"A Fix with Sontarans" is a specially written ''

Doctor Who ''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 ...

'' segment produced for the BBC children's programme, ''

Jim'll Fix It ''Jim'll Fix It'' is a British television series broadcast by the BBC between May 1975 and July 1994 and was devised and presented by Jimmy Savile and produced by Roger Ordish. The show encouraged children to write in a letter to Savile with ...

'' featuring

Colin Baker Colin Baker (born 8 June 1943) is an English actor who played Paul Merroney in the BBC drama series '' The Brothers'' from 1974 to 1976 and the sixth incarnation of the Doctor in the long-running science fiction television series ''Docto ...

in character as the

Sixth Doctor The Sixth Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. He is portrayed by Colin Baker. Although his televisual time on the series was comparatively brief and turbulent, Ba ...

. It was broadcast on 23 February 1985.

Plot

The

(

) is working the controls in the

TARDIS The TARDIS (; acronym for "Time And Relative Dimension In Space") is a fictional hybrid of the time machine and spacecraft that appears in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' and its various spin-offs. Its exterior a ...

, and he accidentally teleports his former companion

Tegan Jovanka Tegan Jovanka is a fictional character played by Janet Fielding in the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. An Australian airline stewardess and a native of Brisbane who was a companion of the Fourth and Fifth ...

( Janet Fielding) on board. She is less than happy about this, and reluctantly agrees to help the

Time Lord The Time Lords are a fictional ancient race of extraterrestrial people in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', of which the series' main protagonist, the Doctor, is a member. Time Lords are so named for their command ...

. He reveals that two

Sontaran The Sontarans ( ) are a fictional race of extraterrestrial humanoids principally portrayed in the British science fiction television programme ''Doctor Who''. A warrior race characterised by their ruthlessness and fearlessness of death, they we ...

s are on board, and they possess a powerful vitrox

bomb A bomb is an explosive weapon that uses the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy. Detonations inflict damage principally through ground- and atmosphere-transmitted mechan ...

with which they intend to blow up the time machine. The Doctor then accidentally beams on board an Earthling called Gareth Jenkins, who happens to be dressed in an outfit similar to his own. Gareth agrees to help in any way he can, and helps The Doctor set a trap for the Sontarans. The two aliens break into the console room, destroying one of the TARDIS's doors in the process, much to the Doctor's indignation. The leader introduces himself as Group Marshall Nathan and demands that the Doctor introduces his group. Upon hearing Gareth's name, Nathan reveals that in 2001 their invasion of Earth would be foiled by a brave rebel called Gareth Jenkins; and if they kill him now their future success is assured. However, Gareth springs their trap and kills the two villains.

Jimmy Savile Sir James Wilson Vincent Savile (; 31 October 1926 – 29 October 2011) was an English DJ, television and radio personality who hosted BBC shows including ''Top of the Pops'' and '' Jim'll Fix It''. During his lifetime, he was well kno ...

then appears and presents Gareth with his ''Jim'll Fix It'' medal, as well as the prop "Mezon gun" the Sontarans used.

Production

In the Built for War DVD Extra found in " The Sontaran Experiment", Colin Baker said, "Jimmy Savile is much more frightening than the Sontarans." During the fallout of the Jimmy Savile sexual abuse scandal, Baker expressed how he felt very uncomfortable with Savile during the filming of this scene. In an article for Bucks Free Press on 9 November 2012, Baker wrote: :I met Jimmy Savile briefly in the 1980s when I was working on ''Doctor Who''. A young man had written asking if he could “fix it” for him to meet the Doctor and travel in the Tardis. After the lad had saved the day and the Sontarans had been “fixed”, Savile entered the set and did his usual self-congratulatory shtick. I didn’t warm to him. His demeanour was neither friendly, nor inclusive. He behaved much as one might expect a child to behave who had been indulged and led to believe that life revolved around them. There was certainly none of the professional respect that one would expect to be shared when two programmes combine for a special purpose. Even though we were on the Tardis set, it was very much his territory and his agenda.

Cast notes

Janet Fielding was asked to participate in the sketch when Nicola Bryant proved unavailable to reprise her role as the Doctor's then-current assistant

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 Fift ...

. In a 2022 interview on the Season 22 Blu Ray Boxset, Bryant stated that she was not allowed to take part after refusing a part in John Nathan-Turners pantomime. The young Gareth Jenkins in this broadcast is not the same Gareth Jenkins who currently works as a composer, audio engineer, and actor for ''Doctor Who'' audio play producers Big Finish, but is in fact the current Head of Campaigns for children's charity

Save the Children The Save the Children Fund, commonly known as Save the Children, is an international non-governmental organization established in the United Kingdom in 1919 to improve the lives of children through better education, health care, and economic ...

Broadcast and releases

"A Fix with Sontarans" was broadcast during the run of ''The Two Doctors'' (on the same day as Part 2) and is featured as an extra on the DVD release of that story. Later pressings of the Region 2 DVD have removed the segment due to the Jimmy Savile sexual abuse scandal. On January 20th, 2022, it was announced that "A Fix With Sontarans" would be included as an extra on the Season 22 Blu-ray eventually released in June 2022. The version of A Fix with Sontarans on the Blu-ray collection has been edited: instead of Jimmy Savile appearing on the TARDIS scanner at the end of the story, a shot is inserted of a CGI Sontaran battle fleet, with new dialogue from Colin Baker saying that "this is just the beginning". The clip then goes straight into the credits, with Savile's cameo appearance deleted entirely. The Blu-ray release includes a commentary track with Colin Baker, Janet Fielding, and a now-adult Gareth Jenkins, where they discuss the production with moderator Toby Hadoke. The original footage of Savile has also been edited out of The Colin Baker years, a 1994 documentary (originally released unedited on VHS), which is also included in the Blu-ray collection.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fix With Sontarans Doctor Who crossovers Doctor Who spin-offs Sixth Doctor stories 1985 British television episodes Doctor Who mini-episodes Jimmy Savile