Doctor Who star Peter Capaldi says he does not want a male companion or a dog to replace Jenna Coleman in the sci-fi show.

Coleman's character Clara Oswald was killed in the show earlier this month, in an episode called Face the Raven.

Capaldi and showrunner Steven Moffatt are now searching for a new companion to join the show for its tenth season.

However, Capaldi told The Sun that fret about replacing Coleman with male companion or another K9.

He said: “I’d always fret about a male companion in case they tried to dispatch me and could run faster than me!

“I also had to say no to a pet — a companion is a handful enough. But it’s not up to me. There may be a pet.

“I like having a female companion because I think with my Doc there is no romantic subtext, so it becomes about those individuals and how they bond and feel about each other.”

However, the Scottish actor says the decision is not up to him and did not rule out the possibility of another male companion on the show.

He added: “It depends who the person is. It could be a male companion if they fitted the bill. Depends what the bill is.”