Millie Gibson (Ruby) is leaving Doctor Who after just one season

Millie Gibson's Ruby Sunday was introduced as the Doctor's latest companion during the 2023 Doctor Who Christmas special, "The Church on Ruby Road." But now, less than a month after her first appearance, Gibson is reportedly exiting the franchise after just one season.

The specific reason for her early exit has not been disclosed, but Variety reports that the show has already picked Varada Sethu to replace her. Sethu is used to performing in big franchises, having previously landed roles in the Star Wars series Andor and in Jurassic World Dominion.

Gibson will play Ruby Sunday throughout all of season 14 (season 1 of the reboot) before being written out for the 15th season, which is currently shooting in Wales. This means she'll only appear in eight more episodes, and perhaps a couple in season 15 to tie up some loose ends.

Gibson has yet to comment on her exit, nor has the BBC announced any developments. However, Ncuti Gatwa appeared to respond to the news on his Instagram story, posting a picture of himself and Gibson with the caption, “My lil,” with a heart emoji. The timing of this post seems to hint that he's directly responding to the news of Gibson's departure.

Ruby Sunday's role in "The Church on Ruby Road" set up a much larger story arc that we now know will be covered entirely in the upcoming season. Years before being whisked away into a world of adventure with the Doctor, Ruby was left alone as a newborn baby outside a church by a mysterious figure. We weren't told who this is, but there's no doubt the upcoming season with continue to build on this larger storyline. Get a glimpse of her adventures throughout space and time in this teaser:

Doctor Who returns for its rebooted and refreshed 14th season in May on the BBC and Disney+ for international viewers.

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