Doctor Who TV

Tom Baker Returns to Doctor Who after 28 Years!

After nearly 30 years away from the part, Tom Baker is returning to Doctor Who!  Baker has recorded five audio dramas that will be released by the BBC starting in September at a rate of one a month.  While I’m sure we’d all love to see Baker on the new television series, audio is really the more logical choice given Tom’s age and health. Tom Baker’s Doctor will be joined by former Who cast member Richard Franklin reprising his role as Mike Yates.

Here are the descriptions of each CD:

Doctor Who: Hornets’ Nest – The Stuff of Nightmares
‘Wanted: retired army Captain for light household duties and fireside companionship. Must tolerate mild eccentricity and strong scientific advice. Knowledge of Giant Maggots, Super Intelligent Spiders and Prehistoric Monsters a positive boon.’ Responding to an advert apparently worded for him alone, Captain Mike Yates (retired) is reunited with a ghost from the past. But why has the Doctor, that mysterious traveller in Time and Space, sent for his former UNIT acquaintance? Trapped by a horde of vicious creatures in an apparently innocuous English country cottage, the two old friends are on the brink of an enormous adventure. As the Doctor relates his recent escapades, it becomes clear to Mike that they – and the Earth at large – are facing an enemy of unimaginable power and horrific intent. The nightmare is only just beginning… With Tom Baker as the Doctor, Richard Franklin as Mike Yates, Susan Jameson as Mrs Wibbsey and Daniel Hill as Percy Noggins, The Stuff of Nightmares is the first of five linked stories written by the acclaimed Paul Magrs.
Release Date: September 3, 2009

Doctor Who: Hornets’ Nest – The Dead Shoes
What is so special about a pair of ballet shoes on display in Cromer’s Palace of Curios? When the Doctor meets Ernestina Scott there in 1932, they discover the horrific truth together. The second of five linked stories written by the acclaimed Paul Magrs, The Dead Shoes also features Susan Jameson, Clare Corbett and Christian Rodska.
Release Date:  October 8, 2009

Doctor Who: Hornets’ Nest – The Circus of Doom
In Blandford, 1832, ringmaster Antonio exerts a strange influence on the townsfolk. When the Doctor steps into the ring, he discovers that Antonio has some familiar demons of his own… The third of five linked stories written by the acclaimed Paul Magrs, The Circus of Doom also features Michael Maloney, Jilly Bond, Susie Riddell and Stephen Thorne.
Release Date: November 5, 2009

Doctor Who: Hornets’ Nest – A Sting in the Tale
In a bleak midwinter, an order of nuns protect their Mother Superior from ravaging dogs. But something is very wrong here indeed – and the Doctor is about to get badly stung. The fourth of five linked stories written by the acclaimed Paul Magrs, A Sting in the Tale also features Clare Corbett, Susie Riddell and Rula Lenska.
Release Date: December 3, 2009

Doctor Who: Hornets’ Nest – Hive of Horror
The Doctor and Mike must face their enemy in a final battle. They have an unwilling accomplice – and loyalties are about to be tested to the limit. The fifth of five linked stories written by the acclaimed Paul Magrs, Hive of Horror also features Susan Jameson and Rula Lenska
Release Date: December 3, 2009

Click here to read an interview with Paul Magrs over at Outpost Skaro where he covers writing the scripts and meeting Tom Baker. Paul Magrs has written several Doctor Who novels and audio dramas, and was a great choice as the author of these stories.  Magrs adventures tend to be large in scope and feature fantastical elements – very Tom Baker-esque stories.

A few online retailers are already taking pre-orders on these CDs.  For those of you here in the United States, I recommend Who North America for all your Doctor Who needs.  I’m not sure if they are taking pre-orders yet, but they have the best customer service of any online retailer hands-down.  You can visit their site by clicking here.  If you can’t find something you are looking for, drop them an e-mail.  They are very accommodating.

Strangely enough, there hasn’t been much press around Tom Baker’s return to Doctor Who.  Given his long-lasting popularity, you’d think there would have been more news already.  I suppose there will be more publicity as they get closer to the September release date.

On a personal note, I’m really psyched about this!  I can’t believe that after all these years Tom Baker has finally agreed to return to the part.  I can’t wait!

18 thoughts on “Tom Baker Returns to Doctor Who after 28 Years!

  1. Shag,

    a source of mine in the BBC has told me that this years Children in need special will feature every doctor on screen at the same time, the 3 actors that have passed will also be on the screen somehow but he wasn’t clear how. this will also be the first we’ll see Matt Smith as the new doctor.

    of course this might all be a lie and might never happen, but we can hope

  2. Wow, very cool!

    I don’t recall ever seeing an episode of Doctor Who featuring Tom Baker but everyone seems to love this guy. I have heard a few of the audio dramas with that OTHER Baker, Colin (my favorite Doctor) and those have been pretty much good across the board, so I will have to check these out.

    @Poddington: Awesomesauce! I wonder if the Sixth Doctor will have his coat?! I totally wanted to see him in Time Crash instead of the Fifth, if only for how he would respond to the Tenth Doctor. “What? You say you’re ‘The Doctor?!’ You can’t be ‘The Doctor’ you witless fop!”

  3. What I find even more interesting is that BBC is doing these, not Big Finish. (I know Big Finish had been trying for years to get Baker on board.) Since I keep track of most of my Classic Doctor audio news via Big Finish, this one would’ve naturally slipped by. (Of course, it’s interesting to envision what that press release would be like: “Ripe bastard T. Baker is returning as the Doctor… but not from us!”) 🙂

  4. I’ve heard the Children In Need story from several reliable sources. Apparently the three actors who’ve passed away will appear by virtue of existing footage taken from episodes and out takes. Google pulls up several references.

    My favourite special was the Comic Relief one, “Curse of Fatal Death”, where the Doctor was played by several people including Hugh Grant, Rowan Atkinson and even Joanna Lumly. Hillarious. It’s out there on DVD, worth looking out for in used DVD bins.

  5. I don’t recall ever seeing an episode of Doctor Who featuring Tom Baker but everyone seems to love this guy.

    OMFG, I feel SO old….

  6. To Luke: “I don’t recall ever seeing an episode of Doctor Who featuring Tom Baker but everyone seems to love this guy.”. What planet have YOU been living on, my good man? Obviously not Galifrey, eh? Tom Baker is arguably the best-known doctor of them all. The part certainly made him a household name in the UK.

  7. David,

    only people that watched Tom Baker’s doctor who knew he was, most people now know him as the Voice of Little Britain (comedy show). of course i knew who he was because of Who because i’m a geek

  8. Unfortunately, I’m old enough to also remember watching the first ever programme and series with William Hartnell as the doctor! A complete change of pace for Hartnell, as he had previously played a loud and brash demon of a ratty sergeant-major in a comedy programme called “The Army Game”, also in glorious monochrome, of course and watched on a 12″ screen on my parents “Bush” brand TV with valves (tubes to those of you across the pond) that needed to warm up. Happy days!

  9. @David — I’m one of those Johnny-Come-Latelys who had not seen an episode of Doctor Who until the new series started airing on the SciFi Channel. And unlike most of that group, I readily admit to it. So I have been catching up on older Doctors through DVD rentals, audio dramas, Youtube and whatnot.

  10. Luke – It’s definitely the “whatnot” that will give you most information! 🙂

  11. QUIERO VOLVER AVER LA SERIE DEL DR. MISTERIO CON EL ACTOR TOM BAKER POR FAVOR SI ALGUIEN PUDIESE DECIRME EN Q PAGINA LA PUEDO ENCONTRAR POR FAVOR. GRACIAS.

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