Archive Interviews on DVD

Monday, 9 February 2015 - Reported by Marcus
Two archive interviews are to be released on DVD and are available from Galaxy 4.

An interview with Tom Baker, conducted in 1989, was originally available on Video Cassette, published by Reeltime Pictures. It is released on DVD for the first time. Also available is a brand new title, an interview with Anthony Ainley from April 2000.

Both are released on 27th February.

Myth Makers Tom Baker

The Doctor will never change. He may grow old and fade away, but he will always be the same … so the fun is – how do you colour that?

Ask Doctor Who fans who their favourite Doctor is and the majority are likely to name Tom Baker’s portrayal above all others.

Much of Baker’s popularity has been fuelled by his reticence to appear in public to discuss his time in the programme. Little is actually known about the man or his memories of being the longest running Time Lord troubleshooter!

At last this has changed. In an exclusive interview with Nicholas Briggs, at the location used for The Android Invasion, Baker discusses frankly his life and career.

First released 1989
Myth Makers Anthony Ainley

I was always surprised when he (John Nathan Turner) rang me and called me back, because an actor always thinks a job is his last job!

Anthony Ainley had carved out a successful career as an actor in the theatre, films and television before being asked to play THE MASTER in Doctor Who.

A very private man, Ainley rarely did interviews and died before recording any extensive videos about his thoughts and feelings playing the evil nemesis of THE DOCTOR.

In this special Myth Makers, we are delighted to feature a rare interview with Ainley, recorded in 2000 at an event run by the Galaxy 4 shop in Sheffield.

Together with the memories of the organisers, this Myth Makers is very revealing of the man behind the role, proving Ainley was a very different man to the character we saw on our TV screens.

Recorded 2000




FILTER: - Blu-ray/DVD - Classic Series - Tom Baker

Lovarzi adds the Fifth Doctor's jumper to their range

Friday, 31 October 2014 - Reported by Harry Ward
Lovarzi, the makers of officially licensed Doctor Who scarves have added the Fifth Doctor's cricket jumper to their range along with two new scarves.

Maninder Singh Sahota, Director of Lovarzi, says:
We've been overwhelmed and delighted by the reaction our Doctor Who products have garnered; the hard work and attention to detail we put into creating finest quality items is always worthwhile when we see the smiles of fans whenever we exhibit our ever-expanding range. We're extremely proud to see dedicated Whovians indulging in their favourite items, and are sure these three new products will be welcomed into the fandom just as warmly.

Danie Ware from Forbidden Planet added:
We had a huge success with the Seventh Doctor’s knitwear last year, and with the continued rise of the cult status of Doctor Who, this new range is perfect for all fans of the series. The Fourth Doctor’s scarf is one of the single most iconic Who symbols, and the additions of the TARDIS scarf, and the Fifth Doctor’s cricketing sweater will make sure everyone’s wrapped up this Christmas!

Fifth Doctor Cricket Sweater (Credit: Lovarzi) Fifth Doctor Cricket Sweater
available to order now: (Amazon UK), (Forbidden Planet)

The Only Fifth Doctor Sweater Officially Licensed by the BBC!

Peter Davison's Fifth Doctor is one of the most popular incarnations of the world's favourite Time Lord - and deservedly so! He fought the Black Guardian, Cybermen, Silurians, and Sea Devils before sacrificing himself on Androzani Minor: this fresh-faced man who came and went like a summer cloud always looked every bit the hero.

Following Davison's original cricket whites notion, our officially-licensed Fifth Doctor Sweater is based on his much-loved Season 19 and 20 look. What's more, he also wore it for the 20th anniversary special, The Five Doctors, and 2007's charity short, Time Crash, which featured both the Fifth and Tenth Doctors - the first multi-Doctor story of the revived show!
Fourth Doctor Scarf 18 ft Long Season 16 - 17 (Credit: Lovarzi) Fourth Doctor Scarf
available to order now: ((Amazon UK), ((Forbidden Planet)

The 18ft Long Fourth Doctor Scarf is warm, comfortable, and great for fans of Tom Baker!

The Doctor's worn cool bow ties, cricket jumpers, and questionably-colourful jackets, but Tom Baker's supremely long multi-coloured scarf is the quintessential Doctor Who accessory. Our replica is based on the 18ft scarf the Fourth Doctor wore throughout Seasons 16 and 17, initially made by sewing the original to the stunt double's!

It's ideal for strolling through Paris, searching for the Key to Time - or simply showing off your Whovian allegiance. Because no matter where you are, whoever you meet, everyone appreciates this iconic design.
TARDIS Scarf
available to order now: Blue & Grey - (Amazon UK), (Forbidden Planet), Blue & Red: (Amazon UK), (Forbidden Planet), Grey & White: (Amazon UK), (Forbidden Planet)

Vworp! Vworp! This exclusively-designed TARDIS Scarf looks great wherever you are in time and space!

We initially set eyes on the TARDIS in the very first episode of Doctor Who, An Unearthly Child, and discovered that it's alive. But what else do we know? Well, it's bigger on the inside, of course. The chameleon circuit allows it to blend into its environment - but it's broken, and has permanently taken on the guise of a blue police call box. The Doctor "borrowed" it.

And the most important thing: it's incredible.

Our exclusive TARDIS Scarf is a celebration of Doctor Who, presented in a beautiful box, topped off with the foil-printed BBC Doctor Who logo.

TARDIS Scarf (Blue & Grey) (Credit: Lovarzi) TARDIS Scarf (Blue & Red) (Credit: Lovarzi) TARDIS Scarf (Grey & White) (Credit: Lovarzi)




FILTER: - Merchandise - Peter Davison - Tom Baker

Radio Times

Tuesday, 28 October 2014 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Next week's edition of the Radio Times features Peter Capaldi as the Doctor on its front cover as the magazine looks at the two-part series finale which starts this Saturday with Dark Water at 8:15pm on BBC One.

Famous fans, TV critics, children, and personalities share their thoughts on the latest incarnation, as played by Capaldi, including Professor Brian Cox, writer Armando Iannucci, singer/songwriter Marc Almond, Keeley Hawes, and even a former Doctor in the form of Tom Baker, who said:
He’s a wonderful choice to play the Doctor. Instantly one felt: this fellow comes from far far away, he’s strange. An instant frisson. And what’s the word? Yes, got it! Alien, he’s an alien. I salute him.
There is also a "Master Quiz" enabling readers to test their Doctor Who knowledge.

In addition, the digital version of the magazine includes a 30 page Monster supplement, featuring pictures of the Doctor’s greatest foes from the Radio Times archive.

Radio Times - Digital Edition (1-7 Nov 2014) (Credit: Radio Times) Radio Times - Digital Edition (1-7 Nov 2014) (Credit: Radio Times)

The Radio Times, covering television and radio programming for 1st-7th November, is available online and in shops now.




FILTER: - Peter Capaldi - Radio Times - Tom Baker

Tom Baker Autographs

Wednesday, 24 September 2014 - Reported by Marcus
Tom Baker has announced, via his website, a new way to obtain autographs from the Fourth Doctor.

The actor will no longer accept requests sent through his agents as demand has become unmanageable. However fans can now purchase autographs here from his website, with 10% of the proceeds being donated to St Michael’s Hospice in St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex.

As well as signing cards and photographs, Baker will sign personal paper based items such as video/DVD or CD cover, photo or other picture of himself. If you want an autograph for your copy of Baker’s autobiography or The Boy Who Kicked Pigs, please do not send the books, but send the dust jacket.

Please check the website for full details.




FILTER: - Tom Baker

Tom Baker, best selling Doctor on ebay

Wednesday, 30 July 2014 - Reported by Marcus
With less than a month until the début of the twelfth Doctor, online marketplace ebay has compiled a list of the top ten Doctors by merchandise sales on the site.

Top of the list is Doctor number four, Tom Baker, whose seven year tenure in the role created enough memorabilia to outsell the other Doctors by 203%.

The most recent Doctors, David Tennant and Matt Smith fall into second and third place, while Peter Capaldi, who has so far only had a minute on screen, comes in an number 10.

For collectors, Sylvester McCoy – the seventh Doctor – is the most lucrative, yielding the greatest individual return. Items related to his brief stint sell with the highest value, with prices for his figurine peaking at £565.

Top 10 Doctors by sales
  1. Tom Baker
  2. David Tennant
  3. Matt Smith
  4. William Hartnell
  5. Paul McGann
  6. Patrick Troughton
  7. Sylvester McCoy
  8. Colin Baker
  9. Peter Davison
  10. Peter Capaldi
eBay Spokesperson, Laura Wilkinson-Rea says,
It really speaks to Tom Baker’s iconic Doctor Who status that he continues to outsell the other Doctors. It also seems like the Universe is safe for now as the Doctors are far outselling the baddies. For example, eBay.co.uk currently lists 200,000 items of Doctor Who merchandise - totally dwarfing the Dalek’s 14,000. We’d be fascinated to see what spin Malcolm Tucker would put on this!




FILTER: - Doctor Who - Tom Baker

Tom Baker sculpture to be revealed

Saturday, 26 July 2014 - Reported by Marcus
Hyde Fundraisers is to reveal a new likeness of the Fourth Doctor, as played by Tom Baker, at its charity display at Spaceport, Merseyside.

The new sculpture will be unveiled at 10am on Sunday 3 August and will join the collection of replica characters created to raise funds for BBC Children In Need and other charities.

The Fourth Doctor has been sculpted by Phil Robinson, the man responsible for re-creating the Davros mask for the 2005 stageshow The Trial of Davros. The sculpture will include a replica costume from Season 18 as the Doctor is stepping from the Police Box.

On the day there will also be the chance to meet Robinson and see some of his other sculpted work, meet Hyde Fundraisers and get some photographs.

The official BBC exhibition with genuine props and costumes from the TV series is the Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff.




FILTER: - Fourth Doctor - Special Events - Tom Baker - UK

Doctor Who Celebration: The Regenerations panel full video

Wednesday, 16 April 2014 - Reported by Melad Moshiri
An extended video collating three of the Regenerations panels at the Doctor Who Celebration has been uploaded onto the BBC's 50 Years of Doctor Who website.

Recorded at the Excel arena in London on the 22nd and 23rd November and moderated by Nicholas Briggs, the panel brought together former doctors Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy before the celebratory simulcast broadcast of The Day of the Doctor.

Discussed were the series' 2005 revival, the current TARDIS set, an anecdote from Tom about improvising in The Face of Evil, what Doctor each of them would play discounting themselves and the actors' reactions to regeneration scenes. (also available in a separate YouTube video).

In a string of three days from November 22nd to the 24th at the Excel, the event saw fans from across the globe visiting the celebration, alongside cast and crew, in honour of the show as part of the anniversary weekend.


Acknowledgements: With Thanks to Ed Stradling




FILTER: - UK - Tom Baker - Nicholas Briggs - Peter Davison - Sylvester McCoy - Colin Baker

Doctor Roundup

Saturday, 22 March 2014 - Reported by Marcus
Christopher Eccleston has recorded an audio version of a short story by award-winning author Patrick Ness in aid of Read for RNIB Day.

The story, Now That You've Died, takes readers and listeners on an exhilarating journey into the afterlife. It was written by Ness especially for the Royal National Institute of Blind People, the leading UK charity helping blind and partially sighted people.

The story can be heard for free here. In return, listeners are asked to consider making a donation to RNIB to help make reading more accessible to blind and partially sighted people.

The RNIB Day campaign manager, Becca McRow, said:
Now That You've Died is another fine example of Patrick's finesse for storytelling which is both captivating yet challenging to the reader and we're honoured that he wrote it in support of Read for RNIB Day.

Christopher Eccleston brings the story to life superbly and we're delighted that we can now open up this fantastic audio version of the story to members of the public. We ask for a donation in return to help RNIB continue its vital work in making reading more accessible for blind and partially sighted people.


David Tennant is lending his voice to the upcoming Xbox One game Kinect Sports Rivals as the narrator.

The game is produced by British video game developer Rare. A video has been released which includes a behind-the-scenes interview with Tennant as well as footage of the recording sessions.


Tom Baker has said he's thrilled that the classic Doctor Who series is to be screened in the UK on the Horror Channel, as reported here.
Horror is my very favourite genre, so I am thrilled the classic Doctor Who series have been picked up by the Horror Channel. There was clearly a darker edge to my storylines, which I think brought a new dimension to the series. I remember hearing of the series scaring children – I wonder how the audience will react to the series today, all grown up.
The Horror Channel has completed a deal with BBC Worldwide to broadcast 30 stories from the classic series, which ran from 1963 to 1989, featuring the first seven Doctors, starting with William Hartnell and concluding with Sylvester McCoy.
Sylvester McCoy, will be making an appearance at FantasyCon this July. The Con will be held in Salt Lake City, Utah. Tickets are now on sale.




FILTER: - Tom Baker - David Tennant - Christopher Eccleston - Sylvester McCoy

Doctor Roundup

Friday, 21 February 2014 - Reported by Marcus

A new art portrait of Tom Baker has been released to celebrate the actor's 80th Birthday.

The print, by photographer Oliver McNeil, is for sale as a high quality art print. It joins the range of exclusive portraits of the man who played the fourth Doctor.

Each one is approximately 18 inches by 12 inches and can be purchased framed or unframed in the UK and unframed in the rest of the world. They will be autographed personally by Tom Baker who will personalise each piece of work on request.

Full details from Legend Photography

Tom Baker will be at the Stamp Centre in London in order to meet fans and sign autographs on Thursday 20th March 2014. On Saturday 29th March 2014, he will be at the London Film Memorabilia Convention at Central Hall, Westminster, where he will also meet fans and sign autographs.

Colin Baker is to appear in a new drama, Finding Richard, based on the discovery of the bones of King Richard III in a car park in Leicester in 2012

Baker will play the grandad of a boy who starts his own quest when he hears the story of the recovery. The short film, to be shot on location in Leicestershire, has been co-written by director Rhys Davies and producer Doug Cubin. It is due to be submitted to Cannes Film Festival in early March.

Baker told the Leicester Mercury
I am excited about taking part in this project. I receive many scripts from successful or aspiring filmmakers and am rarely able to participate, unfortunately. However, I'll make no bones about it, when I read Finding Richard, I knew I had to try to find time to play grandad. It's an impressive, gentle and sensitive script, so I have managed to squeeze the time between trips to the USA and New Zealand and am looking forward to joining the team in Leicester.


David Tennant has been filming Gracepoint, the US version of the ITV drama Broadchurch.

The FOX adaptation is being filmed in and around Victoria, Canada, with Tennant playing Emmett Carver, based on the character of Scottish DI Alec Hardy in the UK version of the drama. Filming is taking place in Sidney, Island View Beach and Brentwood Bay.

The 10 episodes will be filmed around the area for approximately four months. A number of pictures are available on Flikr.




FILTER: - Tom Baker - David Tennant - Colin Baker

Philip Hinchcliffe Presents ...

Tuesday, 11 February 2014 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Big Finish have announced a new set of adventures featuring Tom Baker as the fourth Doctor with Louise Jameson as Leela, written by the pair's original producer Philip Hinchcliffe alongside Ghost Light writer Marc Platt.

Philip Hinchcliffe Presents (Credit: Big Finish)Philip Hinchcliffe Presents
Starring Tom Baker and Louise Jameson
Written by Philip Hinchcliffe and Marc Platt
Released September 2014

Former Doctor Who producer Philip Hinchcliffe has been reunited with his stars, Tom Baker and Louise Jameson, for ten brand new episodes of Doctor Who made for audio at Big Finish.

Doctor Who: Philip Hinchcliffe Presents will consist of two epic full-cast stories, filled with all the drama and chills that marked Hinchcliffe’s era of the TV show.


The Ghosts of Gralstead is a six-part adventure, and it finds the Doctor and Leela returning to Victorian London, in the year 1860:
At St Clarence’s Hospital, respected surgeon Sir Edward Scrivener requires the bodies of the dead… At Doctor McDivett’s Exhibition of Living Wonders and Curiosities, miracles are afoot… And in Gralstead House, the ghost will walk again. Mordrega has come to Earth...
Carolyn Seymour – who is known for Quantum Leap, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager and, notably, for playing Abby Grant in the original Survivors – plays Mordrega. Sir Edward is played by Gethin Anthony (Game of Thrones).


The second, four-part adventure is called The Devil’s Armada:
The TARDIS materialise in Sissenden Village in the sixteenth century. Catholic priests are hunted, so-called witches are drowned in the ducking stool, and in the shadows the Vituperon are watching… and waiting...

Doctor Who: Philip Hinchcliffe Presents also includes a special hour-long documentary featuring interviews with Tom, Louise, Philip and the cast, and is released in September.

The CD boxed set will be launched at Big Finish Day 5 in Slough on Saturday 13th September, which Tom, Philip and Carolyn are attending.




FILTER: - Merchandise - Audio - Tom Baker - Fourth Doctor - Big Finish