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Doctor Who fans call for John Bishop's return after Russell T Davies snap

Bishop's character Dan was written out in The Power of the Doctor.

Dan (John Bishop) in the Doctor Who Centenary special

BBC Studios/James Pardon

Published: Monday, 29 May 2023 at 11:42 am

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Amid a slew of Doctor Who comebacks, fans are hoping for one more after showrunner Russell T Davies shared a sweet photo with actor and comedian John Bishop.

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Bishop played Dan, a companion to Jodie Whittaker's Thirteenth Doctor while Chris Chibnall was showrunner.

Taking to Instagram, Davies shared his excitement that he and Doctor Who producer Phil Collinson had bumped into Bishop, writing: "Phil and I met John Bishop! Dan!!! ????♥️ @bbcdoctorwho @philcollinson @johnbish100."

The official Doctor Who Instagram account commented: "You could say you 'wok'd right into him!"

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Meanwhile, plenty of fans called for a return for Dan, with one writing: "I'd love an evil dan rtd episode."

Another said: "Genuinely deserves some sort of re-appearance. His exit was dismal for his character unfortunately. John is a legend ????????."

One more added: "Bring him back, please, im begging ????????."

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Bishop's Dan was written out of Doctor Who in last year's The Power of the Doctor, which bid farewell to Whittaker's Thirteenth Doctor.

He had a reduced role in the episode, with the character deciding early on that his adventures in the TARDIS should end.

After a clash with the nefarious CyberMasters, on top of a speeding bullet train, Dan is left shaken by a near death experience and tells his friends that he wants to remain on Earth.

"I was one hand away from flying off into space and suffocating – I don't want to push me luck any further," Dan explains.

"I mean, all this... all this is amazing, and I've had the most incredible time. But it's not my life – and my life's far from perfect, but I need to get back to it. I need to attack it. And I can now, 'cause I've been with you."

Fans had mixed reactions to the exit - but it's clear many of them would love to see him back.

Doctor Who is available to stream on BBC iPlayer with episodes of the classic series also available on BritBox – you can sign up for a 7-day free trial here. Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.

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Authors

Louise GriffinSci-Fi and Fantasy Editor

Louise Griffin is the Sci-Fi & Fantasy Editor for Radio Times, covering everything from Doctor Who, Star Wars and Marvel to House of the Dragon and Good Omens. She previously worked at Metro as a Senior Entertainment Reporter and has a degree in English Literature.

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