Astrid Peth Who Confidential", Minogue describes Astrid as a "dreamer" and that meeting with the Doctor rekindles Astrid's desire to explore. Later in his book "A Writer's Tale" Davies discussed with co-author Benjamin Cook how he had originally named the character "Peth" in a treatment but it bugged him, he later renamed her to "Astrid" giving the reason that it "...sounds more spacey, more like a futuristing Doctor's companion". Despite Davies stating that the companion in "Voyage of the Damned" was "always going to [be] a one-off...little knowing that it would be Kylie Minogue", he has since stated that he would cast
Astrid Björkman as hospital manager there 1931-36 and at Restad's hospital in Vänersborg 1936-51. Astrid Björkman was Sweden's first female chief physician and hospital manager. In 1945, she was awarded a ‘size 8’ Illis Quorum gold medal. Astrid Björkman Astrid Björkman (9 January 1886 – 20 January 1967) was a Swedish doctor and women's pioneer. She was the daughter of the pharmacist Karl Björkman and Matty Egerström, and the cousin of bridge designer Axel Björkman. Björkman graduated from tertiary school in Stockholm in 1904 and became a Licentiate of Medicine in 1917. She worked as a physician at Uppsala epidemic hospital in