obituary

Doctor Who: Podshock - Episode 275
Running Time: 1:34:42

Mary Tamm (Romana 1) dies, Tom Baker rumours, plus other Doctor Who related news, feedback on the passing of Caroline John (Justin from Ohio), and more. Hosted by Louis Trapani, Dave Cooper, and Ian Bisset.

I am sadden to report that once again we have lost someone in the Doctor Who community. A month after the news of Caroline John (Liz Shaw) passing, we have lost another actress that played a companion on Doctor Who, Mary Tamm. You will remember her for her role as the original Romana in the Tom Baker era. She introduced us to the Time Lady companion, Romana in 'The Key to Time' series of 1978 to 1979. 

Mary Tamm in 1984

The Mirror reports that she lost her long battle against cancer this morning. She was only 62 years old. 

Doctor Who: Podshock - Episode 273
Running Time: 1:51:46

Caroline John (Liz Shaw) dies, Fan's favourite Doctor Who "Monsters," plus Doctor Who related news, feedback (D Scott 750, Justin from Ohio, Greg from Florida, BlueBox Bill), and more. Hosted by Louis Trapani, Dave Cooper, and Ian Bisset.

Doctor Who: Podshock - Episode 267
Running Time: 2:00:50

The 'original 9th Doctor' story, Doctor Who: Scream of the Shalka is reviewed, Gallifrey One 2012 recap, I-CON 31 preview, news, feedback, and more. Hosted by Louis Trapani, Ken Deep, and Graeme Sheridan.

And so we lose another great actor who's appearances in Doctor Who are long and note worthy.

Philip Madoc died today Monday, 5th March after a short illness at the age of 77. His agent Michael Hallet said he passed away in hospital in Hertfordshire surrounded by his family.

Often at the end of each year society looks back at those we have lost in the past year as a memorial. That is what this video does in regards to Doctor Who. This year being especially tough as we lost two performers that played major key companion roles in the series, but every passing is sad.

Video by "MysteronAgent" on YouTube. Discovered via Graeme Sheridan.

What a week it has been. Unless perhaps you have been off-world or visiting another time era all this past week, you know we lost Apple co-founder and former CEO, and great tech innovator and visionary, Steve Jobs.

It is a good chance that there wouldn't be a Doctor Who: Podshock show if it were not for Apple under the leadership of Steve Jobs making the iPod so ubiquitous across the world. It certainly wouldn't had been called "Podshock" at least ("iPod" begat "podcast" begat "Podshock"). Now in our seventh year, it has been produced from the beginning using Apple products as it is today.

Last April we suffered a huge unexpected loss in the Doctor Who community and beyond. The death of the beloved actress, Elisabeth Sladen. Almost immediately following it, DWP Correspondent-At-Large, Colin (AKA "Abersoch") contacted me about putting together a special episode of Doctor Who: Podshock to celebrate Elisabeth Sladen and the Sarah Jane Smith character.

We had just started our series of live shows reviewing the new Doctor Who episodes from the spring 2011 series while Colin and I were discussing what we could do for a tribute. We couldn't record it then. Now that we are in between the spring block and the late summer/autumn block of new 2011 Doctor Who episodes, it allows us to record this celebration episode.

Today marks one week since the unbelievable news broke that we lost Elisabeth Sladen (Sarah Jane Smith) to cancer. The BBC had dedicated this past Saturday's transmission of Doctor Who: The Impossible Astronaut (the premiere episode of the new 2011 series) to her and afterwards there was a 12 minute piece on CBBC titled, My Sarah Jane: A Tribute to Elisabeth Sladen which if you saw it, I'm sure it didn't leave you with a dry eye. In it, many of her co-stars spoke about their time working with her including David Tennant and Matt Smith. The day after she passed, another Doctor actor had his say as well.

Tom Baker, the 4th Doctor in Doctor Who shares some of his memories and feelings after the passing of co-star, Elisabeth Sladen last week.

Tom Baker Newsletter | Latest news | Lis Sladen | Sarah Jane: "Sarah Jane dead?  No, impossible!  Impossible.  Only last week I agreed to do six new audio adventures with her for Big Finish Productions.

Doctor Who Monthly has reported via Twitter this morning the sad news of the death of actor Michael Gough. He will be remembered by Doctor Who fans as the Celestial Toymaker in the story of the same name (The Celestial Toymaker) in 1966 with the first Doctor (William Hartnell) and Councillor Hedin in the 1983 story, Arc of Infinity with the fifth Doctor (Peter Davison).

You may also recall him for his parts on the big screen such as the trustworthy butler Alfred Pennyworth in the 1989 Batman film as well as its sequels, Batman Returns (1992), Batman Forever (1995), and Batman & Robin (1997). 

Also included in his long list of credits is Sleepy Hollow (1999) playing Notary Hardenbrook.

It's been more than a couple weeks now since word first traveled across Twitter of the sad news that we lost Nicholas Courtney. For many we us, we were in disbelief and shock. If you heard the latest episodes of Doctor Who: Podshock or The Sonic Newsdriver, you will know that I was literally on my flight back from attending Gallifrey One 2011 in Los Angeles when word first came to me. After such a 'Doctor Who high' that was Gallifrey One, to have this news come on its heels... well, it's never a good time for news like this, but we can be grateful it was after, not during the convention. I want to thank Correspondent Graeme Sheridan @The2ndDoctor for posting the news to our site (see: R.I.P. The Brigadier, Nicholas Courtney Dies at Age 81). I had meant to follow it up, posting some of my thoughts, but I found it difficult to do. I was even dreading having to record the next episode of The Sonic Newsdriver only because I would have to report it. Though now that has come to pass.

We have a bunch of new Doctor Who: Podshock episodes on the way which will be coming to you soon, including our live show recorded at Gallifrey One 2011. In the meanwhile, catch up on Doctor Who related news delivered sonically with the latest episode of The Sonic Newsdriver!

Sonic Newsdriver (07 March 2011) - Doctor Who News -

It is with great sadness and a very heavy heart, that I report the passing of Nicholas Courtney,  best known for his role as the Brigadier. 

He was first seen in Doctor Who as Bret Vyon a security agent in the 12 part "The Daleks Master Plan" Later taking up the Role of Colonel Lethbridge Stewart in "The Web of Fear" and then comming back one year later as Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart in the Invasion. 

Mervyn Haisman, has died of heart failure aged 82. He with co-creator, Henry Lincoln, was responsible for the creation of the Yeti and the Quarks in the Patrick Troughton stories, The Abominable Snowmen and The Web of Fear in Season 5. Plus The Dominators in Season 6. He also worked on Doctor Findlay's casebook, The Onedin LIne as well as Howards way, all for the BBC. He was also responsible for scripting Hammer Horror's, The Curse of the Crimson Altar.

"How dare you follow me into the TARDIS! The distractions… I really thought I was going to be alone again."

Doctor Who: Podshock - Episode 224
Running Time: 1:37:13

Interview with Anneke Wills (Polly in the 1st and 2nd Doctor eras), Join Daphne Ashbrook in NY Celebrating 25 years of Gallifreyan Embassy, David Tennant Recalls Tara Wheeler @TARDIS_Tara on Absolute Radio, Doctor Who: The Ring of Steel and Doctor Who: Podshock in New York City, news, feedback, and more.

Hosted by Louis Trapani ( @LouisTrapani ), Ken Deep ( @kendeep ), and James Naughton ( @JamesNaughton ).

"Hold on there, old guy, Chang Lee will help you out."

Doctor Who: Podshock - Episode 222
Running Time: 1:50:32

Interview with Yee Jee Tso (Chang Lee in the 1996 movie), Tara Wheeler talks about tracking down David Tennant, Billy Davis files a report from Dragon*Con with Frazer Hines, Doctor Who: The Forgotten Army and Doctor Who: Podshock in New York City, join us for the next 25th anniversary event for the Gallifreyan Embassy, and more. Dedicated to the memory of David Jennings ("Adric Antfarm").

Hosted by Louis Trapani ( @LouisTrapani ), Ken Deep ( @kendeep ), with Tara Wheeler ( @TARDIS_Tara ).

It is with sadness that I am once again talking about the passing of another listener and friend of Doctor Who: Podshock. It was only this past June in which we dedicated Doctor Who: Podshock 207 to the memory of Alexei Kondratiev who had passed away unexpectedly a couple weeks after attending our live show in NYC in May. Today to my surprise and shock I learned of another passing. I didn't know him that well as I have only communicated with him via Twitter and on Second Life. His name is David Jennings, but you may know him as @AdricAntfarm — the name he used on Twitter (and Second Life). In fact he was a regular at our Doctor Who: Podshock meet ups and I was just tweeting with him as recently as last week.

The most recent and last posting on his blog by a good friend of his, Amalia Broom had broken the news today:

The Actor George Waring Died on Monday 15th Febuary fice days short of his 85th Birthday.

He was Known to Classic fans through the Partick Troughton Era Story, The Ice Warriors where he played the Scientist Arden, who Discovers an Ice Warrior burried in the Ice and unfortunately becomes the Warrior's first Victim.  The Ice Warriors Story is as of yet not Available on DVD but is probibly obtainable through your Favourite Auction House on VHS.

Doctor Who fans will kinda remember Richard Todd for his part as Sanders in the 1982 Peter Davison story, Kinda. Though for others, this real life war hero will be remembered for roles in such films as The Dam Busters (1955) and the Yangtse Incident (1957).

Todd, who had been fighting cancer, has died at the age of 90. He had been one of the first British soldiers to parachute into France on D-Day.

He has a long list of credits with film and television roles as early as 1937 to as recent as 2007. 

Best known for being a member of the Irish pop group, Boyzone, Stephen Gately may be known more so to Doctor Who fans for his role as Tommy Tomorrow in the BBC Radio/Big Finish story, Horror of Glam Rock has died.

The singer/actor was found dead at the age of 33 while on holiday in Majorca according to news reports such as in the Times Online.