Yes, it’s true: Bonnie Langford is coming back to Doctor Who as companion, Melanie Bush!

Mel was a companion to Colin Baker’s Sixth and Sylvester McCoy’s Seventh Doctors, and made her last regular appearance in Dragonfire, where she left the TARDIS to join the Del Boy-esque trader, Sabalom Glitz. But now, she’s back, and we’re as excited as Bonnie herself.

Bonnie Langford said:

“I am absolutely thrilled to be bringing Melanie Bush back. To be part of the exceptional cast, crew and production team led by the force of nature that is Russell T Davies is a career highlight. I’m so privileged and proud to have been a member of the Doctor Who family since the classic era and to be included in the new generation is phenomenal.”

Indeed, she’ll appear with the Fifteenth Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa, in Series 14, alongside new companion, Ruby Sunday, played by Millie Gibson.

Showrunner, Russell T Davies said:

“Open those TARDIS doors wide, because Bonnie’s back! What an honour, delight and hoot to welcome back the character of Melanie, after too long away. And 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.”

The Sixth and Seventh Doctors’ eras must be a special time for Davies anyway — his first Doctor Who script was Mind of the Hodiac, written for Colin’s Doctor and Bonnie’s Mel, but that didn’t see the light of day until Big Finish adapted it in March 2022.

We actually first heard rumours of Mel’s return back in October 2022 too, and we have seen her since then: on Earth, as part of the support group for former companions of the Doctor, in Jodie Whittaker’s last episode as the Thirteenth Doctor, The Power of the Doctor. Will we see more of the group? We’ll just have to wait and see.

Doctor Who Series 14 will air on BBC1 and Disney+ in early 2024.