Why Every Classic Companion Left Doctor Who

Polly and Ben were very much the more modern and "now" version of Ian and Barbara - youthful professionals who hung out in nightclubs rather than classrooms. Michael Craze was cast as Ben, who was envisioned as a character similar to Michael Caine's charming London lothario, Alfie. Once Frazer Hines was cast as Jamie McCrimmon the following year, the TARDIS had one action man too many. It was therefore felt that Ben had less mileage than Jamie.

Ben and Polly were the audience identification figures who smoothed the transition from the First to Second Doctors. Without them, the show might have floundered with the loss of William Hartnell. It's for that reason that Anneke Wills and Michael Craze really deserved a better exit than being dumped at Gatwick Airport.