Time Lords rally for Sir Peter


The Lords of Time have decreed that Doctor Who must be filmed in New Zealand.

Three of the actors to have played the Doctor in the long running BBC series have endorsed current lead actor Matt Smith’s campaign to film here with director Sir Peter Jackson at the helm.

Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann, who played the Doctor in the 1980s and 1990s, were excited to hear Jackson had met the show’s executive producer and head writer Steven Moffat to discuss Smith’s idea.

The trio, in Auckland for today’s Lords of Time convention at Auckland Girls Grammar School, have all visited Jackson’s Weta Workshops in Wellington.

Baker, the sixth actor to play the role of the enigmatic time traveller, said: “I could only think he would make an epic Doctor Who story. I would like to be cast, not as the Doctor, even if it’s inside a furry suit. Maybe I could be a villain.”

McCoy, fresh from working with Jackson on The Hobbit where he played Radagast the Brown, said Smith and Jackson’s idea, currently with Moffat, would result in brilliant Doctor Who.

“He knows what he’s doing. If he was in charge of the budget he’d most likely want to film it on the moon and has the ability to do it. If he was using the resources of Weta they would make some amazing magic,” McCoy said.

“It’s really exciting and would be great fun and Peter Jackson has been a fan of Doctor who for years. I have been told that he’s got my Doctor Who costume, he’s also got my Radagast the Brown costume and I’m hanging on to my own clothes because he’s not getting his hands on them I can tell you.”

McGann thought Jackson would produce episodes that would be called classic or classical.

“I think he would be above trying to make anything trendy. The story would be strong. He would be ideal to make it he’s above the kind of pressure, who could lean on him. He would make the best thing we have seen.”

Actor Nick Briggs, who provides the voice of the Daleks and Cybermen in the show, pleaded for Wellington based Doctor Who screenwriter Neil Cross to pen a Dalek script.

“Wouldn’t it be great It would be fantastic. Peter Jackson is a fantastic director . . . I think it would have to have the Daleks in it.”

Cross could not comment.

Fifth Doctor Peter Davison, who is also appearing at the event, was not available for comment.

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