After a screening of the Doctor Who: The Doctor, The Widow And The Wardrobe, showrunner Steven Moffat told the crowd of press and blaggers including George Osborne, Ed Balls, Charles Kennedy and Tom Watson that Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill would return to Doctor Who in 2012 – but would then leave the show. Gillan is also to star as Jean Shrimpton in a BBC4 show about her affair with David Bailey.
Amy and Rory will be rejoining us next series and joining the Doctor back on the Tardis, but the final days of the Ponds are coming – and during the next series. I'm not telling you when and certainly not telling you how. But that story is going to come to a heartbreaking end.
There are only so many more adventures with the lovely Amy and the lovely Rory. So that story, next series, during the series will be over. And then the Doctor is going to meet a new friend – and I'm not going to tell you anything about he, she or it!.. Who knows? It is Doctor Who. There's a universe of people to choose from.
Matt Smith added:
We've had the most incredible journey. We took over the show and we really had to hold hands and help each other through it in many ways. So it's very disappointing, but one has to remember that this show is about change and regeneration and that's what galvanises it and moves it forward. It's about looking forward, always.