Doctor Who: Who On Earth Is Tom Baker?

This week Tom Baker, one of Britain's national treasures, celebrated his 81st birthday. He is of course best remembered for gifting the Nation with the Fourth Doctor - a role he continues to embody through the Big Finish audio plays. The internet will be awash with Fourth Doctor quotes and images this week but over the years the actor has also enthralled generations with his eccentric charm through countless anecdotes and entertaining interviews. But in the words of the title of his autobiography - who on Earth is Tom Baker? When introducing a recent interview, Baker is quick to point out "I€™m sure it€™s very sincere, but you know what memory is like, tricky and occasionally treacherous. But I meant well.€ (The Fourth Doctor Time Capsule, BBC Worldwide 2013). Even whilst sifting through the vast quantity of source material on offer, it is clear that the question is likely to remain unanswered. A complex man with an unpredictability and the capacity to blend fantasy with reality, there will always be something quite mysterious about him. Tom Baker in his own words brings laughter, nostalgia and a concern for those awkward existential questions of meaning. One of the boss battles in the BBC PC game Destiny Of The Doctors takes place inside the Fourth Doctor€™s brain. Here however, is a chance to enter the actor€™s mind through his own words. If there is a jelly baby in sight, it will be an orange one - his favourite.