If you’re part of the Doctor Who fandom online, you’re probably aware of “Thasmin” shippers – those fans that really, really want Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor to develop a romance with her companion, Yaz Khan, as played by Mandip Gill. Season 11 only portrayed the pair as good pals, but that didn’t stop some from hoping that something could develop between them in the future.
Whittaker hasn’t talked about the topic just yet, but Gill was asked about her thoughts on the “Thasmin” craze while speaking with Metro recently and said that she thinks it’s probably to do with her “natural chemistry” with her co-star.
“I’m aware of [the shipping] now, but at the time I was filming it, it was never a thing. It must just have been natural chemistry between Jodie and myself.”
The actress then went on to admit that she was shocked by the fan reaction once the season started airing, though she does tease that the Time Lord and her friend’s relationship could potentially go anywhere in the next run.
“After it came out, I was like, ‘Wow, I didn’t even think that was a thing’. I didn’t think it was a thing until I saw people mentioning it online. I think it is just a natural thing that can happen between friends, and who knows where it’s going to go…”
Gill might not have thought about a potential romance between the Doc and Yaz during filming, but the episodes did occasionally play with the idea. For instance, “Arachnids in the U.K.” had Yaz’s mother mistake them as a couple, which the Doctor didn’t rule out. Thirteen hasn’t been depicted in any sort of romantic context so far, but all of the previous modern Doctors have fallen in love, so it’d be strange if the character’s sexuality wasn’t explored with the first female Time Lord.
At the very least, we’ve been told to expect more emphasis on Yaz in season 12, as showrunner Chris Chibnall teased that there might be some exploration of her having to balance her burgeoning police career with her travels in the TARDIS. That certainly sounds exciting, though with Doctor Who season 12 currently filming and not expected to arrive until early 2020, it’ll still be some time before we get to see where Yaz, the Doctor and the rest of the gang go from here.