10 Most Hated Doctor Who Characters

1. The Sixth Doctor

Doctor Who Colin Baker The Twin Dilemma strangle Peri
BBC Studios

Colin Baker's Sixth Doctor faced several issues that ensured he was generally ranked lowest in the Timelord's hierarchy. His first story sees him come across as arrogant and rude, choking out Peri and generally struggling with his regeneration. Though he would begin to soften as time went on, he was hampered by problems behind the scenes.

While his inclusion on this list may seem unfair, it is in fact important to explain why he was a hated character. After the disaster that was The Twin Dilemma, his tenure was interrupted with an 18-month hiatus. He would return in the 14-part serial The Trial of a Time Lord, which was better received. Michael Grade, the Controller of BB1 at the time, was not a fan of the show at all.

He agreed to renew the series again on the condition that Baker be replaced, offering the actor a four-part story that would conclude with his regeneration. Baker refused, making a counter-offer of returning for a full additional season and then handing back the keys to the TARDIS. Grade refused, leading to Baker refusing to film his own regeneration scene.

In the years that followed, he expressed deep regret for this. He admitted that he was acting out of selfishness and that he hadn't thought of the fans at all. Fifth Doctor Peter Davidson expressed support for him, stating that the environment at the BBC was simply toxic at the time and that the removal of the man was nothing to do with the actor himself. It was, according to Davidson, all a plot to oust John Nathan-Turner.

Watch Next


Contributor
Contributor

Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"