Derek Smythe: The Doctor's Companion

“We had never really considered a primary Male companion, but when Wendy came and talked to us about time travel, we were struck by the close relationship that she had with Derek. Their banter was playful and Mark and I just had to have it. We actually recorded a few of their conversations and used versions of it in the new script.”

“They had a lot of chemistry and after their adventures, it doesn’t surprise me. Between the AIDS efforts and the Mercury mines, we chatted with them for quite awhile. A lot of people have their favourite companions, Rose and everyone’s favourite, Donna. After Clara’s stint in the script we decided to take some of our inspiration from Derek and have a male companion for Capaldi.”

“It took awhile for the fans to come on board, but when they did, there was a lot of love for James. It boosted our popularity tenfold. I don’t think we would have made it to 75 years without him and Wendy.”

- Steven Moffat talking on UKBC Radio One as part of the Doctor Who 75th Anniversary Celebrations