Tom Baker’s last on-screen Doctor Who appearance was in 2013, but the 92-year-old is still open to another return as the BBC weighs who’ll produce the series next.
Baker, who played the Fourth Doctor from 1974 to 1981, addressed the possibility of coming back: “Well, I’m really quite shameless, especially if I haven’t worked for a few weeks, so… I’m still fond of it.”
His 2013 appearance came in The Day of the Doctor, the show’s 50th-anniversary special. He’s continued playing the Doctor in audio adventures, with more due in 2027. For some of those recordings, he and his wife, Sue, worked from home, which he found easier than going into a studio.
Baker also admitted he liked changing the scripts. “Because people assume you’re going to do it one way, and you confound them by doing something different. That’s very much the role of the Doctor, really,” he said. He described himself as “a great hogger of the spotlight.”
The series’ next production team remains undecided. The BBC opened production to competitive bids, scrapping Russell T Davies’ plans for another season and a Christmas special. The submission deadline has passed.
Reported contenders include Line of Duty creator Jed Mercurio’s HTM, Line of Duty producer World Productions and Scotland’s STV Studios. Bids from 2 BBC Studios labels are also expected.
The BBC has asked prospective producers to combine “high concept science fiction” with “strong emotional narratives.” Its invitation urged them: “Be brave, have fun and we look forward to hearing from you.”
