Mel, also sometimes referred to as Melanie, is a fictional character played by

Bonnie Langford Bonita Melody Lysette "Bonnie" Langford (born 22 July 1964) is an English actress, dancer and singer. She came to prominence as a child star in the 1970s, when she had a notable role in the TV series ''Just William''. In the 1980s, she played c ...

in the long-running British

science fiction television Science fiction first appeared in television programming in the late 1930s, during what is called the Golden Age of Science Fiction. Special effects and other production techniques allow creators to present a living visual image of an imaginary ...

series ''

Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...

''. A computer programmer from the 20th century who is a companion of the Sixth and

Seventh Doctor The Seventh Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', and the final incarnation of the original Doctor Who series. He is portrayed by Scottish actor Sylvester McCoy. W ...

s, she was a regular in the programme from 1986 to 1987. Her family name is never used in dialogue, but production notes and promotional literature refer to her as Melanie Bush. The end credits of her return appearance in ''

The Power of the Doctor "The Power of the Doctor" is the third and final of the 2022 specials of the British science fiction television programme '' Doctor Who'', and was broadcast on BBC One on 23 October 2022. The episode was ordered for the occasion of the 100th ann ...

'' also credits her as Melanie Bush for the first time. Mel appeared in six stories (20 episodes), and is the penultimate companion of the classic series.

Character biography

Mel first appears in the serial ''

Terror of the Vervoids ''Terror of the Vervoids'' is the third serial of the larger narrative known as ''The Trial of a Time Lord'' which encompasses the whole of the 23rd season of the British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who''. It was first broadcast ...

'', part of the 14-part story ''

The Trial of a Time Lord The twenty-third season of British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', known collectively as ''The Trial of a Time Lord'', aired in weekly episodes from 6 September to 6 December 1986. It contained four adventures: ''The Mysterious ...

''. At this point, she and the Sixth Doctor have been travelling together for some time. The events of ''Vervoids'' are shown as part of a

Matrix Matrix most commonly refers to: * ''The Matrix'' (franchise), an American media franchise ** ''The Matrix'', a 1999 science-fiction action film ** "The Matrix", a fictional setting, a virtual reality environment, within ''The Matrix'' (franchis ...

projection of future events being shown by the Sixth Doctor to the court, so, from his point of view, he is seeing an adventure he will have with Mel even before he meets her in his own timeline. She is subsequently summoned to the courtroom herself. At the end of ''Trial'', the Sixth Doctor leaves with this future Mel, intending to return her to her correct time. (This scenario is portrayed by ''

'' screenwriters

Pip and Jane Baker Ernest Albert "Pip" Baker (3 January 1929 – 14 April 2020) and Iris E. E. "Jane" Baker (30 December 1924 – 29 August 2014), professionally known as Pip and Jane Baker, were an English husband-and-wife team of television writers known mainly ...

in their novelisation of the final segment of that season, ''

The Ultimate Foe ''The Ultimate Foe'' is the fourth and final serial of the larger narrative known as ''The Trial of a Time Lord'' which encompasses the whole of the 23rd season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It was first broadca ...

''.) Mel is at present the only one of the Doctor's companions never to have her actual first adventure with the Doctor chronicled on screen. Series producer

John Nathan-Turner John Nathan-Turner (''né'' Turner; 12 August 1947 – 1 May 2002) was an English television producer. He was the ninth producer of the long-running BBC science fiction series ''Doctor Who''. He was also the final producer of the series' firs ...

indicated his intent to chronicle this adventure in Season 24, which would have followed ''Trial of a Time Lord''. However, the subsequent departure of lead actor

Colin Baker Colin Baker (born 8 June 1943) is an English actor who played Paul Merroney in the BBC drama series '' The Brothers'' from 1974 to 1976 and the sixth incarnation of the Doctor in the long-running science fiction television series '' Doctor ...

prior to production of the new season made this impossible. Mel is a computer programmer from the 20th century who originates from the village of

Pease Pottage Pease Pottage is a village in the Mid Sussex District of West Sussex, England. It lies on the southern edge of the Crawley built-up area, in the civil parish of Slaugham. The village has a motorway service station, named after the village ...

West Sussex West Sussex is a county in South East England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the shire districts of Adur, Arun, Chichester, Horsham, and Mid Sussex, and the boroughs of Crawley and Worthing. Covering an ...

, England. She has an

eidetic memory Eidetic memory ( ; more commonly called photographic memory or total recall) is the ability to recall an image from memory with high precision—at least for a brief period of time—after seeing it only onceThe terms ''eidetic memory'' and ''pho ...

, and a cheery, almost perky personality. She greets most situations with a warm smile and good humour, and is an optimist whose views extend to believing the best of people's natures, but can also scream with the best of them. She is a health enthusiast and a vegetarian, often encouraging the slightly portly Sixth Doctor to exercise more and drink carrot juice. She is present (albeit unconscious at the time) when the Sixth Doctor regenerates into his seventh incarnation, and continues to travel with him. In the serial '' Dragonfire'', she reunites with the galactic confidence trickster,

Sabalom Glitz Sabalom Glitz is a fictional character from the long-running British science fiction television series, '' Doctor Who''. Glitz is a rogue from the planet Salostophus in the Andromeda Constellation. Glitz's first love is money, and he is often ...

, whom she met in ''The Trial of a Time Lord'' and decides to travel with him aboard the ''Nosferatu II'', leaving the Seventh Doctor with new companion

Ace An ace is a playing card, die or domino with a single pip. In the standard French deck, an ace has a single suit symbol (a heart, diamond, spade, or club) located in the middle of the card, sometimes large and decorated, especially in the c ...

. Langford reprised her role as Mel in the 2022 special, ''

'', alongside several other former companions who have gathered together as a support group to talk of their experiences with the Doctor.

Appearances in other media

The

novelisation A novelization (or novelisation) is a derivative novel that adapts the story of a work created for another medium, such as a film, TV series, stage play, comic book or video game. Film novelizations were particularly popular before the advent ...

of ''

'' includes a scene in which the Sixth Doctor returns Mel to his future self at the point she was taken from, with the

Virgin Missing Adventures The ''Virgin Missing Adventures'' were a series of novels from Virgin Publishing based on the British science-fiction television series '' Doctor Who'', which had been cancelled in 1989, featuring stories set between televised episodes of the p ...

novel '' Time of Your Life'' stating this was during an adventure on the planet Oxyveguramosa. The

Past Doctor Adventures The ''Past Doctor Adventures'' (sometimes known by the abbreviation ''PDA'' or ''PDAs'') were a series of spin-off novels based on the long running BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' and published under the BBC Books imprin ...

Business Unusual The ''Past Doctor Adventures'' (sometimes known by the abbreviation ''PDA'' or ''PDAs'') were a series of spin-off novels based on the long running BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' and published under the BBC Books imprin ...

'', by

Gary Russell Gary Russell (born 18 September 1963) is a British freelance writer, producer and former child actor. As a writer, he is best known for his work in connection with the television series ''Doctor Who'' and its spin-offs in other media. As an a ...

, covers the first meeting between Mel and the Sixth Doctor and establishes that she comes from 1989. The novel ''

Spiral Scratch ''Spiral Scratch'' is an EP and the first release by the English punk rock band Buzzcocks. It was released on 29 January 1977. It is one of the earliest releases by a British punk band (preceded by The Damned's " New Rose" in October 1976, a ...

'', also by Russell, reveals that Mel's middle name is Jane and that she was born on 22 July 1964 (Langford's actual birthday). The 2013 Big Finish audio ''The Wrong Doctors'', which begins with the Doctor immediately after his trial taking Mel to Pease Pottage, also depicts Mel's first adventure (from her perspective) with the Doctor. However, this adventure takes place in a pocket universe created by a mysterious creature identified only as a 'time demon' that attempted to cause a temporal paradox by luring two different versions of the Sixth Doctor into its realm and then trying to kill the younger Doctor; the 'older' Sixth Doctor is from a point shortly after he parted company with Evelyn Smythe, while the younger has just left his trial while trying to take the older Mel somewhere where his future self can collect her. The young Mel of this pocket dimension, identified by the older Mel as being from a point six months before she met the Doctor officially, is killed during the crisis, but these events are subsequently erased, and the two Sixth Doctors decide to let fate decide when they will meet Mel, with the older advising the younger to travel to the point where he would meet Evelyn while he resumes his own travels. Mel's history after she leaves the Seventh Doctor is not explored in the series. However, some of the spin-off novels and short stories add to her history. In the

Virgin New Adventures The ''Virgin New Adventures'' (NA series, or NAs) are a series of novels from Virgin Publishing based on the British science-fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. They continued the story of the Doctor from the point at which the televisio ...

novel '' Head Games'' by Steve Lyons, it is revealed that Glitz tired of Mel and left her on the decrepit leisure world Avalone. Mel was left here for months until she was finally saved by Jason and the fictional Dr Who. It is revealed that her decision to leave the Doctor was actually due to psychic persuasion on the Doctor's part, so he can go on to become the darker and more manipulative Time's Champion. Mel confronts the Seventh Doctor over this, and at the end of the novel he returns her to 20th century

Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's surfa ...

and Pease Pottage (the short story "Business as Usual" by Gary Russell, published in the anthology '' More Short Trips''). In ''

Heritage Heritage may refer to: History and society * A heritage asset is a preexisting thing of value today ** Cultural heritage is created by humans ** Natural heritage is not * Heritage language Biology * Heredity, biological inheritance of physica ...

'' by Dale Smith, it is revealed that at some point Mel travels in time and space again, ending up on the planet Heritage, where she dies in the 61st century. However, this story takes place during a story arc in which enemies of the Doctor are attempting to eliminate his companions from the timeline, so Mel's fate in ''Heritage'' may be part of an alternate destiny that vanishes once those enemies are defeated. The unofficial novel ''

Time's Champion ''Time's Champion'' is a work of '' Doctor Who'' fan fiction, written by Chris McKeon on the basis of an original novel outline by Craig Hinton, and incorporating fragments of text written by Hinton before his death. It features the Sixth Doct ...

'' provides more details on how the Doctor became Time's Champion and Mel's involvement. However, this book was published unofficially (after being rejected), and its canonical status is thus even more unclear than for official spin-off material. This book also offers a different explanation for the Sixth Doctor's regeneration than both the televised series of events in ''

Time and the Rani ''Time and the Rani'' is the first serial of the 24th season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 7 to 28 September 1987. It was the first to feature Sylvester McCoy ...

'' and the official novel ''Spiral Scratch''. Bonnie Langford played Mel once again in the 1993 charity special, ''

Dimensions in Time ''Dimensions in Time'' is a charity special crossover between the British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who'' and the soap opera '' EastEnders'' that ran in two parts on 26 and 27 November 1993. It was filmed on location at Greenwic ...

'', and has voiced the character in a series of audio plays from

Big Finish Productions Big Finish Productions is a British company that produces books and audio plays (released straight to compact disc and for download in MP3 and m4b format) based, primarily, on cult science fiction properties. These include ''Doctor Who'', the ...

, alongside

and

Sylvester McCoy Percy James Patrick Kent-Smith (born 20 August 1943), known professionally as Sylvester McCoy, is a Scottish actor. Gaining prominence as a physical comedian, he became best known for playing the seventh incarnation of the Doctor in the lon ...

as the Sixth and Seventh Doctors. Langford has also voiced an alternative, more cynical version of Mel in the ''

Doctor Who Unbound ''Doctor Who Unbound'' is a series of audio plays produced by Big Finish Productions. Free from the constraints of continuity, the ''Doctor Who Unbound'' audios present a series of "What if...?" scenarios, and cast new actors in the role of ...

'' play '' He Jests at Scars...''. In the Seventh Doctor audio ''A Life of Crime'', Mel is reunited with the Seventh Doctor and Ace when the three become caught up in a complex plan by some of Sabalom Glitz's former associates to rob a high-tech vault, this gang attempting to trick Mel into helping them by having one of their number pose as the Doctor's new incarnation. The contents of the vault are revealed to be a temporal life-form that has apparently consumed some of Mel's possible futures during her time with Glitz. When the crisis is over, the Doctor realizes that the TARDIS has been tracking Mel on its last few materialisations, its last few materialisations seeing it arrive on planets that had just been visited by Mel, and invites her to rejoin their travels. The

canonicity The adjective canonical is applied in many contexts to mean "according to the canon" the standard, rule or primary source that is accepted as authoritative for the body of knowledge or literature in that context. In mathematics, "canonical example ...

of non-television stories is unclear.

List of appearances

Television

;Season 23 *''

'' *''

'' ;Season 24 *''

'' *''

Paradise Towers ''Paradise Towers'' is the second serial of the 24th season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 5 to 26 October 1987. In the serial, Kroagnon, the incorporeal arc ...

'' *''

Delta and the Bannermen ''Delta and the Bannermen'' is the third serial of the 24th season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in three weekly parts from 2 to 16 November 1987. In the serial, aliens called the Ban ...

'' *'' Dragonfire'' ;30th anniversary special *''

'' ;BBC centenary special *"

Audio dramas

; Doctor Who: The Monthly Adventures ;Sixth Doctor *''

The One Doctor ''The One Doctor'' is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who''. Plot The Sixth Doctor and Mel come up against an impostor Doctor and his companion Sally-Anne. Dur ...

'' *'' The Juggernauts'' *'' Catch-1782'' *'' Thicker than Water'' *'' The Wishing Beast & The Vanity Box'' *''The Wrong Doctors'' *''Spaceport Fear'' *''The Seeds of War'' ;Seventh Doctor *''

The Fires of Vulcan ''The Fires of Vulcan'' is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who''. Plot The Seventh Doctor and Mel visit ancient Pompeii just before the Vesuvius tragedy is du ...

'' *''

Bang-Bang-a-Boom! ''Bang-Bang-a-Boom!'' is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who''. The title is a parody of Lulu's 1969 Eurovision Song Contest winning entry '' Boom Bang-a-Bang'' ...

'' *'' Flip-Flop'' *''

Unregenerate! ''Unregenerate!'' is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. Plot When an empty TARDIS greets Mel, the trail leads to a decrepit asylum, guarded by armed personn ...

'' *''

Red Red is the color at the long wavelength end of the visible spectrum of light, next to orange and opposite violet. It has a dominant wavelength of approximately 625–740 nanometres. It is a primary color in the RGB color model and a secondar ...

'' *''Terror of the Sontarans'' *''We Are The Daleks'' *''The Warehouse'' *''A Life of Crime'' *'' Fiesta of the Damned'' *''Maker of Demons'' *''The High Price of Parking'' *''The Blood Furnace'' *''The Silurian Candidate'' *''Red Planets'' *''The Dispossessed'' *''The Quantum Possibility Engine'' ; Doctor Who: The Sixth Doctor Adventures *'' The Sixth Doctor: The Last Adventure'' **''The Brink of Death'' *''Water Worlds'' **''The Rotting Deep'' **''The Tides of the Moon'' **''Maelstrom'' *''Purity Undreamed'' **''The Mindless Ones'' **''Reverse Engineering'' **''Chronomancer'' ; Doctor Who: The Seventh Doctor Adventures *''Silver & Ice'' **''Bad Day in Tinseltown'' **''The Ribos Inheritance'' ; Doctor Who: The Lost Stories *''Mind of the Hodiac'' ; Doctor Who: Special Releases *''Peladon'' **''The Death of Peladon'' ;

*'' He Jests at Scars...'' ; Doctor Who: Short Trips *''Intuition'' *''Mel-evolent'' *''The Devil's Footprints'' *''Loud and Proud''

Novels

;

*'' Head Games'' by Steve Lyons *''

Just War The just war theory ( la, bellum iustum) is a doctrine, also referred to as a tradition, of military ethics which is studied by military leaders, theologians, ethicists and policy makers. The purpose of the doctrine is to ensure that a war i ...

'' by

Lance Parkin Lance Parkin is a British author. He is best known for writing fiction and reference books for television series, in particular '' Doctor Who'' (and spin-offs including the Virgin New Adventures and Faction Paradox) and as a storyliner on ''Emmerd ...

(Appears primarily in flashback) ;

*''

Millennial Rites ''Millennial Rites'' is an original novel written by Craig Hinton and based on the long-running British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who''. It features the Sixth Doctor and Mel. Plot The Doctor and Mel land in London, 1999, to c ...

'' by

Craig Hinton Craig Paul Alexander Hinton (7 May 1964 – 3 December 2006) was a British writer best known for his work on various spin-offs from the BBC Television series ''Doctor Who''. He also wrote articles for various science fiction magazines, and ...

;

*''

'' by

*''

The Quantum Archangel ''The Quantum Archangel'' is a BBC Books original novel written by Craig Hinton and based on the long-running British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who''. It features the Sixth Doctor and Mel, the Master, and an appearance by an a ...

'' by

(Spends some time in an alternate timeline where she interacts with the

Third Doctor The Third Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. He was portrayed by actor Jon Pertwee. Within the series' narrative, the Doctor is a centuries-old alien Time Lord fro ...

) *''

Instruments of Darkness ''Instruments of Darkness'' is a BBC Books original novel written by Gary Russell and based on the long-running British science fiction on television, science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It features the Sixth Doctor and Melanie Bu ...

'' by Gary Russell *''

'' by Dale Smith (Primarily in flashbacks as the Doctor investigates her death) *''

'' by Gary Russell (Interacts with multiple alternate versions of herself)

Short stories

*"Brief Encounter: A Wee Deoch an..?" by

(''

Doctor Who Magazine ''Doctor Who Magazine'' (abbreviated as ''DWM'') is a magazine devoted to the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. Launched in 1979 as ''Doctor Who Weekly'', the magazine became a monthly publication the followi ...

Winter Special 1991'') *"Fegovy" by Gareth Roberts ('' Decalog 3: Consequences'') *"The Man Who Wouldn’t Give Up" by

Nev Fountain Nev Fountain, born Steven John Fountain (born 12 August 1969), is an English writer, best known for his comedy work with writing partner Tom Jamieson on the radio and television programme '' Dead Ringers''. Early life A native of Stamford, F ...

('' Short Trips: Past Tense'') *"Mortal Thoughts" by

Trevor Baxendale Trevor Baxendale is a writer. His first ''Doctor Who'' novel ''The Janus Conjunction'' was published by BBC Books in 1998. He has also written novels for ''Torchwood'' and ''Blake's 7'', as well as short stories, comic strips and audio drama scri ...

('' Short Trips: Life Science'') *"Sold Out" by Danny Oz ('' Short Trips: A Day in the Life'') *"The Invertebrates of Doom" by Andrew Collins ('' Short Trips: Zodiac'') *"Daisy Chain" by Xanna Eve Chown ('' Short Trips: 2040'') *"Uranus" by

('' Short Trips: The Solar System'') *"Special Weapons" by Paul Leonard ('' More Short Trips'') *"The Eyes Have It" by

Colin Harvey James Colin Harvey (born 16 November 1944 in Liverpool, England) is an English former footballer who is best known for his time as a player, coach and manager with Everton. Playing career Harvey was born in Liverpool and joined Everton as ...

('' Short Trips: Snapshots'') *"24 Crawford Street" by Ian Farrington ('' Short Trips: The Ghosts of Christmas'') *"Dr Cadabra" by Trevor Baxendale (''Short Trips: The Ghosts of Christmas'') *"Driftwood" by Dale Smith ('' Short Trips: Transmissions'') *"The Jumping of the Shark" by Steve Graeme and Adrian Middleton (''Shelf Life'') *"The Finest Restaurant Known to Man" by Jon Arnold (''Shelf Life'')

Comics

*"Plastic Millennium" by Gareth Roberts and Martin Geraghty (''Doctor Who Winter Special 1994'')

References

External links

Melanie Bush on the BBC's ''Doctor Who'' website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bush, Melanie Television characters introduced in 1986 Doctor Who audio characters Doctor Who companions British female characters in television Fictional English people Fictional programmers Fictional characters with eidetic memory Fictional people from the 20th-century Fictional vegan and vegetarian characters