The regenerations of the Doctor are a staple part of the mythology of Doctor Who, but across the past five decades there has been another constant in the series; the changing faces of his Companion. Now Inverness-born Karen Gillan has become the latest to enter the TARDIS.

Auditioning

"It was one of the strangest experiences ever; it was a really weird feeling!" exclaims Karen Gillan about her casting as Amy Pond. "I found out on the day of my second audition with Matt, so at least I didn't have a really long wait. It just didn't feel real, and I couldn't believe it!"

But auditioning for Doctor Who is unlike any other audition for the excitable, down-to-earth actress: "I knew that the audition was for the part of the Companion, but I wasn't allowed to tell anyone about it. They even had a code name for the role because it was so top secret. The code name was 'Panic Moon'; an anagram of Companion which I thought was really clever." Even after Karen discovered she had been cast as Amy Pond the veil of secrecy was not lifted: "I wasn't allowed to tell anyone that I got the part but my boyfriend was with me when I found out so there was rather a lot of screaming!

"I'm from Inverness in Scotland, right up in the Highlands. When I was 16 I moved to Edinburgh to study acting and I stayed there for a year, then at 17 I decided to move to London to continue my acting career," she reveals. "I also did a little bit of modelling for two years which I enjoyed. I met some great people and it was a really fantastic experience."

First day of filming

Karen's first day of filming the series was made even more memorable by her first encounter with the one thing which, more than any other, represents the show.

"It was great having the TARDIS there. It felt quite strange to see it on a beach in Wales; it's such a beautiful and iconic thing."

But seeing the exterior of the TARDIS still couldn't prepare Karen for the moment when she first entered the blue box, as she explains: "I was in awe of the whole thing. I'd seen the old one so much on TV and then I walked into the new one and it was breathtaking; just the sheer scale of it. It was so exciting. I thought to myself that I had to remember that moment for when Amy walked into it for the first time."

Amy Pond - Alpha female

"Well, for a start Steven Moffat has written a brilliant character. I do think Amy is different from previous Companions because she's very equal to the Doctor. She doesn't take his word as gospel and she's always happy to challenge him. If he tells her to do something then she won't necessarily do it, she might go off and do her own thing which can sometimes create a rift between the two of them! They are best pals though and it's a very up and down relationship because they are both very passionate people."

"The Doctor is definitely an alpha male and Amy is an alpha female, so when they meet, they combust. They have quite a turbulent relationship but it's also really passionate and they care about each other. Amy can really hold her own against him and Steven's written some great one-liners. It's a great relationship."

"I think it's quite important that I feel like her when I wear the clothes. So I worked quite closely with the costume designer, Ray, and also the producers, to come up with the signature Amy look. They were generally vintage clothes, but we tried to incorporate high street styles as well because Amy is young. I think naturally there is going to be some of me in her style, as I relate to Amy and we are the same age as each other."

Matt Smith

"I think Steven said it perfectly; Matt manages to be old and young at the same time," explains Karen.

"That's the great thing about the Doctor; he has the energy and mischief of a young child as well as the wisdom, age and intelligence of someone a lot older. Also, with Matt's performance in particular, he's so believable that he isn't human. He has all these things that he does that make you really believe he is an alien or a Time Lord and you're drawn in by that."

However, as well as working with Matt, the series has also given Karen the opportunity to work with a spectacular array of guest stars. "That's the fantastic thing about Doctor Who, you get the most amazing people coming in as guest stars. I got to work with incredible actors; Alex Kingston is back as River Song and she's a legend! I'm managing to learn so much from all of these people. I feel privileged and I'm always trying to pick up tips from them."

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Doctor Who - Karen Gillan Profile (Amy Pond)

Photograph of Karen Gillan in character ask Amy Pond for the BBC series Doctor Who