Doctor Who: Jenna Coleman staying in series

Jenna Coleman has revealed that she is to continue playing the part of Doctor Who's assistant Clara Oswald for another series of the show.

There had been uncertainty about the future of the former Emmerdale actress, who joined the show in 2012.

She has starred alongside two Doctors - first Matt Smith and now Peter Capaldi.

"It's wonderful," she said. "I get a whole other series of stories with the Doctor and I couldn't walk away with the story being unresolved."

She added: "There is so much more to do. I think they've finally just reached a point where they really understand each other.

"The arrival of the 12th Doctor has just kind of dropped this whole bombshell and allowed the dynamic to totally change, so I think just when Clara was feeling more comfortable in the relationship, it has suddenly thrown something new up."

Capaldi said: "I'm thrilled. Jenna has just been fantastic and such a pleasure to work with."

Fans of the show had to wait until the end of the Christmas Day special edition to find out whether Coleman's character would be staying.