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Frank Skinner Jokes About Bradley Walsh's Casting Rumour

While we must stress that speculation about Bradley Walsh being cast as the next companion on Doctor Who is just that – speculation – it has certainly got people talking: whether for good or bad, that’s for you to decide. And comedian, Frank Skinner has weighed in on the rumour… sort of.
Skinner is, of course, a long-time Doctor Who fan and starred as the wonderful Perkins in Mummy on the Orient Express (2014). On his Absolute Radio show, he joked:

“This is what seems to have happened. There’s been a big meeting at Doctor Who and they’ve said ‘we’ve got a female Doctor Who now, what’s the ideal combination? What about a middle-aged comedian? And they’ve all looked at each other and said ‘Bradley Walsh’. Imagine how that makes me feel!”

It’s obviously a gag, and Skinner likely knows Walsh pretty well. It’s interesting, however, to compare the recent rumblings with the situation when Frank was announced to be Series 8.
Why? Because both arguably have an element of “stunt casting” – ie. attracting a big name to gain some extra publicity from quarters that don’t normally cover Doctor Who – and many people doubted Skinner, just as they doubt Walsh. Admittedly, I worry that if Bradley were announced as a companion, some viewers would merely think the show is to be laughed at. But Frank was excellent, and numerous fans wanted him to stay on board the TARDIS.
If – and it’s a big “if” – Bradley Walsh is, indeed, the Thirteenth Doctor’s companion, let’s not underestimate him.

Philip Bates

Editor and co-founder of the Doctor Who Companion. When he’s not watching television, reading books ‘n’ Marvel comics, listening to The Killers, and obsessing over script ideas, Philip Bates pretends to be a freelance writer. He enjoys collecting everything. Writer of The Black Archive: The Pandorica Opens/ The Big Bang, The Silver Archive: The Stone Tape, and 100 Objects of Doctor Who.

Frank Skinner Jokes About Bradley Walsh's Casting Rumour

by Philip Bates time to read: 1 min
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