3. It Makes Celebrities Turn In Quality Performances
These days practically everyone wants to add Doctor Who to their CV. Whether it's a good career move or the realisation of a dream, all number of musicians, actors, comedians and real life personalities have chalked up Doctor Who appearances. Some have been woeful and work purely as a piece of stunt casting. Unfortunate appearances from the likes of gifted performers such as Richard Briers, Paul Darrow and Mitchell and Webb (voices only) give credence to the view that Doctor Who is not to be taken seriously. Not surprisingly, though, given some of the previous efforts by stars known more for their comedy than acting, the announcement that Frank Skinner (above) was to appear in Series 8 received a mixed reaction at best. However, so good was his performance that he received almost universal acclaim. It's not the first time an actor or showbiz star has excelled in a serious role on Doctor Who, either. Every time it happens, faith is restored not only in the casting director or the acting profession, but in humanity itself. The 80s was the height of stunt casting and the likes of Nicolas Parsons, Joan Simms and Ken Dodd have made fantastic and surprisingly good contributions to the show. Singers Kylie Minogue and Katherine Jenkins, comedians David Walliams and James Corden, TV personalities Patrick Moore and Richard Dawkins have all added to the list. You'll be pleased to hear that the hits have significantly outweighed the misses in recent years.