Geek Syndicate
GS: It’s interesting because with new Who and lots of new fans, it’s made a huge impact on them seeking out some of the older episodes, but I know that some of the episodes that you’ve been in have been long lost, or we only have the audio. How does that make you feel? FH: Well I was quite, not depressed because it’s not life and death, however we were talking in Los Angeles last week (last week Los Angeles, this week Pwllheli! What a great life!) and we worked out there’s actually seven of Patrick and my stories all complete and that doesn’t include The Two Doctors or The Five Doctors so it’s not bad, there’s seven complete stories and they’re bringing out The Ice Warriors now with animation, which is almost like another completed one. (The Ice Warriors is released on DVD in September, 2013 - Ed) The Underwater Menace they’ll probably animate the missing episodes as well, if The Ice Warriors does well. I am always amazed how you’ve got episode one and episode two missing, and you think well if there was one missing it would be from the front end or the back end. I always thought they were in a big silver film can so who’s gone and snipped episode two out and glued the rest together? That always amazes me how one episode, episode two is found? GS: In terms of your character, it is known as one of the favourite companions, and the longest running. Is there anything you would like to have seen your character to do in terms of a character arc or development, working with script writers? FH: Yes! I always say that and I must say that Patrick and I never wanted to leave, we were having a ball. We worked hard then we’d have a summer holiday, then a few more episodes, Christmas off, few more episodes, summer holiday...we were having a ball. But Patrick’s wife at the time was saying “you should be doing other stuff, it’s children’s television, you should be doing other stuff, you’re a better actor” and my agent said “Darling you’ve done three years of TV you must do a film” and I said “no I’m having a good time” and it was “you’re not here to have a good time, career, career, career” and I always say that if I’d known Leela was going to join, I’d never have left because we were the only two companions that carried a knife, or were armed, none of the other companions were armed if you think about it. I have this vision of Patrick Troughton in water, tied to a stake, the water is rising, an alligator is coming out and I’m going to dive in and she says “NO! I’ll rescue him, I’ve got a knife” “No, I’ve got a knife!” and in the end Leela and Jamie are rolling around and Patrick’s going “For God’s sake will one of you just cut this rope!” and we’d be going “I’ll be with you in a minute!”. I have this lovely vision of the kilt and the loin cloth wrestling. GS: That sounds brilliant! Since leaving the show, what involvement have you had, I know you’ve been involved in some of the Big Finish productions and some of the BBC recordings? Can you tell us more about those? FH: I’ve done a lot of the BBC dramatisations where they’ve got all the soundtrack but they’ve not got the pictures so I do the voice “meanwhile back at the cave, the Doctor...” and then you can hear the Doctor. But Big Finish is gr