One Doctor Who Companion Now Holds A Record That Will Be Very Difficult To Ever Beat

Published May 19, 2025

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Warning: HUGE spoilers ahead for Doctor Who season 15, episode 6, "The Interstellar Song Contest."Doctor Who's classic era, serving as the show's very first companion. As the granddaughter of William Hartnell's First Doctor, Susan remains unique as the Time Lord's only onscreen family member to date.

Susan's cameo in "The Interstellar Song Contest" quietly installs a new subplot that runs alongside the episode's primary narrative. By the end of the installment, it remains unclear exactly how and why Susan is reaching out to her grandfather, but the mystery is part of what makes Ford's unexpected return so exciting. While her presence is great from a storytelling perspective, it also gives Ford a behind-the-scenes plaudit that will probably remain hers for all time.

Susan's Doctor Who Return Comes Over 60 Years After Her Debut

Carole Ann Ford appeared in the Doctor Who pilot episode & beyond

"An Unearthly Child" marked Doctor Who's first ever episode on November 23, 1963. It introduced William Hartnell's Doctor as the first iteration of the Time Lord, as well as Carole Ann Ford as Susan. The Doctor's granddaughter returns in "The Interstellar Song Contest," just over 61 years after Ford's Doctor Who debut. So, the length of time between her first appearance and her most recent sets an impressive record for her role in the show.

Ncuti Gatwa looking afraid as the Fifteenth Doctor in Doctor Who

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The Doctor's regeneration process and what it means is often reevaluated, and Ncuti Gatwa's era as Fifteen is no different in that respect.

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However, it should be noted that Carole Ann Ford did return to the show after Hartnell's Doctor left Susan behind in 1964. She appeared in 1983's "The Five Doctors" to celebrate Doctor Who's 20th anniversary. That said, this doesn't affect the record she has set by returning once again in 2025. While she has also reprised the role in many Doctor Who audio adventures, the canon status of anything outside the live-action TV shows is nebulous at best.

2022's "The Power of the Doctor" briefly recalled William Russell to the character of Ian Chesterton.

Ford's inheritance of this prestigious honor strips one of her Doctor Who contemporaries of the record. 2022's "The Power of the Doctor" briefly recalled William Russell to the character of Ian Chesterton. Russell also appeared in "An Unearthly Child" and remained part of the show for longer than Ford, leaving the cast in 1965. The actor previously (and briefly) held the record for the longest gap between a Doctor Who companion's debut and return, but fell just short of the 60-year mark.

It's Unlikely Any Other Companion Will Return To Doctor Who 60 Years After Their First Episode

Susan will probably hold onto this title forever

William Russell ed away in 2024, leaving Carole Ann Ford as the only surviving member of the original Doctor Who cast. Therefore, he can't reclaim the title he once held. In fact, I find it difficult to believe that any Doctor Who companion can take the record from Carole Ann Ford. It's an achievement that should be revered, and her return is a narrative development that even many of the world's longest-running TV shows can't even dream of pulling off.

Susan is a Time Lord, so her presumed ability to regenerate means the character could continue to be part of the show even after Carole Ann Ford surrenders the role for good.

To give just one example, if Karen Gillan's Amy Pond were to break Susan's return record, she would need to appear in an episode of Doctor Who in 2072, as she made her debut as the Eleventh Doctor's companion in 2010. The show has already proven it has the formula in place to enjoy such longevity, but Ford's record being broken would require an unprecedented level of continued success for the show and a bunch of other factors that are almost impossible to plan for.

Recasting a Doctor is often not an issue, and is actually a cornerstone of the show, but companions being recast can be tricky because they often lack a Time Lord's regenerative capabilities.

What's far more likely is that companions from the show's earliest years will return, but played by new actors. Something similar to this has already happened, as William Hartnell has already been replaced twice as the First Doctor. Recasting a Doctor is often not an issue, and is actually a cornerstone of the show, but companions being recast can be tricky because they often lack a Time Lord's regenerative capabilities. That said, Ford's Doctor Who character shouldn't have this issue as a direct descendant of the Doctor.

Doctor Who Season 15's Release Schedule On Disney+
Episode	Title	Release Date (2025)
1	"The Robot Revolution"	April 12
2	"Lux"	April 19
3	"The Well"	April 26
4	"Lucky Day"	May 3
5	"The Story and the Engine"	May 10
6	"The Interstellar Song Contest"	May 17
7	"Wish World"	May 24
8	"The Reality War"	May 31