Katy Manning played companion Jo Grant back in the 1970s. Modern viewers may remember her from her stint on The Sarah Jane Adventures. Through the years she’s remained a fan of the show, and has praise for the current Doctor.

Katy Manning is a free spirit if nothing else. Matt Smith once said, after working with her on The Sarah Jane Adventures, “Working with Katy Manning has been wonderful. She’s a lovely person. Mad as a box of fish but totally dynamite!” Similarly, her character, Jo Grant, was playful, endearing, and somewhat ditzy. In a rollicking interview with The Radio Times, she looks back on her Doctor Who heritage and has high praise for the show’s current direction.

Ever since Christopher Eccleston came out of that goddamn box I’ve loved it. All the new Doctors are brilliant but I’ve only worked with Matt Smith…Matt’s a joy to work with. It’s an education to watch his beautifully realised physicality as the Doctor. I said to him, ‘Jon Pertwee would be very proud of what you’re doing with this character.’ And it was the first time I’d actually worked with Lis, although we’d already become close friends. We had a lot of past with Jon that bonded us. When I was a newbie at conventions, she really helped me through. After she died, I said in an interview she was the quintessential Doctor Who girl. And I really meant it.

Check out the rest of what Manning had to say on The Radio Times.

Would you like to see Manning return for the 50th Anniversary Special?