Tag Archives: Nicholas Briggs

Timeless Collectors Fair, Fareham, Hampshire – December 2014

Hello and welcome to Fareham for the Timeless Collectors Fair!

A row of Doctor Who stars behind me

This event was held to raise money for Starlight, a charity that brightens the lives of seriously and terminally ill children.

Welcome to Fareham Leisure Centre

There were many stars from Doctor Who, Star Wars and the James Bond films and lots of sci-fi things to see and do! First I explored the stalls and looked at the Doctor Who props and figures then I went to see the Celebrity Signers.

 

Colin Baker, the Sixth Doctor was there but I didn’t get his autograph because I had met him quite recently in Totton. First I went to meet Doctor Who monster actor Jon Davey again, who I had met back in August at the Fleet Air Arm Museum. I told Jon off as he was one of the guards who let Missy get away in Death in Heaven (2014).  Jon said he couldn’t do anything about it because she killed him first. Excuses excuses! Jon is off to Australia and New Zealand very soon to perform as Doctor Who monsters for the second time in the Symphonic Spectacular.

I was trying to smile!
I was trying to smile!

Next I met Sarah Sutton who played Nyssa, companion to the Fourth and Fifth Doctor. She was a very polite lady and I was very excited to meet her. I asked her my three golden questions. First I asked her where she would like to go in time and space if she had the chance. She said that she would like to go back to the past rather than the future and would like to go to the 1920s. She had so much fun filming the episode Black Orchid (1982) which was set in the 1920s and loved wearing the costumes. Then I asked Sarah what her favourite episode was of the new Series 8. She couldn’t choose a favourite but she said that she thought it was a wonderful idea for the Doctor to be played by Peter Capaldi after Matt Smith as he is a much older actor and that changes the show. She said that all the Doctors are good in different ways. Finally I asked her her favourite Doctor Who filming location. She said that it was great fun running around Amsterdam to film Arc of Infinity (1983)! I chose a photograph from her first story TheKeeper of Traken (1981) for her to sign as that was such an action-packed episode.

Hello Sophie Aldred - Ace!

After Sarah I went to see Sophie Aldred who played Ace aka Dorothy the companion of my favourite Classic Doctor – Number Seven, Sylvester McCoy! Sophie was very pleased when I told her that her Doctor was my favourite! I had a good chat with Sophie and talked about my recent visit to Warmwell Quarry. I asked Sophie where she would like to travel to in time and space – she said that she would love to go back to when she was filming Doctor Who and do it all again! Next I asked her what her favourite episode of Series 8 was. She told me it was Mummy on the Orient Express (2014) and also that Blink (2007) is one of her favorite ever episodes of New Who, even though the Doctor isn’t in it much. When I asked her what her favourite filming location was she said Lulworth Cove during The Curse of Fenric (1989) as it was such a beautiful location. I have been to Lulworth Cove before and hope to go back again very soon to write a review. I chose a great picture of Sophie wearing Ace’s jacket to be autographed.

Hello Louise Jameson - Leela!

Then I met Louise Jameson who played Leela,  companion to the Fourth Doctor and she was very friendly. Leela was the from the Sevateem Tribe and a great adventuress but she didn’t understand other worlds much and didn’t really keep it secret that she was an alien!

I asked Louise my three questions. She said that if she could travel in time and space she would go back in time to meet her Great Great Grandma then forwards in time to meet her Great Great Granddaughter to look for any connections. Her favourite episode of Series 8 was Deep Breath (2014) because she thought Jenna Coleman’s performance was amazing. I asked Louise her favourite Doctor Who filming location and she said that she liked filming at Elstree Studios because of the history and she enjoyed exploring Victorian London for The Talons of Weng Chiang (1977) and the beautiful old theatre in the episode. She was a bit fed-up that the Doctor went to Paris not long after she finished!

Mr Sin from The Talons of Weng Chiang

After I met Louise I went on a Dalek ride! The Dalek was called Fred. It was a little bit tough to get in and a little bit tough to get out of Fred.

Series 8 Episode 2 - Into the Dalek!

It was my first time inside a Dalek and it was quite cramped in there! It was slightly dark inside but I could see out of the neck piece but no-one could tell it was me inside. I was pushed around the hall and got to exterminate the troopers from Star Wars!

Hello Terry Molloy - Davros! Aaargh!

Next I went off to meet Terry Malloy – he knows all about being inside a Dalek (well half of him!) because he played Davros, the member of the Kaled Scientific Elite who created the Daleks ( Dalek is an anagram of Kaled!). I didn’t speak to him for long as I am going to visit him again in February at the Bournemouth Invasion but luckily he wasn’t scary like Davros!

Again my smile - I just can't smile!!
Again my smile – I just can’t smile!!

Finally I met Nicholas Briggs – voice of the Daleks since 2005! Nicholas also voices other characters for Doctor Who and Big Finish. I was a bit nervous but Nicholas told me that Jon Pertwee came to Southampton in Bessie when Nicholas was about my age and he was so shy that his Mum had to get Jon’s autograph for him!

I asked Nicholas my three questions. If he could travel anywhere in time and space he would choose to visit his Dad who sadly died 10 years ago. Like Sophie, Nicholas’ favourite episode of Series 8 was Mummy on the Orient Express. He had two answers for his favourite filming location.  He enjoyed being on location for Smith and Jones (2007) as it was warm and sunny and he got to sit out in the sunshine and he found filming on location for Victory of the Daleks (2010)  the most interesting.

I had a great day in Fareham and can’t believe I met all those people in one day! I hope there is another day like this next year and that you have enjoyed reading all about it.

See you soon for another location report.

Goodbye!

Advertisement

East Hagbourne, Oxfordshire (The Village That Came To Life) – June 2014

Now for a War MemorialBlip bloop Blip bloop or Hello in Androidese.

Welcome to ‘the village that came to life’ – East Hagbourne in Oxfordshire, filming location for the episode The Android Invasion (1975). I went there as I was passing earlier this week on my way home from another adventure.

This episode is set in the village of Devesham, which East Hagbourne stands in for. The Fourth Doctor and Sarah Jane arrive in the village which is always Friday 6th July, a day with no future. Luckily I went in June or I might have had to stay forever.

I parked my TARDIS near the Fleur de Lys pub and went to liven up the place, (well I tried to at least). The village was deserted just like in the episode! I wonder if the androids were still there? In fact the whole time I was there the only other person that I saw was a young girl wearing a t-shirt that said ‘ Keep Calm, I’m The Doctor’. Awkward but true!

I saw the war memorial in the centre of the road and set off down the road past the Fleur de Lys. The Doctor and Sarah hid in the pub and watched people who could not move and looked like they were statues filled with cement. They came to life eventually – when I watched the episode I tried clicking my fingers at the TV but actually it was the clock striking 12 that brought them out of their trance. I tried to go in the pub myself but it was shut for the afternoon, which was a shame as I wanted a beer. Fooled you!

As I explored I saw some goats and chickens in a garden and the paths were lined with hollyhocks. The weather was sunny and everything looked so summery it was a typical English village. This village is known for The Great Fire of Hagbourne, just 7 years before the Great Fire of London. It is also famous as the place where blotting paper was invented!

In a documentary about this episode ‘The ViIlage That Came To Life’,  Nicholas Briggs  walks around East Hagbourne and interviews some of the local people about what they remember about the filming in July 1975. One lady remembers that hundreds of children from all over the place descended on the village to see if they could get Tom Baker’s autograph! He was still a new Doctor when he filmed the episode.  One of the interviewees had his photo taken with Tom Baker for the local paper as his name was Colin Baker, but not THE Colin Baker! Another remembered his family selling beer from their front window to the crew.

The Android Invasion was the last episode that featured Benton and Harry Sullivan pops up for his last appearance. It is a fan-dabby-dosy story and everyone should watch it!

Do you have any facts about East Hagbourne? Let me know.

Looking forward to seeing you all soon! Bloop blip Bloop blip, Goodbye in Androidese.