Doctor Who star Karen Gillan has been chatting to Total Film about her debut as a leading lady – and her departure from the sci-fi series.

The Amy Pond actress is currently in Cannes to promote her upcoming role in Glasgow-set indie-com Not Another Happy Ending.

“I play a successful writer called Jane Lockhart,” Gillan told us. “Who writes best when she’s unhappy. She’s feeling good about her life and therefore can’t write her next novel, so her publisher Tom goes on a secret mission to make her unhappy to get the book written.”

Filming’s due to start in Glasgow in July, co-starring Emun Elliott (Game Of Thrones), with John McKay (who directed Gillan in recent Beeb drama We’ll Take Manhattan) taking the reins.

Gillan last week wrapped a three-year stint as The Doctor’s companion – and promised that her character’s exit will be “unexpected”, as well as emotional.

“I literally couldn’t read it without crying,” she confessed. “It was the most highly charged read-through I’ve ever experienced. But I couldn’t have asked for a better exit. I don’t think it’ll be what people expect.”

She also shared her thoughts on the prospect of a Doctor Who movie. “I think it would be great in a franchise-y sort of way. I’d look forward to sitting down and watching it.”

But would she get involved if made an offer? “Oh, who knows. I guess you can only cross that bridge when you come to it!"