Bonnie Langford Doctor Who return: who is companion Mel Bush, is she in anniversary special Wild Blue Yonder?

Bonnie Langford returns to Doctor Who as companion Mel Bush in the upcoming episode Wild Blue Yonder. The second 60th anniversary special will see Mel meet David Tennant’s 14th Doctor, and companion Donna Noble (Catherine Tate).

Mel’s return was first teased in the 2022 special The Power of the Doctor when Langford was among many former Doctor Who stars to have a cameo role. Also rumoured to return in the anniversary specials are 10th Doctor companion Rose Tyler, played by Billie Piper, and the Doctor’s granddaughter Susan, played by Carole Ann Ford.

Who is Bonnie Langford?

Bonnie Langford is an English actress and former child star whose breakout role was as Doctor Who companion Mel Bush, when she was 27. It remains her most iconic screen role, and she has gone on to do other big projects, including appearing in BBC soap EastEnders from 2015-2017.

She has also become a TV personality, appearing on Dancing on Ice, Saturday Night Takeaway, and House of Games. Additionally she has starred in several theatre productions including Chicago, Spamalot, and 9 to 5, as well as popular pantomime productions.

Who is Mel Bush in Doctor Who?

Mel Bush was a companion of the Sixth and Seventh Doctors in the classic series of Doctor Who, appearing in 20 episodes made up of five serials between 1986 and 1987.

Mel is unique among Doctor Who companions in that first meeting with the Doctor was never shown on screen. She was introduced during the 14 episode story The Trial of a Time Lord to give evidence in the Doctor’s defence. At this point Mel had already bet the Doctor in her timeline, but he had not yet met her.

Their timelines eventually synchronised and the pair went on to have many adventures together across time and space, meeting renegade Time Lord The Rani, cannibals, and swindler Sabalom Glitz.

Mel was briefly a companion at the same time as Ace, as the two joined the Doctor in the four part serial Dragonfire. Mel first met Glitz in Trial of a Time Lord, and was reunited with him on the ice planet Svartos, where she also met Ace. Mel decided to leave the Doctor to travel with Glitz in his spaceship, Nosferatu II.

When did Bonnie Langford return to Doctor Who?

Lanford returned to the role of Mel Bush 35 years after departing the show for the 2022 special The Power of the Doctor. She featured in a cameo role at a support group for the Doctor’s former companions, where she was reunited with Ace. It is therefore revealed that Mel returned to Earth some time after travelling with Glitz.

Other former companions to return for the episode included Ian Chesterton, Jo Jones, Tegan Jovanka, Kate Stewart, Graham O'Brien, Yasmin Khan and Dan Lewis.

Mel will return in the next Doctor Who 60th anniversary special, Wild Blue Yonder, as well as the final special The Giggle, Christmas episode The Church on Ruby Road, and the first episode of the new series coming in 2024.