This International Women’s Day, we’re celebrating the women of Who.
It’s no exaggeration to say that Doctor Who wouldn’t exist without the work of women.
From the pioneering Verity Lambert, the founding producer of the show, and the female directors who have defied the odds to helm some of the most beloved episodes of the show, to Jodie Whittaker and Jo Martin, who became the first ever female Doctors and the dozens of incredible female companions over the years, women have always been at the heart of Doctor Who.
This International Women’s Day, we’ve delved into the Radio Times archives to revisit some of the iconic female companions who have paved the way for the modern age of Doctor Who.
Carole Ann Ford, who played the Doctor’s granddaughter Susan alongside William Hartnell, was the first ever companion on Doctor Who, paving the way for the dozens that would come after her.
She’s been candid about her thoughts on the character, previously explaining to RadioTimes.com that she wished her character had been more “interesting”, pointing to Billie Piper’s Rose Tyler as an example.
However, over the past 60 years, viewers have resonated with Susan for a reason. Ford pointed out: “The idea of her, what I was told after I got the part, was she would be the eyes and ears of the young people watching it, that her reaction would be the perceived reactions of them, so, therefore, they would probably identify with her.”
Ford later returned to the show in the 20th anniversary special, The Five Doctors, and the charity special, Dimensions in Time, but she’s yet to return in New Who – however, she certainly has ideas of how it could happen, so watch this space (and time).
Katy Manning starred as Jo Grant alongside Jon Pertwee as the Third Doctor. An operative of UNIT, it’s safe to say Jo was underestimated by plenty of other characters – but that made her no less important as a companion.
Manning faced plenty of villains during her run on the show, including the original Master, played by Roger Delgado, with her exit being one of the most emotional points of that era of the show.
Chatting to RadioTimes.com, she reflected: “It was so touching because, when you look at it – and I don’t watch things from the past, to be honest with you – but when I’ve seen that, I actually still feel the emotion, even talking about it.”
Since, Manning has returned to the show in The Power of the Doctor and Tales of the TARDIS.
Elisabeth Sladen has already gone down in Doctor Who history as one of the best and most iconic companions of all time.
Playing Sarah Jane Smith, she first served as a companion to the Third Doctor before staying to join Tom Baker’s Fourth Doctor on his travels.
In 2006, Sladen’s own show, The Sarah Jane Adventures, premiered, running for five seasons until the actress’s death in 2011.
Also unforgettable is Louise Jameson as Leela. She first joined Baker’s Fourth Doctor and left the show in 1978 – but not before making quite the impact.
Jameson previously opened up about Leela’s “questionable” costume and slightly underwhelming exit from the show. However, thankfully, she was able to reprise her role in an epic Blu-ray short, which sees her on the battle field.
Janet Fielding joined Doctor Who in 1981 as Tegan Jovanka. A no-nonsense character, she has become a staple in the history of Doctor Who.
While she departed the show in 1984, Fielding returned in 2022’s The Power of the Doctor.
She previously told SFX: “I’ve learnt that Doctor Who has a very rich culture. And a lot of people find it a really good place to escape to.
“And what you find over time is that it’s meant a lot to people at various crisis points in their life. You occupy a place in their hearts for that reason. And that’s a very privileged place to be.”
Sophie Aldred became one of the final companions of Classic Who, joining the Seventh Doctor, played by Sylvester McCoy, on various adventures.
She returned in The Power of the Doctor alongside Fielding. Recently chatting to RadioTimes.com to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who, Aldred said: “I just think it’s brilliant, all these amazing casting choices that Russell T Davies is making.
“So, I think we’re just gonna have a whole new generation and a whole new fanbase for Doctor Who, which is very, very exciting.”
As Aldred mentions, Doctor Who is still groundbreaking in much of its representation (for example, in the casting of Yasmin Finney as Rose Noble), with showrunner Russell T Davies ushering the show into a new age.
Meanwhile, we’ve got lots to look forward to when it comes to the women of Who, with Millie Gibson set to star as Ruby Sunday in season 14, and Varada Sethu being cast in season 15.
Behind the camera, we know that writing duo Kate Herron and Briony Redman will be teaming up to co-write an upcoming episode of Doctor Who, while director Julie Anne Robinson will helm episodes in the new season.
Doctor Who will return in May. Doctor Who is available on BBC iPlayer and on BritBox – you can sign up for a 7-day free trial here.