8. India Fisher
Why she should be next: So this choice is a bit of a cheat, as India Fisher has already played a Doctor Who companion. She has been Charlotte Pollard - a companion for the Sixth and Eighth Doctors - for Big Finish for many years. This is actually why shed be a great choice for some of the older fans whove been avid followers of the Big Finish adventures. What better than to see one of the many companions who only exist in audio form on the screen for the first time? Especially when its a fan favourite like Charley. Her experience in the Who universe would help even if she wasnt to reprise the role shes played so effectively for Big Finish. She is used to the ridiculousness inherent of some of the alien races that the Doctor and his companion encounter on a regular basis. This helps a great deal with making them seem believable, which is key in getting the audience to suspend their disbelief. When playing Charley, Fisher can get across the sense of a love of adventure. This would be a great dynamic to have on the TARDIS, whether shes reprising the role or not, as it would create a sense of just how wondrous the Doctors exploits actually are. She can also get across the sense of keeping deadly secrets from the Doctor, as she did when playing Charley opposite the Sixth Doctor for a brief spell in the audios, which could leave a lot of potential for conflict. Why she shouldnt be: While it would be great to see one of the Big Finish companions make the jump from audio to the TV screen, bringing Fisher in as Charley would mean she comes with a lot of baggage. The character has had a number of complicated arcs as part of the audio stories and it would take away from the next series if these all had to be explained to a new audience. It might even cause problems with the BBC charter, which says that shows have to make sense without people having to buy something else first (with a bit of a sizeable definition). While some of the Big Finish audios have been broadcast, this could put the show on dodgy ground. Even with another role, there would still be baggage, as aficionados of the audios would be constantly comparing the new part to Charley. Theres also the problem that Fisher has very little on-screen experience. Her biggest TV role has been on Masterchef as the narrator. While she is a very competent voice actress and a lot of performers have taken to TV like a duck to water, it means she could still be a bit of a gamble.