Much like there is a camp concerned about the series switching to a female doctor, there was also a concerned camp when the series announced Peter Capaldi to replace Matt Smith considering he’s a good 25 years older than the actor playing the Doctor he would replace.
Jenna Coleman is as good an opinion as any to have in the Doctor Who universe since she was there for one of the show’s biggest changes since its reboot.
There were definitely some differences in interacting with Matt Smith’s Doctor and Capaldi’s, but ultimately it all worked out and Coleman and Capaldi got along well enough that he even got a bit teary eyed when it was finally time for her to say goodbye.