Smith: “River’s not going anywhere”

Matt Smith has said that, although he doesn’t think River (Alex Kingston) will ever become a full-time companion on Doctor Who, the character is not going anywhere in the future.

He told BANG Showbiz: “I think River’s too independent to ever be a full-time companion, I think that’s what makes River great as a character. The companions and The Doctor are doing their thing then whoosh in comes the hair!

“It just messes the Doctor up and makes him go, ‘Oh Christ, River’s here,’ and it frightens him. And weirdly he’s going, ‘Why the hell am I attracted to her? What’s that?’ That’s the woman who makes him go whoa.”

Matt added: “She’s back for episode eight and she definitely appears in nine and thirteen and she’ll be back again. River’s not going anywhere.”

Her appearance in the finale was obvious, but we haven’t heard anything about her being in Night Terrors. Given the reported standalone nature of the episode, it must be a cameo perhaps at the end, if this isn’t a mistake.