Series 1 - 1963/64. Producer: Verity Lambert
  
Only three well known TV personalities deigned to appear in Who's debut series. Alan Wheatley (Temmosus, The Mutants) had been the target of a welter of boos and hisses during his time as the dastardly Sheriff of Nottingham in the late-Fifties ITV adventure serial The Adventures of Robin Hood. George Coulouris (Arbitan, The Keys of Marinus) had played the unscrupulous reporter Harcourt Brown in ITV's Pathfinders to Mars (1960) and Pathfinders to Venus (1961). Peter Glaze (City Administrator, The Sensorites) was well known to the thousands of younger viewers who regularly tuned in to Crackerjack! every Friday (at five to five, no less!).

Series 2 - 1964/65. Producer: Verity Lambert
 
Huge ratings belied the fact that only two TV personalities appeared throughout the entire series (not including the Beatles). Ray Barrett (Bennett, The Rescue) had set female hearts fluttering as Dr Don Nolan in ITV's long running hospital drama Emergency: Ward 10 from 1960 to 1961. In 1964 he joined the cast of Ghost Squad as Peter Clark, just as the serial changed its name to GS5. Peter Butterworth (the Monk, The Time Meddler) had been a regular feature on British TV since the dawn of the Fifties. In 1956, he had co-hosted the ITV admag Where Shall We Go? with impressionist wife Janet Brown.

Series 3 - 1965/66. Producers: Verity Lambert, John Wiles, Innes Lloyd
        
New producer John Wiles paved the way for his successor Innes Lloyd by casting a number of familiar faces in his relative few productions. Lloyd started as he meant to go on. Peter Butterworth (the Monk, The Dalek Masterplan) was reprising his role from the previous series before the lure of the Carry On films took him away for ever. Brian Cant (Kert Gantry, The Dalek Masterplan) and Eric Thompson (Gaston, The Massacre) were regular presenters of BBC2's pre-school children's show Play School. André Morell (Tavannes, The Massacre) was, for many, the definitive Professor Quatermass after his appearance in Nigel Kneale's classic Quatermass and the Pit in 1958. Leonard Sachs (Admiral de Coligny, The Massacre) had been MC of the highly popular period variety show The Good Old Days since 1953. Michael Gough (the Toymaker, The Celestial Toymaker) was a busy actor on both stage and screen with a string of major roles behind him. Carmen Silvera (Clara/Mrs.Wiggs/Queen of Hearts, The Celestial Toymaker) had been a regular in the early-Sixties BBC soap Compact. William Mervyn (Sir Charles Summers, The War Machines) had played the acerbic Inspector Rose in the 1963 ITV crime serial The Odd Man and its 1964 sequel It's Dark Outside. Kenneth Kendall (Newsreader, The War Machines) had been one of the BBC's first three newsreaders seen on screen in 1955, remaining behind his desk until 1961.

Series 4 - 1966/67. Producers: Innes Lloyd, Peter Bryant
  
With viewing figures on the slide, Innes Lloyd found many established "stars" were unwilling to commit themselves to a serial that seemed destined for cancellation. The few that did had either been out of circulation for some time or had just risen to prominance. Robert Beatty (General Cutler, The Tenth Planet) had been the star of the late-Fifties police drama Dial 999, playing DI Mike Maguire on attachment to the Met from the Royal Canadian Mounties. Bernard Archard (Bragen, The Power of the Daleks) had starred as Lt-Col.Oreste Pinto in the BBC espionage drama Spy-Catcher between 1959 and 1961. Colin Gordon (the Commandant, The Faceless Ones) had just been seen in The Baron by ITV viewers, playing intelligence "handler" John Alexander Templeton-Green.

Series 5 - 1967/68. Producers: Peter Bryant, Innes Lloyd
   
Unperturbed, Innes Lloyd plundered the cast of The Power Game and the ranks of British comedy for well known faces. Jack Watling (Professor Travers, The Abominable Snowmen, The Web of Fear) was one of a number of regulars from the popular BBC drama series The Power Game producer Innes Lloyd managed to entice into appearing in Who. Peter Barkworth (Clent, The Ice Warriors) was another. Bernard Bresslaw (Varga, The Ice Warriors) had just joined the regular Carry On team having featured regularly in the late-Fifties ITV national service sitcom, The Army Game with William Hartnell. Bill Kerr (Kent, The Enemy of the World) had been a member of Tony Hancock's entourage in his Fifties radio series, and joined Sid James in his early-Sixties sitcom Citizen James.

Series 6 - 1968/69. Producers: Peter Bryant, Derrick Sherwin
    
Peter Bryant largely eshewed his mentor's policy of casting "stars", with the exception of one big name to help get the new series off to a good start. Ronald Allen (Rago, The Dominators) had featured as heartthrob Ian Harmon in the early-Sixties BBC soap Compact until its cancellation in 1965. Brian Cant (Tensa, The Dominators) was making another rare venture beyond the world of Play School and Watch With Mother. Ronald Leigh-Hunt (Radnor, The Seeds of Death) had played Arthur to William Russell's Lancelot in the late-Fifties ITV action series The Adventures of Sir Lancelot. Jack May (General Hermack, The Space Pirates) had played Adam Adamant's dependable manservant William E.Simms in the mid-Sixties BBC action serial Adam Adamant Lives. Lisa Daniely (Madeleine Issigri, The Space Pirates) had co-starred with 10 year-old Debbie Watling in H.G.Wells' Invisible Man in the late Fifties, one of the first British TV serials to be sold to American networks.

Series 7 - 1970. Producers: Derrick Sherwin, Barry Letts

The advent of colour meant there was even less money in the kitty to tempt the big names, leaving new producer Barry Letts with no choice but to concentrate on the quality of the writing, acting and set design. Ronald Allen (Ralph Cornish, The Ambassadors of Death) had been out of regular employment since the demise of Compact so jumped at the chance of a relatively quick return to Who. Five years later, he would become a firm favourite in the long running ITV soap Crossroads.

Series 8 - 1971. Producer: Barry Letts
Series 8 was totally bereft of "stars", leaving the show entirely dependent on the inbuilt star qualities of resident cast members Jon Pertwee, Nicholas Courtney and John Levene, bolstered by the arrival of veteren actor Roger Delgado and newcomers Richard Franklin and Katy Manning.

Series 9 - 1972. Producer: Barry Letts

Again, Letts emphacised the importance of solid writing, acting and set design over guest stars, his only concessions being the return of the Daleks in the first story and the appearance of Ingrid Pitt in the last. Pitt (Queen Galleia, The Time Monster) was a well known star of Hammer Studios' horror films, having recently appeared in The Vampire Lovers, Countess Dracula and The House That Dripped Blood.

Series 10 - 1972/73. Producer: Barry Letts

Only one familiar face and that in a relatively minor role. This was Barry Letts again proving that a wealth of "stars" did not necessarily guarantee good ratings. Ray Lonnen (Gardiner, Frontier in Space) had been playing DI Moffatt in the long running police series Z Cars since 1972 and left a year before the series came to an end in 1978.

Series 11 - 1973/74. Producer: Barry Letts
    
Letts was beginning to let things slip, allowing four fairly well known faces and a veteren to infiltrate the ranks of the unknowns and hopefuls. David Daker (Irongron, The Time Warrior) had served time in Z-Cars as PC Owen Culshaw. Sheila Fay (Meg, The Time Warrior) was well known for her regular scene-stealing appearances in The Liver Birds, where she played Beryl's sharp-tongued mother, Mrs.Hennessey. Martin Jarvis (Butler, Invasion of the Dinosaurs) had appeared in Who before encased in a giant moth costume (The Web Planet), but had enjoyed fleeting fame as Jon Forsyte in the BBC2 epic The Forsyte Saga. John Bennett (General Finch, Invasion of the Dinosaurs) had had a major role in the late-Sixties ITV soap Market in Honey Lane. Duncan Lamont (Galloway, Death to the Daleks) had played doomed astronaut Victor Caroon in Nigel Kneale's classic The Quatermass Experiment way back in 1953.

Series 12 - 1974/75. Producers: Barry Letts, Philip Hinchcliffe
 
Once again, Doctor Who was left almost entirely dependent on the quality of its scripts and sets. And once again it triumphed over the almost total lack of star names to bring in the audiences. Stephen Yardley (Sevrin, Genesis of the Daleks) was known to the few who had watched the BBC's football soap United! in the mid-Sixties, and to the many who watched Z-Cars on a regular basis. Ronald Leigh-Hunt (Stevenson, Revenge of the Cybermen) hadn't been a TV regular since The Adventures of Sir Lancelot in 1957.

Series 13 - 1975/76. Producer: Philip Hinchcliffe
     
Philip Hinchcliffe had big plans for Doctor Who which included plagiarising classic sci-fi and horror stories and featuring actors who could be relied upon to deliver cracking performances. Frederick Jaeger (Sorenson, Planet of Evil) had featured in the 1969 ITV series The Inside Man, the adventure serial The Pretenders in 1972 and ITV's popular crime drama Special Branch. Prentis Hancock (Salamar, Planet of Evil) was making his third appearance in Who and was featuring over on ITV at the same time as Paul Morrow in Gerry Anderson's epic Space: 1999. Bernard Archard (Marcus Scarman, Pyramids of Mars) was busy making appearances as scary-looking old men, Spy-Catcher being long forgotten by now. Patrick Newell (Colonel Faraday, The Android Invasion) had been a major feature in the final series of The Avengers, in which he had played Steed's wheelchair-bound boss, Mother. Philip Madoc (Solon, The Brain of Morbius) had appeared in numerous popular TV productions since his last Who appearance, most memorably in Dad's Army where he had played the cunning U-boat captain trying to escape from Home Guard custody. Michael Barrington (Sir Colin Thackeray, The Seeds of Doom) was well known to mid-Seventies TV viewers as the befuddled Prison Governor Mr.Venables in the hit Ronnie Barker sitcom Porridge.

Series 14 - 1976/77. Producer: Philip Hinchcliffe
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Fewer "star" names this time round as producer Hinchcliffe geared up to a major new direction for the show. Glyn Houston (Professor Watson, The Hand of Fear) was a familiar TV face having most recently featured in the Leslie Crowther sitcom My Good Woman on ITV. Erik Chitty (Co-ordinator Engin, The Deadly Assassin) was still fondly remembered as ancient schoolteacher "Smithy" Smith in the popular ITV sitcom Please Sir. Russell Hunter (Uvanov, The Robots of Death) had spent five years in smelly rags as Lonely in the Edward Woodward spy series Callan. John Bennett (Li H'sen Chang, The Talons of Weng-Chiang) had seen his career reach a plateau, proving that sometimes versatility leads to anonymity.

Series 15 - 1977/78. Producer: Graham Williams
    
Despite Philip Hinchcliffe's surprise posting to Target, most of his policies for Who remained in situ, including the involvement of several well known TV faces. Frederick Jaeger (Professor Marius, The Invisible Enemy) was making his second appearance since the demise of Special Branch. Wanda Ventham (Thea Ransome, Image of the Fendahl) was making her second Who appearance, inbetween which she had played Colonel Virginia Lake in Gerry Anderson's UFO in 1970. Denis Lill (Professor Fendelman, Image of the Fendahl) had just taken over the lead in Terry Nation's post-apocalyptic serial Survivors following the departure of initial hero figure Greg Preston (played by Ian McCulloch). Richard Leech (Gatherer Hade, The Sun Makers) had been appearing in films for years, most prominently The Dambusters and A Night to Remember, and had featured in the BBC's medical soap The Doctors as world-weary Dr.Roger Hayman. Alan Lake (Herrick, Underworld) was a regular feature in British films but was more famous for being married to Diana Dors.

Series 16 - 1978/79. Producer: Graham Williams
     
Producer Williams tried to make his mark on Who by gathering all the stories together under an umbrella theme, utilising one-or-two big names to try and sell the series to otherwise reluctant viewers. Iain Cuthbertson (Garron, The Ribos Operation) had risen to prominence as gangster Charlie Endell alongside Adam Faith in Budgie before swapping opposite sides of the law and TV channels to play Procurator Fiscal John Sutherland in Sutherland's Law in 1973. Prentis Hancock (Captain, The Ribos Operation) was back to playing supporting roles following the demise of Space: 1999. David Warwick (Kimus, The Pirate Planet) had made a handful of appearances in the satirical sitcom The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin as Reggie's actor son Mark. Philip Madoc (Fenner, The Power of Kroll) had finally secured a regular role, playing Detective Chief Superintendant Tate in the BBC's answer to The Sweeney, Target. Glyn Owen (Rhom Dutt, The Power of Kroll) had just left the glossy BBC soap The Brothers in which he had portrayed eldest son-and-heir Edward Hammond. Valentine Dyall (the Black Guardian, The Armageddon Factor) had been a well known presence on screen and radio for decades, earning the sobriquet "The Man in Black" for his involvement in horror productions.

Series 17 - 1979/80. Producer: Graham Williams
        
By now, Who was descending into obtuse comedy, and producer Williams' main task appeared to be finding actors Tom Baker could bounce his own particular brand of humour off. Suzanne Danielle (Agella, Destiny of the Daleks) had just rocketed to stardom after appearing with Joan Collins in The Stud and with Kenneth Williams in Carry On Emmannuelle. Tony Osoba (Lan, Destiny of the Daleks) was remembered for regular appearances in Porridge as "Black Jock" McLaren. Julian Glover (Scarlioni, City of Death) had proved it was possible to become well known without being tied to any one particular show, his particular blend of charm and ruthlessness having featured in numerous films and TV serials since his earlier Who appearance. Catherine Schell (Countess Scarlioni, City of Death) had featured in numerous films in her native Germany under her real name of Caterina von Schell. She was drafted in to spice up the second series of Gerry Anderson's Space: 1999 by the show's American backers, at which point production values took a nosedive. John Cleese (Gallery visitor, City of Death) was extremely famous, mostly for Monty Python's Flying Circus, less so for Fawlty Towers, the second series of which he was surrepticiously promoting by appearing in Who. Eleanor Bron (Gallery visitor, City of Death) was a veteren of Sixties satire, like her co-star Cleese, in particular That Was The Week That Was. Geoffrey Bayldon (Organon, The Creature from the Pit) had been a huge favourite in the early-Seventies as the medieval time-travelling wizard Catweazle. David Daker (Rigg, Nightmare of Eden) had spent a year as a regular in Z-Cars, but that had been over a decade before. Graham Crowden (Soldeed, The Horns of Nimon) had featured in ITV's early-Sixties drama serial Harper's West One and had been demonstrating his talent for playing extremely serious roles as well as rather silly ones ever since.

Series 18 - 1980/81. Producer: John Nathan Turner
    
New producer Turner promised to come in like a new broom and duly swept away everything his immediate predecessor had achieved, with the exception of casting well known faces which he decided the show needed if it was to overcome the threat of ITV's Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. Adrienne Corri (Mena, The Leisure Hive) had an impressive list of films credits to her name, including Doctor Zhivago and A Clockwork Orange. Bill Fraser (General Grugger, Meglos) had been playing loud "Sergeant-Major" types since appearing as Sgt.Snudge in The Army Game and it's spin-off Bootsie and Snudge in the early-Sixties. George Baker (Login, Full Circle) had a string of TV roles to his name, the most recent being as Tiberius in the BBC epic I, Claudius. Clifford Rose (Rorvik, Warrior's Gate) became the most hated man on British TV in the late-Seventies for his role as ruthless Gestapo leader Ludwig Kessler in the BBC French resistance series Secret Army. Kenneth Cope (Packard, Warrior's Gate) had been a favourite in Coronation Street in the mid-Sixties as Jed Stone, then became even better known as the dead crime fighter Marty Hopkirk in Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased).

Series 19 - 1982. Producer: John Nathan Turner
     
    
Turner's policy of casting "stars" continued unabated with an absolute plethora of familiar faces littering the cast lists. Stratford Johns (Monarch, Four to Doomsday) had played DCI (later DCSupt.) Charlie Barlow in a succession of police drama serials from Z Cars in 1962 to Second Verdict in 1976, via Softly Softly and Barlow at Large. Burt Kwuok (Lin Futu, Four to Doomsday) was best remembered as Clouseau's manservant Kato in the Pink Panther films. On TV, he was best known for playing the sadistic Major Yamauchi in the BBC wartime drama Tenko. Richard Todd (Sanders, Kinda) was a major film star of the highest calibre with a string of famous films on his CV, including The Dambusters. Nerys Hughes (Todd, Kinda) had played posh Sandra Hutchinson in The Liver Birds throughout the 1970s. Michael Robbins (Richard Mace, The Visitation) was best remembered for playing Reg Varney's idle brother-in-law Arthur in the popular ITV sitcom On the Buses. Both Barbara Murray (Lady Cranleigh, Black Orchid) and Moray Watson (Sir Robert Muir, Black Orchid) had starred in the 1974 BBC2 period drama The Pallisers. Michael Cochrane (Lord Cranleigh, Black Orchid) had featured prominently as Lt.Charles Gaylion in the BBC's late-Seventies World War One drama Wings. Beryl Reid (Briggs, Earthshock) was a very well known comedienne with several serious acting roles under her belt including the lead in The Killing of Sister George and as Connie Sachs alongside Alec Guinness in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. Nigel Stock (Professor Hayter, Time-Flight) had appeared as Dr.Watson in the 1965 BBC adaptation of Sherlock Holmes and later in the short-lived BBC medical soap The Doctors at the turn of the Seventies, before starring in its spin-off Owen M.D.. He was also the only actor other than Patrick McGoohan to play the part of Number Six in The Prisoner. Richard Easton (Capt.Stapley, Time-Flight) had played middle-brother Brian Hammond in the BBC's early Seventies soap-drama The Brothers.

Series 20 & 20th Anniversary Special - 1983. Producer: John Nathan Turner
     
     
Another gorgefest of famous faces provided by producer Turner. Leonard Sachs (President Borusa, Arc of Infinity) was just about to smash down his gavel for the last time as The Good Old Days came to the end of its thirty year run. Michael Gough (Hedin, Arc of Infinity) had furthered his impressive acting career with appearances in a wide variety of films and TV series. Colin Baker (Commander Maxil, Arc of Infinity) had played the obnoxious Paul Merroney in The Brothers and would soon become Doctor number 6. Valentine Dyall (the Black Guardian, Mawdryn Undead, Terminus, Enlightenment) was beginning to wind down his career as "The Man in Black". Liza Goddard (Kari, Terminus) had featured in a variety of shows, from Skippy the Bush Kangaroo in 1967 to Pig in the Middle in 1980, via Take Three Girls in 1969 and The Brothers in 1974. Andrew Burt (Valgard, Terminus) had been the original Jack Sugden in ITV's rural soap Emmerdale Farm back in 1972 and appeared with former Who companion Maureen O'Brien in ITV's The Legend of King Arthur in 1979. Keith Barron (Striker, Enlightenment) had proved himself equally adept in straight drama and situation comedy, such as police drama It's Dark Outside and sitcom My Good Woman. Lynda Baron (Wrack, Enlightenment) was well known for playing Nurse Gladys Emmanuel in the Ronnie Barker sitcom Open All Hours. Frank Windsor (Ranulf, The King's Demons) had shadowed Stratford Johns from Z-Cars to Second Verdict as DS (later DCI) John Watt. Isla Blair (Isabella, The King's Demons) had featured in several TV productions, including the 1976 ITV domestic drama series The Crezz. Philip Latham (President Borusa, The Five Doctors) had starred as Willy Izzard in the Sixties blockbuster Mogul (later retitled The Troubleshooters), and as Plantagenet Palliser in the mid-Seventies period drama The Pallisers. Dinah Sheridan (Chancellor Flavia, The Five Doctors) had starred in the popular Fifties film Genevieve amongst many others, and had just started playing doctor's wife and mother Angela Latimer in the BBC sitcom Don't Wait Up.

Series 21 - 1984. Producer: John Nathan Turner
        
        
The reason there were now so few scenes set in outer space? Most of the stars had been nailed to dressing room doors! Even though Who was in danger of sacrificing its credibility so viewers could play "Spot the Celebrity", Turner continued to swamp every story with hordes of well known faces. Ian McCulloch (Nilson, Warriors of the Deep) had been the heroic Greg Preston in the first two series of Terry Nation's Survivors. Tom Adams (Vorshak, Warriors of the Deep) had played Dr.Guy Wallman in General Hospital and succeeded Michael Billington as Daniel Fogarty in The Onedin Line. Ingrid Pitt (Solow, Warriors of the Deep) was still remembered for her many scantily-clad appearances in Seventies' Hammer films. Polly James (Jane Hampden, The Awakening) had been scatty Beryl Hennessey in the popular Seventies sitcom The Liver Birds. Denis Lill (Sir George Hutchinson, The Awakening) had made several appearances in many shows since Survivors finished in 1977. Glyn Houston (Colonel Ben Wolsey, The Awakening) too had been kept busy with numerous TV roles. Peter Gilmore (Brazen, Frontios) was instantly recognisable as James Onedin from The Onedin Line. Lesley Dunlop (Norna, Frontios) had risen to prominence via BBC medical soap Angels. Jeff Rawle (Plantagenet, Frontios) had starred in the 1973 ITV adaptation of Keith Waterhouse's Billy Liar. Maurice Colbourne (Lytton, Resurrection of the Daleks) had starred as former SAS man John Kline in Philip Martin's violent Gangsters in the mid-Seventies. Rodney Bewes (Stein, Resurrection of the Daleks) became famous playing Bob Ferris in the Sixties sitcom The Likely Lads and its Seventies sequel Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?, inbetween which he starred in Dear Mother - Love Albert on ITV. Rula Lenska (Styles, Resurrection of the Daleks) had been one of the three singing hopefuls in 1977's Rock Follies. Chloe Ashcroft (Professor Laird, Resurrection of the Daleks) was remembered by many younger viewers for her many appearances on Play School. Peter Wyngarde (Timanov, Planet of Fire) had been the dashing star of late-Sixties crime series Department S and its sequel Jason King. Barbara Shelley (Sorasta, Planet of Fire) had been Hammer's leading lady throughout the 1960s, starring in many of their best known productions, as well as the disturbing Village of the Damned. Maurice Roëves (Stotz, The Caves of Androzani) had played Sgt.James in the 1979 wartime drama series Danger UXB (the one with Debbie Watling stripping off in virtually every episode). Robert Glenister (Salateen, The Caves of Androzani) had co-starred with current Doctor Peter Davison in the early-Eighties sitcom Sink or Swim. Maurice Denham (Azmael, The Twin Dilemma) was a veteren of the silver screen with major roles in The Heroes of Telemark, The Day of the Jackal, and Doctor at Sea. He'd also put in an appearance in Porridge as disgraced former judge Stephen Rawlings.

Series 22 - 1985. Producer: John Nathan Turner
      
      
Like a coach full of gold bullion, Turner's vision of Doctor Who hurtled towards the cliff edge of eventual cancellation. Maurice Colbourne (Lytton, Attack of the Cybermen) was back, filling in time before embarking on the final stretch of his acting career in Howard's Way. Brian Glover (Griffiths, Attack of the Cybermen) had turned from professional wrestling to acting and presenting in the mid-Seventies. He took over presenting duties on the ITV science show Don't Ask Me just after a couple of appearances in Porridge. He was most famous, though, for providing the voices of the Tetley tea folk in Tetley's TV commercials. Faith Brown (Flast, Attack of the Cybermen) had been a popular impressionist for years, including several appearances on ITV's Who Do You Do? in the 1970s. Sarah Greene (Varne, Attack of the Cybermen) had presented the evergreen BBC children's magazine show Blue Peter for a number of years, as well as moonlighting in Saturday Superstore. Martin Jarvis (the Governor, Vengeance on Varos) had added situation comedy to his repertoire since his last Who appearance, co-starring with Diane Keen in the late-Seventies sitcom Rings On Their Fingers. Stephen Yardley (Arak, Vengeance on Varos) had been a regular in Z Cars, but it wasn't until he played genetic-freak catburglar Spider Scott in The XYY Man in 1976 that he really became well known. Kate O'Mara (the Rani, The Mark of the Rani) had been appearing in glossy soaps since the early Seventies, including spells in The Brothers, the not so glossy Triangle and Dynasty. Terence Alexander (Lord Ravensworth, The Mark of the Rani) was best known for his portrayal of Jim Bergerac's ex-father-in-law Charlie Hungerford in the long-running Jersey-based crime serial, Bergerac. Jacqueline Pearce (Chessene, The Two Doctors) had become famous for her portrayal of the amoral Servalan in Blake's 7, alongside Paul Darrow (Tekker, Timelash) who had played the cynical Avon. Eleanor Bron (Kara, Revelation of the Daleks) had yet to recapture the success she'd known in the Sixties. Alexei Sayle (DJ, Revelation of the Daleks) was part of the alternative comedy movement and had been a regular in the semi-legendary Young Ones in the early Eighties. Jenny Tomasin (Tasambeker, Revelation of the Daleks) had been a regular in Upstairs, Downstairs as the accident-prone maid Ruby. William Gaunt (Orcini, Revelation of the Daleks) had been one of the Champions in the late Sixties and had just settled into suburban tranquility (not) in the BBC sitcom No Place Like Home.

Series 23 (The Trial of a Time Lord) - 1986. Producer: John Nathan Turner
        
With fewer episodes, there was less opportunity to cram in as many celebs as before. Not that that detered JNT much. Lynda Bellingham (the Inquisitor) became known for her appearance in ITV's General Hospital in the 1970s, then succeeded Carol Drinkwater as Helen Herriot in All Creatures Great and Small (which Turner had worked on before becoming Who producer). However, she became nationally famous as Mum in the long-running Oxo adverts. Michael Jayston (the Valeyard) rose to prominence via a series of roles in period dramas. Tony Selby (Sabalom Glitz) was one of the stars of the mid-Seventies National Service sitcom Get Some In but had been working in TV since the Sixties. Joan Sims (Katryca) was best remembered for her varied roles in the Carry On series, in which she appeared in more than any other actor. She was a regular in the early-Sixties sitcom Our House and occasionally popped up in Eric Sykes' Seventies sitcom, Sykes. Brian Blessed (King Yrcanos) had first come to prominence in Z-Cars when that long-running series began in 1962, and had gone on to be cast in anything that required a huge bombastic personality ever since. Christopher Ryan (Kiv) had been a member of the Young Ones team in the early-Eighties. Honor Blackman (Professor Lasky) became famous for playing Cathy Gale in The Avengers. Michael Craig (the Commodore) had enjoyed success in numerous film and TV productions, none more embarrassing than Triangle in the early Eighties. Geoffrey Hughes (Popplewick) had been everybody's favourite binman when he played Eddie Yeats in Coronation Street.

Series 24 - 1987. Producer: John Nathan Turner
    
    
Another series, another array of celebs trying to gloss over the fact that the standard of writing was plummeting the depths. Kate O'Mara (the Rani, Time and the Rani) was back from the States having ended her association with Dynasty. Wanda Ventham (Faroon, Time and the Rani) was back for her third appearance in twenty years, now in demand for roles requiring glamourous mature women. Richard Briers (Chief Caretaker/Kroagnon, Paradise Towers) had been a mainstay of British TV situation comedy since Brothers in Law in 1962 and was currently starring in the BBC's Ever Decreasing Circles having become a national treasure for The Good Life in the mid-Seventies. Don Henderson (Gavrok, Delta and the Bannermen) had survived throat cancer to portray the scruffy detective George Bulman, first in The XYY Man, then its spin-off Strangers, then that show's sequel, Bulman. Richard Davies (Burton, Delta and the Bannermen) had played fiery Welsh teacher Mr.Price in Please Sir and had gone on to play virtually every other fiery Welshman in British TV comedy. Hugh Lloyd (Goronwy, Delta and the Bannermen) had graduated from Hancock's Half Hour to form a decade-long partnership with Terry Scott that produced Hugh and I in the early Sixties and The Gnomes of Dulwich in 1969, before teaming up with Peggy Mount for Lollipop Loves Mr.Mole in 1971. Ken Dodd (the Tollmaster, Delta and the Bannermen) had been a giant of British light entertainment since the early Sixties with a string of shows on both channels and a string of hit records in the charts. Tony Selby (Sabalom Glitz, Dragonfire) was back in Who before he'd had chance to add to his lengthy CV. Edward Peel (Kane, Dragonfire) had appeared in the feminist police drama series Juliet Bravo, and had been the original Tom Merrick in Emmerdale Farm. Tony Osoba (Kracauer, Dragonfire) had added short spells in Dempsey & Makepeace and Coronation Street to his CV since his previous Who appearance.

Series 25 - 1988/89. Producer: John Nathan Turner
      
       
By now it was becoming clear to everyone that the continued policy of casting celebs was merely papering over the cracks of increasingly poor stories. Simon Williams (Capt.Gilmore, Remembrance of the Daleks) had risen to prominence as James Bellamy in Upstairs, Downstairs and then moved into sitcoms as Laurence Lucas in ITV's Agony and replaced Richard Heffer as Dr.Charles Cartwright in the inexplicably popular Don't Wait Up. Pamela Salem (Rachel, Remembrance of the Daleks) had spent much of her career flitting from one series to another (including an appearance in Who back in 1977), but had recently spent several months in EastEnders as gangster's moll/legitimate businesswoman Joanne. George Sewell (Ratcliffe, Remembrance of the Daleks) had had a varied career, including tough cop DCI Craven in Special Branch, secret alien fighter Colonel Alec Freeman in UFO, and millionaire businessman Robert Palmer in the Jim Davidson sitcom Home James. Michael Sheard (Headmaster, Remembrance of the Daleks) had spent the bulk of his career playing bit-parts, including five appearances in Who between 1966 and 1982. By now, though, he had become feared by every child of school age as the bewigged Mr.Bronson in the long running school soap Grange Hill. Sheila Hancock (Helen A, The Happiness Patrol) had been in the original series of The Rag Trade, had gone on to star as The Bed-Sit Girl, and re-united with Peter Jones in Mr.Digby Darling. Georgina Hale (Daisy K, The Happiness Patrol) had risen to prominence in the film The World is Full of Married Men and had moved into TV specialising in women of easy virtue and gangster's moll roles. She had, however, managed to become well known to a generation of younger viewers for playing the title role in T-Bag. Lesley Dunlop (Susan Q, The Happiness Patrol) was still best remembered for appearing in Angels, but those memories were fading fast. Rachel Bell (Priscilla P, The Happiness Patrol) had recently been seen in the John Sullivan sitcom Dear John playing the "right-on" singles group co-ordinator Louise Williams. Ronald Fraser (Joseph C, The Happiness Patrol) was best remembered for starring as The Misfit in the early Seventies before kicking off the police sitcom Spooner's Patch as the first Inspector Spooner. Anton Diffring (De Flores, Silver Nemesis) had featured in numerous European films, making only occasional appearances in English-language ones, such as The Heroes of Telemark and The Colditz Story. T.P.McKenna (Captain Cook, The Greatest Show in the Galaxy) was instantly recognisable for a string of appearances in countless TV serials and films. Jessica Martin (Mags, The Greatest Show in the Galaxy) was a popular impressionist who had appeared in the comedy sketch shows Copycats and Bobby Davro on the Box in 1986 as well as providing voices for the semi-legendary satirical puppet show Spitting Image. Daniel Peacock (Nord, The Greatest Show in the Galaxy) had been a member of the Comic Strip Presents... entourage. Gian Sammarco (Whizzkid, The Greatest Show in the Galaxy) had starred in the title role in the TV adaptation of Sue Townsend's The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13&¾ and its sequel, The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole. Peggy Mount (Stallholder, The Greatest Show in the Galaxy) was made for sitcoms, appearing in her first, The Larkins, in 1958, and going on to enjoy popular success with George and the Dragon alongside Sid James, and Lollipop Loves Mr.Mole with Hugh Lloyd.

Series 26 - 1989. Producer: John Nathan Turner
      
       
If ever proof was needed that Turner's policy of casting well known actors had failed miserably, this final series provided it. Despite featuring the long-awaited return of the Brigadier and a gallery of familiar faces, viewing figures for the opening episode were the lowest the show had ever experienced. Jean Marsh (Morgaine, Battlefield) had twice appeared in Who in the Sixties before co-devising and starring in the ITV period drama Upstairs, Downstairs in the Seventies. Angela Bruce (Brigadier Bambera, Battlefield) was a graduate of BBC medical soap Angels. Angela Douglas (Doris, Battlefield) had been the resident glamour girl in the Carry On films before the more brazen Barbara Windsor became a full-time member of the team. James Ellis (Peter Warmsley, Battlefield) had been ever-present throughout all sixteen years of Z-Cars, rising from cocky streetwise PC to reliable-rock desk sergeant. Ian Hogg (Josiah Samuel Smith, Ghost Light) had recently starred in the BBC's police series Rockliffe's Babies and its sequel Rockliffe's Folly. Michael Cochrane (Redvers Fenn Cooper, Ghost Light) had become somewhat typecast, playing a series of stiff-upper-lipped English officer types in period dramas. Sharon Duce (Control, Ghost Light) had co-starred with Ray Brooks in Big Deal and Growing Pains. Sylvia Syms (Mrs.Pritchard, Ghost Light) had been the glamourous star of several Fifties films such as Ice Cold in Alex. John Hallam (Light, Ghost Light) had starred in the ITV period drama series The Mallens. Frank Windsor (Inspector Mackenzie, Ghost Light) was still best remembered for playing detective John Watt in Z-Cars and its many spin-offs. Alfred Lynch (Commander Millington, The Curse of Fenric) spent most of his career in films but crossed over to TV to portray King James I in the 1975 BBC historical epic Churchill's People. Nicholas Parsons (Reverend Wainwright, The Curse of Fenric) had been a well known TV personality for many years and was best known for presenting the hugely popular quiz show Sale of the Century (from Norwich!). Anne Reid (Nurse Crane, The Curse of Fenric) had played Ken Barlow's first wife, Valerie, in Coronation Street in the mid-Sixties. Julian Holloway (Sgt.Paterson, Survival) had featured in a number of Carry On films in the Sixties and early Seventies. Finally, comedians Gareth Hale and Norman Pace (Harvey and Len, Survival) had their own show on ITV which featured more than the occasional spot of controversy.