The BBC has announced that actress Bonnie Langford will reprise her role as Melanie Bush for the upcoming new season of “Doctor Who,” which marks Ncuti Gatwa’s first season as the new form of the Time Lord.
In the series, Melanie ‘Mel’ Bush is a perky 20th-century computer programmer with large red curls, a penchant for fitness, an eidetic memory, and a rather incredible screaming ability.
She served as the final companion of Colin Baker’s Sixth Doctor and the first companion of Sylvester McCoy’s Seventh Doctor – playing the role across two seasons.
She was last seen heading off to travel the stars with galactic confidence trickster Sabalom Glitz. She joins several other former companions from the classic series who have returned in recent years, including Sophie Aldred’s Ace and Janet Fielding’s Tegan Jovanka.
Langford actually reprised Mel for a brief cameo in Jodie Whittaker’s final outing as The Doctor last year, but this time Mel will get proper action with showrunner Russell T. Davies saying:
“This isn’t just a cameo, Bonnie is right in the thick of the action, battling monsters and chaos and cliffhangers, right at the Doctor’s side, just like the old days.”
Langford has long been an ardent supporter of the franchise, but her character was never as well-liked as some others, such as her predecessor Peri or her successor Ace.
The 14th season of Doctor Who is expected to begin airing sometime in early 2024 on BBC 1 in the UK and on Disney+ internationally.
Source: Gizmodo
