When the time came for Tom Baker to leave Doctor Who and for the Fourth Doctor to Regenerate, producer John Nathan-Turner wanted the Doctor to be surrounded by familiar characters in his final story to ease the transition for the audience as much as possible after Baker had spent so long in the role. Elisabeth Sladen (Sarah Jane Smith) and Louise Jameson (Leela) were both approached to return but declined. Instead, Nyssa returned after her first appearance in The Keeper Of Traken. The previous story. Which is stretching the definition of familiar character to its very limit.
20. The Curse Of K-9
Although K-9 is an ever faithful companion adored by the Doctor, it was an entirely different story behind the scenes. The K-9 prop was a source of considerable frustration to cast and crew as it frequently broke down, could be stopped in its tracks by incredibly small objects, and interfered with studio equipment because of the radio control signals needed to operate it. The prop is also blamed for starting an electrical fire at the Longleat Doctor Who exhibition that destroyed a number of other Doctor Who props, and Tom Baker allegedly used to subtly kick it out of a mix of frustration and contempt when the cameras weren't rolling.
JG Moore is a writer and filmmaker from the south of England. He also works as an editor and VFX artist, and has a BA in Media Production from the University Of Winchester.
