Billie Piper Explains Being A 'Doctor Who' Companion Is Very 'Overwhelming'

Since Doctor Who was revived in 2005, the Doctor has travelled with a number of companions in his iconic blue box. Every fan has their favorite companion, however, it appears the most loved companion is Billie Piper's character — Rose Tyler.

Piper was the first companion to travel in the TARDIS when #DoctorWho was brought back onto our screens. During her time as a companion, Rose travelled with two Doctors: the first was the Ninth Doctor, played by Christopher Eccleston, and when he regenerated, she decided to stick around in the TARDIS and travel with the popular Tenth Doctor, portrayed by David Tennant. Recently, Piper has revealed that being a companion is hard work, but why?

You Need A Break From The Show

Being a Doctor Who companion is one of the greatest roles you could ever take on in your career, and it's also a role that you'll never forget when you depart the show. Piper bowed out of the show in the emotional Season 2 finale after being trapped in a parallel universe. This then led to Rose being declared dead in the real world.

Obviously, leaving Doctor Who is going to be emotional, but, after playing a companion for quite some time, Piper has explained that it became very "overwhelming." In the latest edition of the Doctor Who Magazine, Piper shared her thoughts about leaving Doctor Who by saying:

"[A]s you know, it's such a full-on shoot. And if I'm honest, I found 'Doctor Who' quite overwhelming at times. It becomes a topic of every conversation. Leaving was sad, but I wanted a change. I really needed a separation from it."

It may have taken some time to finally admit that she missed Doctor Who, but fans were delighted to see Rose make an epic comeback to the show in 2008, where she joined all the other companions in the grand finale of David Tennant's final season.

Rose Will Reunite With the Tenth Doctor Once Again

It's been announced that Piper will be making an epic comeback to the wonderful world of Doctor Who this year, where she will reunite with Tennant for a series of audio stories with Big Finish Productions.

Piper will make her Big Finish debut in the series The Tenth Doctor Adventures - Volume 2 where she will defeat some of the Doctor's most deadliest enemies. Speaking about her return, Piper said:

"Is it a bit weird playing a 19-year-old now that I'm a 34-year-old mother of two."

Rose's mother Jackie Tyler (Camille Coduri) will also be returning within this series, as it has been revealed she will feature in Episode 1, titled "Attack of the Zaross."