Doctor Who's 60th anniversary specials are set to see the return of several familiar faces, from David Tennant to Catherine Tate. But one character we didn't expect to see made a blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearance in the recently released trailer.
Mel Bush, played by Bonnie Langford looks like she'll be back for the specials, which start airing next month. We already knew Mel would return in the new season of the show, airing in 2024, which will star Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor. But the fact that she'll be back for this year's anniversary specials is a surprise.
Eagle-eyed fans spotted her behind Neil Patrick Harris' antagonist, the Toymaker – take a look at the screenshots below...
I don't know why they were trying to hide this for so long. But here we are! Confirmation that Bonnie Langford will be playing Mel in the 60th anniversary as well as Series 14, as I have reported for a long time. https://t.co/CSZ1P6YzjvOctober 25, 2023
Mel appeared in the show between 1986 and 1987 and was a companion of the Six and Seventh Doctors, played by Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy. She's a computer programmer from 20th-century England, and she's the only companion whose initial meeting with the Doctor was never shown on screen.
Langford also portrayed the character in the 2022 special 'The Power of the Doctor', which aired in October last year. The Thirteenth Doctor (Jodie Whitaker)'s companion Yaz (Mandeep Gill) encounters Mel at a support group for former companions.
The upcoming specials will see Tennant and Tate return as the Doctor and Donna, while new additions to the cast will include Heartstopper's Yasmin Finney as Donna's daughter Rose.
The first of three Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials airs on BBC One on November 25, with the rest following weekly. In the meantime, check out our guide to the other best new TV shows coming our way in 2023 and beyond.
