Doctor Who Rumoured To Get Animal Companion Next Season

Recently, it was reported that British TV personality Bradley Walsh would be joining Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor as her new companion on the next season of Doctor Who. According to a new rumour, though, Walsh might not be the only pal the Doctor will have on her travels next year.

As alleged by Doctor Who Watch, there’s speculation circling around the show’s community that the Time Lord will be getting a pet – most likely a cat. It’s unknown if the animal would be a real one, or a robot like Tom Baker’s iconic mechanical dog K-9, but if it’s the latter, it looks like showrunner Chris Chibnall is trying to recapture the kid-friendly appeal of the sci-fi series that some critics claim Doctor Who has lost in the recent, darker era starring Peter Capaldi. Another robot animal in the TARDIS might seem somewhat gimmicky to adult fans, but no doubt the younger generation would love it.

Alternatively, if it’s a regular cat, this could be a bit of a contentious decision. Having the first female Doctor adopt a cat might be said to fall into the “cat lady” stereotype of a single woman who lives alone with her pet. Though if Chibnall can avoid that in his writing, and Whittaker can play against that in her performance, a time-travelling animal could certainly be a fun new feature, don’t you think?

It’s important to note that this particular rumor is even less substantiated than the report about Walsh’s casting, so do please take it with a pinch at least a handful of salt. If true, though, this could give us our first clue as to Chibnall’s direction for Doctor Who (bringing it back to having children as the show’s core audience).