Doctor Who companions facts for kids
The companions or friends of the Doctor from the Doctor Who TV show are people who travel with him on his amazing adventures.
The Doctor is an alien from a planet called Gallifrey. He's a special kind of alien called a Time Lord. He travels through all of time and space in his spaceship, the TARDIS. It looks like an old blue police box, but it's much bigger on the inside! "TARDIS" stands for Time And Relative Dimension In Space. The Doctor usually brings other people along for the ride, and these people are called his "companions" or "assistants." Together, they explore new worlds, meet strange creatures, and often save the universe!
Companions are important because they help viewers understand the story. Many companions are humans from our time, so they learn about the Doctor's world just like we do. This helps the Doctor explain things to them, and to us! Most of the Doctor's friends have been human, but some have been aliens or even robots.
This article lists the Doctor's companions, grouped by which Doctor they travelled with. They are listed in the order they first appeared.
First Doctor's Friends
Susan Foreman
Susan Foreman (Carole Ann Ford) was the Doctor's granddaughter. She escaped with him from their home planet, Gallifrey, in a stolen TARDIS. Susan is very smart and knows a lot about history and science. She first appeared in the very first Doctor Who episode, An Unearthly Child. She left the Doctor in The Dalek Invasion of Earth. In that story, she met a young freedom fighter named David Campbell. The Doctor knew she needed to live her own life, so he locked her out of the TARDIS, making her stay with David.
Barbara Wright
Barbara Wright (Jacqueline Hill) was one of the Doctor's very first companions. Barbara was a history teacher at Coal Hill School. She worked with science teacher Ian Chesterton.
Barbara first appeared in An Unearthly Child. She and Ian were curious about their student, Susan Foreman, because she knew so many strange things. They followed her home and found the TARDIS, where they met the Doctor. That's how their amazing travels through space and time began! After two years of adventures, Barbara and Ian used a Dalek time machine to return to London in the episode The Chase.
Ian Chesterton
Ian Chesterton (William Russell) was also one of the Doctor's first companions. Ian was a science teacher at Coal Hill School, working with history teacher Barbara Wright.
Ian first appeared in An Unearthly Child. He and Barbara were suspicious of Susan Foreman's unusual knowledge. They followed her to the TARDIS and met the Doctor. They then started their incredible journeys through space and time. In The Chase, after two years of adventures, Ian and Barbara used a Dalek time machine to go back home to London.
Vicki
Vicki (Maureen O'Brien) first appeared in The Rescue. She was the only survivor of a spaceship crash on the planet Dido in the 25th century. The Doctor rescued her, and she joined him, Ian, and Barbara on their travels. In The Myth Makers, Vicki met an ancient warrior from Troy named Troilus. She decided to stay with him and became known as Cressida in legends. She also made sure that another Trojan girl, Katarina, entered the TARDIS in her place.
Steven Taylor
Steven Taylor (Peter Purves) first appeared in The Chase. The Doctor and his friends found Steven on the planet Mechanus. He had crashed there two years earlier. In The Savages, Steven decided to stay behind. He took on the important job of leading a new society of "Savages" and "Elders" who were trying to live in peace.
Katarina
Katarina (Adrienne Hill) first appeared in The Myth Makers. She was a handmaiden (a helper) to a prophetess in ancient Troy. After Vicki stayed behind, Katarina took her place in the TARDIS. During The Daleks' Master Plan, Katarina was taken hostage by an escaped prisoner. To stop the Doctor from giving in to the prisoner's demands, Katarina bravely opened the airlock she was in. This sent both her and her captor into the vacuum of space. She was the first companion in the series to die.
Sara Kingdom
Sara Kingdom (Jean Marsh) was a Space Security Agent in The Daleks' Master Plan. She joined the Doctor in his fight against the Daleks. She briefly travelled in the TARDIS to different places in time and space. When the Doctor used a device called the Time Destructor, which speeds up time, Sara couldn't be saved. She aged very quickly and turned to dust. Some people count Sara as a companion of the First Doctor, while others do not.
Dodo Chaplet
Dorothea "Dodo" Chaplet (Jackie Lane) first appeared at the end of The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve. Dodo accidentally walked into the TARDIS, thinking it was a real police box. In The War Machines, Dodo decided to stay in 1966 London.
Polly
Polly (Anneke Wills) was a companion to both the First and Second Doctors. She and Ben Jackson first appeared in The War Machines. Polly was a secretary to Professor Brett, who created a smart computer called WOTAN. She continued travelling with the Doctor after he changed into the Second Doctor. In The Faceless Ones, Polly and Ben returned to 1966 London and decided to stay there to live their normal lives.
Ben Jackson
Ben Jackson (Michael Craze) was a companion to both the First and Second Doctors. He first appeared in The War Machines as a sailor in the Royal Navy. In The Faceless Ones, he and Polly returned to 1966 London and decided to stay.
Second Doctor's Friends
- Polly (Anneke Wills)
- Ben Jackson (Michael Craze)
Jamie McCrimmon
James Robert "Jamie" McCrimmon (Frazer Hines) was from 18th-century Scotland. He first appeared in The Highlanders. He met the Doctor, Ben, and Polly after the Battle of Culloden in 1746. At the end of The War Games, the Time Lords (the Doctor's people) took away Jamie's and Zoe's memories of their travels. They sent them back to their original time and place.
Victoria Waterfield
Victoria Waterfield (Deborah Watling) was from Victorian England in 1866. She was the daughter of a scientist. She first appeared in The Evil of the Daleks. In Fury from the Deep, Victoria decided to leave the Doctor and Jamie. She stayed with a family named Harris in the 20th century.
Zoe Heriot
Zoe Heriot (Wendy Padbury) first appeared in The Wheel in Space. She was on a space station in the 21st century. At the end of The War Games, the Time Lords took away Zoe's and Jamie's memories. They sent them back to their original time and place.
Third Doctor's Friends
Liz Shaw
Elizabeth "Liz" Shaw (Caroline John) was a brilliant scientist and a civilian member of UNIT, a military organization that works with the Doctor. She first appeared in Spearhead from Space. She met the Doctor right after he had changed into his new body. In Inferno, Liz decided to leave the Doctor and UNIT. She went back to the University of Cambridge to continue her research.
Jo Grant
Jo Grant (Katy Manning) first appeared in Terror of the Autons as a new assistant for the Doctor. In The Green Death, Jo fell in love with a scientist named Professor Clifford Jones. She decided to marry him and went with him to the Amazon Rainforest.
Sarah Jane Smith
Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen) was a companion of the Third and Fourth Doctors. She was known for being strong and independent, and for her deep friendship with the Doctor. He even called her his best friend! Sarah Jane is one of the most popular companions from the classic series. She also appeared in the new series and had her own spin-off show.
Fourth Doctor's Friends
Harry Sullivan
Harry Sullivan (Ian Marter) was a companion of the Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker). Harry was a medical doctor for UNIT. He travelled with Sarah Jane Smith and the Doctor.
Leela
Leela (Louise Jameson) first appeared in The Face of Evil. She was a warrior from the Sevateem tribe. This tribe were the descendants of a spaceship crew that crashed on a faraway planet. In The Invasion of Time, Leela fell in love with Andred, a person from the Doctor's home planet, Gallifrey. Leela chose to stay with Andred on Gallifrey. K-9 Mark I also stayed with her.
K9
K9 (voiced by John Leeson) was a robot dog. There were several models of K9. The first K9, Mark I, was given to the Doctor. Later, he stayed with the Doctor's companion Leela on Gallifrey. K9 Mark II stayed with Romana in a different universe called E-Space. K9 Mark III and Mark IV were gifts from the Doctor to Sarah Jane Smith.
Romana I & II
Romanadvoratrelundar is another Time Lady from Gallifrey, just like the Doctor. She can also change her appearance, which she did when she became Romana II.
Adric
Adric (Matthew Waterhouse) was a companion of the Fourth and Fifth Doctors. He was from the planet Alzarius in a parallel universe called E-Space. He travelled with the Doctor to our universe. Adric sadly died in Earthshock, when the spaceship he was on crashed into prehistoric Earth.
Tegan Jovanka
Nyssa of Traken
Fifth Doctor's Friends
- Adric (Matthew Waterhouse)
- Tegan Jovanka (Janet Fielding)
- Nyssa of Traken (Sarah Sutton)
Vislor Turlough
Vislor Turlough (Mark Strickson) was an alien from the planet Trion. After a war, he was sent away to Earth. In Mawdryn Undead, he met the Doctor and joined him. In Planet of Fire, Turlough left the TARDIS and returned to his home planet Trion.
Kamelion
Kamelion (voiced by Gerald Flood) was a shape-changing robot and a companion of the Fifth Doctor. He first appeared in The King's Demons, where he was controlled by the evil Master. The Doctor freed him and took Kamelion along. In Planet of Fire, Kamelion was destroyed.
Perpugilliam "Peri" Brown
Perpugilliam "Peri" Brown (Nicola Bryant) was a companion of the Fifth and Sixth Doctors. She first appeared in Planet of Fire. After the Doctor changed into his next body, Peri stayed and travelled with the Sixth Doctor.
Sixth Doctor's Friends
- Peri Brown (Nicola Bryant)
Melanie Bush
Melanie "Mel" Bush (Bonnie Langford) was a companion of the Sixth and Seventh Doctors. She was a computer programmer from 20th-century England. Mel left the Doctor at the end of Dragonfire to stay on a planet called Iceworld with a character named Sabalom Glitz.
Seventh Doctor's Friends
- Melanie "Mel" Bush (Bonnie Langford)
Ace
Dorothy "Ace" McShane, (Sophie Aldred) first appeared in Dragonfire, on the planet Iceworld, even though Ace was from 20th-century Earth. At the end of this story, Melanie Bush left the Doctor. He invited Ace to come with him. Ace stayed as the Doctor's companion until the classic series ended in 1989.
Eighth Doctor's Friends
Grace Holloway
Dr. Grace Holloway (Daphne Ashbrook) was the Doctor's companion in the 1996 Doctor Who television movie. Grace was a heart doctor from 1999 San Francisco. She accidentally caused the Seventh Doctor to die during an operation. Grace then helped the Eighth Doctor fight the Master. At the end of the movie, the Eighth Doctor invited Grace to travel with him, but she decided to stay on Earth.
Lucie Miller
Lucie Miller was a companion to the Eighth Doctor in audio stories by Big Finish. She was also mentioned in the special episode "The Night of the Doctor," which showed the Eighth Doctor changing into his next body.
Charlotte Pollard
Charlotte Pollard was the Doctor's first companion in the audio series by Big Finish. She was a girl from 1900s Britain who ran away to fly around the world. The Doctor saved her from a crash, and she became his companion.
Ninth Doctor's Friends
Rose Tyler
Adam Mitchell
Adam Mitchell (Bruno Langley) was the Doctor's companion for only two episodes. In 2012, he was a young English researcher who worked for a rich American. In the episode "Dalek," he was at the rich man's base, and then he went with the Doctor in the TARDIS. In "The Long Game," he travelled with the Doctor and Rose, but Adam behaved badly. At the end of the episode, the Doctor took Adam home.
Jack Harkness
Tenth Doctor's Friends
- Rose Tyler (Billie Piper)
- Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman)
Mickey Smith
Mickey Smith (Noel Clarke) was Rose Tyler's boyfriend. He helped Rose and the Ninth Doctor many times. Later, he travelled with the Tenth Doctor and Rose. At the end of "The Age of Steel," Mickey decided to stay in a parallel world to help fight the Cybermen. In "Journey's End," Mickey returned to this world and decided to stay here again.
Donna Noble
Martha Jones
Astrid Peth
Astrid Peth (Kylie Minogue) was the Doctor's companion during the 2007 Christmas special "Voyage of the Damned." She was from the planet Sto and worked as a waitress on a starship called the Titanic. Astrid helped the Doctor and bravely died while saving him. After saving the Titanic, the Doctor realized Astrid was wearing a special bracelet when she died. He tried to bring her back, but it didn't work perfectly. Astrid became a ghost-like energy being. In the end, the Doctor sent Astrid to fly through the universe.
Wilfred Mott
Wilfred Mott (Bernard Cribbins) was Donna Noble's grandfather. He first appeared in the 2007 Christmas special "Voyage of the Damned." He made his final appearance in the 2009 Christmas special "The End of Time."
Eleventh Doctor's Friends
Amy Pond
Rory Williams
Rory is often called Rory Pond by the Doctor, but Rory doesn't like that name! Since he and Amy Pond got married, he thinks they should be Mr. and Mrs. Williams. The Doctor prefers Mr. and Mrs. Pond. Rory is also known as the Last Centurion.
River Song
played by Alex Kingston
River Song is the daughter of Amy Pond and Rory Williams. She is sometimes called "The Child of the T.A.R.D.I.S."
Craig Owens
Craig Owens (James Corden) was a man whose apartment the Doctor stayed in during The Lodger (2010). He returned in Closing Time (2011) to help the Doctor fight some Cybermen hiding under a department store.
John Riddell
John Riddell was an English game hunter. The Doctor picked him up in Dinosaurs on a Spaceship (2012). He took him to a Silurian Ark ship to help stop it from crashing into Earth. He left after the episode and might not be considered a 'proper' companion.
Queen Nefertiti of Egypt
Queen Nefertiti (called 'Neffie' by the Doctor) helped the Doctor with a Silurian Ark ship that was going to crash into Earth in Dinosaurs on a Spaceship (2012). After her adventure, she left and went to Africa with the big game hunter John Riddell.
Clara Oswald
Clara Oswald was a companion of the Eleventh and Twelfth Doctors. Clara was known as "the impossible girl" because of her mysterious appearances.
Paternoster Gang
The Paternoster Gang is a special group that includes the lizard-like Silurian Madame Vastra (Neve McIntosh), her wife Jenny Flint (Catrin Stewart), and the Sontaran commander Strax (Dan Starkey). They often help the Doctor in Victorian London.
Twelfth Doctor's Friends
- Clara Oswald (Jenna-Louise Coleman)
- Paternoster Gang
- Bill Potts (Pearl Mackie)
- Nardole (Matt Lucas)
Thirteenth Doctor's Friends
Graham O'Brien
Graham O'Brien (Bradley Walsh) is a companion of the Thirteenth Doctor. He is a retired bus driver.
Ryan Sinclair
Ryan Sinclair (Tosin Cole) is a companion of the Thirteenth Doctor. He is also Graham's step-grandson and went to school with Yasmin Khan. Ryan has dyspraxia, which means he sometimes has trouble with coordination.
Yasmin Khan
Yasmin Khan (Mandip Gill) is a companion of the Thirteenth Doctor. She is a junior police officer.
Images for kids
-
A robot friend, like K9!
Related pages
See also
In Spanish: Acompañante (Doctor Who) para niños
