When Is Jenna Coleman Leaving ‘Doctor Who’?

Coleman, posing with 12th Doctor Peter Capaldi last year, is the longest-running companion since Doctor Who rebooted in 2005. (Getty)

Alright Whovians, deep breath.

Not like that episode from last season, but, like, a real one. Deep breaths, everyone.

Jenna Coleman is officially leaving the TARDIS. The actress, who has played Clara Oswald, on the long-running sci-fi series since 2012, announced on Friday that she will be leaving the show in order to play Queen Victoria on an upcoming series on British channel ITV.

Coleman told BBC Radio 1 on Friday that she had already filmed her final scenes for Doctor Who and while she wasn’t specific on a final departure date she said her exit would happen on the show “at some point this season.”

Of course, hearing that any companion is leaving Doctor Who strikes fear into the collective hearts of the show’s legions of fans. After all, not many of them have had pleasant departures. Taking it from the top:
Rose Tyler – Trapped in a parallel universe, although, eventually, with a Doctor doppelganger
Martha Jones – Leaves of her own accord but only after watching her family tortured by The Master in a year that never was
Donna Noble – Don’t talk about it. Don’t think about. It’s too sad.
Amy Pond & Rory Williams – Sent back in time by the Weeping Angels, unable to ever see the Doctor again.

In other words, the options for Coleman’s character seem to be sad or sadder. Time will only tell how Clara leaves the TARDIS for good.

Still, Coleman said she is nothing but thankful for the time she’s spent on the show. Her three years as Clara make her the longest-running companion since the reboot in 2005 and she acted alongside two different Doctors in Matt Smith and Peter Capaldi. Coleman explained her decision to leave:

There are not a lot of jobs where you get to have an alien as your best mate and get to run away from monsters… it’s been so much fun, I love it. It’s such a unique beast it’s been really special. … I think I’m in denial. I see Peter all the time and I still see Matt all the time, so I kind of believe I still have the keys to the TARDIS.

The ninth season of Doctor Who premieres on BBC America on Saturday, September 19 at 9 p.m. ET.