
An insider told The Mirror: “Millie Gibson is all but gone now and there's a brand new companion, which is really exciting. “Russell is keeping things going and not letting the grass grow, that's for sure.”
Web has contacted Millie and Varada's representatives. The BBC declined to comment on the claims.
After the news broke, her co-star Ncuti shared a photo with Millie on his Instagram Stories and wrote: “My little one.” [heart emoji].
After showrunner Russell T. Davies wrote Millie's character, her co-star Ncuti Gatwa has since broken his silence by expressing his support
Millie will now reportedly only appear in a handful of episodes before being replaced by Varada Sethu, 32, who has reportedly already started filming (pictured in February).
After playing the role of troubled teenager Kelly Neelan on Coronation Street since 2019, the actress decided to take a big risk and leave, a prospect that initially seemed to have paid off (Millie pictured in the soap in 2022)
On her last day on set, she recalled, “she felt a little sorry for myself and wondered if I had made the right decision” (pictured this month)
Millie has remained tight-lipped about reports that she has left the show. On Friday, she shared a clip on her Instagram Stories as she drove out of Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica.
After landing the role, Millie initially admitted she was finding it difficult to accept her newfound fame as she prepared for her long-awaited TARDIS debut.
Doctor Who is famous for its dramatic regenerations, with a new actor taking on the title role every few years – but the hit BBC show also has the power to change careers.
Having already proven her acting chops in a dark soap, brand and culture expert Nick Ede predicted Millie's appearance on Doctor Who will make her “a must-see in 2024”.
He told The Sun: “Millie has tackled some really heavy storylines in Corrie, which will show Hollywood producers that she can handle many roles and is a very credible actress.”
“Coupled with her good looks and great personality, I can see her being cast in a blockbuster faster than you can say Tardis.”
Jenna Coleman previously joined Emmerdale and became one of Britain's most sought-after stars after playing Matt Smith's companion Clara.
Speaking to the Sunday Times, Millie revealed she had already been told her “life would change” thanks to her starring role in the new series.
Millie began: “So many people have sat me down and said, 'Look, your life is going to change.' It's hard to accept that.
“To be honest, it’s confusing to say. The first part was actually doing the work and preparing for it. And then the second part will be prepared when it comes out.”
The star made the big decision to leave Coronation Street last year after four years as Kelly, and just months later she was announced as the Doctor's new companion.
She said: “It's really easy to get too comfortable there and part of me thought, 'If I don't go now, I won't go for a while.' They didn't kill me, which is great. So if everything goes wrong, I can crawl back.”
On Friday, it was claimed that Millie will be coming to an end on Doctor Who in the coming weeks to “tie up loose ends” and that she will not appear in the 2024 Christmas special
After landing the role, Millie initially admitted she was finding it difficult to accept her newfound fame as she prepared for her long-awaited TARDIS debut
Previously, Jenna Coleman arrived from Emmerdale to become one of Britain's most sought-after stars after playing Matt Smith's companion Clara
Millie began: “So many people have sat me down and said, 'Look, your life is going to change.' It's hard to accept that. To be honest, it's confusing to say
Millie began her own personal regeneration, transforming her image from the party-loving teenager into something more classy, more befitting an actress on the cusp of international stardom. Before her Doctor Who debut, she deleted social media pictures of herself partying and wearing bikinis or bikini-cut dresses. She was often shown drinking what appeared to be wine, even when she was underage. At the Glamor Awards in London in October, she embodied the glamor of Hollywood's golden age in an elegant white floor-length gown with a high neckline. At the event, which celebrates the achievements of women, she met celebrities including Oscar winners Halle Berry and Ariana DeBose and Barbie star America Ferrara.
It was a subdued evening for an actress who – according to sources who previously worked with her on Coronation Street – used to have a reputation for being a “little wild child”.
An insider recalled a “very boozy” farewell party in October 2022 with her castmates, including a five-hour session at the Alchemist Bar in Salford Quays.
A friend of the star told The Mail on Sunday: “Millie loved parties, she was often out with the other young Corrie gang.” She also loved sharing her beautiful moments on Instagram.
“She was a young girl who couldn’t believe her luck and made the best of it.” But now things have become incredibly serious for her. She knows she has a chance to make a real name for herself and doesn’t want to take any chances.”
Millie was born and raised in the village of Broadbottom, just outside Manchester. Aged 11, she started taking acting lessons at the Oldham Theater Workshop – famous for supporting Happy Valley's Sarah Lancashire and Vigil star Suranne Jones, both of whom also met Corrie.
Since landing the role, it seemed as if Millie had begun her personal regeneration, transforming her image from party-loving teenager into something more classy
Within a year, Millie was signed by a Manchester-based talent agency and won her first television role on BBC children's show Jamie Johnson in 2017, when she was just 13 years old.
This was followed by BBC1 drama Love, Lies And Records and ITV miniseries Butterfly before she caught the attention of the Coronation Street team.
When Millie was 15, she was signed on for five episodes to play the troubled Kelly, but she impressed her bosses so much that her contract was extended.
In 2022 she was named Best Young Actress at the British Soap Awards. Her performance was reminiscent of that of Jenna Coleman, who won the Best Newcomer award at the same event in 2006 for her role as Emmerdale journalist Jasmine Thomas.