After two seasons as Clara Oswald, the companion to two regenerations of the Doctor on Doctor Who, Jenna Coleman has confirmed that she will be departing the popular British sci-fi drama after the conclusion of the upcoming ninth season.

The news comes at the tail end of rumors that the Impossible Girl would be making her exit to pursue other projects – more specifically, the ITV drama Queen Victoria, a historical drama centered around the life of the titular ruler of the British Empire. Coleman herself confirmed as much in an interview with Nick Grimshaw, a host on BBC Radio 1 earlier this morning.

"I have left the TARDIS," Coleman confided to Grimshaw, and quickly noted that she had recently filmed her final scene with the series, which, expectedly, was "emotional."

As Clara, Coleman has been the longest-standing companion of the Doctor since the reboot of the show in 2005. She has also been the second companion to work with two Doctors – the 11th Doctor, Matt Smith, and the 12th Doctor, Peter Capaldi – due to the Last of the Timelords' knack for regeneration. The first companion to interact with two different iterations of the Doctor was Billie Piper, who played companion Rose Tyler from 2005 to 2006.

"I think I'm in denial," said Coleman, "I really don't feel like I've left. I think because I see Peter [Capaldi] and I still see Matt [Smith] all the time, I kind of believe I still have a key to the TARDIS ... which I might do, 'cause I stole it. I stole loads."  

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

Via: Entertainment Weekly

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