Bonnie Langford reveals how she convinced Bradley Walsh to join Doctor Who
Doctor Who legend Bonnie Langford has revealed how she convinced Bradley Walsh to accept an offer to join the Doctor Who cast.
Bonnie Langford convinced Bradley Walsh to join Doctor Who.
The 61-year-old actress - who starred first appeared on the iconic BBC sci-fi series as Melanie Bush alongside Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy's Doctors in the 1980s - urged The Chase host to take on the role of companion Graham O'Brien.
Speaking to RadioTimes.com, she called: "I went and met him for lunch. And he said, ‘I've been asked to do Doctor Who, I don't know if I should.’
"I said, ‘Do it. Do it. Do it. Do it. Do it. It's the gift that keeps on giving.'
"And he did! In the end, we ended up doing a scene together - and I was just so pleased."
Bradley first appeared on screen as Graham, the grandfather of Ryan (Tosin Cole) - in 2018, during Jodie Whittaker's stint as the Time Lord.
Graham and Ryan left in the 2021 New Year's special Revolution of the Daleks, but would return the following year for Jodie's final episode The Power of the Doctor, which featured several former companions.
While Bonnie never expected a return, she was overjoyed and immediately started pondering what her character would be like four decades later.
She said: "At that point I thought, 'Well, I wonder what Mel would be'. A lot calmer. A lot calmer, and much more into her computers, yet very discreet about the work that she does.
"She had such a loyalty to the Doctor. It was really great that I had been able to still be in touch with [Mel], to think, 'I wonder where she's been and what she's done, and how she has kept her connection with the Doctor.'
"So then when I came to do it in the new TV series, it felt really comfortable to be with her."
Meanwhile, Bradley previously revealed he "absolutely loved" his stint on the show.
In a statement after announcing his departure, he said: "I have absolutely loved it, loved it. Wales has become like a second home to me and being included in something so iconic and ground breaking with the advent of having a female Doctor, that whole thing where Chibnall sold that to me, it didn’t disappoint and I loved working with those guys.
"I love working with Chris Chibnall, that man is a genius but to also be working with Mandip and Tosin and of course Jodie is just extraordinary."
