A new Dr. Who launched tonight in the shape of actor Tom Baker.
He is the fourth person to play the Dalek-fighting Time Lord who zooms around in time and space in a converted police telephone box.
And at 41, he is also the youngest.
The serial started in 1963, and the first Dr Who was played by William Hartnell, now 64.
He was followed by Patrick Troughton, 54, and Jon Pertwee, 53.
Now it is Tom Baker's turn to portray the immortal time traveller.
Baker, a Liverpool born bachelor who started his career as a bricklayer's mate, and later became a National Theatre actor, won't be a carbon copy of previous doctors.
Christopher Barry, the director of the serial, says: "This Dr Who's whole life-style is different. His intellect will be as sharp as ever, but he'll be a somewhat more flamboyant character than the previous doctors.
The back-room boys have come up with an ingenious way of explaining away the new Dr Who to kids. Because it seems all Dr. Whos never die and they only "transmute."
Form
Christopher Barry says: "We will explain that his different physical appearance by saying he is just recovering from a body change. "
In tonight's episode (BBC 1, 5.35), the indestructible doctor is being cared for by Surgeon Lieutenant Harry Sullivan (Ian Marten) after having changed his outward form.
He discovers that a group of the unscrupulous scientists, using a robot, are threatening the world with destruction.
Caption: A Cyberman and gets to grips with Tom Baker, the flamboyant new Dr Who (BBC 1, 5.35)
Spelling correction: Ian Marter
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