Popular presenter Bradley Walsh has quit one of his iconic TV roles.
The long-running host of ITV's The Chase will be stepping down from his part in hit BBC show Doctor Who.
The 59-year-old played Graham O'Brien alongside the first female Doctor, Jodie Whittaker, but announced he will be exiting the show after two years.
The Mirror reports Bradley has already filmed the annual Christmas special and his exit will come in the anticipated episode along with co-star Tosin Cole, who plays his onscreen step-grandson.
A show source told Mirror Online: “Two years is a long time in the world of Doctor Who. Yaz will be back but Christmas will be the last outing for Ryan and Graham.”
Walsh previously admitted he finds the BBC sci-fi hit’s long filming schedule gruelling.
He said ahead of the latest series: “We have great fun doing it. But you must sleep and look after yourself, because if you don’t, you will come unstuck.
"This is 10 months of ramming speed. That’s what it is. I’m in my 60th year. It’s tough. It’s hard. It’s relentless. It really is. This ain't an easy gig.”
Walsh fronts an ITV travel show with son Barney called Breaking Dad and will continue to host popular quiz The Chase.
And he is already working on a new entertainment series for the BBC with Holly Willoughby.
His co-star Tosin has landed a leading role in courtroom drama 61st Street for US channel AMC.
While their exit plot remains a mystery, the Doctor’s companions rarely have happy endings.
In recent years, Bill (played by Pearl Mackie) died and was converted into a Cyberman, then a water creature.
Donna (played by Catherine Tate) lived but had her memory wiped, while Amy (played by Karen Gillan) died alongside her husband Rory.
Clara (played by Jenna Coleman) suffered a painful death in the 2015 episode Face the Raven and the first companion in the show’s reboot era, Rose Tyler (played by Billie Piper), was trapped in a parallel universe.
Showrunner Chris Chibnall is already writing the 13th series of Doctor Who, which is expected to air in autumn 2021.
Last week, BBC drama chief Piers Wenger defended the show after ratings fell to 5.5 million from 8 million for the previous series in 2018.
He said it remained popular with younger viewers, adding: “It will always be an important show for us and we’re a very long way from wanting to rest it.”
The BBC declined to comment on Walsh's and Tosin’s exits.
