Here's hoping the rumor mill gets this one wrong...
The UK's The Mirror reported late yesterday that Jenna Coleman, who plays The Doctor's latest companion Clara Oswald, will be leaving the television series Doctor Who with this year's Christmas Special. However, before fans start fretting, they should keep in mind that at the moment, neither Coleman nor anyone from the series have officially confirmed this news.
An unnamed source was quoted in the article, saying "The conversations about Jenna’s exit have started, and a plan is in place which is being ironed out. By the time she leaves she will be one of the longest-standing companions ever. She has been absolutely brilliant in the role, but everyone agrees it is a part that should change after a period."
The source added, "It was very much a mutual decision. It’s important to keep the series moving and fast-paced, and the time is just starting to feel right and the feeling is that it could be a perfect Christmas storyline."
If the 28-year-old actress actually does leave at Christmas, she'll have just 25 episodes to her acting resume, hardly "one of the longest-standing companions ever," especially since two of them were considered temporal echoes before Clara's first official appearance in "The Bells of St. John."
Adding a bit of fuel to this particular rumor is Coleman's recent debut on Twitter with her official account, @Jenna_Coleman_. Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat is notoriously opposed to the social network in order to keep potential spoilers from leaking out, so Coleman's new account established while the Doctor Who World Tour was in Seoul, South Korea is definitely interesting at the very least.
Doctor Who returns for Series 8 this Saturday the 23rd on BBC America.