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Doctor Who's first non-white companion started out in comic books – now she's been cast for real
Rhianne Starbuck will voice Sharon, the franchise's first ever PoC companion, alongside Tom Baker's Fourth Doctor
- Flora Carr
Published: Wednesday, 31 October 2018 at 12:35 pm
Two iconic Doctor Who comic strips are being transformed into audio plays — and the casting of the Doctor's first ever non-white companion has just been announced.
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Big Finish, the audio book production company behind the adaptations, has cast Rhianne Starbuck as Sharon, companion to Tom Baker's fourth Doctor in Doctor Who: The Comic Strip Adaptations.
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First introduced in the 1980 comic story The Star Beast, Sharon is the first person of colour to fill the role of companion to one of the Time Lord's incarnations, ahead of Doctor Who TV companions like Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman) and Bill Potts (Pearl Mackie).
"She's kind of my dream character [as] she's very similar to my life story," said Starbuck, who will be lending her voice to the adaptation alongside Baker.
"[Like Sharon,] I never had a father figure growing up," Starbuck continued. "She's Northern, she's mixed race, just like myself. And a really fun character to play!"
Alongside The Star Beast, the comic strip The Iron Legion, featuring Cybermen-esque robotic Roman warriors, will also be adapted.
On working with Baker, Starbuck said: "When you work with someone with that great reputation, sometimes you can feel daunted or wonder what they would be like. But he made you feel comfortable and was very welcoming.
"He was constantly telling stories and jokes, everyone was mesmerised listening to him... He’s very young at heart."
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Doctor Who: The Comic Strip Adaptations are set for release in March 2019
Authors
Flora CarrDrama Writer, RadioTimes.com
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