View source for Freema Agyeman, Doctor Who's latest companion, is also the first visible minority to join him on his travels

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| publication = Toronto Star
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| date = 2007-07-07 
| author = Rob Salem
| pages = E3
| language = English
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The Doctor does not tend to travel alone.

Over three decades of time-spanning, galaxy-hopping adventure - including the current, updated series, co-produced by and currently airing on CBC - Doctor Who is rarely without a "companion," invariably younger (the Doctor has been around for centuries) and, more often than not, attractive and female.

There have, over the years, been approximately 36 of them, more than 20 women or girls, about a dozen men and boys, one shape-shifting android and a mechanical dog (although official counts vary among fandom). Sixteen or so were from the U.K., at least six from other planets, two plucked from Earth's ancient past, two contemporary Americans and one Australian. 

But none of them - unless you count the android - has ever been a member of a visible minority.

Until now.

Freema Agyeman, the first "companion of colour" in Doctor Who's long history (although Noel Clarke, as recurring character Mickey Smith, travelled briefly with the Doctor last season), was born and raised in North London by an Iranian mother and a Ghanian father (since divorced). Though the stunning 28-year-old actress has been a fairly familiar face in episodic English drama (Crossroads, Casualty, The Bill), Doctor Who is her first long-term series commitment ... and the realization of a childhood dream. 

Though not necessarily hers.

"I did watch it growing up," she says. "Sylvester McCoy was my Doctor. I just remember watching it with my family. I remember I found the music quite haunting and beautiful. But that's all that really stuck in my mind."

Not exactly a rabid fan - unlike David Tennant, the Doctor's current (and tenth) incarnation, whose unbridled enthusiasm (enth-Who-siasm?) seems to be shared by just about everyone else on set.

"Luckily, it was not a pre-requisite for getting the job," Agyeman laughs. "But because I didn't have that depth of knowledge, I felt like I needed to do an exam or something, in order to get up to speed. But you find, if you hang around them long enough, you get a deeper appreciation of it than you might possibly have had before."

It was supposed to be just another episodic job, back in the summer of 2006, when she played a one-off character named Adeola who was killed by evil, recurring Who enemies the Cybermen during the new show's second season.

But the producers were so taken with her camera-ready charisma, they brought her back this year to play Martha Jones, a medical student who takes off with the Doctor when the hospital she works at is suddenly and mysteriously whisked off to the surface of the moon.

"It was a baptism of fire," she now recalls. "Instead of slowly introducing the character, and giving the audience time to get to know her, they decided to just hit the ground running. And I mean that literally."

Nonetheless, her unprecedented, colour-blind casting has had much more than the requisite impact. "I'm so proud," she beams. "It's a massive achievement. I'm really honoured. I mean, the show is such an institution ...

"The part wasn't specified as being 'non-white' - there were all sorts of people, I gather, going up for it. It's just such a reassuring and reflective sign of the times. At the same time, it is so great to get this fabulous female part that isn't synonymous with my colour. It's not stereotypical in any way.

"Not that it isn't touched upon. I mean, in episodes to come, there are eras we go back to where it wouldn't be right to just ignore the fact that a black person is there."

Neither has it gone unnoticed by Doctor Who's most impressionable fans.

"I get letters from black children, saying, 'I really want to be like you.' That is quite something. I mean, it's nice to have a role model that all children can look up to, that non-white children can also identify with."

Martha Jones will continue her travels with the Doctor for the rest of this current third season, and - contrary to prevailing Internet rumours - on into next year's fourth.

She is being seconded, in the first part of next season, to a three-week guest shot on the second season of the Who spin-off Torchwood (also coming to CBC). She will then re-join the Doctor and a second companion - comedian Catherine Tate, who reprises her role from this season's Who Christmas special, "The Runaway Bride" - for the duration of the 13-week season.

And if it ever gets to be too much, Agyeman can always turn to her Doctor, David Tennant.

"There is not one day he does not walk on that set absolutely beaming ... whether they are stringing him up, or blowing him up, or whatever. I mean, complete glee ... It's infectious, really."

After being pre-empted last week by the FIFA under-20 World Cup soccer tournament, Doctor Who returns to CBC Monday night at 8 p.m.

GRAPHIC: Relative newcomer Freema Agyeman stars as Martha Jones, the latest companion of the enigmatic Doctor, a time-travelling Time Lord, in Doctor Who. Doctor Who stars David Tennant and Freema Agyeman. 


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