Fans think they’ve spotted him filming for Jodie Whittaker’s final episode.
Given that Bradley Walsh only left Doctor Who at the end of the most recent episode, it seems odd to be speculating about his return already – but that’s exactly what’s been happening this week, with plenty of fans apparently spotting Walsh during the shoot for an upcoming episode of the BBC sci-fi drama.
Walsh, who played Graham O’Brien alongside Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor for two series, was photographed during Doctor Who production in Grangetown, Cardiff alongside series newcomer John Bishop.
As well as the fan photos, Walsh took a picture outside a local Grangetown coffee shop called The Hideout, which was then posted to the café’s Twitter page.
The page has since been made private, but RadioTimes.com has verified the picture’s existence (which was also tweeted by the Grange Pavilion community space). When contacted by RadioTimes.com, the BBC declined to comment.
Wow what a day!
— Grange Pavilion (@Grange_Pavilion) September 20, 2021
A lush visit for us and @hideoutcardiff from the amazing @JohnBishop100 & @BradleyWalsh
Visit us again soon????#grangetown #cardiff #community pic.twitter.com/Echr6IvpDa
Of course, it’s possible that Walsh was just in the area or visiting Whittaker and co-star Mandip Gill on set, and that we won’t see Graham on screen again – but given that the recent Doctor Who filming has been for Whittaker’s final episode, it seems possible that Walsh was persuaded to return for a final cameo to round off her time in the TARDIS.
And if true, this return won’t be seen on screen for over a year anyway. The upcoming six-part series 13 (starring Whittaker, Bishop and returning star Mandip Gill) was finished months ago and is set to air soon, with further specials on New Year’s Day and sometime next spring (rumoured to be Easter) also already in the can.
!["Doctor]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2019/11/19380788-low_res-doctor-who-series-12-8a638e1.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"Doctor")
Currently, there’s no suggestion that Walsh would appear in any of these episodes – and the final special he could be in is a long way off, set to tie in with the BBC’s centenary next autumn.
In other words, while we haven’t had a non-Bradley Walsh episode of Doctor Who yet, by the time this rumour pans out we’ll have had eight. Much more of a delayed, satisfying return for one of the original TARDIS “fam” – if that is what’s happening, of course.
Doctor Who returns to BBC One this autumn. Want more? Check out our dedicated Sci-Fi page or our full TV Guide.