'Doctor Who' Fans Are Surprisingly Pleased With the New Rumored Companion

Season 11 of Doctor Who is set to have a clean slate in 2018, as fans will be introduced to a new showrunner, new Doctor and now a new companion. Chris Chibnall will be replacing showrunner Steven Moffat on Christmas Day, and Jodie Whittaker will step in as the sci-fi series' first ever female Doctor.

With the current companion, Bill Potts (Pearl Mackie), departing Doctor Who later on this year, a slot is open for someone to replace her. News has emerged that a former Coronation Street star has already been cast to join Whittaker to travel through time and space.

According to The Mirror, Bradley Walsh, 57, has been cast to join #DoctorWho as the Doctor's next companion. However, the BBC has yet to comment on this situation.

Fans Love The Idea

With Walsh now being the new big name to replace Mackie, fans seem to prefer this choice over the previously rumored choice, Kris Marshall, who was also once favored to replace Peter Capaldi as the Doctor. One fan took to Twitter to say that Walsh's casting is "totally mixing" up Season 11.

Another fan said the casting is "so ridiculously out of the box," but, he thinks it might just work.

Doctor Who actor Matt Lucas, who played Nardole, is totally behind the idea and already wants to be part of Team Bradley.

With the fans loving the idea, all that is left is for the BBC or Walsh himself to break the silence and either confirm or shoot down the rumor.

Walsh Already Has Experience in the World of 'Doctor Who'

Believe it or not, Walsh is already part of the wonderful world of Doctor Who. He played Elijah Spellman, Odd Bob the Clown and The Pied Piper in the hit children's series The Sarah Jane Adventures, which is a spin-off of Doctor Who.

Walsh's character The Pied Piper first showed up in the story "Day of the Clown." The character was an energy entity from the Jeggorabax Cluster region, which is home to aliens that feed on emotions. The Pied Piper manifested a need for fear, so he could free himself from part of a rock he was bound to, known as the Weserbergland meteorite.

While The Sarah Jane Adventures is a children's show, Walsh delivered quite the terrifying performance, giving the series a new twist. If you're scared of clowns, then you're in for a shock if you watch this story. On the other hand, "Day of the Clown" is almost a kids' version of the novel and film IT. Odd Bob the Clown goes around handing out balloons, but he doesn't actually kill the children.

An undercover source for The Mirror has said that Walsh is excited to join the main series in what is a key role.

"Bradley is super excited to be joining the cast of Doctor Who in such a key role.It means that his schedule over the coming months will be jam-packed, but, crucially, it won't affect his role as presenter of The Chase. 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."

Final Thoughts

It has been made clear in not just The Sarah Jane Adventures, but in Law and Order: UK, that Walsh has exactly what it takes for such a huge lead. Walsh doesn't just have that all seriousness about him, but, he has a sense of humor that Doctor Who really needs right now. With the BBC yet to comment, fans continue to speculate on who they hope to join Whittaker in the New Year.