John Bishop joins Doctor Who cast

2 January 2021

John Bishop has joined the cast of 'Doctor Who'.

John Bishop [BBC /James Pardon]

The 54-year-old comedian - who is currently battling the coronavirus - will board the Tardis as the Doctor's latest assistant Dan, for the upcoming 13th season.

John joins Mandip Gill as assistant to Jodie Whittaker's Doctor after Bradley Walsh and Tosin Cole quit the show.

He said: "If I could tell my younger self that one day I would be asked to step on board the TARDIS, I would never have believed it. It's an absolute dream come true to be joining 'Doctor Who' and I couldn't wish for better company than Jodie and Mandip."

Referring to his Covid-19 diagnosis, John shared a picture of a Doctor Who doll on Twitter and quipped: "Yep....just when I needed a doctor. Looking forward to 2021."

Chris Chibnall, showrunner, added: "It's time for the next chapter of 'Doctor Who', and it starts with a man called Dan. Oh, we've had to keep this one secret for a long, long time. Our conversations started with John even before the pandemic hit. The character of Dan was built for him, and it's a joy to have him aboard the TARDIS."

Matt Strevens, executive producer, BBC Studios, said: "It's been a total joy having John join the cast and we've been having a lot fun on set already. We can't wait for you to meet Dan when the show returns later this year.”

And Piers Wenger, controller for BBC Drama, said: "We are beyond thrilled to have John Bishop joining Doctor Who. Alongside Jodie Whittaker and Mandip Gill, John is a wonderful addition to the show and we have no doubt that series 13 is going to be another thrilling set of adventures for the Doctor."

The 13th series of Doctor Who began filming in November 2020 and John will make his first appearance when the series starts on BBC One later this year.