Doctor Who Sex Scandal
- Publication: The Mirror
- Date: 2013-05-25
- Author: Tom Bryant
- Page: 1
- Language: English
Judge probes claims BBC producer abused shows' fans
TWO gay Doctor Who executives sexually abused young fans visiting the BBC studio, it is claimed.
Producer John Nathan-Turner and Gary Downie preyed on teens in the 80s, former worker Richard Marson says. He said of Nathan-Turner: "He liked getting off with young guys." A judge is probing the claims.
NEW BBC SCANDAL
'Doctor Who perv in sex act during phone chat with Blue Peter Biddy'
SLEAZE CLAIMS OVER SHOW BOSS
STILL reeling from the Jimmy Savile sex scandal, the BBC was last night rocked by more claims of sleaze among its ranks.
Former Blue Peter boss Richard Marson has alleged one-time producer John Nathan-Turner and his partner Gary Downie sexually abused starry-eyed young male fans visiting the studio during the 80s.
And he claimed Nathan-Turner once engaged in a sexual act in his BBC office while talking on the phone to Blue Peter editor Biddy Baxter who was unaware of what was happening.
Mr Marson says in a new book the Doctor Who executive and his sidekick's victims were mostly in their teens and under 21 - the homosexual age of consent at the time.
The BBC has now launched a probe into the allegations that will be led by former Court of Appeal judge Dame Janet Smith, who is heading a review into the case against pervert Savile.
Mr Marson makes the allegations in a new book about Nathan-Turner that contains "things it will be difficult for Doctor Who fans to read".
He claims the producer, known as JN-T, made a pass at him when he was a 17-year-old working on the Doctor Who magazine. He said: "It happened after the first time I was invited up to go and see a recording of the show, and he just got a bit frisky, shall we say.
"I was a bit taken aback, I was only 17 and at the time he famously said to me, 'You're so f****** provincial'. And of course I was f****** provincial, I came from Bishop's Stortford, I didn't know anything about anything.
"I just thought I was in this kind of wonderland that was Television Centre, thinking it was an amazing lace, and so I wasn't really prepared for anything really sophisticated." Nathan-Turner, who produced Doctor Who from 1980 to 1989, died in 2002 aged 54 after a short illness. He enjoyed a close relationship with fans, regularly giving interviews to fanzines and attending conventions.
But Mr Marson said: "What you had was a promiscuous gay bloke who had the opportunity to meet a lot of people and liked getting off with young guys.
"I don't think he was predatory, particularly. I don't think he forced himself on the unwilling.
"I was much more cautious about Gary, his partner. John was just 'go with the flow, life is a party ... I'll try it on and if somebody says yes, that's up to them'. I have a less benevolent view of Gary"
Mr Marson also describes an encounter with Downie, a production manager on the show, in a BBC lift which ended with him fleeing and hiding under a desk.
He said Downie, who died in 2006, called good looking Dr Who fans "doable barkers". Mr Marson, a former BBC producer, said his book, JN-T: the Life and Scandalous Times of John Nathan-Turner, is due out in May.
He also claims one wealthy fan, in exchange for visits to the studio and the occasional souvenir from the set, kept Nathan-Turner supplied with escorts.
In an interview last year, Doctor Who "superfan" Ian Levine, said the book's contents would "shock many people, things went on that were horrible, corrupt, too awful to discuss". The BBC last night confirmed Dame Janet will investigate the claims as part of her wide-ranging review into the Corporation. A spokesman said: "We can't comment on individual cases but allegations of this nature are extremely serious. We have set up the Dame Janet Smith review to help us understand how alleged incidents of this nature could have been committed. And so we can avoid them happening ever again."
Nathan-Turner was Doctor Who's longest-serving producer. He worked on the show for 20 years with six different doctors. He joined as a floor assistant in 1969 when Patrick Troughton was the Time Lord and became producer during Tom Baker's stint in the TARDIS.
As the new boss he cast Peter Davison, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy as the doctor. He also arranged for a Doctor Who sketch to air on Jim'll Fix It.
Doctor Who, starring Matt Smith, returns to our screens this Saturday.
DO you have any stories about BBC sex scandals? If so, call our newsdesk on 020 7293 3831.
Captions:
ALLEGATIONS Nathan-Turner, right, and Doctor Who Colin Baker who is not involved
CALL Unwitting victim Biddy Baxter
PROBE Dame Janet Smith
GUEST Savile on Show with Doctor Colin Baker
COLLEAGUES Nathan-Turner with Doctor Who Sylvester McCoy who was not involved in the claims
SLIME LORD Nathan-Turner in the TARDIS
ACCUSER ex-BBC man Richard Marson
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- APA 6th ed.: Bryant, Tom (2013-05-25). Doctor Who Sex Scandal. The Mirror p. 1.
- MLA 7th ed.: Bryant, Tom. "Doctor Who Sex Scandal." The Mirror [add city] 2013-05-25, 1. Print.
- Chicago 15th ed.: Bryant, Tom. "Doctor Who Sex Scandal." The Mirror, edition, sec., 2013-05-25
- Turabian: Bryant, Tom. "Doctor Who Sex Scandal." The Mirror, 2013-05-25, section, 1 edition.
- Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=Doctor Who Sex Scandal | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Doctor_Who_Sex_Scandal | work=The Mirror | pages=1 | date=2013-05-25 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=17 April 2025 }}</ref>
- Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=Doctor Who Sex Scandal | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Doctor_Who_Sex_Scandal | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=17 April 2025}}</ref>
