Myth Makers

Ever wondered how to marinade a Yeti?… No? Well neither had a rather bemused Nicholas Briggs until he caught up with John Leeson on location for the Doctor Who drama Downtime. Ten years earlier, it was all a lot easier for Keith Harrison when he interviewed John for the second Myth Makers. Life was simple then, you just sat down and had a nice chat about life and being the voice of K9. Now you have to run round the inside of the Doctor’s faithful robot companion, plus learn how to cook (and more importantly, how to catch) a Yeti! Well these are the ingredients, it’s all been cooking in the oven, so take your seats for dinner. Confused? Not half as much as Nick!

Back in the mid 1980’s two Nicks (Courtney & Briggs) strolled around the location for the Doctor Who story Mawdryn Undead and chatted about Nick C’s life and career. Now, parked in a little red car on the shores of Rutland Water (location for Battlefield) they find not only that it’s too cold to venture outside, but also that they are surrounded by sheep! With the aid of previously unseen footage from their original Myth Makers, Mr B delves deeper and Mr C reveals a good deal more! Nick Courtney is on top form in this extended release.

Carole Ann Ford portrayed a unique character in Doctor Who. As Susan, The Doctor’s granddaughter, she left Gallifrey with the errant Time Lord before the very first episode, An Unearthly Child. This Myth Makers combines two interviews by Nicholas Briggs, the first at Carole’s home in 1985 and the second at a London TV studio in 1996. Together they give a very personal view of the early days of Doctor Who and the effects the programme had on Carole’s life and career.

Janet Fielding played the Australian air stewardess Tegan in Doctor Who from 1980 to 1983. She started with Tom Baker and then did every Peter Davison story except his last two! Janet is a founder of Women in Film and Television UK which she ran for the first four years. When legendary London agent Marina Martin was ready to retire she recruited Janet to take over her eponymous agency. As an agent, Janet represented Paul McGann when he was offered the part of The Doctor in the 1996 Doctor Who TV pilot. In 2008, she moved to Ramsgate and started Project MotorHouse, which is a charity and social enterprise that works with local youths and specialises in photographic projects. This unique Myth Makers combines two interviews recorded with Janet in 1985 and 2020.

Undoubtedly, Nicola Bryant’s portrayal of Perpugilliam Brown has become one of the most popular assistants in the history of Doctor Who. When Nicholas Briggs first talked to Nicola in 1985, Doctor Who had been cancelled (for the first time) and its future was uncertain. Eleven years later in 1996, they met again to discuss her last season in the programme and life after Doctor Who. Both interviews are combined in this Myth Makers, giving us a fascinating insight into Nicola’s evolving life and career.

Wendy Padbury first appeared in Doctor Who in the late sixties, playing the diminutive cat-suited computer expert Zoe Herriot. Now she reveals all about playing Zoe and working with Patrick Troughton and Frazer Hines… not to mention Cybermen, Ice Warriors and Quarks! Wendy also talks about the 1974 West End stage play Doctor Who and the Daleks in the Seven Keys to Doomsday in which she played one of the Doctor’s companions. Featuring location footage from the stage production of Superted and a guest appearance by Jon Pertwee as Spotty himself, this Myth Makers even tells us which Cybermnn design Wendy prefers!

Michael Craze was present during a critical period in Doctor Who’s history. If the first change of Doctor from William Hartnell to Patrick Troughton hadn’t succeeded, the programme would have failed and it’s unique formula lost forever. Combining two interviews by Nicholas Briggs, this Myth Makers draws out Michael’s memories of that time and appearing as cockney seaman Ben Jackson alongside two Doctors. In a frank and revealing programme, we even find out which Doctor was Michael’s favourite!

This Myth Makers combines two interviews with Sarah Sutton; one filmed at Harrison’s Rocks, the main location for Castrovalva; the second recorded in a London studio eight years later and featuring some familiar monsters. Sarah chats to Nicholas Briggs about working with Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Janet Fielding and Matthew Waterhouse. There are also many behind-the-scenes stories about working on Doctor Who.

Deborah Watling portrayed Victoria Waterfield during Patrick Troughton’s tenure as The Doctor. Famous for the practical jokes that went on behind the cameras, this era produced some classic Doctor Who stories and Victoria became one of the most popular of the Doctor’s companions. This Myth Makers features material shot at Monstercon in Liverpool in 1985, together with an interview recorded on location during the shooting of Downtime, the Doctor Who spin-off drama, in which Deborah re-created the part of Victoria after more than twenty five years! Deborah and her late father, Jack Watling (Professor Travers) chat to Nicholas Briggs about working together again and we feature unique behind-the-scenes material from Downtime. And, of course, there’s the odd Yeti around!

Victor Pemberton’s association with Doctor Who is long and varied. As extra, writer, script editor, producer and novelist, he is in a unique position to comment on the programme’s successes and failures – and he’s prepared to do just that! Victor certainly wouldn’t claim credit for writing the dramatic links in this Myth Makers, where he encounters a strange bewildered Nicholas Briggs and the even stranger source of a ‘plopping’ noise. In fact, this is the culmination of the ultimate kitchen sink drama – just what is outside the window? This Myth Makers combines two interviews with Victor, the first shot on location at his country home in Essex and the latest at studios in London.

Doctor Who fans fondly remember the late Ian Marter as the charming, bumbling Harry Sullivan. The man behind the character was equally as likeable, but many times more sharp witted. As Nicholas Briggs and Ian walk and talk their way through locations for Terror of the Zygons, you’ll learn of Ian’s life as a prolific writer and actor. This is an extended version of the Myth Makers recorded in 1986, with a special introduction by Ian’s close friend Nicholas Courtney.

In 1987, when Nicholas Briggs first interviewed John Levene, it was a hot summer’s day in Richmond Park. John had begun a career in audio-visual presentation and was looking forward to a new chapter in his life. Eight years later John had moved to the USA and was living with his partner Jenny. He was now hosting gala charity events and looking to continue his acting career. During all this time there have been two constants in his life, Doctor Who and his irrepressible sense of humour. Nick managed to catch John on one of his rare visits to the UK and they take up the story so far including Wartime and Return to Devil’s End.

Peter Grimwade started his career at the BBC as a production assistant during the early 1970s and worked on three of Jon Pertwee’s Doctor Who stories. He went on to direct Doctor Who in the early 1980’s with Logopolis and Earthshock winning major fan awards. He then moved on successfully to script-writing with Mawdryn Undead and Planet of Fire which he successfully turned into novels for Virgin Publishing. Peter died in 1990, cutting short his life and a promising career. This Myth Makers release is dedicated to him.

Jon Pertwee was quite simply a star. From vaudeville, through theatre, radio in The Navy Lark, films, records and television, including Doctor Who and Worzel Gummidge, he entertained audiences worldwide for over fifty years. Recorded at Jon’s home in 1989, this interview by Nicholas Briggs provides the most comprehensive visual biography of this talented and versatile entertainer ever recorded. This is not a tribute… it’s a personal testament.

During the early 1970’s the United Nations Intelligence Taskforce (UNIT) featured heavily in Doctor Who. Captain Mike Yates joined the ‘three man army’ during Terror of the Autons and was a regular cast member right through the Jon Pertwee era. Richard Franklin’s portrayal of the young and idealistic army officer was an instant success with viewers and eventually led to Mike Yates playing a pivotal role in both Invasion of the Dinosaurs and Planet of the Spiders. This Myth Makers consists two interviews with Richard, the first shot on location at his former Yorkshire home in 1989 and the second in studios in 1996. Mind you, Nicholas Briggs did have to persuade Richard to participate…