Back in July, Jodie Whittaker was revealed to be the Thirteenth Doctor. At last, now we know who will be joining her in the TARDIS…
Bradley Walsh – Graham
Known for: The Chase, Law & Order: UK, Coronation Street
Comedian/TV presenter/actor Bradley Walsh was previously rumoured to be joining Doctor Who so this isn’t too much of a surprise. He had this to say about joining the show:
“I remember watching William Hartnell as the first Doctor. Black and white made it very scary for a youngster like myself. I was petrified but even though I’d watch most of it from behind the sofa through my fingers, I became a fan. I then queued up for ages to get into the Carlton picture house in Watford to watch the great Peter Cushing appear as the Doctor in a full length feature film made in glorious colour. Am I thrilled to be part of this whole ground breaking new dawn for the Doctor?? Oh yes!”
Tosin Cole – Ryan
Known for: Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Hollyoaks
Tosin Bell – who had a brief role in The Force Awakens as X-Wing pilot L. Bastian – is swapping Star Wars for Doctor Who. He said:
“I’m grateful and excited to be a part of this journey with the team. I’m looking forward to jumping in this Doctor Who universe.”
Mandip Gill – Yasmin
Known for: Hollyoaks, Doctors
Funnily enough, there’s another Hollyoaks alum on board the TARDIS. Mandip Gill and Tosin Cole starred on the British soap opera together so there should be an easy chemistry between their characters, Ryan and Yasmin. Gill said:
“I am over the moon to be joining the Doctor Who family. This is an iconic show with an amazing fanbase and I look forward to everything that brings. Certain roles seem unattainable and this is one of those, so much so I didn’t believe it to be true for the first few weeks. To be working alongside the likes of Jodie, Bradley and my old friend Tosin is thrilling. This show is worlds away from the work I’ve done previously and that’s the part that excites me the most.”
Actress Sharon D Clarke (Holby City) is also joining the Doctor Who cast in what is being described as “a returning role.” We have lots of questions here: is she a villain or an ally? And does “returning” refer to her recurring throughout the season? Or does it mean that she will be playing a new incarnation of a familiar character?
New showrunner Chris Chibnall said this about his cast:
“The new Doctor is going to need new friends. We’re thrilled to welcome Mandip, Tosin and Bradley to the Doctor Who family. They’re three of Britain’s brightest talents and we can’t wait to see them dive into brand new adventures with Jodie’s Doctor. Alongside them, we’re delighted that Sharon D Clarke is also joining the show.”
Meanwhile, the new Doctor herself, Jodie Whittaker, said:
“I am so excited to share this huge adventure with Mandip, Tosin and Bradley. It’s a dream team!”
It has also been confirmed that Doctor Who season 11 will consist of ten episodes instead of the previous twelve. The first will be an hour-long special to kick off the series, while the rest will come in at fifty-minutes – five minutes longer than the standard episode length that has been in place since 2005.
What are your thoughts about the new TARDIS team? Let us know in the comments!
Fandom Factory 