Bonnie Langford delighted fans when she returned to the series last year having originally starred as companion Mel Bush on the 1980s.
This wasn’t her first brush with ame though as she had already enjoyed fame as a child star in the show Just William which ran from 1977-1978.
Unearthed pictures from the era show her looking a million miles from the glamourous star we now know. The young Bonnie sports ringlets in her hair which is tied with ribbons and was her trademark look at the time when she played Violet Elizabeth in the show.
The wholesome look appealed to presenter who admitted in March 2024 when she appeared on the breakfast show.
“You’ve always played strong women, Barbara Castle, Doctor Who, for me – this is a weird thing to say – but when I was 8/9 years old you were kind of my first childhood crush. Because (you were) on Opportunity Knocks with Lena Zavarroni, and then also playing Elizabeth in Just William,” he said.
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Bonnie Langford starred as Violet Elizabeth in Just William for two years in the 1970s (Image: Getty)
“You were the same age as me and you were on television and it was so exciting,” he admitted as co-host looked incredulous and Bonnie laughed.
“Well I hope I haven’t scarred you for life then,” Bonnie awkwardly responded, “but thank you.” Ed continued: “To me, you will always be Elizabeth.”
“Yeah, well I’m not gonna scream or do any of those things (the character did),” she said. “But I think it’s good to say that women are feisty but they can do it with charm and joy and humour.”
Bonnie was already a showbiz veteran by the time she appeared in the show. She first came to public attention when, aged six old in 1971, she won the talent show Opportunity Knocks.
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Bonnie Langford first found fame as a child star before joining shows like Doctor Who (Image: Getty)
This led to a slew of theatre work. She played the role of Scarlett O’Hara’s daughter in the 1972 London production of Scarlett and worked with the legendary Angela Lansbury, in the 1974 Broadway revival of Gypsy.
She had also enjoyed big screen success with the 1976 film Bugsy Malone, and the 1977 film Wombling Free. However Just William made aher a household name.
She then joined Doctor Who in 1986 playing the far more grown up role of Mel. She stayed with the role until 1987 and has returned to the show sporadically, most recently last year for the anniversary specials.
In more recent times she found a whole new fan base in which she joined in April 2015. She played the the “overly protective” and “outspoken” Carmel Kazemi, the mother of established character, Kush Kazemi (Davood Ghadami). She left the show in 2018.