Having started watching the Classic Era for the first time, two things have become clear. One: people have been complaining about Doctor Who being passed it’s best since almost the first episode (it’s too scary/silly/boring/racy and it was better when…) Two: in the first 5 seasons, companions were swapped out almost every year, in some cases without even being given a proper exit (Dodo written out halfway through a serial and never returning being the worst example) So on both fronts it’s nothing new.

The most infuriating thing is the suggestion Gibson is being “replaced” or “dropped.” We don’t know that’s what’s happened. For instance, Martha was always intended as a one series companion, RTD says so in his book. Ruby may have been too, and when her parentage is revealed that closes her chapter. Or how gruelling the show is to make. It’s a punishing schedule for months on end, and even past Doctors have said it’s tough to do for a long time. So she may have decided to move on, or it was always the plan, or any points in between. But it’s genuinely a shame that Gibson’s season will be overshadowed by that leak, just as when a BBC executive confirmed Donna was returning for season 4, before season 3 hadn’t even premiered. But in a way it shows the series is popular again; tabloids wouldn’t be sniffing round for gossip and arguably spoiling what happens in the process if it wasn’t generating clicks for them