BBC America on Saturday revealed the next companion to play alongside Peter Capaldi in sci-fi fantasy series Doctor Who: Bill, played by Pearl Mackie. Here is a video promo. The show will return with a Christmas special this year and the new season will start on BBC One in the United Kingdom in 2017, the network said. 

Mackie said in a release: “I'm incredibly excited to be joining the Doctor Who family. It's such an extraordinary British institution, I couldn't be prouder to call the TARDIS my home! Peter Capaldi is such a brilliant actor, and his Doctor is such a wacky and wonderful character, I can't wait to see what adventures are in store for him and Bill throughout time and space. Reading the script at the audition I thought Bill was wicked. Fantastically written, cool, strong, sharp, a little bit vulnerable with a bit of geekiness thrown in -- I can't wait to bring her to life, and to see how she develops through the series. I always loved stage combat at drama school so I can't wait to get on set and kick some evil monsters into the next dimension! 

"Shooting the trailer was absolutely mental, there were pyro technics and smoke and I met my first Dalek! I'm not sure it will ever become ‘the norm’ seeing crazy monsters on set, but I cannot wait to meet some more! The weirder the better, bring it on!”

The Doctor's previous companion, Clara Oswald, was played by Jenna Coleman, who departed after the most recent series.

Said Capaldi, who now has two seasons as The 12th Doctor under his belt, joining with the show's 50th anniversary: “It is a genuine delight to welcome Pearl Mackie to Doctor Who. A fine, fine actress with a wonderful zest and charm, she’s a refreshing addition to the TARDIS and will bring a universe of exciting new possibilities to The Doctor’s adventures.”

Steven Moffat, lead writer and executive producer: “A new face in the TARDIS, a new voyage about to begin: welcome aboard the amazing Pearl Mackie! This is where the story really starts.”

Charlotte Moore, BBC One's acting director of television said: “It's so exciting to be revealing the much anticipated new companion to the nation in such spectacular style. Pearl brings a wonderful energy and lights up the screen. She will captivate Doctor Who fans old and new across the globe.”

Executive producer Brian Minchin: “We’re utterly thrilled to have the hugely talented Pearl join Doctor Who and I can't wait to begin her new adventures in time and space!

BBC America, at Comic-Con International, set the return date for Doctor Who as Saturday, Sept. 19. This ninth season of the current iteration of the long-running sci-fi series will be the second in which Peter Capaldi plays The Doctor. "Soaring through all of time and space, series nine sees the Doctor throw himself into life with a new hunger for adventure," Capaldi said in a BBC America release. "The Cosmos is there for the taking, thrilling, epic and enticing, and his to play in. But he’s almost reckless in his abandon. It’s almost like he’s running from something, something that if it ever catches him will turn his life upside down.” Filming for the new series commenced in January in Cardiff.

Here is a link to a trailer for season nine.

(RELATED: Comic-Con: ‘Sherlock’ Christmas Special to Hit Theaters.)

The Doctor is joined by Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman) for time travel on a cinematic scale. Having the time of their lives, the pair meet new and old monsters, and go on a journey that takes them to deadly alien planets, creepy underwater bases, Vikings villages, a global Zygon uprising, and leads them through hidden alien dens, to the very end of time itself, th enetwork said. Meeting monsters old and new the Doctor will come face to face with Missy (Michelle Gomez), a city of Daleks, deadly mercenaries called the Mire, terrifying ghosts and more. (Pictured: Coleman, Capaldi and Gomez.)

Previously announced and taking up a guest role in the new season will be Maisie Williams, who plays Arya Stark in HBO's Game of Thrones. Michelle Gomez (Missy) returns to plague the Doctor and Clara in the season opener, and UNIT are back with Jemma Redgrave and Ingrid Oliver (Osgood) returning to season nine following their popular entrance in season eight. Also confirmed as guest cast in the new series are Rebecca Front, Rufus Hound, Paul Kaye, Joivan Wade and Sophie Stone, BBC America said.

The show’s ninth season has been written by lead writer Steven Moffat, Toby Whithouse, Jamie Mathieson, Peter Harness, Mark Gatiss, and new writers to Doctor Who: Sarah Dollard and Catherine Tregenna; directed by Hettie Macdonald, Daniel O’Hara, Ed Bazalgette, Daniel Nettheim, Justin Molotnikov, Rachel Talalay; and produced by Tracie Simpson, Derek Ritchie, Nikki Wilson and Peter Bennett. Production continues in Roath Lock studios, Cardiff Bay, Wales, having filmed in Tenerife, and South Wales locations, Caerwent, Caerphilly Castle, Cardiff Castle, St Athans and Margam Park.

The last season of Doctor Who was BBC America's highest-rated season yet on the channel and is available now on BBC America On Demand and all digital platforms, as well as on Blu-Ray/DVD. Doctor Who is a BBC Cymru Wales production for BBC One, co-produced with BBC America.