Summary

• Varada Sethu was surprised by her Doctor Who companion role after guest starring in season 14 alongside Ncuti Gatwa.
• Sethu's character, Mundy, became an ally to the Doctor in episode 3, "Boom," showcasing her chemistry with the TARDIS crewmates.
• Showrunner Russell T Davies promises hints about the connection between Sethu's new companion and her previous character, Mundy.

Varada Sethu opens up about how her Doctor Who companion casting took her by surprise following her season 14 guest role alongside Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor. Doctor Who season 14 episode 3, "Boom", saw Gatwa's Time Lord trapped when he steps atop a landmine, forcing him to think of a way to escape without setting off the deadly device. Sethu starred as Mundy, an Anglican Marine stationed on Kastarion 4 who slowly becomes an ally to the Doctor when it becomes clear that the sequence could prove cataclysmic for the world.

After Sethu made a surprise appearance in Doctor Who season 14, the upcoming companion actor, who was thought to debut in season 15, explained to Doctor Who: Unleashed how she found herself returning to the series. Initially, Sethu assumed that she would be playing a one-off character, but found herself grateful to be called back to play a companion to Gatwa's Doctor. Check out Sethu's full explanation below:

Oh, no! I was just in it for the ride. I had a great time for those three weeks, and it was just, you know, I was devastated to be leaving because I had so much fun. But yeah, I didn’t know anything about it. That call came much later. Months and months. Month later. So yeah.

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It has already been confirmed that, when Sethu returns to Doctor Who in season 15, she will not be reprising the role of Mundy, and instead will be playing a new character. While it hasn't been confirmed whether Sethu's new character's inevitable resemblance to Mundy will be explained in-universe, showrunner Russell T Davies did promise some hints down the line towards a connection. However, while newcomers to Doctor Who may raise their brow at this casting decision, it isn't the first time a familiar guest star took on a new role.

Within Davies' first era of Doctor Who, Eve Myles and Freema Agyeman played supporting roles within the first two seasons of the show, only to later be cast as Torchwood lead Gwen Cooper and season 3 companion Martha Jones. Their previous roles were tied in as relatives and ancestors to their main characters. Karen Gillan also made an appearance as a Sister of the Sibylline in "The Fires of Pompeii" before portraying Amy Pond. Even the Doctor isn't immune to these situations, as both Colin Baker and Peter Capaldi had guest roles before playing the Time Lord.

How Mundy and Sethu's upcoming companion are connected remains to be seen, but her early role has already shown that she has incredible chemistry with both of her TARDIS crewmates. Gatwa's Doctor and Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson). Mundy is an essential character in "Boom," allowing Andor star Sethu to show off her skills in fitting into Doctor Who's wild universe. As such, Sethu's performance has left viewers just as eager as her to see her return in 2025.

Doctor Who season 14 releases every Friday simultaneously on Disney+ for international audiences and BBC iPlayer for UK viewers.

Source: Doctor Who Unleashed