Celebrity and notable guest appearances in Doctor Who

Many celebrities and notable actors have made guest appearances in "Doctor Who". All of those listed below are famous outside of their roles in "Doctor Who"; however, some of them became famous "after" their appearance in the series, whilst others appeared in the series after the peak of their fame. It is also worth noting that most of the celebrities listed are famous primarily as actors, and so the fact of their being famous elsewhere may have been less important to their having been cast than their suitability for the role.

First Doctor stories

Fourth Doctor stories

Seventh Doctor stories

Tenth Doctor stories

"The Sarah Jane Adventures"

BBC Radio productions

* Valentine Dyall (radio actor) in "Slipback"
* Maurice Denham (character actor) in "The Paradise of Death"

Big Finish Audio productions

As the Doctor

* Geoffrey Bayldon ("Catweazle", "Worzel Gummidge") in the audio dramas "Doctor Who Unbound: A Storm of Angels" and "Doctor Who Unbound: Auld Mortality"
* David Collings (Silver in "Sapphire and Steel") in "Full Fathom Five"
* Sir Derek Jacobi, KBE (film and Shakespearean actor) in the audio drama "Doctor Who Unbound: Deadline"
* David Warner ("Titanic", "Twin Peaks") in the audio dramas "Doctor Who Unbound: Sympathy for the Devil" and "Doctor Who Unbound: Dark Palace".
* Arabella Weir ("The Fast Show") in the audio drama "Doctor Who Unbound: Exile"

As other characters

* Lynda Bellingham (film and TV actress) in the "Gallifrey" series
* Christopher Biggins in "The One Doctor"
* Ed Bishop ("UFO") in "Doctor Who Unbound: Full Fathom Five"
* Tony Blackburn (radio DJ) in "The Rapture"
* Eleanor Bron ("Absolutely Fabulous") in "Loups-Garoux"
* Clare Buckfield ("2point4 children", "Grange Hill") in "The Horror of Glam Rock" and "Dead London"
* Paul Darrow ("Blake's 7") in "The Next Life"
* James Fleet ("The Vicar of Dibley") in "Max Warp"
* James Fox (film actor) in "Shada"
* Graeme Garden ("The Goodies", The Goodies (TV series)", "Bananaman") in "Bang-Bang-a-Boom!" and "Max Warp"
* William Gaunt ("The Champions") in every episode of "Dalek Empire III"
* Nickolas Grace ("Brideshead Revisited", "Robin of Sherwood") in "Human Resources"
* Anthony Stewart Head ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer") in "Excelis Dawns", "Excelis Rising" and "Excelis Decays"
* Richard Herring ("Fist of Fun, "This Morning With Richard Not Judy") in "Real Time"
* Nerys Hughes ("The Liver Birds") in "Phobos"
* David Jackson ("Blake's 7") in "Sarah Jane Smith: Comeback"
* Peter Jurasik ("Babylon 5") in "Winter for the Adept"
* Michael Keating ("Blake's 7") in "The Twilight Kingdom"
* Sally Knyvette ("Blake's 7", "Emmerdale") in "Spare Parts"
* Burt Kwouk ("Pink Panther" films) in "Loups-Garoux"
* Stewart Lee ("Fist of Fun", "This Morning With Richard Not Judy") in "Real Time"
* Matt Lucas ("Shooting Stars", "Little Britain") in "The One Doctor"
* Philip Madoc ("The Life and Times of David Lloyd George") in "Master"
* Clive Mantle ("Robin of Sherwood", "Casualty", "Holby City") in "The Settling"
* Roy Marsden ("Adam Dalgliesh") in "Human Resources"
* Hugo Myatt ("Knightmare") in "Omega", "Gallifrey: Weapon of Choice" and "Gallifrey: A Blind Eye"
* Bill Oddie ("The Goodies", "The Goodies (TV series)", "Bananaman") in "Doctor Who and the Pirates"
* Philip Olivier ("Brookside") in "The Harvest", "Dreamtime", "Live 34" and "Night Thoughts"
* Jacqueline Pearce ("Blake's 7") in "The Fearmonger"
* Michael Praed ("Robin of Sherwood") in "The Dark Flame"
* Simon Pegg ("Spaced", "Shaun of the Dead") in "Invaders from Mars"
* Patricia Quinn ("The Rocky Horror Picture Show") in "Bang-Bang-a-Boom!"
* Andrew Sachs ("Fawlty Towers") in "Shada"
* Michael Sheard ("Grange Hill", "The Empire Strikes Back") in "The Stones of Venice"
* Jessica Stevenson ("Spaced", "Shaun of the Dead") in "Invaders from Mars"
* Gareth Thomas ("Blake's 7") in "Storm Warning" and every episode of "Dalek Empire I" and "Dalek Empire II"
* David Walliams ("Little Britain") in "Phantasmagoria"
* Don Warrington ("Rising Damp") in "Seasons of Fear", "The Time of the Daleks", "Neverland", "Zagreus", "Caerdroia" and "The Next Life"

Charity Specials

As the Doctor

* Rowan Atkinson ("Blackadder", "Mr. Bean") in "Doctor Who and the Curse of Fatal Death"
* Jim Broadbent ("Moulin Rouge!", "Iris") in "Doctor Who and the Curse of Fatal Death"
* Hugh Grant ("Four Weddings and a Funeral", "Notting Hill") in "Doctor Who and the Curse of Fatal Death"
* Richard E. Grant ("Withnail and I") in "Doctor Who and the Curse of Fatal Death"
* Joanna Lumley, OBE ("Absolutely Fabulous") in "Doctor Who and the Curse of Fatal Death"

As other characters

* Kate O'Mara ("Dynasty") in "Dimensions in Time"
* Jonathan Pryce ("Tomorrow Never Dies", "Glengarry Glen Ross") in "Doctor Who and the Curse of Fatal Death"
* Julia Sawalha ("Press Gang", "Absolutely Fabulous", "Jonathan Creek") in "Doctor Who and the Curse of Fatal Death"

Actors from "EastEnders"

* Letitia Dean in "Dimensions in Time"
* Ross Kemp in "Dimensions in Time"
* Steve McFadden in "Dimensions in Time"
* Mike Reid in "Dimensions in Time" — previously played an uncredited extra in the television story "The War Machines"
* Wendy Richard, MBE in "Dimensions in Time"
* Pam St. Clement in "Dimensions in Time"
* Nicola Stapleton in "Dimensions in Time"
* Gillian Taylforth in "Dimensions in Time"
* Deepak Verma in "Dimensions in Time"
* Adam Woodyatt in "Dimensions in Time"

Independent video productions

* Jan Chappell ("Blake's 7") in "Shakedown: Return of the Sontarans"

Kaldor City audio dramas

* Paul Darrow ("Blake's 7") in all episodes (an extra 20-minute episode is included on the CD "The Actor Speaks: Paul Darrow")
* Philip Madoc ("The Life and Times of David Lloyd George") in "Storm Mine"
* Peter Tuddenham ("Blake's 7") in "Occam's Razor" and "Death's Head"

Theatrical movies

* Ray Brooks ("Cathy Come Home", "Mr Benn", "King Rollo", "Big Deal", "EastEnders") in "Daleks - Invasion Earth 2150 AD"
* Roy Castle ("Record Breakers", "Carry On" films) in "Dr. Who and the Daleks"
* Bernard Cribbins ("Jackanory", "Carry On" films, "Coronation Street") in "Daleks - Invasion Earth 2150 AD"
* Peter Cushing (Hammer Horror, "Star Wars") in "Dr. Who and the Daleks" and "Daleks - Invasion Earth 2150 AD"
* Andrew Keir ("Quatermass and the Pit") in "Daleks - Invasion Earth 2150 AD"
* Philip Madoc ("The Life and Times of David Lloyd George") in "Daleks - Invasion Earth 2150 AD"

Webcast productions

* Jon Culshaw ("Dead Ringers") in "Death Comes to Time"
* Kevin Eldon ("Fist of Fun") in "Death Comes to Time"
* Leonard Fenton ("EastEnders") in "Death Comes to Time"
* Stephen Fry (Comedian/ actor) in "Death Comes to Time"
* Richard E. Grant ("Withnail and I") in "Scream of the Shalka" fn|3
* Anthony Stewart Head ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer", "Little Britain") in "Death Comes to Time"
* Sir Derek Jacobi (Shakespearian actor) in "Scream of the Shalka"
* Jim Norton, ("Father Ted") in "Scream of the Shalka"
* Sophie Okonedo (later of "Hotel Rwanda") in "Scream of the Shalka"
* Jacqueline Pearce ("Blake's 7") in "Death Comes to Time"
* Andrew Sachs ("Manuel in Fawlty Towers") in "Shada"
* John Sessions ("Whose Line is it Anyway?", "Stella Street") in "Death Comes to Time"

Returning Guest Stars

The following actors, in order of their first appearance, have all appeared in episodes of both the classic series (between 1963 and 1989) and the revival (2005 to present):

* Pauline Collins - Samantha Briggs in The Faceless Ones, 1967; Queen Victoria in Tooth and Claw, 2006
* Margaret John - Megan Jones in Fury from the Deep, 1968; Grandma Connolly in The Idiot's Lantern, 2006
* David Troughton - uncredited extra in The Enemy of the World, 1968; Private Moore in The War Games, 1969; King Peladon in The Curse of Peladon, 1972; Professor Hobbes in Midnight (Doctor Who), 2008
* Geoffrey Palmer - Masters in Doctor Who and the Silurians, 1970; Administrator in The Mutants, 1972; Captain Hardaker in Voyage Of The Damned, 2007
* Christopher Benjamin - Sir Keith Gold in Inferno, 1970; Henry Gordon Jago in The Talons of Weng-Chiang, 1977; Colonel Hugh in The Unicorn and the Wasp, 2008
* Louis Mahoney - Newscaster in Frontier in Space, 1973; Ponti in Planet of Evil, 1975, Old Billy in Blink, 2007
* Elisabeth Sladen - Sarah Jane Smith in 19 stories across seasons 11, 12, 13, 14 and 20 between 1974-76 and 1983; Sarah Jane Smith in spin-off K9 and Company, 1981; Sarah Jane Smith in Dimensions in Time, 1993; Sarah Jane Smith in School Reunion (Doctor Who), 2007; Sarah Jane Smith in spin-off series The Sarah Jane Adventures from 2007 onwards; Sarah Jane Smith in The Stolen Earth / Journey's End, 2008.
* Gabriel Woolf - Sutekh in Pyramids of Mars, 1975; Voice of The Beast in The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit, 2006
* John Leeson - K-9 in 16 stories across seasons 15, 16, 18 and 20 between 1977-81 and 1983; K-9 in spin-off K9 and Company, 1981; K-9 in Dimensions in Time, 1993; K-9 in School Reunion (Doctor Who), 2007; K-9 in Invasion of the Bane and The Lost Boy episode of the spin-off series The Sarah Jane Adventures, 2007
* David Warwick - Kimus in The Pirate Planet, 1978; Police Commissioner in Army of Ghosts, 2006
* Clive Swift - Jobel in Revelation of the Daleks, 1985; Mr. Copper in Voyage of the Damned, 2007
* Colin Spaull - Lilt in Revelation of the Daleks, 1985; Mr Crane in Rise of the Cybermen/The Age of Steel, 2006
* Trevor Laird - Frax in the Mindwarp segment of The Trial of a Time Lord, 1986; the recurring character Clive Jones, father of companion Martha starting in Smith And Jones, 2007
* Christopher Ryan - Lord Kiv in the Mindwarp segment of The Trial of a Time Lord, 1986; General Staal in The Sontaran Stratagem/The Poison Sky, 2008
* Nisha Nayar - Red Kang "(uncredited)" in Paradise Towers, 1987; Female Programmer in Bad Wolf/The Parting of the Ways, 2005
* William Thomas - Martin in Remembrance of the Daleks, 1988; Mr Cleaver in Boom Town (Doctor Who), 2005; Geraint Cooper in Something Borrowed episode of the spin-off series Torchwood, 2008
* Anne Reid - Nurse Crane in The Curse of Fenric, 1989; Florence Finnegan in Smith And Jones, 2007

Whilst Sir Derek Jacobi, who appeared in the 2007 episode " Utopia" as Professor Yana, never appeared in the classic series - his involvement with Doctor Who stems back to two appearances in licensed productions in 2003 - the Big Finish audio " Deadline" featured him as a character who believed he was The Doctor, and a few months later, he was cast as The Master in the webcast animation "Scream of the Shalka".

Bernard Cribbins appeared in the 1965 feature film "Daleks - Invasion Earth 2150 AD", an adaptation of "The Dalek Invasion of Earth", and was later given a cameo role in the 2007 Christmas Special, "Voyage of the Damned". He reprised that role as Donna Noble's grandfather Wilfred Mott in series 4.

Mark Benton, Simon Pegg, Jessica Hynes ("nee Stevenson") and Mark Gatiss have all appeared in Big Finish audio productions prior to guesting in the revived tv series.

Chipo Chung became the first person to guest star in the revived series, then return as a guest star again, but as another character. She first appeared in Utopia in 2007, and returned in Turn Left in 2008. Previous returning cast members had become regulars or recurring characters (such as Freema Agyeman and Adjoa Andoh).

Future regulars

On rare occasions, future series regulars have been cast in other roles, and later asked to return to the series in much bigger roles.

The first instance of this phenomenon occurred when Jean Marsh was cast as Joanna in "The Crusade" in 1964. She would briefly become a companion when recast as Sara Kingdom in "The Daleks' Master Plan" the following year - becoming the second series companion to die whilst adventuring with The Doctor. She would later return to the series in the 1989 story "Battlefield" as the villainous Morgaine. For a period, she was also married to Third Doctor actor Jon Pertwee.

Nicholas Courtney, cast as Bret Vyon for the first half of "The Daleks' Master Plan", also featuring Jean Marsh, would return to the series as Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, best known as 'The Brigadier', many times over the next two decades, appearing with the second, third, fourth, fifth and seventh Doctors before finally meeting the sixth in the charity special "Dimensions in Time" - to date, his final appearance.

In 1965, Peter Purves appeared in "The Chase" playing Morton Dill, a young man from Alabama visiting the Empire State Building, when The Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Vicki arrive on the run from the Daleks, who later appear to Morton's bemusement. Later in that story, Purves was asked back to play the role of space pilot "Steven Taylor" who became a regular character at the end of the story upon the departure of Ian and Barbara. To date, this is the only (and probably the last) time this has occurred in the space of one story!

John Levene, best known for playing Sergeant Benton in various stories between 1968 and 1975, first appeared as a Cyberman in The Moonbase, then as a Yeti in "The Web of Fear". Another UNIT member, Harry Sullivan, was played by Ian Marter, who first appeared in the series as the dashing John Andrews in "Carnival of Monsters" opposite John Pertwee in 1973 before joining the series as Harry for Tom Baker's first season as The Doctor. Marter also co-wrote a script for a possible Doctor Who feature film with Baker, and wrote numerous novelisations of Doctor Who serials for Target Books, before his untimely death in 1986.

The next occurrence did not occur until 1978 when Lalla Ward guested in the series as Princess Astra in "The Armageddon Factor". After expressing disappointment at the way her character Romana had developed, Mary Tamm departed the series after this story had finished recording. But as her character was a Time Lady, she could easily be regenerated, and the following story "Destiny of the Daleks" sees Romana deliberately choosing to model herself after Princess Astra - allowing Ward to join the series as a regular. She later went on to have a whirlwind romance with her co-star Tom Baker which led to marriage and divorce within 18 months.

A few years later, Sarah Sutton was cast as Nyssa in "The Keeper of Traken". At the end of that story it was decided that she should join the TARDIS crew as a regular, and she was hastily written into the following story Logopolis, albeit as the same character.

When casting the 1983 serial "Arc of Infinity", the production office stumbled upon Colin Baker and cast him as Commander Maxil, a timelord who gets to shoot The Doctor, as played by Peter Davison. Fourteen months later, Davison left the series and regenerated into the Sixth Doctor, as played by Baker. To date, this is the only time an actor who has played The Doctor has appeared in the series prior to his casting as the lead. It was also the last time this occurred during the original run.

There have also been instances of guest actors returing as regular or recurring characters in the series revival, and oddly they are all members of the same family and all made their first appearance in the first episode of series three, "Smith and Jones". Adjoa Andoh, cast as recurring character Francine Jones, first appeared in the 2006 episode "New Earth". Her on-screen husband, Clive Jones, has also appeared in the series before - actor Trevor Laird played the villanous Frax in the "Mindwarp" segment of "The Trial of a Time Lord" back in 1986.

The most obvious returning actor in this story, however, was Freema Agyeman, who would go on to portray the companion Martha Jones. She first appeared in the 2006 episode "Army of Ghosts" as doomed Torchwood employee Adeola. It was whilst playing this role that the series producers realised she'd be perfect for the role of Martha, and she was soon auditioned for the role, making her debut less than a year after her first appearance in the show. The episode also had Martha explain that Adeola was her cousin.

Donna Noble as played by Catherine Tate was originally meant to be a temporary companion in one episode ("The Runaway Bride"). However she was brought back as a permanent companion at the start of Series 4.

Eve Myles was cast as victorian-era maid Gwyneth in the episode The Unquiet Dead, and was later cast as the female lead in Torchwood as a character with a similar name, Gwen Cooper. While there has been no in-story explanation for the coincidence, Davies states in "Doctor Who Magazine" that any similarity was unintentional, however the similarity was commented on by The Doctor and Rose in the season 4 finale, "Journey's End".

Footnotes

* The producers had originally planned to have The Beatles appear as elderly versions of themselves, but had to settle for using a film clip from the BBC musical series "Top of the Pops". This particular edition is one of many that were deleted, therefore making the clip seen in "The Chase" the only surviving footage of this Beatles performance.
* Jean Marsh was at one time married to Jon Pertwee, who played the Third Doctor, albeit prior to either appearing in the series. Marsh's character in "The Daleks' Master Plan", Sara Kingdom, is considered by many as one of the Doctor's companions.
* Richard E. Grant has the distinction of being the only actor to play two different incarnations of the Doctor in officially licensed productions. (This does not count Sylvester McCoy briefly donning Colin Baker's costume in "Time and the Rani".)

ee also

*List of Doctor Who cast members

References