HOME

TheInfoList

Click Here for Items Related To - Colin Baker

OR:

Colin Baker on: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Amazon]

Colin Baker (born 8 June 1943) is an English actor who played Paul Merroney in the

BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...

...

drama series '' The Brothers'' from 1974 to 1976 and the sixth incarnation of the Doctor in the long-running

science fiction television Science fiction first appeared in television programming in the late 1930s, during what is called the Golden Age of Science Fiction. Special effects and other production techniques allow creators to present a living visual image of an imaginary ...

series '' Doctor Who'' from 1984 to 1986. Baker's tenure as the Doctor proved to be a controversial era for the series, which included a hiatus in production and his subsequent replacement on the orders of BBC executive

Michael Grade Michael Ian Grade, Baron Grade of Yarmouth, (born 8 March 1943) is an English television executive and businessman. He has held a number of senior roles in television, including controller of BBC1 (1984–1986), chief executive of Channel 4 (1 ...

Early life

Colin Baker was born in Waterloo, London, England. He moved north to

Rochdale Rochdale ( ) is a large town in Greater Manchester, England, at the foothills of the South Pennines in the dale on the River Roch, northwest of Oldham and northeast of Manchester. It is the administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough ...

with his family when he was three years old. He was educated at St Bede's College, Manchester, where he passed A' Levels in French, Latin and Greek. Particularly strong in Latin and Greek, Baker achieved 2 A grades. He studied law at a London college and subsequently trained to become a solicitor. At the age of 23, Baker enrolled at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA).

Career

Early work in television

Baker's numerous television roles in the early 1970s included a supporting role in a 1970

...
''

adaptation In biology, adaptation has three related meanings. Firstly, it is the dynamic evolutionary process of natural selection that fits organisms to their environment, enhancing their evolutionary fitness. Secondly, it is a state reached by the po ...

'' of

Jean-Paul Sartre Jean-Paul Charles Aymard Sartre (, ; ; 21 June 1905 – 15 April 1980) was one of the key figures in the philosophy of existentialism (and phenomenology), a French playwright, novelist, screenwriter, political activist, biographer, and lit ...

's trilogy ''

The Roads to Freedom ''The Roads to Freedom'' (french: Les chemins de la liberté) is a series of novels by French author Jean-Paul Sartre. Intended as a tetralogy, it was left incomplete, with only three of the planned four volumes published. The three published nov ...

'', a leading role as Count Steinbock in their adaptation of

Cousin Bette ''La Cousine Bette'' (, ''Cousin Bette (given name), Bette'') is an 1846 novel by French author Honoré de Balzac. Set in mid-19th-century Paris, it tells the story of an unmarried middle-aged woman who plots the destruction of her extended fami ...

the following year, playing opposite

Margaret Tyzack Margaret Maud Tyzack (9 September 193125 June 2011) was an English actress. Her television roles included '' The Forsyte Saga'' (1967) and '' I, Claudius'' (1976). She won the 1970 BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress for the BBC serial ''The First ...

and Helen Mirren. In 1972 he played Anatole Kuragin, opposite

Anthony Hopkins Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins (born 31 December 1937) is a Welsh actor, director, and producer. One of Britain's most recognisable and prolific actors, he is known for his performances on the screen and stage. Hopkins has received many accolad ...

in the BBC adaptation of ''

War and Peace ''War and Peace'' (russian: Война и мир, translit=Voyna i mir; pre-reform Russian: ; ) is a literary work by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy that mixes fictional narrative with chapters on history and philosophy. It was first published ...

''. His regular television work continued and in ''

Fall of Eagles ''Fall of Eagles'' is a 13-part British television drama aired by the BBC in 1974. The series was created by John Elliot and produced by Stuart Burge. The series portrays historical events from 1848 to 1918, dealing with the ruling dynasties of ...

'', Baker appeared as

Crown Prince Wilhelm Wilhelm, German Crown Prince, Crown Prince of Prussia (Friedrich Wilhelm Victor August Ernst; 6 May 1882 – 20 July 1951) was the eldest child of the last ''Kaiser'', the German Emperor, Wilhelm II, and his consort Augusta Victoria of Schles ...

of the

German Empire The German Empire (),Herbert Tuttle wrote in September 1881 that the term "Reich" does not literally connote an empire as has been commonly assumed by English-speaking people. The term literally denotes an empire – particularly a hereditary ...

. By far his most prominent role to date came in 1974, playing the ruthless banker Paul Merroney in the BBC Sunday evening series '' The Brothers''. Baker joined the series half-way through its run, as Merroney became one of the leading characters over three and a half series from 1974–76. After ''The Brothers'', he worked regularly in theatre and his television work became less frequent, although he guest-starred as Bayban the Butcher in a 1980 episode of ''

Blake's 7 ''Blake's 7'' (sometimes styled ''Blakes7'') is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. Four 13-episode series were broadcast on BBC1 between 1978 and 1981. It was created by Terry Nation, who also wrote the first ...

'', "City at the Edge of the World". He had further guest roles on television and in 1983 featured in a BBC production of

A.J. Cronin Archibald Joseph Cronin (19 July 1896 – 6 January 1981), known as A. J. Cronin, was a Scottish physician and novelist. His best-known novel is ''The Citadel'' (1937), about a Scottish doctor who serves in a Welsh mining village before achievi ...

's ''

The Citadel The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, commonly known simply as The Citadel, is a public senior military college in Charleston, South Carolina. Established in 1842, it is one of six senior military colleges in the United States. ...

''.

''Doctor Who'' (1984–1986)

Baker made his first appearance in ''Doctor Who'' as Commander Maxil in the Peter Davison-era story ''

Arc of Infinity ''Arc of Infinity'' is the first serial of the 20th season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in four twice-weekly parts on BBC1 from 3 to 12 January 1983. The serial is set in Amsterdam a ...

'' (1983). He then became the second of three actors to be cast as the Doctor by producer

John Nathan-Turner John Nathan-Turner (''né'' Turner; 12 August 1947 – 1 May 2002) was an English television producer. He was the ninth producer of the long-running BBC science fiction series ''Doctor Who''. He was also the final producer of the series' firs ...

. Baker's first appearance in the starring role occurred in the final moments of ''

The Caves of Androzani ''The Caves of Androzani'' is the sixth serial of the 21st season of the British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in four twice-weekly parts on BBC1 from 8 to 16 March 1984. In the serial, the Doctor ...

'' (1984), where he delivered his first few lines. He then made his full story debut the following week in ''

The Twin Dilemma ''The Twin Dilemma'' is the seventh and final serial of the 21st season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in four twice-weekly parts from 22 March to 30 March 1984. In the serial, the al ...

''. The serial, and Baker's portrayal of the Doctor, caused immediate controversy, with one scene in which the Doctor attempts to strangle his companion,

Peri Brown Perpugilliam “Peri” Brown, is a fictional character played by Nicola Bryant in the long-running British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who''. An American botany major from Pasadena, California, Peri is a companion of the Fifth ...

. According to ''

PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...

'', "Colin Baker's first appearance was just out-and-out dislikable, showcasing a hubris and harshness that was heretofore unseen in the Doctor's emotional canon." Baker's era was interrupted by an 18-month

hiatus Hiatus may refer to: *Hiatus (anatomy), a natural fissure in a structure * Hiatus (stratigraphy), a discontinuity in the age of strata in stratigraphy *''Hiatus'', a genus of picture-winged flies with sole member species '' Hiatus fulvipes'' * Gl ...

which was announced in February 1985, midway through transmission of

Season 22 A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and po ...

, his first full season. The Controller of

BBC1 BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, ...

at the time,

, criticised ''Doctor Who'', saying that the programme had become overly violent in 1985. Grade later admitted that he "hated" the series, which he described as a "very clunky studio show". One new ''Doctor Who'' story, ''

Slipback ''Slipback'' is a radio audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', produced by the BBC and first broadcast in six episodes on BBC Radio 4 from 25 July to 8 August 1985, as part of a children's ...

'', was produced for radio during the hiatus, which starred Baker and his regular television companion

Nicola Bryant Nicola Jane Bryant (born 11 October 1960)England & Wales Birth ...

''Doctor Who'' returned to television for its 23rd season in September 1986. The season featured a reduction in episodes, was made entirely on video for location scenes and was produced as a 14-episode-long serial called ''The Trial of a Time Lord''. This serial was a meta-textual reference to the fact that the series itself was "on trial" at this time. In 1986 Baker told an interviewer: "

Tom Baker Thomas Stewart Baker (born 20 January 1934) is an English actor and writer. He is well known for his portrayal of the fourth incarnation of the Doctor in the science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' from 1974 to 1981.Scott, Danny. (1 ...

did it for seven years. ... There's a part of me which likes to have a tilt at records. I would like to think that maybe I'd still be doing it in eight years' time." However, later that year Grade agreed to commission another series on the condition that Baker was replaced. The BBC's Head of Series, Jonathan Powell, later said that the BBC was looking for "one last chance saloon, for an actor who would take off with the public." However, Davison argued in 2018 that the decision was more to do with the executives wanting to get rid of Nathan-Turner, saying: "I was upset about what happened, really – because, first of all, it wasn't to do with Colin, I know that. It was to do with other issues. The power structure in the BBC had changed and they didn't want John Nathan-Turner around is the truth of it." Baker was removed from the part after starring in only eleven stories and just short of three years in the series, including the hiatus, making his tenure as the Doctor the shortest at that point. After his sacking, Baker was offered a single four-part story that would end in his character's death and subsequent regeneration, but he refused the offer. Baker offered to do the entirety of the following season and regenerate at its conclusion, but the BBC never responded to his letter. Instead, his replacement,

Sylvester McCoy Percy James Patrick Kent-Smith (born 20 August 1943), known professionally as Sylvester McCoy, is a Scottish actor. Gaining prominence as a physical comedian, he became best known for playing the seventh incarnation of the Doctor in the lon ...

, played the injured Sixth Doctor in a blonde wig as he regenerates in the opening minutes of ''

Time and the Rani ''Time and the Rani'' is the first serial of the 24th season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 7 to 28 September 1987. It was the first to feature Sylvester McCoy ...

'', his face hidden by video effects as the regeneration process occurs. In an interview in 2019, Baker expressed regret for not returning for the scene, stating that he was "brutally selfish at the time" and that he was not thinking about the fans. On 4 September 2011 at

Riverside Studios Riverside Studios is an arts centre on the banks of the River Thames in Hammersmith, London, England. The venue plays host to contemporary performance, film, visual art exhibitions and television production. Having closed for redevelopment i ...

, Hammersmith, London, Baker accepted the presidency of the ''Doctor Who'' Appreciation Society, which had previously been held by Jon Pertwee and

Nicholas Courtney William Nicholas Stone Courtney (16 December 1929 – 22 February 2011) was an Egyptian-born British actor. He was known for his long-running role as Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart in the BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. Ea ...

. He was elected following an online poll of the society's members where he won more votes than all the other candidates combined.

''Doctor Who'' appearances in other media

From 5 June to 19 August 1989 Baker agreed to appear as the Doctor once more, in the stage play ''

Doctor Who – The Ultimate Adventure ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...

'', taking over from original lead Jon Pertwee who had fallen ill. In 1992, Baker became the first Doctor to write a published ''Doctor Who'' story, ''The Deal'', as part of '' Doctor Who Magazine''s ''Brief Encounters'' series. He wrote a second ''Brief Encounter'' the following year. Both featured the Sixth Doctor and Mel. In 1994 Baker wrote a comic strip, ''The Age of Chaos'' featuring the Sixth Doctor and Frobisher, and in 2001 contributed a story entitled "The Wings of A Butterfly" to a charity short story anthology based on Doctor Who, "Missing Pieces". He also presented special ''Doctor Who'' videotape releases ''Cybermen – The Early Years'' in 1992 and ''The Colin Baker Years'' in 1994, with the latter a look back at his tenure on the series highlighted by clips and his memories. Baker reprised the role on television only twice after his official run ended, in the 1993 '' Children in Need'' charity special ''

Dimensions in Time ''Dimensions in Time'' is a charity special crossover between the British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who'' and the soap opera '' EastEnders'' that ran in two parts on 26 and 27 November 1993. It was filmed on location at Greenwic ...

'' alongside Jon Pertwee,

, Peter Davison and Sylvester McCoy, and in the 2022 special "

The Power of the Doctor "The Power of the Doctor" is the third and final of the 2022 specials of the British science fiction television programme '' Doctor Who'', and was broadcast on BBC One on 23 October 2022. The episode was ordered for the occasion of the 100th ann ...

" alongside David Bradley, Davison,

Paul McGann Paul John McGann (; born 14 November 1959) is an English actor. He came to prominence for portraying Percy Toplis in the television serial '' The Monocled Mutineer'' (1986), then starred in the dark comedy '' Withnail and I'' (1987), which wa ...

, McCoy and Jodie Whittaker.In 1997, Baker provided audio dialogue for the BBC video game '' Doctor Who: Destiny of the Doctors''. 1999 saw Baker voice his first ''Doctor Who'' audio adventure for Big Finish Productions, ''

The Sirens of Time ''The Sirens of Time'' is a 1999 audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who''. It was the first Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the series and became the first in the company's '' ...

''. As of October 2022 Baker has feautured as the Sixth Doctor in 166 releases, with more planned for the future. These audio plays are generally well received by fans and in a poll conducted by ''Doctor Who Magazine'', Baker was voted the "greatest" of the Doctors in this format. He also reprised the role of Commander Maxil in the audio drama ''Appropriation'' in 2006, as well as an alternate

War Doctor The War Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC science fiction television programme '' Doctor Who''. He was portrayed by the English actor John Hurt. Although he precedes Christopher Eccleston's Ninth Doctor in the ...

in the Unbound Series since 2022. In recent years, Baker has appeared on a number of DVD releases of his episodes, featuring in either "making-of" documentaries or commentaries. The documentary ''Trials and Tribulations'', included in the 2008 DVD release of ''

The Trial of a Time Lord The twenty-third season of British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', known collectively as ''The Trial of a Time Lord'', aired in weekly episodes from 6 September to 6 December 1986. It contained four adventures: ''The Mysterious ...

'' examines his turbulent three years on the show. In November 2013, Baker co-starred in the one-off 50th anniversary comedy homage ''

The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot ''The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot'' is a 2013 comedy spoof and homage to the British science fiction television programme ''Doctor Who''. It appeared on the BBC Red Button service after the broadcast of "The Day of the Doctor", the official 50th ann ...

''.

After ''Doctor Who''

Since leaving ''Doctor Who'' Baker has spent much of his time on the stage with appearances throughout the country in plays as diverse as Peter Nichols'

Privates on Parade ''Privates on Parade: A Play with Songs in Two Acts'' is a 1977 farce by English playwright Peter Nichols (book and lyrics), with music by Denis King. Plot The play is set around the activities and exploits of the fictional Song and Dance Uni ...

, Ira Levin's '' ''Deathtrap'''',

Ray Cooney Raymond George Alfred Cooney, OBE (born 30 May 1932) is an English playwright, actor, and director. His biggest success, '' Run for Your Wife'' (1983), ran for nine years in London's West End and is its longest-running comedy. He has had 17 ...

's '' Run for Your Wife'' and

Ariel Dorfman Vladimiro Ariel Dorfman (born May 6, 1942) is an Argentine-Chilean-American novelist, playwright, essayist, academic, and human rights activist. A citizen of the United States since 2004, he has been a professor of literature and Latin American ...

's '' Death and the Maiden''. For many years he has been a

pantomime Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment. It was developed in England and is performed throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and (to a lesser extent) in other English-speaking ...

stalwart. In 2000 he appeared in ''

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" is a 19th-century German fairy tale that is today known widely across the Western world. The Brothers Grimm published it in 1812 in the first edition of their collection ''Grimms' Fairy Tales'' and numbered as T ...

'' alongside actress

Louise Jameson Louise Jameson (born 20 April 1951) is an English actress with a wide variety of television and theatre credits. Her roles on television have included playing Leela in ''Doctor Who'' (1977–1978), Anne Reynolds in ''The Omega Factor'' (1979), ...

who had previously played the

Fourth Doctor The Fourth Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. He is portrayed by Tom Baker. Within the series' narrative, the Doctor is a centuries-old alien Time Lord from the ...

's companion Leela. In 2003 he starred in the

Carl Rosa Opera Company The Carl Rosa Opera Company was founded in 1873 by Carl Rosa, a German-born musical impresario, and his wife, British operatic soprano Euphrosyne Parepa-Rosa to present opera in English in London and the British provinces. The company premiered ...

's production of operetta ''

H.M.S. Pinafore ''H.M.S. Pinafore; or, The Lass That Loved a Sailor'' is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and a libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It opened at the Opera Comique in London, on 25 May 1878 and ran for 571 performances, whic ...

'', directed by

Timothy West Timothy Lancaster West, CBE (born 20 October 1934) is an English actor and presenter. He has appeared frequently on both stage and television, including stints in both ''Coronation Street'' (as Eric Babbage) and ''EastEnders'' (as Stan Carte ...

. In 2008, he toured with ex-wife

Liza Goddard Louise Elizabeth Goddard (born 20 January 1950) professionally known as Liza Goddard, is an English television and stage actress, best known for her work in the 1970s and 1980s. Early life Goddard was born in Smethwick, Staffordshire.Before 1 ...

in ''

She Stoops To Conquer ''She Stoops to Conquer'' is a comedy by Oliver Goldsmith, first performed in London in 1773. The play is a favourite for study by English literature and theatre classes in the English-speaking world. It is one of the few plays from the 18t ...

''. Other theatre appearances have seen Baker tackle the role of

Inspector Morse Detective Chief Inspector Endeavour Morse, GM, is the eponymous fictional character in the series of detective novels by British author Colin Dexter. On television, he appears in the 33-episode drama series '' Inspector Morse'' (1987–2000), ...

in ''House of Ghosts'' and a UK tour of '' The Woman in White''. In 1991, Baker played a Doctor-like character in the BBV video series '' The Stranger''. This character appeared in six video adventures as well four audio stories. Another standalone BBV drama entitled ''

The Airzone Solution ''The Airzone Solution (stylized as The AirZone Solution?),'' is a 1993 British sci-fi- thriller film, produced by BBV. It was written by Nicholas Briggs and directed by Bill Baggs. It stars Colin Baker, Nicola Bryant, Peter Davison, Sylvester ...

'' appeared in 1993 and featured former ''Doctor Who'' actors Jon Pertwee, Peter Davison and Sylvester McCoy. Colin Baker January 2015

Television work during the 1990s included guest appearances in the BBC's medical drama ''

Casualty Casualty may refer to: *Casualty (person), a person who is killed or rendered unfit for service in a war or natural disaster **Civilian casualty, a non-combatant killed or injured in warfare * The emergency department of a hospital, also known as ...

'', ''

The Knock ''The Knock'' is a British television crime drama, created by Anita Bronson and broadcast on ITV, which portrayed the activities of customs officers from the London City & South Collection Investigation Unit of HM Customs and Excise. The seri ...

'', '' Dangerfield'', the first episode of ''

Jonathan Creek ''Jonathan Creek'' is a long-running British mystery crime drama series produced by the BBC and written by David Renwick. It stars Alan Davies as the titular character, who works as a creative consultant to a stage magician while also solvi ...

'',

Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a fourth television service ...

's adaptation of ''

A Dance to the Music of Time ''A Dance to the Music of Time'' is a 12-volume ''roman-fleuve'' by English writer Anthony Powell, published between 1951 and 1975 to critical acclaim. The story is an often comic examination of movements and manners, power and passivity in Eng ...

'' and as himself as the resident celebrity in 'Dictionary Corner' on the daytime quiz show ''

Countdown A countdown is a sequence of backward counting to indicate the time remaining before an event is scheduled to occur. NASA commonly employs the terms "L-minus" and "T-minus" during the preparation for and anticipation of a rocket launch, and eve ...

'', also on Channel 4. In 2003, Baker appeared on ''

Top Gear Top Gear may refer to: * "Top gear", the highest gear available in a vehicle's manual transmission Television * ''Top Gear'' (1977 TV series), a British motoring magazine programme * ''Top Gear'' (2002 TV series), a relaunched version of the or ...

'', participating on a one-lap run on the Top Gear track in a Honda Civic hatchback. Baker competed against a

Klingon The Klingons ( ; Klingon: ''tlhIngan'' ) are a fictional species in the science fiction franchise ''Star Trek''. Developed by screenwriter Gene L. Coon in 1967 for the original ''Star Trek'' (''TOS'') series, Klingons were swarthy humanoids c ...

, a

Cyberman The Cybermen are a fictional race of cyborgs principally portrayed in the British science fiction television programme ''Doctor Who''. The Cybermen are a species of space-faring cyborgs who often forcefully and painfully convert human beings ( ...

, a

Dalek The Daleks ( ) are a fictional extraterrestrials in fiction, extraterrestrial race of mutants principally portrayed in the British science fiction on television, science fiction television programme ''Doctor Who''. They were conceived by write ...

Darth Vader Darth Vader is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. The character is the central antagonist of the original trilogy and, as Anakin Skywalker, is one of the main protagonists in the prequel trilogy. ''Star Wars'' creator George ...

and

Ming the Merciless Ming the Merciless is a fictional character who first appeared in the ''Flash Gordon'' comic strip in 1934. He has since been the main villain of the strip and its related movie serials, television series and film adaptation. Ming is depicted as ...

. Baker came in 4th position, with the Cyberman coming 1st. A 2005 guest appearance in comedy sketch show '' Little Britain'' was never transmitted but can be seen in the deleted scenes special feature on the ''Little Britain'' series 3 DVD. Other television appearances have seen Baker appear in ''

Kingdom Kingdom commonly refers to: * A monarchy ruled by a king or queen * Kingdom (biology), a category in biological taxonomy Kingdom may also refer to: Arts and media Television * ''Kingdom'' (British TV series), a 2007 British television drama s ...

'', '' Hustle'' and ''

Doctors Doctor or The Doctor may refer to: Personal titles * Doctor (title), the holder of an accredited academic degree * A medical practitioner, including: ** Physician ** Surgeon ** Dentist ** Veterinary physician ** Optometrist *Other roles ** ...

''. Away from his ''Doctor Who'' work for Big Finish Productions (see above), Baker appeared in the audio dramas '' Sapphire and Steel: The Mystery of the Missing Hour'' and the 3 part ''

Earthsearch Mindwarp {{Infobox audio drama , title=Earthsearch Mindwarp , publisher= Big Finish Productions , series=''Earthsearch'' , number=1 , featuring= , cover=Earthsearch Mindwarp.jpg , writer=James Follett adapted by Jacqueline Rayner , director=Jason Haigh-Ell ...

''. The latter, based on a

James Follett James Follett (27 July 1939 – 10 January 2021) was an English author and screenwriter. Follett became a full-time fiction writer in 1976, after resigning from contract work as a technical writer for the Ministry of Defence. He wrote over 20 n ...

novel, was broadcast on the digital radio station

BBC 7 BBC Radio 4 Extra (formerly BBC Radio 7) is a British digital radio station from the BBC, broadcasting archived repeats of comedy, drama and documentary programmes nationally, 24 hours a day. It is the sister station of BBC Radio 4 and the p ...

in 2006. In 2010, Baker narrated and provided additional voices for Candy Jar Books' comedy sci-fi audiobook ''Kangazang! Remote Possibilities'', written by Terry Cooper. Baker's film work over the years includes '' The Harpist'' (1999), ''

The Asylum The Asylum is an American independent film company and distributor that focuses on producing low-budget, direct-to-video films. It is notorious for producing titles that capitalize on productions by major studios, often using film titles and sc ...

'' (2000) and ''D'Artagnan et les trois mousquetaires'' (2005). In 2010 he filmed scenes for an independent feature film, ''Shadows of a Stranger''. Since 1995 Baker has written a regular weekly column for local newspaper ''

Bucks Free Press The ''Bucks Free Press'' is a weekly local newspaper, published every Friday and covering the area surrounding High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England. It was first published on 19 December 1856. It covers news for south Buckinghamshire - focus ...

''. A compilation of his articles from 1995 to 2009 were published in the book, ''Look Who's Talking''. Baker participated in the 12th series of '' I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!'', finishing in 8th place out of 12 celebrities.

Personal life

Baker's first wife was actress

who had appeared with him in the TV series ''The Brothers''. Their marriage lasted 18 months and ended in divorce. With his second wife, Marion Wyatt, an actress, whom he married in 1982, Baker has four daughters: Lalla, Bindy, Rosie and Lucy. They also had a son, Jack, who died of

sudden infant death syndrome Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden unexplained death of a child of less than one year of age. Diagnosis requires that the death remain unexplained even after a thorough autopsy and detailed death scene investigation. SIDS usuall ...

. His wife and daughters appeared in ''The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot'' as themselves. Baker is a friend of American writer Stephen R. Donaldson, who dedicated his 1991 novel '' Forbidden Knowledge'' to him. Baker is a critic of fox hunting and was among more than 20 high-profile people who signed a letter to members of parliament in 2015 to oppose

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...

prime minister David Cameron's plan to amend the

Hunting Act 2004 The Hunting Act 2004 (c 37) is an Act of Parliament, Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which bans the hunting of most wild mammals (notably Red fox, foxes, deer, European hare, hares and American mink, mink) with dogs in England and W ...

Books

*''Look Who's Talking'' (Hirst Books), First Published December 2009. First reprint February 2010 *''Second Thoughts'' (Hirst Books), First Published September 2010 *''Gallimaufry: A Collection of Short Stories''. First Published 30 September 2011. . *''Sixth Sense – from the columns of the Bucks Free Press''. FBS Publishing Ltd. 6 April 2017.

Filmography

Film

Television

Stage

Audio drama

Video games

References

External links

* * *
Archive of columns by Baker at the ''Bucks Free Press''

Another archive of columns by Baker

Article in the Guardian 30 October 2007
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baker, Colin 1943 births 20th-century English male actors 21st-century English male actors Actors from Rochdale Alumni of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art English male radio actors English male soap opera actors English male stage actors I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! (British TV series) participants Living people Male actors from London People educated at St Bede's College, Manchester