Biografie

Baker was the only actor ever to have been fired from playing the Doctor in Doctor Who (1963) due to dwindling ratings. In an unprecedented event in the history of the series, the decision to remove the actor was made by a BBC executive, BBC One Controller Michael Grade, who had just brought the series back after an 18-month hiatus. Series producer John Nathan-Turner, who had originally cast Baker, wanted the actor to continue in the role but was overruled. The BBC's Head of Drama, Jonathan Powell, asked Baker to return the following year to record a regeneration scene. As a compromise, Baker asked for one more season, at the end of which he would regenerate. Powell told him to go home and they would think about it. Baker never heard back, so Sylvester McCoy put on a blond wig and performed Baker's regeneration scene after he took the role of the Doctor. Baker has since stated that he has always felt aggrieved that Grade never told him personally why he had to go.

He was the roommate of David Troughton, the first son of the Second Doctor Patrick Troughton, and later became the best man at his wedding.

He had been a keen viewer of Doctor Who (1963) since the first episode and claimed it was his dream role. Unlike his predecessor Peter Davison, he accepted the offer to play the role without any hesitation. He is also the only actor to admit that he had every intention to overtake Tom Baker's seven-year stint in the role (a record which still stands to this day).

His beginning as the Sixth Doctor in Doctor Who (1963) came at a troubled time for the production of the series, not least the deteriorating relationship between producer John Nathan-Turner and script editor Eric Saward and the arrival of BBC One controller Michael Grade and the promotion to Head of Series and Serials of Jonathan Powell, both of whom disliked the series and science fiction in general. He has also admitted to never liking the deliberately tasteless costume he wore (a garish, multi-coloured patchwork coat, a large spotted cravat and striped yellow trousers) but it was chosen by Nathan-Turner. The series' former script editor, Terrance Dicks, later said Baker "never got a chance with that silly costume, which I thought was a great shame".

After the death of his son Jack in 1983, he became active in increasing the profile of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). He has raised funds for the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths.

None of my daughters saw Doctor Who (1963). All the tapes are on the shelf and every now and then I've said 'are you interested in seeing one?' 'Oh, no, pur-leeze, Dad ...' Then they watch the new one and ask, 'was that what you were in?', and they've started watching them. And the accolade of all accolades - 'oh, you're not bad - almost as good as Christopher Eccleston!'

It is heartening that they are still prepared to tolerate the old fogies who used to portray the nation's favourite Time Lord in the age of the new improved programme and the ever youthening Doctor. As if David Tennant hadn't already proved the visibly beneficial power of time travel on the genes, the imminent new one, Matt Smith, we are told, is so young that he is likely to be asked for ID if he tries to purchase an intergalactic gargle blaster in licensed premises either side of the Atlantic.

[on leaving Doctor Who (1963) in 1986] When the time came for the option on my contract to be taken up by the BBC, which was the end of October, he (John Nathan-Turner) rang up and said, 'I don't even know if we're doing the programme. They haven't even told me if I'm producing it next year, so I can't take up the option at the moment.' So the option lapsed. Then, at the beginning of November, he rang me up and said, 'Look, I've got a bit of bad news. The programme is going ahead but Michael Grade has instructed me to replace the Doctor. I was quite surprised by this! You know that sort of blood-draining- from-your-veins kind of feeling? John said he had told them that he thought it was a dreadful mistake and he wanted me to play the Doctor, but they were adamant. 'Grade says three years is quite enough. He's said nothing derogatory about your performance, he thinks you are fine, but he thinks a new Doctor will give the programme a boost. I have pointed out that you have not done three years, and that you have done only one and a half seasons, but he remains adamant that that is long enough and it's time for a change.' So there was nothing much I could do about it. It goes against what I was asked to do, when I started the show, by David Reid - Powell's (Jonathan Powell) predecessor. He asked me if I was prepared to commit myself to the programme for four years. Having said yes in 1983 to four years of 26 episodes a year, I actually did one year of 26 episodes (or the equivalent), nothing at all the next year, and just fourteen episodes the next. Then I was unceremoniously bundled out. So I felt fairly aggrieved.

[on playing Inspector Morse (1987) on stage] For me to have the opportunity to follow in John Thaw's footsteps and bring this sullen, intuitive intellectual to life on-stage, is both daunting and very exciting. When I saw the size of the role I was quite taken aback. I'm on stage a lot of the time although I do get a breath occasionally, but with the nature of the piece it jumps very quickly between scenes. In that respect I took a deep breath and threw myself into it. Alma Cullen who wrote four of the hugely successful TV episodes has written the play, which given its setting I think is quite ingenious. I didn't watch any of the TV series, as it's such a strong role that is so inextricably linked to John. I didn't want to just re-enact the part as an imitation or an impression of the role he played on TV. It certainly is an iconic role. Hopefully I can take the spirit of Morse and make it my own while endeavouring to fill the shoes of the late and very great John Thaw with as much distinction as I can. So really all I have to do is learn the lines and hope that the audiences will accept me. I worked my way through the novels during the summer. I found them incredibly useful in getting into the skin of the grumpy genius but I have also enjoyed reading them as stories. However, I have been astonished, and slightly appalled, at the similarities between Morse and myself. Whilst I may not be of slight build with a paunch, well not the slight bit anyway, I share many of his characteristics. I did Greek at grammar school. I don't like spiders, blood or heights. I prefer instant to ground coffee. I love doing the Times crosswords and when I did it on a daily basis could do it in much the same time as Morse. I get hot under the collar about the misuse of English and correct people's grammar. I cannot wear wool. I was emphatically not a boy scout. I played a bit of tennis and had a mean backhand. I didn't study physics. I could never bear not knowing what words meant and always had to go and look them up in books too. I had a Meccano set and read the Dandy and the Beano. Add to that the fact that I took my driving test in my father's car when I was 19 and he suddenly had a stroke so I had to learn to drive quickly - and that car was a maroon Mk 2 Jaguar. Also all my children were born in Oxford as well!

[speaking in 2010] I don't think I'll ever move away from that and to be honest I have no particular desire to move away from it. I don't understand those who are precious about these things. I don't get it when actors say 'Oh that's something I did 20 years ago I don't want to talk about'. Let's be honest, Doctor Who (1963) is special, it's played a huge part in the British public's consciousness. It's good to see the BBC appreciating it and valuing it now, which they didn't do during my time in the late '80s. I've enjoyed immensely watching it. However when I left, the ratings were exactly the same, 5-6 million, as they are now, they were no different. I know the television landscape has changed but it's ironic nonetheless.