On November 23, 1963, audiences everywhere were transported to a wondrous universe where a mystical being known as the Doctor travels through space and time helping anyone in need of saving, with a loyal companion assisting them on their noble quest. Doctor Who is one of the small screen’s most beloved and enduring programs, with the fan-favorite series becoming a certified cult classic in the sixty years since its debut.
The trailblazing sci-fi hit originally ran from 1963 to 1989 for 26 seasons, with stars like Tom Baker and Peter Davison tackling the lead role and truly making it their own. In 2005, the series was successfully relaunched and helped spark a resurgence in popularity and intrigue, with many famous faces joining the TV juggernaut.
Doctor Who
Originally premiered in 1963, Doctor Who is a sci-fi series that follows a powerful being known as a Time Lord, referred to as the Doctor. Using an interdimensional time-traveling ship known as the TARDIS, the Doctor travels time and space with various companions as they solve multiple problems and help avert catastrophe as much as they almost cause it. Though the Doctor is always the same character, they experience regenerations, allowing them to be recast every few seasons as a unique immortal being with new personality traits.
- Release Date
- March 26, 2005
- Seasons
- 14
From David Tennant to Matt Smith, Peter Capaldi and Jodie Whittaker, Doctor Who has truly delivered on creating exciting and unforgettable characters and storylines. However, what goes on behind-the-scenes to make the fan-favorite show has not always been a positive experience for some of the talent involved. Let’s check out why these actors hated their experience working on Doctor Who.
9 Lalla Ward
Famous for her sensational chemistry with co-star Tom Baker both on-screen and off, Lalla Ward joined the beloved sci-fi juggernaut in 1979 as Time Lord Romana II and served as the Fourth Doctor’s companion for 40 episodes until 1981. While it was no secret that Ward and Baker often experienced tension on set due to their fiery romantic relationship, the actress has not been shy about vocalizing her disdain of having to work with Matthew Waterhouse, who appeared as companion Adric.
Clashing Behind-the-Scenes
In the decades since her stint on the groundbreaking show, Ward has made it abundantly clear that she did not enjoy having to collaborate with Waterhouse during filming. While being interviewed for the DVD commentary about the Fourth Doctor’s “Warriors’ Gate” story, the actress refused to reflect on a scene she shared with Waterhouse because the filming process was so unpleasant:
“I think it’s a question you shouldn’t ask because I’m likely to let off such a stream of invective that it will all be bleeped to the point where we’ll collapse.”
Ward would subsequently go on to express how at one point she hoped Waterhouse’s character would die by falling off a cliff, but producers weren’t keen on the idea and she was forced to continue working with him despite her obvious contempt. Regardless of the past turmoil she went through while on the set of Doctor Who, Ward did go on to reprise her role multiple times including for ’90s the charity special Dimensions in Time, the webcast version of Shada, and audio plays for the program.
8 Carole Ann Ford
After seeing her performance in the British TV show Z-Cars, producers of Doctor Who were determined to get Carole Ann Ford to audition for the role of Susan Foreman, the original companion and the granddaughter of the first incarnation of the Doctor (William Hartnell). She would portray the brilliant and quick-witted character from 1963 to 1964 for 51 episodes before becoming the first person to depart the series after 18 months. Though the actress initially had stars in her eyes over appearing in the show, she was swiftly left disenchanted by the disheartening experience.
Lackluster Character Development
Ford was compelled to join Doctor Who after producers told her Susan would have telepathic powers and impressive combat skills similar to those of Cathy Gale in The Avengers TV series. Alas, her hopes and dreams for her character ultimately never came to fruition and she was told to portray Susan like a typical teenager, much to Ford’s frustration. She made it her mission to depart the series after her contract expired with the completion of The Dalek Invasion of Earth in 1964 and was able to walk away thereafter.
While she has reflected more fondly of her legacy in the Doctor Who universe in recent years, Ford was nonetheless very outspoken over how she believed the sci-fi program ruined her career. She felt that the production of the show was uninteresting and monotonous and upon leaving, she had a hard time shaking the Doctor Who persona and felt typecast. Ford told The Telegraph in a 2013 interview:
“When I left
Doctor Who
, I was filled with… not loathing, but I was incredibly annoyed because I wanted to do more television and films and the only thing that people could ever see me in was a recreation of what I had done. A Susan clone. Some kind of weird teenager. I wanted to do work that would disconnect me from
Doctor Who.
”
7 Christopher Eccleston
Perhaps one of the most vocal and notorious performers to speak less-than-glowingly (and eventually regretfully) about their time on Doctor Who is without-a-doubt the ninth incarnation of the Doctor, Christopher Eccleston. He starred in the first series of the show’s revival in 2005 and portrayed the character as down-to-earth and endearing, and his winning performance helped spark a resurgence in popularity within the Doctor Who world, paving the way for future incarnations.
Eccleston vs. the BBC
Despite majorly contributing to the show’s renewed success, Eccleston shockingly departed Doctor Who after just one season, with the BBC stating at the time was due to the actor wanting to avoid being typecast. However, Eccleston would later refute these claims and revealed in a 2010 BBC interview that he was uncomfortable during production and didn’t like the atmosphere on set. Eccleston went on to say:
“I think it’s more important to be your own man than be successful, so I left. I was open-minded but I decided after my experience on the first series that I didn’t want to do any more. I didn’t enjoy the environment and the culture that we, the cast and crew, had to work in. I thought if I stay in this job, I’m going to have to blind myself to certain things that I thought were wrong.”
Eccleston also told The Guardian in 2018 that leaving Doctor Who “almost destroyed my career” because he was allegedly blacklisted by the BBC and that his agent told him at the time, “The BBC regime is against you. You’re going to have to get out of the country and wait for regime change.’” Though there seems to be no love lost for Eccleston and Doctor Who, he has stated he is proud of the work he did on the program and went on to memorably appear in shows like The Leftovers, The A Word, Dodger, and True Detective.
6 Maureen O’Brien
Another actress who quickly realized their time on Doctor Who may not pan out the way they hoped was Maureen O’Brien, who portrayed Earth orphan Vicki, a companion of the First Doctor in 1965 for two seasons.
During her tenure on the program, O’Brien felt unfulfilled with her character’s development and discovered early-on that her involvement in the sci-fi series would be temporary. After voicing complaints about the dialogue she was given to producer John Wiles, the actress made a shocking discovery after returning to work following a vacation.
O’Brien’s Abrupt Dismissal
After O’Brien’s grievances towards her character were aired, Wiles ended up writing Vicki and the actress out of Doctor Who and replacing her with new companion Katarina. She learned this news through the grapevine after the show’s break, in a move that script editor Donald Tosh would later call “so badly handled” and “deeply, deeply embarrassing.” O’Brien retrospectively looked back on the situation, saying:
“We went off on our six week break, and when I came back I expected to find the next four scripts waiting for me, And there weren’t any scripts. If they had offered me another contract I might have been torn, because even £50 a week was a lot of money. I suppose I was angry because I had gone on holiday and I would rather have been looking for work.”
O’Brien may have been frustrated by her lack of character development and mistreatment by producers, and though she too feared being typecast at the time, the actress still has positive memories from the experience. While attending the 50th Anniversary Festival for Doctor Who in London, she had nothing but wonderful things to say about her experience with her late co-star William Hartnell, the First Doctor, praising her former colleague and calling him “a charming creature.”
5 Bradley Walsh
Popular actor and TV presenter Bradley Walsh may have loved starring as the Thirteenth Doctor’s (Jodie Whittaker) companion Graham O’Brien for two seasons of the hit show, but he downright loathed the intense production schedule. Walsh and his co-star Tosin Cole (who played his step-grandson Ryan Sinclair) both departed the series in 2021, much to the dismay of passionate fans everywhere.
Though he enjoyed the creative process and his fellow stars, Walsh just couldn’t handle the physical demands the show presented.
Harsh & Demanding Production Schedule
Walsh has openly discussed the grueling production schedule of Doctor Who, and while he clearly didn’t hate the time he spent filming the program, he was nonetheless extremely relieved to move on from the demanding experience. In an interview with Hello magazine, the actor expressed how his age was also a major factor, telling the outlet shortly after his departure:
“We have great fun doing it. But you must sleep and look after yourself, because if you don’t, you will come unstuck. This is ten months of ramming speed. That’s what it is. I’m in my 60th year. It’s tough. It’s hard. It’s relentless. It really is. This ain’t an easy gig.”
He wasn’t the only one that agreed with the taxing filming schedule, as Cole also admitted he was “looking forward to having a rest” after two years of relentless production on the enduring show. Walsh did ultimately reprise the role for the 2022 special “The Power of the Doctor”, delighting viewers with his unexpected-yet-raved about return to TARDIS.
4 Peter Kay
Comedian and actor Peter Kay may have only appeared in one episode of Doctor Who, but for the dynamic funny man, once was more than enough. Kay portrayed the nefarious Victor Kennedy, who just-so-happened to be an alien in disguise named Abzorbaloff with the ability to absorb the knowledge and bodies of his unsuspecting victims.
The 2006 episode “Love & Monsters” garnered a mixed reaction from fans, as did Kay’s villainous character Abzorbaloff, which may be partially why he cringes when looking back on the experience.
An Underwhelming Character & Stint
Despite appreciating being asked to join the sci-fi show he loved since he was a child, Kay was disenchanted with the overall filming experience and the role he was given. When talking to Doctor Who Online, the comedian was disappointed in his lack of screen time with the Tenth Doctor and his companion Rose Tyler:
“When I first read the script and saw what small parts David Tennant and Billie Piper had in this episode I told them they should rename this story Doctor Where?'”
Kay would also go on to reminisce about his brief stint on the cult classic TV show, telling Express in a 2011 interview that his one major career regret was portraying the alien in the zany and polarizing episode. When referencing his work in Doctor Who, it seems as though he may have enjoyed the process itself but the positive experience ultimately soured after its initial release and impact. Kay rolled his eyes and said during the sit-down:
“I loved making it but when I saw it, I thought, ‘Oh my God. I’m a big green lizard running around Cardiff? Is that it?’ It’s nice to have been in Doctor Who but that is regarded by fans as the worst episode ever.”
3 Mary Tamm
Similarly to her replacement Lalla Ward’s frustrating experience on Doctor Who after her own departure, Mary Tamm‘s portrayal of Time Lord Romana I was plagued by bitterness and behind-the-scenes drama.
Tamm starred as the Fourth Doctor’s companion from 1978 to 1979 and became annoyed that her character was exhibiting characteristics of a mere “damsel in distress” and not equal counterpart to the Doctor, and swiftly started resenting both Romana I and the direction she was going in on the show.
Empty Promises Leads to Goodbye
Even though she was assured by producers that Romana I would be just as capable and savvy as the Doctor, Tamm felt that they did not live up to their word and her character reverted to simply being a traditional sidekick. She departed the series after just one season because her role was devolving, and the producer John Nathan-Turner invented the false rumor she left because she was pregnant.
Tamm herself went on to shoot down the false narrative in subsequent years and expressed how she had no regrets walking away when she did. Before her death in 2012, the actress released an autobiography about her life and career, and during an interview with the Independent, she revealed:
“They said, ‘she’s going to be just as powerful as the Doctor.’ It did work for a while, but it was only a half-hour format and you’ve got to have somebody who’s explaining what’s going on to the audience, so inevitably I ended up saying, ‘oh, what’s that, Doctor? Why, Doctor?’ After 26 episodes, I thought, ‘it’s not going to go any further.’ I’d had enough by then and I decided to leave after that one series.”
2 Robert Glenister
Robert Glenister made not one but two separate appearances on Doctor Who, with the actor seemingly returning in 2020 to eliminate the sour taste his previous stint from 1984 had left.
When he first went on the acclaimed program, Glenister portrayed Salateen in The Caves of Androzani, the final serial to feature the talented Peter Davison as the Fifth Doctor. Though he reunited with his former Sink or Swim co-star in the popular installment, Glenister did not enjoy the aftermath of his performance and how he came off.
Second Time’s the Charm?
In the decades since he first worked on Doctor Who, Glenister has not looked back fondly on the character and has stated he feels “appalled” when he sees images of him as his character Salateen. When asked about his appearance on the show during a Radio Times interview, the actor called it one of the biggest regrets of his career, revealing in the sit-down:
“I probably shouldn’t say this, but about 30 years ago I played an android in a
Doctor Who
story called The Caves of Androzani. I still get people outside the stage door with that picture of me looking about 12 and I am appalled at myself every time I see it. I looked like a complete berk and wish I never had to see it again.”
Despite not liking his character or performance in the 1984 serial, Glenister has gone on to return to the world of Doctor Who and in 2020 he portrayed American inventor Thomas Edison in the series twelve episode “Nikola Tesla’s Night of Terror”, and in doing so likely redeemed himself and altered his personal opinion of his work in the enduring series.
1 Tom Baker
Arguably one of the greatest and most memorable actors to headline the sci-fi series, Tom Baker portrayed the Fourth Doctor from 1974 to 1981, dazzling audiences with his eccentric and quirky personality and completely making the character his own.
During his unforgettable seven season tenure on Doctor Who, Baker helped the show earn its highest ratings and numbers thus far and subsequently became the longest-reigning actor to portray the character, while becoming the benchmark for future incarnations.
Baker’s Disappointing Send-Off
Though he initially loved the process of working on Doctor Who, Baker’s opinion and experience began to become less and less meaningful by his seventh and final season. His frustrations stemmed from the arrival of producer John Nathan-Turner in 1980, with the actor and his boss sparring over the creative direction the show was going in.
Baker would retrospectively state in a 2018 Digital Spy interview that the producer “diminished” him and that he was “irked” when Nathan-Turner wanted to redesign his outfit; Baker reflected:
“His approach as a producer, to the scripts and to my performance… he managed somehow – how terrible – to diminish me. He made assumptions about how I should do things, or what lines meant, or how it should be shot, which diminished me, and I found that unbearable.”
Baker became so fed-up with the constant battle with Nathan-Turner that he ended up quitting Doctor Who, though he would go on to reprise the role first in the 1993 episode “Dimensions in Time” and again in 2013, appearing as the Curator. For the Doctor Who 50th anniversary special, Baker claimed that Matt Smith was the only one to truly take time with him and make him feel welcome for his return, an indicator that there may be no love lost between Baker and the show.
“[But] he was the only one who welcomed me – I drove through the night to Cardiff, and Matt Smith came seeking me out, so full of joy and so happy to see me! He made it very, very easy acting with him, and I’m so glad he’s going on to tumultuous success. Nobody else bothered with me at all. I was a bit nettled about that.”
