Alison Cheney

Alison Cheney was a barmaid who travelled with the Ninth Doctor.

Biography
Alison was Joe's girlfriend.

She met the Ninth Doctor in 2003 when she worked at the pub in the abandoned town of Lannet, Lancashire. The Doctor had just arrived in the TARDIS. Noticing the absence of people in Lannet, he came in for a drink. The Shalka had by this time caused a mass exodus of the townsfolk, who did not understand that an alien invasion had taken place but, nevertheless, fled in fear.

Alison was subsequently kidnapped by the Shalka, who modified her body to transmit the Shalka's screams. At the end of the Shalka incident, Alison accepted the Doctor's invitation to become his companion. Joe however shows concern on Alison travelling with the Doctor, in fear of her safety, the Doctor notes the Tardis is a Time Machine and he has probably already dropped Alison at her Grandmothers House. When Joe phones up and ask if Alison is there, he gets a negative answer. (WC: Scream of the Shalka)

Behind the scenes
Alison was the first non-Caucasian companion of the Doctor in an official BBC-produced Doctor Who dramatic production. On TV that distinction would be given several years later to Mickey Smith.

The Third Doctor had travelled with the black child Nick Wallard in his TV Action run, the Fourth Doctor had travelled with a black companion Sharon Davies in the Doctor Who Weekly comics and the Seventh Doctor had Roz Forrester as a companion in the Virgin New Adventures book series.