Local fan relishes return of new Dr Who series
- Publication: Ulster Herald
- Date: 2005-03-24
- Author: John McCusker
- Page: 1
- Language: English
A YOUNG Dr Who fanatic has marked the re-launch this weekend of the popular TV series by building a replica copy of one of the frightening and fearsome Daleks.
Omagh student John Laird, was just a tot when the Dr Who programmes were last screened in the late 1980s. But throughout his life, the 17-year-old has had a keen interest in the exploits of the extraordinary TV Time Lord.
The popular sci-fi series will be relaunched this Saturday night after a 16-year absence from the television screens.
And John - who was born in Newcastle and is a devoted "Tyne-sider" is waiting with baited breath for its return.
"I've always been fascinated by Dr Who and the Daleks for as long as I can remember," he says.
"My father was always a big fan and my first memory was watching the Daleks. From then until now I've always been interested."
Although John was too young to remember the last time the Dr Who series was screened on TV, his interest in the subject led him to begin the project of building a replica copy of a Dalek. With the help of tutor Chris Ayers, the pair began the construction process last April.
The finished product stands three feet tall and is made primarily of cardboard, plastic and plaster of paris.
Some ingenuity went into other parts with John using the likes of Christmas balls, an egg whisk and a sink plunger in order to make as exact a replica as possible.
Tutor Chris said, "It's been years since the programme has been taken off the air and John has been waiting all his life for this moment to see the series back on television.
"I'm just glad to be able to give him guidance and direction and bring his ideas to fruition. It was also great to raise his esteem and promote the excitement he has got for his own project."
Over the years, John has amassed a massive array of almost 1,000 items of Dr Who memorabilia. Among his hoard are over 600 magazines, hundreds of videos, CDs and novels and seven annuals dating from as far back as the 1960s. The collection also includes some rare and interesting collectables, the most expensive of which would fetch in the region of £500.
This weekend, John will be glued to the TV screen to see the launch of the 13-part series featuring Christopher Eccleston as the ninth Doctor and Billie Piper as his sidekick Rose Tyler.
John says, "I was listening to Radio 1 when they announced the Dr Who series would be shown again and I jumped for joy at the news. It's my programme and I absolutely love it to death. It's the greatest show in the world."
Time Lords note: Clocks go forward one hour this weekend
Caption: DALEK-TIBLE!... John Laird poses with his three-feet tall model of a Dalek and, below, with his Dr Who collection.
Disclaimer: These citations are created on-the-fly using primitive parsing techniques. You should double-check all citations. Send feedback to whovian@cuttingsarchive.org
- APA 6th ed.: McCusker, John (2005-03-24). Local fan relishes return of new Dr Who series. Ulster Herald p. 1.
- MLA 7th ed.: McCusker, John. "Local fan relishes return of new Dr Who series." Ulster Herald [add city] 2005-03-24, 1. Print.
- Chicago 15th ed.: McCusker, John. "Local fan relishes return of new Dr Who series." Ulster Herald, edition, sec., 2005-03-24
- Turabian: McCusker, John. "Local fan relishes return of new Dr Who series." Ulster Herald, 2005-03-24, section, 1 edition.
- Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=Local fan relishes return of new Dr Who series | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Local_fan_relishes_return_of_new_Dr_Who_series | work=Ulster Herald | pages=1 | date=2005-03-24 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=18 April 2025 }}</ref>
- Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=Local fan relishes return of new Dr Who series | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Local_fan_relishes_return_of_new_Dr_Who_series | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=18 April 2025}}</ref>
