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Teenage takeover in 'Doctor Who'?

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1980-09-27 Radio Times.jpg

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TWO TEENAGERS get a big break into television this week — and both have Doctor Who to thank. Eighteen-year-old Matthew Waterhouse makes his first appearance as the Doctor's new assistant in a story written by Andrew Smith, who is 19 (Saturday 5.40 BBC1). It's the first time Tom Baker has been teamed up with a boy helper, and Matthew describes his character, Adric, as mischievous, intelligent, inquisitive — he tends to stick his nose in where it's not wanted'.

But it's been Andrew Smith's task, in his first-ever full-length script for BBC television, to work Adric into the plot that he'd already devised. Producer John Nathan-Turner tells me: 'Andrew has been sending in scripts and storylines to the Doctor Who office for some years. My script editor, Christopher Bidmead, and I read through them, liked his ideas and commissioned him. He's by far the youngest writer we've had —he must have been a baby when the Doctor began his time travels.'

Andrew lives in Glasgow and came to London to watch his story being recorded. It had come out even better than I visualised it,' he says. It's not easy for a new young writer to take over such a well-established series.

But, Andrew says, you have to forget everything and tell yourself there's never been another Doctor Who story.'

Now Andrew is working on scripts for other television shows while Matthew Waterhouse becomes an instant star as Adric. Matthew started work for the BBC in the News Information Office cutting out stories from newspapers to put on file. Now he'll be able to have a clippings book about himself. I met a casting director and said I'd like to audition for anything which came along. I got a part in the series To Serve Them All My Days, then I heard that they were looking for a young. actor for Dr Who. I've been a fan of the show for as long as I can remember.'

A Doctor Who Experience exhibition has recently opened at Madame Tussaud's in London. It includes the Daleks, Davros, Foamasi, Meglos, Nimon and Sontaran.


Caption: Matthew Waterhouse plays Adric (left) in the Doctor Who' story by Andrew Smith (right)

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  • APA 6th ed.: (1980-09-27). Teenage takeover in 'Doctor Who'?. Radio Times .
  • MLA 7th ed.: "Teenage takeover in 'Doctor Who'?." Radio Times [add city] 1980-09-27. Print.
  • Chicago 15th ed.: "Teenage takeover in 'Doctor Who'?." Radio Times, edition, sec., 1980-09-27
  • Turabian: "Teenage takeover in 'Doctor Who'?." Radio Times, 1980-09-27, section, edition.
  • Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=Teenage takeover in 'Doctor Who'? | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Teenage_takeover_in_%27Doctor_Who%27%3F | work=Radio Times | pages= | date=1980-09-27 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=16 March 2025 }}</ref>
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