COMEDIAN AND ACTOR JOHN BISHOP BOARDS THE TARDIS FOR SEASON 13 OF "DOCTOR WHO"

January 1, 2021 - NEW YORK - The Thirteenth Doctor and Yaz are set to welcome a new face to the TARDIS later this year as actor and comedian John Bishop joins the cast of Doctor Who as Dan.

As he becomes embroiled in the Doctor's adventures, Dan will quickly learn there's more to the Universe(s) than he could ever believe. Traveling through space and time alongside the Doctor and Yaz, he'll face evil alien races beyond his wildest nightmares.

Speaking about joining the show, John said, "If I could tell my younger self that one day I would be asked to step on board the TARDIS, I would never have believed it. It's an absolute dream come true to be joining Doctor Who and I couldn't wish for better company than Jodie and Mandip."

Chris Chibnall, Showrunner, added, "It's time for the next chapter of Doctor Who, and it starts with a man called Dan. Oh, we've had to keep this one secret for a long, long time. Our conversations started with John even before the pandemic hit. The character of Dan was built for him, and it's a joy to have him aboard the TARDIS."

Matt Strevens, Executive Producer BBC Studios, said, "It's been a total joy having John join the cast and we've been having a lot fun on set already. We can't wait for you to meet Dan when the show returns later this year."

Piers Wenger, Controller BBC Drama, said, "We are beyond thrilled to have John Bishop joining Doctor Who. Alongside Jodie Whittaker and Mandip Gill, John is a wonderful addition to the show and we have no doubt that season 13 is going to be another thrilling set of adventures for the Doctor."

Courtney Thomasma, Executive Director of BBC AMERICA, said, "We welcome John Bishop to this iconic and timeless franchise. Dan, Yaz and the Thirteenth Doctor are sure to surprise and delight American viewers in 2021."

Notes to Editors:

This year's holiday special for Doctor Who airs Friday, January 1st at 8pm ET/PT on BBC AMERICA.

The 13th season of Doctor Who began filming in November 2020.

John has already begun filming and will make his first appearance when the 13th season starts on BBC AMERICA later in 2021.

About BBC AMERICA

BBC AMERICA is a hub of innovative, culturally contagious programming including the Peabody Award-winning series Killing Eve starring Golden Globe(R) and SAG(R) Award-winner Sandra Oh and Emmy(R) Award-winner Jodie Comer. The network is the definitive television home and co-producer of the most iconic natural history series including Planet Earth II, Blue Planet II, Dynasties, Seven Worlds, One Planet and upcoming Meerkat Manor, Eden (w/t), Frozen Planet II and Planet Earth III. BBCA transforms every Saturday into Wonderstruck, a weekly 24-hour destination for wildlife and wonder. A joint venture between AMC Networks and BBC Studios (the commercial arm of the BBC), BBCA's influential shows such as Doctor Who, Orphan Black, and Luther have attracted critical acclaim and earned Emmy(R) Awards, Golden Globes(R), Peabody Awards, Critics' Choice Awards, NAACP Image Awards, TCA Awards and more. New programming coming this winter includes The Graham Norton Show, Baby Chimp Rescue, the Doctor Who holiday special, The Watch and more. BBC AMERICA is available across all platforms, including on-air, online, on demand and mobile. Find out more by visiting press.amcnetworks.com.