Fan Favorite Doctor Who Companion Returning For The First Time In 7 Years

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Nearly six decades after joining the Doctor on her first adventure in 1966, one of the Doctor’s earliest companions is returning for a brand new story. She previously reappeared in 2019, and now she’s teaming up with the very First Doctor again, adding a new layer to the show’s history beyond what fans originally knew.

Anneke Wills is returning to the role of Polly Wright, the resourceful and intelligent companion of the First and Second Doctors, in a new audio drama. She’ll be featured in *Doctor Who – The First Doctor Adventures: Beware the City of Illusions*, a production from Big Finish releasing in March 2026.

Anneke Wills is returning to the role of Polly in *Doctor Who*, a welcome surprise for fans who have followed her adventures since the 1960s. The new story, written and directed by Nicholas Briggs, takes place many years after Polly’s time traveling with the Doctor. It turns out she’s been far from idle, using the lessons she learned to become a dedicated environmental activist. Wills explained that Briggs contacted her with the idea, asking what Polly would be doing now. When he jokingly suggested a quiet life running a tea shop, she immediately replied, “No way! She’d be out there saving the planet!”

A New Adventure With Familiar Faces

Polly’s exploration of a seemingly perfect, eco-friendly city of the future in *Beware the City of Illusions* becomes perilous. The British government, funded by the Gynt Foundation and a shadowy figure known as ‘Mr. Hammond,’ intends to revolutionize environmental conditions. However, Polly quickly suspects this idyllic place is concealing a dark and potentially fatal truth.

She was relieved to see a familiar face: the First Doctor, portrayed by Stephen Noonan (known from *The Great British Bake Off* and *Spooks*). However, he doesn’t recognize her yet! Lauren Cornelius is back as Dodo Chaplet, Polly’s friend and another companion, but her current work with the government complicates things, making her allegiances uncertain. Together, they must face a dangerous threat that could wipe out all of humanity.

Producer Mark Wright hinted that the new story will combine the exciting adventures fans expect from *Doctor Who* with touching scenes that pay tribute to the character of Wills.

We always intended to bring Anneke Wills back as Polly, and the story was written with her strong interest in environmental issues in mind. ‘Beware the City of Illusions’ is full of action, mystery, and monsters, but most importantly, it’s a tribute to Anneke’s lasting impact on *Doctor Who* and the affection fans have for her, sixty years after she first appeared.

Polly Wright’s Legacy Lives On

Polly is a truly unforgettable companion from the early days of *Doctor Who*. Her kindness and courage, alongside Ben Jackson, played a key role in a pivotal moment for the show: the First Doctor’s regeneration into the Second Doctor, as seen in *The Tenth Planet*. This event established one of the most famous traditions in *Doctor Who* history.

As a long-time Doctor Who fan, I’ve been consistently impressed with Big Finish’s audio dramas. They’ve really done something special with Polly, the Doctor’s companion, giving her a story arc that the original television series just didn’t have the space for. They’ve truly fleshed her out, revealing a character who was remarkably forward-thinking for her time, and these audio adventures have allowed that to really shine.

The new audio drama, *Doctor Who – The First Doctor Adventures: Beware the City of Illusions*, will be released in March 2026 and you can order it now from Big Finish. It also marks the end of Big Finish’s recent *First Doctor Adventures* trilogy, providing a heartfelt conclusion to this story arc.

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2025-10-10 20:58