Bonnie Langford Reveals “Outrageous” Original Character Description for Doctor Who’s Mel
A recently resurfaced character description for companion Melanie Bush, played by Bonnie Langford in Doctor Who, has sparked amusement and disbelief from the actress herself.Langford, who originally joined the series in 1986 and has since reprised her role alongside recent Doctors Jodie Whittaker and Ncuti Gatwa, detailed her reaction to the two-page document provided by than-producer John Nathan-Turner during an interview wiht Radio Times.
The initial casting process involved a detailed outline of Mel, a computer programmer, that Langford recently revisited for the first time in years. Looking back, she expressed being “scandalised” by certain aspects, particularly the suggestion that her character would frequently sing within the TARDIS – a plot point never realized on screen – and relentlessly advise the Doctor on weight loss.
“Melanie is scintillating, fascinating and irritating,” Langford read from the document. “She has a mane of red hair, fierce blue eyes – which I don’t have – and freckles – which I don’t really have.” The description further detailed a 21-year-old from Pease Pottage with portions marked “strictly confidential.”
The character outline also emphasized Mel’s dedication to health and fitness, reflecting the trends of the 1980s. “Oh, okay, she is heavily into aerobics and health food. You see, that was very much of the time.it was all Jane Fonda. She would probably be a vegan now, wouldn’t she?” Langford remarked.
The document went on to suggest Mel would actively attempt to improve the Doctor’s diet, offering “health-giving vitamin enriched food to the Doctor, muesli, raw carrots, etc, which may provide useful comedy relief.” The producer envisioned the Doctor,then played by Colin Baker,resisting these efforts,acknowledging his ample exercise from “dashing around the galaxy,defeating evil.” Though, the idea of Mel regularly singing in the TARDIS was a particular point of contention. “Thank goodness she didn’t have to do any singing. I think I might have put my foot down at that!” Langford exclaimed.
Prior to her casting, Langford admitted she was unfamiliar with Doctor Who, approaching the audition “very blindly.” Despite this, she “enjoyed it tremendously” and found the experience positive. However,she acknowledged that with the benefit of hindsight,she might approach the role differently today.
langford also reflected on the unique circumstances surrounding her casting. She noted that companions were frequently enough early in their careers,making her,with an established profile,an unusual choice. “But at that point, the show was going through a lot of difficulty. John adored it and was fighting for its survival. And I have a feeling that I was brought into it because I was getting a lot of column inches at that time with publicity,and he knew that it would have an impact on that side of it.”
She candidly admitted to having “my views about my own performance in it,” and acknowledged her earnest dedication to the role, even when it felt challenging. “I had absolutely no idea that I would still be talking about Doctor Who all these years later. Its such a gift that keeps on giving.”
The full interview with Bonnie Langford will be available on RadioTimes.com on November 18th.Fans eager for more Doctor Who content can register for the Radio Times’s Doctor Who Insiders club for exclusive interviews and archival material. Doctor Who is currently available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
