Myth Makers - Season 2

Ask Doctor Who fans their favourite Doctor is and the majority are likely to name Tom Baker’s portrayal above all others. Much of Tom’s popularity has been fuelled by his reticence to appears in public or 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 by Nicholas Briggs, at the location used for The Android Invasion, Tom discusses frankly his life and career.

Intrepid Nicholas Briggs delves into Doctor Who Magazine’s past, studies its production and looks to the future. Along the way he talks to editor John Freeman, artists John Ridgway and Lee Sullivan, long term contributor Gary Russell and many more. This is a fascinating look at a unique publication in its 10th year, covering every aspect of its production and development.

Colin Baker is walking his dog and Nicholas Briggs is shopping, when they are both teleported to a strangely familiar location by a mysterious alien being… Whilst on their adventure, Colin talks to Nick about his long and varied acting career, including his casting as the sixth Doctor. In a frank and revealing discussion, Colin reveals much of his joys and frustrations while working on the series and the truth behind the programme’s cancellation and his eventual departure. Take this opportunity to meet this charming and witty man as our story unfolds… and just what is a ‘time-cone inverter’?

We travel to Brighton with Nicholas Briggs to catch up with David Banks, the man behind the Cyberleader mask. We find out how in 1982 David set about popularising the Cybermen after their seven year absence from Doctor Who. Shot on location at the Theatre Royal, this Myth Makers also gives a glimpse behind the scenes of Doctor Who: The Ultimate Adventure in which David played Karl the mercenary leader. We find out about some of the problems that arise when you bring the famous Time Lord off the television screen and onto the stage.

Mary was beginning to get very tired of sitting on the bank, and of having nothing to do… So she was considering in her own mind (as well as she could, for the hot day made her feel very sleepy) whether the pleasure of making a daisy-chain would be worth the trouble of getting up and picking daisies, when suddenly a White Rabbit with pink eyes ran close by her. There was nothing so very remarkable in that, but it began one of Mary Tamm’s most extraordinary experiences. In the company of Nicholas Briggs and others she talks of her time travelling in the TARDIS while around her a curiously familiar sequence of events unfolds…

John Nathan-Turner was the longest serving and probably the most well known producer Doctor Who has had. From the production of the last Tom Baker season in 1979 to Sylvester McCoy’s third and last in 1989, John oversaw one of the most controversial periods in the programme’s history. At locations used for The Curse of Fenric, John chats to Nicholas Briggs about his career, his ten year stint as producer, the casting of three Doctors… and puts the record straight about the reasons behind Doctor Who’s cancellation. John died in May 2002 and this release is dedicated to him.

Although she didn’t know where the TARDIS would go, Ace always knew what she wanted to do when it got there. For her Myth Makers, Sophie Aldred knew precisely where she was going, but that was about all. Nicholas Briggs has no idea about anything as Sophie takes him on a trip through South East London where she was born and brought up. No-one has any idea what will happen… a situation The Doctor would have loved. Don’t miss this original and dynamic production, which is (perhaps) an apt description of Sophie Aldred herself…

Dorothea (Dodo) Chaplet had a far greater impact than her brief time as The Doctor’s assistant would suggest. She was brash, outspoken with disobedient traits that the first Doctor, William Hartnell, was to curb but never tame. Perhaps her looks were not the only thing that reminded him of his granddaughter… In a virtual TARDIS, Jackie recounts to Nicholas Briggs her memories of those pioneering days of television working on Doctor Who and her career after leaving the acting profession to found Advoice, an agency for voiceover artists.

Producer Barry Letts and Script Editor Terrance Dicks were the creative force that shaped Jon Pertwee’s era as The Doctor. This unique behind-the-scenes partnership brought the programme some of its highest viewing figures. The enthusiasm of Letts & Dicks for Doctor Who remains undiminished as they talk with passion, humour and candour to Nicholas Briggs about their work on the programme during the early 1970s.

The South Pole, the Moon, Atlantis and even Gatwick Airport are just some of the places visited by Polly, the archetypal Doctor Who dolly-bird. Anneke Wills is almost as well travelled as the character she portrayed, Nicholas Briggs managed to catch up with her in Norfolk to talk about the past as Anneke begins a new chapter in her life.

Louise Jameson is one of the most accomplished and successful people to have portrayed an assistant in Doctor Who. As Leela, a warrior of the Sevateem tribe, she accompanied Tom Baker in some of the most popular Doctor Who stories. Nicholas Briggs joins Louise on a trip through Victorian England where they discuss, amongst other things, her fight to keep Leela’s character intact after her first story The Face of Evil We also feature the many faces of Louise the actress, including readings from Virgin Books Doctor Who novelisations.

How can a personality like Sylvester McCoy be contained within the format of Myth Makers? Point the camera at him and say ‘Action!’ During a non-stop trek around the location for the Doctor Who story Battlefield, Sylvester gives us a hysterical history tour of his life and career. As always, Nicholas Briggs is there to ask the questions – but this time he’s so enthralled by Sylvester’s incredible story that he has to rely on emergency questions supplied by his Ace production assistant Sophie Aldred! And which famous, splendid, military fellow from Doctor Who awaits the team at journey’s end for a pint? Find out in a production that’s every bit as entertaining and unpredictable as Sylvester McCoy himself!

For the first time ever, Myth Makers decided to shoot a second interview with one of its subjects. Last time, Nicholas Briggs found he had so much to discuss with Barry and Terrance about their time on Doctor Who that he ran out of time! So here, just as packed with information and lively debate as Part 1, we continue the story… so far.

Nicholas Briggs takes Caroline John on a whirlwind trip back to locations used in Doctor Who… unfortunately she doesn’t recognise them! That aside it went well. Nick got to see Southall, Surrey and Buckinghamshire and Caroline remembered what it was like filming Doctor Who… and everyone got wet. Somewhere between the A3 and M40, Nick managed to quiz Caroline about her casting as scientist Liz Shaw and working with Jon Pertwee. They even found someone who remembered filming Doctor Who in a quarry 35 years ago!

Frazer Hines is one of the most well-known and popular actors to have appeared on television, best known for his roles as Joe Sudden in Emmerdale and his three year stint as Jamie McCrimmon in Doctor Who. From his former home in Yorkshire, Frazer chats to Nicholas Briggs about his long and successful career and discusses his other great passion – horses. Together with exclusive 8mm film shot on a Doctor Who location by Frazer and his own personal Doctor Who Digest… dare you miss this Myth Makers?

Peter Purves is instantly recognised by millions as a presenter of children’s and factual television programmes, the most famous being Blue Peter. What most people don’t know is that Peter spent many years as an actor before Blue Peter changed his life. One of those acting parts was as Steven Taylor in Doctor Who. In his country home, Peter chats to Nicholas Briggs about his long and varied career including: his casting in Doctor Who, his frustration as Steven’s character was watered down, working with William Hartnell and life as a producer in his own right.