Colin Baker

**Colin Baker** (born 8 June 1943) played the Sixth Doctor from 1984 to 1986, beginning with an appearance at the conclusion of *The Caves of Androzani*, continuing from *The Twin Dilemma* to The Ultimate Foe.

He reprised the role for the 1989 stage show *The Ultimate Adventure* and the 1993 30th Anniversary special *Destiny*.

Prior to becoming the Doctor, he was cast as Commander Maxil in *Arc of Infinity* and was considered for the roles of Arnold Jellicoe in *Robot* (REF: *Doctor Who The Handbook: The Fourth Doctor*), Persuasion in *Four to Doomsday* (REF: TCH 34) and Scobie, Bilton and Sheard in *Time-Flight* (REF: TCH 35).

## Profile

Before being selected to replace Peter Davison as the Doctor, Baker was an established television actor. His most notable role was Paul Merroney in *The Brothers*. Baker also guest starred as Bayban the Butcher in the *Blake's 7* episode *City at the Edge of the World*.

Baker made his *Doctor Who* debut as Commander Maxil in *Arc of Infinity* in 1983. On the strength of that performance, as well as a wedding party at which he impressed producer John Nathan-Turner, he was cast as the Sixth Doctor following Peter Davison's decision to leave the series. His era on *Doctor Who* began in 1984 and was interrupted by the show's cancellation a year later. After fan backlash, this was reduced to an eighteen-month hiatus, ostensibly because the show was moved from the spring to the autumn schedule. In the interim, Baker voiced the Doctor in the radio drama *Slipback*.

Following the conclusion of Season 23, Baker was dismissed as the Doctor at the insistence of BBC management, who wanted to refresh the show. The Controller of BBC One at the time, Michael Grade, believed *Doctor Who* had become outdated, with overly violent, farcial storylines. Baker was asked to return for the first serial of the next season to pave the way for the next Doctor, but he declined, not wishing to miss out on other work in the meantime. He in turn offered to do the whole season and have the Doctor regenerate at the end, but was himself rejected. An interview with *The Sun* in which he criticized Grade ensured he would never return.

Years later, Baker would express regret for refusing the BBC's request, claiming he was being "selfish" and "not thinking about the fans".

As of 2022, Baker is the only actor to play the Doctor who has been fired by the BBC. Prior to his dismissal, he claimed he would gladly have done the show for as many as eight years.

### Post-departure

Baker's post-Who filmography includes guest appearances in BBC series *Casualty* and *Jonathan Creek*, Al Murray's sitcom *Time Gentlemen Please* (as Professor Baker), Channel 4's adaptation of *A Dance to the Music of Time*, and *The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles*. As himself, Baker has been a 'Dictionary Corner' guest on the daytime quiz show *Countdown* and competed in ITV's reality series *I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!*.

### Further Connections to *Doctor Who*

Despite the circumstances of his departure from *Doctor Who*, Baker has remained involved with the franchise. He reprised his role as the Doctor in the play *The Ultimate Adventure,* replacing Jon Pertwee, and on television in the 1993 30th Anniversary special *Destiny*.

Baker has also played himself in the context of *Doctor Who*. In *The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot*, he, Peter Davison, and Sylvester McCoy attempt to appear in the 50th anniversary special, while in The Sixth Doctor is on trial AGAIN!, a trailer for the The Collection release of Season 23, he is put on trial for an unpaid parking ticket.

In 1994, Baker became the first Doctor to write a *Doctor Who* story, penning *The Age of Chaos*, a graphic novel published by Marvel UK featuring the Sixth Doctor and Frobisher. He has since written short stories about the Sixth Doctor for *Doctor Who Magazine*'s annual *Yearbook*s and the anthology *The Target Storybook*. It was not until the release of Tom Baker's *Scratchman* that another Doctor would be credited for writing published *Doctor Who* fiction.

## Personal Life

Baker was first married to Liza Goddard; the two later divorced. He later remarried and had five children. His son Jack died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in 1983, leading to Baker's support for the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths. His wife and four daughters, including Rosie Baker, played themselves in *The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot*.

From 1995 to 2019, Baker wrote a column for the *Bucks Free Press* called *Look Who's Talking*. In 2010, Hirst Books published a volume of a hundred of these columns, also called *Look Who's Talking*. In 2012, they released a second collection of Baker's writing, including his *Doctor Who* stories, entitled *Gallimaufry.*

Baker has served as honorary President of the Doctor Who Appreciation Society since Nicholas Courtney's death in 2011.

Colin Baker is of no relation to Tom Baker, who played the Fourth Doctor.

## In the DWU

Colin Baker appeared as himself in the webcast *The Sixth Doctor is on trial AGAIN!*, where he is put on trial for an unpaid parking fine which he received whilst filming new material for *Doctor Who* Season 23.

## Credits

### *Doctor Who*

#### As the Sixth Doctor

* *The Caves of Androzani*
* *The Twin Dilemma*
* *Attack of the Cybermen*
* *Vengeance on Varos*
* *The Mark of the Rani*
* *The Two Doctors*
* *Timelash*
* *Revelation of the Daleks*
* *The Mysterious Planet*
* *Mindwarp*
* *Terror of the Vervoids*
* *The Ultimate Foe*
* *Destiny*

### Webcasts

#### The Collection

* *The Sixth Doctor is on trial AGAIN!* - Colin Baker
* *The Eternal Mystery* - The Sixth Doctor (voice, uncredited)

### Other

* *The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot*
* *Untitled*
* *Famine Appeal*
* *Bigger On The Inside*

## Writing Credits

### Short Stories

#### Brief Encounters

* *A Wee Deoch an ...?*
* *The Deal*
* *A Tourist Invasion*