Bonita Melody Lysette Langford (born 22 July 1964) is an English actress, dancer, singer and television personality. She is often known for her TV role as Violet in Just William (1977–1978) and Melanie Bush in Doctor Who (1986–1987, 2022–2025). Langford portrayed Carmel Kazemi on the BBC soap opera EastEnders from 2015 to 2018, receiving the 2016 British Soap Award for Best Newcomer.
She has also appeared musicals in the West End and on Broadway, including Peter Pan, Cats, The Pirates of Penzance, Chicago, and Paddington: The Musical. She was a contestant on Dancing on Ice in 2006 and 2014.
Early life and career Langford was born on 22 July 1964 in Middlesex, and grew up in Surrey. She attended the Arts Educational School, St Catherine's School, Twickenham and the Italia Conti Academy stage school. She first came to public attention when, aged six years old, she won the talent show Opportunity Knocks. This led to the role of Scarlett O'Hara's daughter in the London production of Scarlett (1972), and work in the 1974 Broadway revival of Gypsy starring Angela Lansbury, in the 1976 film Bugsy Malone, the 1977 film Wombling Free, and to still greater fame playing Violet Elizabeth Bott in the 1977–78 television series Just William. During this time, she was appearing as a regular on a children's prime-time show made by Yorkshire Television called Junior Showtime, along with child stars Lena Zavaroni, Neil Reid, Perry Cree, and Glynn Poole among others.Kit Hesketh-Harvey in Country Life, 22 January 2014, page 32
Career Doctor Who
Between 1986 and 1987, Langford played the role of Mel, companion to both the Sixth and Seventh Doctors in the science fiction series Doctor Who. She returned to the role in 1993 for Dimensions in Time, a special charity Doctor Who/EastEnders crossover episode as part of the BBC's Children in Need. She has continued to reprise the role in several audio dramas alongside the Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy Doctors and in a cameo in the episode "The Power of the Doctor". In her first appearances one of her trademarks was a penetrating scream uttered while escaping from monsters.
Langford made a surprise return to Doctor Who in 2023 for the 60th Anniversary story ‘’The Giggle’’. Also in 2023, it was announced that Langford would be returning to the series in the revival’s fourteenth series, reprising her role as a guest star, alongside Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor and Millie Gibson as Ruby Sunday. She appeared in the two part finale ‘’The Legend of Ruby Sunday’’ and ‘’Empire of Death’’. The episodes were broadcast in June 2024.
She returned to the role for the Series 15 two-part finale, "Wish World" and "The Reality War".
Dancing Langford was a featured dancer in BBC One's popular light entertainment series The Hot Shoe Show, which she co-presented with Wayne Sleep. On 23 October 2005, she performed in Children Will Listen, a 75th birthday tribute to Stephen Sondheim at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. She is also a panto regular; recent credits include Peter in Peter Pan at the Richmond Theatre in Richmond, London (2008–2009); and Fairy Snow in Cinderella at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford (2013–2014).
Dancing on Ice In 2006, Langford was a celebrity contestant in the first series of ITV's Dancing on Ice, partnering professional figure skater Matt Evers. Their routines were characterised by the dramatic lifts and tricks they performed and were amongst the most ambitious in the competitions. Viewers saw her bang her head as she was spun on the ice during rehearsals, illustrating the danger of some of the moves they were attempting. Their appearances were also notable for the differing reception they received from the panel of judges (which consistently voted them highly, awarding them the highest total scores and the only two maximum scores from individual judges) and the voting public (who twice placed them in the bottom two pairs, forcing a "skate off" to remain in the competition). They finished in third place overall.
Langford and Evers appeared again on the programme in the one-off Champion of Champions show which followed series two. They were scored second overall by the judging panel but again the public vote was less favourable and they were amongst the four teams eliminated in the first round of the competition. Langford then toured with Torvill and Dean's Dancing on Ice: The Tour in 2007.
Langford took part in the Dancing on Ice: The Tour in April and May 2008.
In 2014, Langford returned to Dancing on Ice for the ninth and final series (10 Week run), which saw the return of contestants from previous series. This time she was partnered with professional ice skater Andrei Lipanov. She was eliminated in Week 5 after losing out to Sam Attwater and his fiancé Vicky Ogden. In February 2014, she was announced as one of eight celebrities that would be appearing in Torvill & Dean's Dancing on Ice: The Final Tour between March & April 2014.
Stage and television work Langford's appearance on Dancing on Ice reinvigorated her career. She returned to the West End theatre in 2006 playing the role of Roxie Hart in Chicago.
In 2006 and 2007, Langford appeared in the Birmingham and Plymouth tours of Guys and Dolls playing Miss Adelaide Adams, a dance hall hostess.
In July 2007, Langford was a judge on the ITV series Baby Ballroom: The Championship.
In 2009 and 2010, she again appeared in Chicago as Roxie Hart.
Langford played the role of Roz in the first UK tour production of the Broadway musical, 9 to 5, which was launched at the Opera House, Manchester on 12 October 2012.
In 2018, she took over the leading role of Dorothy Brock in the West End revival of 42nd Street, until the show closed on 5 January 2019; a recording from the end of the 2018 run aired as part of PBS's Great Performances’ third annual “Broadway’s Best” lineup in November 2019.
In 2021, Langford appeared on The Masked Dancer, masked as Squirrel. She reached the final and was announced as the runner up on 5 June.
Langford has played the role of "Mrs. Bird" as part of the Brown family, in London West Ends "Paddington the Musical" from November 2025 to present, at the Savoy Theatre
EastEnders
On 5 April 2015, it was announced that Langford had joined long-running BBC soap opera EastEnders for a guest role, later promoted to a regular role as character Carmel Kazemi, the mother of established character, Kush Kazemi (Davood Ghadami). Carmel is described as an "overly protective" and "outspoken" mother. Commenting on the casting, Langford said: "I’m so thrilled and delighted to be part of EastEnders. I’m a great fan of the show and think the recent 30th Anniversary was sensational and shows just how good British television can be. To be part of this family is an absolute privilege."
Personal life Langford is the aunt of actresses Summer, Scarlett, Zizi, and Saskia Strallen.
In 1995, she married Paul Grunert, with whom she has one daughter. They divorced in 2015.
Performances Film Year Title Role1976 Bugsy Malone Lena Marelli1977 Wombling Free Felicity Kim Frogmorton Sources:
Television Year Title Role Notes1970Opportunity KnocksHerself1973 Junior Showtime Tilly Episode: "Christmas Pantomime: Babes in the Wood"1977–1978 Just William Violet Elizabeth Bott 17 episodes1978Lena and BonnieHerselfTV special1982 The Morecambe & Wise Show Singer Episode #3.11982–1983, 1990Royal Variety PerformanceHerself1983 The Sooty Show Episode: "The Dancer"1983–1984 The Hot Shoe Show Dancer All 11 episodes1984–1985The Saturday StarshipPresenter1984The Keith Harris ShowHerself; guest1985Whose Baby?Panelist1986This Is Your LifeHerself; subject1986–1987, 2022–2025 Doctor Who Mel Bush 24 episodes: Main role (Season 23, 24) Guest (2023 special, Series 14, Series 15) Cameo (2022 special)1987Emu's Wide World Herself; guestOpen AirHerselfSaturday Superstore1990 The Little and Large Show Various Episode #10.41991 Tonight at 8.30 Emily Episode: "Family Album"1992, 1997Surprise, Surprise1993 Doctor Who: Dimensions in Time Melanie Bush Part One1994Showstoppers 1999 Goodnight Sweetheart Nancy Potter Episode: "How I Won the War"1999–2000EstherHerself; guest2 episodes2000 Mirrorball Singer 2006 Marple Betty Johnson Episode: "By the Pricking of My Thumbs"Dancing on IceHerself; contestantContestant; finished 3rdThe Catherine Tate Show Herself; guestSchool's Out Strictly Dance FeverAdvisor to contestants2007Hider in the House Supermarket SweepBaby Ballroom: The ChampionshipHerself; judgeThe Weakest Link HerselfMusic Extravaganza contestant; winnerDancing on Ice: Champion of Champions HerselfContestant; finished 3rd2008 Hotel Babylon Scarlett Senior Episode #3.4Britannia HighHerself; guest2013 The Spa Bonnie Langford Episode: "Love Is a Losing Game"2014Dancing on IceHerself; contestantPointless Celebrities2015–2018 EastEnders Carmel Kazemi 351 episodes2015–2016 Children in Need 2 episodes2021The Masked Dancer SquirrelContestant; finished runner-up Sources:
Webcasts Year Title Role Notes2021 24 Carat Mel Bush Mini-episode as part of the release of Doctor Who: The Collection Season 24 Sources:
Audio +Key Denotes works that have not yet been released +YearTitleRoleNotes2000The Fires of VulcanMel BushDoctor Who audio stories2001The One Doctor2002Bang-Bang-a-Boom!2003Flip-FlopHe Jests at ScarsZagreus2005The JuggernautsCatch-1782Unregenerate!Thicker than Water2006Red2007The Wishing Beast & The Vanity Box2013The Wrong DoctorsSpaceport FearThe Seeds of War2015We are the DaleksThe WarehouseTerror of the SontaransThe Last Adventure2016A Life of CrimeFiesta of the DamnedMaker of Demons2017The High Price of ParkingThe Blood FurnaceThe Silurian Candidate2018Red PlanetsThe DispossessedThe Quantum Possibility Engine2022Mind of the HodiacWater WorldsSilver and IcePurity Undreamed2023 Broken Memories Sources: 2024CagedNarratorAudioGo
Theatre +YearTitleRole1972Gone with the Wind 1973–1974GypsyBaby June1981, 1983CatsRumpleteazer1983–1985, 1989–1990The Pirates of PenzanceMabel & Kate198442nd StreetPeggy Sawyer1985–1986Peter PanPeter Pan1985Me and My GirlSally Smith1987Charlie GirlCharlie1990Queen Mother's 90th Birthday Gala PerformanceHerself1991Time of My LifeJan Cheyney1993Hollywood and Broadway IIHerself, Wayne Sleep, Kim Criswell1998Oklahoma!Ado AnnieSweet CharityCharity Hope Valentine2001Bonnie Langford Now: And Her MusiciansHerself2002Big Night Out at The Little Theatre2004FosseHeadline Performer2005Children Will ListenPete 'N' MeJudy2006–2010ChicagoRoxie Hart2006–2007Guys and DollsMiss Adelaide2007Torvill and Dean's Dancing on Ice: The Tour 2007 HerselfShort and Curly2008Torvill and Dean's Dancing on Ice: The Tour 20082010The Oscar ShowQueen of the Stardust Ballroom2010–2011Brits Off Broadway2012–2014SpamalotThe Lady of the Lake2012The Night of 1,000 VoicesHerself 2014Torvill and Dean's Dancing on Ice: The Tour 20142014–2015Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (musical)Muriel Eubanks2015Charles Strouse with Bonnie LangfordHerselfHey, Old Friends!2016, 2019An Evening with Bonnie Langford2016Singular Sensations2018–201942nd StreetDorothy Brock2019–20209 to 5Roz Keith2021The Show Must Go On!Herself2022Anything GoesEvangeline Harcourt2023, 2025Stephen Sondheim's Old FriendsHerself / Various2024-2025Les MisérablesMadame Thénardier2025-presentPaddington the MusicalMrs Bird Sources:
Pantomime +YearTitleRole1980, 2003–2004Dick WhittingtonDick Whittington1984–1985, 1989–1991CinderellaCinderella1993–1994, 2000–2001Jack and the BeanstalkJack1995–1997, 2001–2002AladdinAladdin2002–2003, 2008–2009Peter PanPeter Pan2004Mother GoosePrince2005–2006CinderellaPrince Charming2011–2012Jack and the BeanstalkFairy Fuchsia2013–2014CinderellaFairy Snow2021–2022Sleeping BeautyLilac Fairy Sources:
Discography Albums CATS (Original London Cast Recording) (2002) Gypsy: A Musical Fable (original cast recording) Wuthering Heights (original cast recording of Bernard J. Taylor's musical) Oliver! Seven Brides for Seven Brothers