The new Doctor Who companion is… not who we were expecting

Last month, it was revealed that Jodie Whittaker was to become the first female Doctor Who.

Fans of the show and general supporters of more female representation in TV shows were only delighted by the casting - as were we. But with the news that Whittaker was taking over the role of everyone's favourite Time Lord came questions about who was going to be her companion. Traditionally, the Doctor's companion travels through space and time with the Doctor, sharing all their adventures, and occasionally helping them out of tricky situations. Was this companion going to be male? Were they going to be female too? Would there be a companion at all? Well, apparently there will be, and they're going to be played by none other than Bradley Walsh. Known primarily these days for his presenting skills on ITV's The Chase, Walsh has been throwing shade at quiz master chasers The Dark Destroyer, The Beast, The Governess, and The Sinnerman since 2009. But Walsh first became a household name during his time on Coronation Street, when he played Danny Baldwin. He starred in the soap from 2004 to 2006 when he asked to be written out of the show. Walsh's casting in Doctor Who may seem surprising, but the actor has actually appeared in the show before. Well, kind of. Back in 2008, he was in two episodes of The Sarah Jane Adventures, a Doctor Who spin-off show that was aimed at young children. Although the BBC has not officially revealed that they have cast Walsh as Whittaker's companion, a source has told The Mirror that Walsh is "super excited" to be taking on the role.

"It means that his schedule over the coming months will be jam-packed so he won’t be able to continue with the full range of programmes he currently makes for ITV."

However, the source confirmed that Walsh's role on The Chase would not be compromised. Thank god. "He loves that show with a passion and so does the audience, so he’s delighted to have found a way to make it all work," they said. We don't know about you, but we're feeling pretty excited.