Former Doctor Who actress Sophie Aldred envies fellow former companion Bonnie Langford, who will return as Melanie Bush in season 14.
Former Doctor Who actor Sophie Aldred envies the upcoming return of a classic Doctor Who companion actress, Bonnie Langford. Aldred originally starred in Doctor Who from 1987–1989 as Ace, a companion to Sylvester McCoy’s Seventh Doctor. McCoy and Aldred recently returned together for Jodie Whittaker’s final Doctor Who episode—season 13, episode 9, “The Power of the Doctor.” Aldred has now seen more comprehensive closure for her time on the series, which will soon continue with Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary specials followed by season 14.
Speaking with Radio Times, Aldred expresses a playful jealousy towards Langford’s upcoming feature in Doctor Who season 14. Upon seeing “a picture of her on this Vesper,” Aldred felt a twinge of jealousy towards the vehicle that she never got to ride. Nonetheless, Aldred expressed happiness towards Langford’s upcoming time on the show. Check out the full quote from Aldred below:
And Bonnie [Langford] of course, yay! I’ve been texting her saying, ‘I’m so jealous. I’m so jealous.’ And then I saw the picture of her on this Vesper, which I never got to ride. I thought, ‘Hang on a minute, that’s just not fair!’
Bonnie Langford Returns To Doctor Who After Three Decades
Langford’s Doctor Who debut was in 1986, when audiences were first introduced to her joyful companion character Melanie Bush. Melanie appeared as a companion under both the Sixth Doctor (Colin Baker) and Seventh Doctor (McCoy). Aldred had a brief overlap with Langford for a few episodes in 1987, as Ace transitioned to becoming the main companion for McCoy’s Time Lord. The two also appeared together in the aforementioned “The Power of the Doctor” episode.
After her cameo in Doctor Who season 13, Langford will continue her return as Melanie in the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials as well as into Ncuti Gatwa’s tenure as the Fifteenth Doctor. Receiving minimal screen time in Doctor Who season 13, Langford’s companion role is expected to be more prominent in the fourteenth season. Melanie will not be the only companion to the Fifteenth Doctor, as Doctor Who season 14 will also announce a new companion in Ruby Sunday, played by Millie Gibson.
Though Doctor Who may have moved on from Aldred, keeping Langford on the show represents another attempt to appeal to long-time Doctor Who fans. For revival diehards, returning showrunner Russell T. Davies is already conscious of this through bringing back both David Tennant and Catherine Tate as the Fourteenth Doctor and Donna Noble, respectively. Through keeping Langford on board as Melanie, Doctor Who season 14 will ease the transition between the old and the new and give many Doctor Who fans the nostalgia trip they seek.
