Doctor Who (series 1) months of speculation. In the April 2004 issue of "Doctor Who Magazine", Davies announced that Eccleston's Doctor would indeed be the Ninth Doctor, relegating Richard E. Grant's Shalka Doctor to non-official status. Russell T Davies revealed that Eccleston asked for the role in an e-mail. After the announcement that the show would be returning, Davies revealed that the new companion would "probably" be called Rose Tyler in an edition of "Doctor Who Magazine" published in November 2003. This name was confirmed in March 2004, and it was announced at the same time that former pop star Billie Piper was being
Rose (Doctor Who episode) and Noel Clarke were also cast to play Rose's mother and boyfriend respectively; Davies wanted to include these characters to "make her real" and to "give her a life". Rose's family is also working-class, which had rarely been seen in companions on the show prior to "Rose". The episode name had gradually been shortened; in Davies's pitch it had been called "Rose meets the Doctor, and the journey begins", on his contract "Rose Meets The Doctor", and finally shortened to "Rose". Also changed from Davies's original pitch were the names of the supporting characters: Judy Tyler became Jackie Tyler, and