Before we flip the switch that activates the Rumor Mill, I want to be certain that all of you take this "news" with more salt than I have to sprinkle on the BBC's most recent season of the serialized sci-fi advenure show, DOCTOR WHO.
Again, nothing has been made official just yet, though we have learned that The Daily Mirror is reporting that Jodie Whittaker's Doctor Who character has found her companion in Bradley Walsh. Recently, a source close to the CORONATION STREET actor stated that, “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 – so he won’t be able to continue with the full range of programmes he currently makes for ITV. 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”
For me, there's almost always something shady about taking the word of an anonymous source, so I personally won't be carting this information to the bank just yet. However, if Walsh was to climb aboard the TARDIS as Whittaker's companion, it would continue the tradition of typically pairing the Doctor with someone of the opposite sex while exploring time and space.
While I'm still feeling put out by how DOCTOR WHO managed to shaft the time lord's previous companion, Bill, I think that pairing Whittaker with someone several years her senior could make for some interesting chemistry. Recently, DOCTOR WHO had experienced an eye-rolling backlash from male audience members after it was announced that the title character was set to regenerate as a female adventure seeker. Now, with Walsh supposedly set to step into the companion role, one has to wonder if the casting will help to quell the hissing of fans who've yet to experience even a single frame of what Whittaker will bring to the table.
For now, only the show's new showrunner, Chris Chibnall knows for certain. The rest of us Whovians will have to wait until Christmas to find out for ourselves, when Jodie Whittaker's Doctor arrives in all of her stylish trench-coated glory.