Jenna Coleman Expected To Return For Doctor Who Christmas Special

Clara Oswald, as played by Jenna Coleman, is already the longest-serving companion of the modern era of Doctor Who, starring in 36 episodes over four years. According to a new report, though, the character might just have another appearance to come.

Radio Times is claiming that Coleman has been asked by the BBC to come back for the upcoming Christmas special. While the outlet admits that they don’t have any word on whether she’s accepted the offer, it’s likely that the actress has agreed to reprise her role. It’s for a special occasion, after all: the episode will be Peter Capaldi’s final time playing the Doctor, before handing the keys to the TARDIS over to Jodie Whittaker.

If Jenna Coleman was to return, as has been rumoured before, she would be following a sort of tradition of past companions showing up for the Doctor’s final episode (see Billie Piper’s appearance in David Tennant’s swansong and Karen Gillan’s comeback in Matt Smith’s).

Besides that, it also makes perfect sense for Clara to bump into the Doctor again, as she was last seen flying around the universe with her own TARDIS. Her companion at the time was Ashildr, played by Game of Thrones’ Maisie Williams, but we haven’t heard any reports of her making a return here and given her commitments to HBO’s hit fantasy series, we don’t imagine she’ll be back.

Titled “Twice Upon A Time,” the Christmas episode will see the Time Lord team up with his first incarnation (Harry Potter‘s David Bradley will be taking over the role originally inhabited by William Hartnell). Besides that, Pearl Mackie will also return – likely for one last time – as companion Bill Potts. And let’s not forget Mark Gatiss is turning up, too, as a WWI soldier who gets swept up in an adventure with the two Doctors.

All in all, it promises to be a very special edition of Doctor Who and a worthy sendoff for Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor.