Crank Up the ‘Doctor Who’ Rumor Mill, Jenna Coleman Leaving Again

The nature of British TV and Doctor Who itself seems to breed rumors of star exits as soon as they’re cast, and Jenna Coleman in particular has been dogged repeatedly by reports of leaving. Here we go again, as a (slightly) credible report claims Clara and The Doctor will be no more after Season 9.

Take this with the usual cosmos worth of salt, but the Daily Mirror claims that Doctor Who Season 9 will prove the last for Coleman, who “quit” after obtaining a lead role in an ITV miniseries about Queen Victoria. The BBC (as per usual) wouldn’t offer comment, so why hold stock in the latest rumor of Clara’s exit, you ask?

Well, Doctor Who creator Steven Moffat previously admitted Coleman had asked to be written out of the 2014 Christmas special, only to have a change of heart, and commit to keeping on with the series for an additional season. Season 9 also marks Coleman’s third season with the long-running sci-fi staple, joining midway through Season 7 with Matt Smith, before transitioning to Peter Capaldi’s tenure.

While we wait for Saturday, so reads the BBC’s new synopsis for premiere installment “The Magician’s Apprentice”:

Where is the Doctor? When the skies of Earth are frozen by a mysterious alien force, Clara needs her friend. But where is the Doctor, and what is he hiding from?

As past deeds come back to haunt him, old enemies will come face-to-face, and for the Doctor and Clara survival seems impossible.

Premiering September 19 with the first of two-part installment “The Magician’s Apprentice” and “The Witch’s Familiar,” Doctor Who Season 9 will feature among its guest stars Game of Thrones favorite Maisie Williams, Rufas Hound, Tom Stourton, Ariyon Bakare, Simon Lipkin, Ian Conningham, Murray McArthur, Barnaby Kay, John Voce, Struan Rodger, Jemma Redgrave, Kelly Hunter, Clare Higgins, Jaye Griffiths, Daniel Hoffmann-Gill, Jami Reid-Quarrell, Aaron Neil, India Ria Amarteifio, Joey Price, Dasharn Anderson, Harki Bhambra, Demi Papaminas, and a returning Michelle Gomez.

In the meantime, we’ve included the first trailers again below, and stay tuned for more on all of Doctor Who’s upcoming season, including River Song’s return for the Christmas Special!

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