Doctor Who podcast: Are John Bishop and Mandip Gill leaving the series?
Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor is on the way out, but could her companions stay on?
Unless you’ve been living in some sort of hole (or don’t follow Doctor Who, in which case this article isn’t for you), you’ve probably heard that current Time Lord Jodie Whittaker is handing in her sonic screwdriver, with the Thirteenth Doctor set to depart the series in autumn 2022.
Alongside Whittaker, showrunner Chris Chibnall is also waving goodbye to the Whoniverse, making for a veritable Who exodus – but questions still remain about just how empty the TARDIS will be at the end of the Doctor Who centenary special.
Or, to put it another way – will Whittaker’s companions Mandip Gill and John Bishop be leaving the series with her?
Based on past experience (most notably Pearl Mackie, who appeared in Peter Capaldi’s final series and departed alongside him) most fans would be forgiven for assuming their days are also numbered. But notably, so far there’s been no official word on whether longtime fam member Yaz could help welcome a new Doctor to the universe, or whether newcomer Dan (Bishop) will really bow out so quickly.
In fact, all we have so far is speculation. Luckily, here at the RadioTimes.com Doctor Who podcast that’s our specialty, so tune in above to hear our theories about Yaz and Dan’s imminent(ish) future.
Does John Bishop’s current stand-up tour hint that he’ll be gone before Whittaker’s now-filming final episode? Could the series come up with a convincing reason for Yaz to leave her best friend behind? And if they did stay on, how would this TARDIS team respond to an all-new, unfamiliar Doctor?
We have our theories, and you can hear them all above. For now, in lieu of any proper confirmations from the BBC, that’s all you’re getting. Sorry!
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Want more Doctor Who chat? Check out last week’s episode about the “radical” changes the series could or should implement, or Jodie Whittaker’s plans for her post-Who life.
Doctor Who returns to BBC One this autumn. For more, check out our dedicated Sci-Fi page or visit our full TV Guide.
Authors
Huw Fullerton is a Commissioning Editor for Radio Times magazine, covering Entertainment, Comedy and Specialist Drama.
