Doctor Who season 11: Bradley Walsh to reportedly be Companion
After having for many years a male Doctor and female companions, as played by the likes of Karen Gillan, Jenna Coleman, and most recently Pearl Mackie, it seems as though the show is flipping things entirely for the upcoming season. Walsh is a popular TV presenter who has a history working for new showrunner Chris Chibnall already on the British version of Law & Order, and at 57 is also far older than most other companions that are out there. It’s a shake-up, but we like that given it gives us a chance to see the series do something different that they never have before.
This news isn’t 100% confirmed, but it feels close to a sure thing. Here is what a source had to say to the Mirror on the subject:
“Bradley is super excited to be joining the cast of Doctor Who in such a key role. It means that his schedule over the coming months will be jam-packed – so he won’t be able to continue with the full range of programmes he currently makes for ITV.
“But, crucially, it won’t affect his role as presenter of The Chase. He loves that show with a passion and so does the audience, so he’s delighted to have found a way to make it all work.”
One person who does very much seem to approve of the idea of Walsh as a new companion is Matt Lucas, who played Nardole on this past season of the show. In a new post on Twitter (see below), he made it very clear that he loves Walsh and would be happy to see him on the show.
Walsh would join Jodie Whittaker as one of the new stars of the show; if he is hired, odds are that he wouldn’t appear until the start of season 11, which could air as early as next year. While you will see Jodie in the Christmas Special, it’s going to be extremely brief and will serve mostly as a teaser for what’s coming up moving forward in the series. The stakes are certainly high for this new collaboration, but we think that it could be fun given that you’ve got a big risk combined now with someone extremely familiar to British audiences in Walsh. He will also added a lightness to the show given his comedy background, and one of the things that has long made Doctor Who so special is its sense of humor and entertainment. It should freak kids out every now and then, but also make them smile at the end of the day.
Let’s assume that Bradley Walsh gets the role — do you like the casting, or wish that Chibnall looked more for a fresh face? Share in the comments!
Also, head over here if you want to see what Capaldi had to say in terms of whether or not he would ever come back and play his role of The Doctor ever again. (Photo: BBC.)