There are a lot of Whovians out there, passionate followers of the Time Lord and his adventures.
And we might have found York’s biggest Doctor Who fan, as BBC One prepares to broadcast the eagerly awaited 50th anniversary episode of this timeless series.
He is Jamie Benjamin Hunt, collector of all manner of Doctor Who games, gadgets, gifts and more. Jamie, 24, who is about to swap his job at Fantasy World to become a healthcare assistant at York Hospital, is a regular visitor to the Who conventions, he has met both the current Doctor, Matt Smith, and his predecessor David Tennant, who returns for the special feature length birthday episode on Saturday, November 23.
Five decades since William Hartnell emerged from a police box in a London junkyard, why is it that Doctor Who has such enduring appeal? We asked Jamie for his answers…
Why do you like Doctor Who?
It’s an escape – anything’s possible, which makes it appeal to me. Go anytime, anywhere from the comfort of your own home. It appeals to all age groups, from the old Doctor Who to the new episodes.
What made you decide to watch it?
Christopher Eccleston was my first Doctor. I didn’t know anything about it, just about the Daleks, and when I started watching it I got more into the older episodes. My passion for Doctor Who started there.
What are your 50th anniversary plans?
I am going to sit at home and watch it! I was going to go to the cinema but I decided I wanted to watch it with my family. May play Doctor Who Monopoly afterwards.
What do you think of the new Doctor?
I’m quite excited to see what the new Doctor’s going to bring [Peter Capaldi, who will take over the Tardis at the end of the Christmas Day episode]. I have absolutely no idea what to expect – I’m going to be sad to see Matt Smith go but I have every confidence that the writers and creators of the show know what they’re doing. I hope he brings bits of old doctors into his character.
How would you convince a non-fan to watch?
A lot of people I talk to have only seen one episode and they don’t like it but there’s something for everyone – there’s 11 doctors to choose from!
If you could travel in time what would you do?
I would return to the creation of the universe and I would film it in HD so that all the sceptics would be able to see it. Then head on to the Eighties and buy a lot of shares in Apple. And I would like to meet Boudicca.
What planet would you visit?
Gallifrey, the Doctor’s home planet. Then marry a Time Lord and travel the universe. Absorb the Tardis energy and become half-human half-Time Lord like River Song.
Do your loved ones share your passion?
My younger brother Finley, who’s ten, really loves it too. But other than that it’s just us. I usually get my friends or family to watch it and they never know what’s going on because it’s such a complicated plot line. I have a lot of convention friends that are into it though.
The quickfire round…
Favourite Doctors: Matt Smith (the eleventh Doctor), Paul McGann (8) and Tom Baker (4)
Favourite characters: Sarah Jane Smith, River Song.
Favourite episode: Hand Of Fear (old series), The Doctor’s Wife and Blink (new).
Best Doctor Who villain: the Rani played by Kate O’ Mara (sixth and seventh doctors)
Worst alien: Abzorbaloff or adipose
If the Tardis wasn’t a police box it should be: a Volkswagen camper van
Favourite quote: “The universe has to move forward. Pain and loss, they define us as much as happiness or love. Whether it’s a world, or a relationship, everything has it’s time and everything ends.” – Sarah Jane Smith in an episode called School Reunion.
- Doctor Who: The Day Of The Doctor is on BBC One at 7.50pm on Saturday, November 23. It is also being shown at cinemas
- See also David Bradley interview: From a York childhood to Doctor Who