2. A Wrestler With Faith
If you can believe in the Christian religion, you can believe in everything, you know its so preposterous so I would recall those amazing days of my faith and try to do the Doctor Who lines which I never understood anyway, and people believed them.
Like death, religion is never far from view in any lengthy interview with Tom. It was after all a defining part of the worldview in which he grew up. No matter how preposterous or abusive its beliefs, he sought to apply this approach to the realities of life, even after renouncing the church. His failure to adhere to the faith or to remain comfortable with its dogmas and lifestyle demands, leads to a highly critical self-appraisal. Occasionally Tom is prone to speaking in the manner of a prophet, as the narrator observes in the 1999 Adventures In Time And Space documentary for Doctor Who Night. In that show Tom styles himself on St Francis Of Assisi.
I couldnt pass anyone in the street, everybody knew me I was like Francis of Assisi, I was kissing lepers, you know embracing anyone at all, I was always catching lice from neglected children, going home absolutely teaming with nits, but I didnt mind actually catching illnesses or diseases from them, thats so pitiful isnt it really its a fearful confession, thats right I would embrace the afflicted and the contagious and the infectious."
And yet as if embarrassed by his evangelistic zeal or moralistic pomposity, he cheekily adds "anything for a laugh, really". Despite being so assured and confident in his role as the Doctor, Tom Baker is generally self-effacing, using words like pity to define himself. This lack of confidence made the role of the Doctor therapeutic as he traded the broken Tom Baker for the benevolent Time Lord, significantly improving his demeanour.