The Doctor will say goodbye to two of her three Companions in this year’s holiday special. Bradley Walsh and Tosin Cole are leaving the series following that event. Both were cast at the same time as the show’s current lead, Jodie Whittaker, in the show’s eleventh season, with Walsh playing Graham O’Brien, the step-grandfather of Cole’s Ryan Sinclair. Both joined The Doctor on her missions following the death of Grace, Graham’s wife, and Ryan’s grandmother. Though their relationship was tense at first, particularly on the part of Ryan, their many adventures have brought them closer together.
An inside source revealed to The Mirror:
“Two years is a long time in the world of Doctor Who. Yaz will be back but Christmas will be the last outing for Ryan and Graham.”
The holiday special has already been filmed, and it is known that the principal antagonists will be the Daleks. It has not yet been announced whether this episode will air on Christmas or New Years Day. The reason for Graham and Ryan’s departures is unknown.
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In the U.S., Walsh is pretty much exclusively known for his role on ‘Doctor Who’, but in England, he has had a lengthy career in the public eye, originally as a footballer (we call it soccer), and a TV host of reality and game shows. He has also released albums. He was not really known as an actor prior to his joining ‘Doctor Who’, but his presence on the show has been high-profile, just because he is so well-known there.
Prior to his adventures in the TARDIS, Cole had roles on the soap operas ‘The Cut’, ‘EastEnders: E20’, and ‘Hollyoaks’.
Whittaker has officially signed on to return for a third season as the 13th Doctor, and showrunner Chris Chibnall is also confirmed to be returning next season. Presumably, Mandip Gill will also be back as police officer, Yasmin Khan, as her departure was not announced.
Will you be sad to see Walsh and Cole/Graham and Ryan go?
