I first met Colin Baker in 1996, when I was five years old. My mum had just started a 'charity clothing bank' to raise money for FSID (Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths). Colin was the Chairman of the charity at the time, having lost Jack, his baby son, to cot death in 1983.
Colin Baker's Doctor Who did have encounters with the 'Daleks', the 'Cybermen' and 'The Master', but in the end, the BBC producers won the
Two years of theatre work followed before Colin won the part of 'bad guy' Paul Merroney in the BBC1 drama series The Brothers. Merroney became the 'man viewers love to hate' as the series, about the boardroom power struggles of a haulage company, had viewers gripped each weekend. The series ran for 91 episodes, with Colin Baker in 44 of them between 1974 and 1976. Colin's on-screen wife in The Brothers was Liza Goddard and, although they eventually married for real, thay later divorced.
In the early 1980s, Colin Baker was seen in episodes of Blakes Seven, For Maddie With Love & Juliet Bravo and, in 1983, he played Commander Maxil in Dr Who. Little did he know that a year later in 1984, he would himself be the sixth Doctor in the series, following on from Peter Davison.
Colin came to 'officially open' our clothing bank, and spent part of the day back at our house doing TV and radio interviews. I dressed as a 'teddy bear' for the occasion. The bank was a great success and, during the four years that we ran it, raised thousands of pounds for the charity.
It was great to meet Colin again at the G-Mex Centre in Manchester in November 2006 for Collectormania. I showed him the photos we took in 1996, and he then signed a photo of Dr Who and Peri for me.
He returned to mainly theatrical work in a string of succesful productions and pantomimes, along with occasional TV episodes of series such as Dangerfield and Hollyoaks.
Colin Baker was born in London in 1943, during an air raid! After the war, the family moved to Rochdale, and Colin went to school in Manchester.
His first job was as a solicitor, but in 1966 he joined LAMDA (London Academy of Dramatic Arts) for three years training in acting.
In 1970, Colin Baker passed an audition for a TV drama The Roads to Freedom, with several more TV roles coming later, including Prince Anatol in War And Peace (1972).
Colin Baker's Doctor will be remembered for his colourful, pantomime-style cos tume, but the idea of his 'less-likeable' personality backfired, and after
I was dressed as a teddy bear when
for me at Collectormania in Manchester
This is the photograph that Colin Baker signed
Colin and I in the garden in 1996
Colin 'opened' our clothing bank
Colin Baker opens the FSID clothing bank
Colin and my mum in the garden in 1996
I saw Colin again in 2007 at the NEC. There was a police box
nearby and, as I was dressed as Dr Who, it was a good
opportunity for another photograph!
just two series, Colin Baker's Doctor regenerated into Sylvester McCoy's.
day and Colin controversially left the series.
Colin Baker as Doctor Who
Colin Baker as Doctor Who
Colin Baker as Paul Merroney
in The Brothers
Colin Baker
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