TELEVISION space-traveller Dr. Who was at the centre of another spot of trouble yesterday. Only this time it wasn't from Daleks—but from psychiatrist Dr. Michael Hession.
He blamed the Doctor for an epidemic of "spider phobia" in youngsters.
In a recent adventure the doctor took on giant hairy spiders.
And that said Dr. Hession, consultant psychiatrist to the Church of England Children's Society made scores of children afraid of spiders.
Clean-up TV campaigner Mrs. Mary Whitehouse said :
"We have said all along that this type of horror programme has an effect on children. Now at last a psychiatrist has said so."
The B.B.C. said the spiders used in the series "weren't like ordinary spiders." But they added that this was the first time they had heard about the claimed effects.
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