The BBC announced a series of new castings for Season 13 of “Doctor Who” who will accompany Jodie Whittaker‘s Doctor on her adventures around the universe.
Bradley Walsh will play Graham, with Tosin Cole and Mandip Gill set to take on the roles of Ryan and Yasmin. While Walsh has long been rumored to play Whittaker’s companion, details about Cole and Gill’s characters have not yet been released.
Sharon D. Clarke will be a regular on the show in a vague “returning role,” and “Doctor Who” will return in fall 2018 with a 10-episode season.
The series is made by BBC Studios for the BBC in the U.K. and BBC America in the U.S. The UK pubcaster said the new season of the long running sci-fi series will kick off with an hour-long special. The season will comprise ten episodes, with regular installments running to 50 minutes. Recent seasons have stretched to 12 or 13 episodes of 40 minutes.
“The new Doctor is going to need new friends. We’re thrilled to welcome Mandip, Tosin and Bradley to the Doctor Who family,” said showrunner Chris Chibnall in a statement. “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.”
Whittaker’s casting marks the first time a woman has played the role of the Doctor, who was previously embodied by Peter Capaldi. She was selected by Chibnall, who is also taking the reins from Steven Moffat, and who worked with Whittaker on “Broadchurch.” Walsh is also one of the few male companions in “Doctor Who.”
Meet the 13th Doctor's new friends! Yasmin (Mandip Gill), Ryan (Tosin Cole), and Graham (Bradley Walsh) #DoctorWho pic.twitter.com/6l9iVkvu0d
— Doctor Who (@bbcdoctorwho) October 22, 2017
Whittaker’s casting sparked mild outrage online among naysayers who believed a woman shouldn’t play the role, but those dissenters received almost universal condemnation from previous Doctors and others involved with the show.
