10 Doctor Who Fans Who Made A Lasting Impact On The Show
6. Matthew Waterhouse
You could say that Adric was a forerunner to Wesley Crusher in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Both characters were precocious boy geniuses, reviled by vocal elements within their respective fan communities. There's likely a degree of jealousy in these negative reactions, especially when it comes to Adric, given that the actor who played him was also a fan.
Matthew Waterhouse had previously had a letter published in Doctor Who Weekly, and like many fans that followed him, began a career within the BBC. Starting as a clerk in the news department, Waterhouse eventually shifted to acting with a small role in a historical miniseries and an audition for the role of Adric.
It's Waterhouse's work as a clerk that is likely the genesis of Peter Davison's misapprehension that they "cast someone from the mailroom". Poor Matthew, he didn't get much better treatment from Tom Baker, whose attitude in his final season shocked the young and impressionable actor. That being said, despite the usual vocal minority, Adric is a key part of a TARDIS team that continues to be incredibly important for a generation of Doctor Who fans. It's why he's still playing the character forty years later!