Where Are They Now... ? Doctor Who's Katy Manning
- Publication: Daily Express
- Date: 2017-09-09
- Author: Tony Padman
- Page: Saturday Magazine, p. 69
- Language: English
Actress Katy Manning played the Doctor's companion, Jo Grant (1971-73) alongside Jon Pertwee in Doctor Who. Surrey-born Katy, 70, who lives in London, has twins J.J. and Georgie from a former relationship with actor Dean Harris. In a stage and screen career spanning 50 years, she has returned to play Jo Grant, and other Doctor Who characters on audio and will star in Not A Well Woman on stage next year.
"I was born with severe myopia and little periphery sight, which was not discovered until was six years old. My oddness as a child gave me a love of voices and at an early age I found I was able to do some funny voices — including Popeye!
"My life changed considerably after a serious car accident, which took years of reconstructive surgery and pinned bones in both legs. It ended my dancing dreams.
"I stayed with my sister in New York where I was offered a five-year contract with MGM, but with my parents' advice, I returned to England to attend drama school.
"Afterwards, I landed the juvenile lead in the ground-breaking TV series Man At The Top with Kenneth Haigh.
"I adored working with Jon on Doctor Who and the chemistry between us worked from day one. It was a truly happy family affair with the whole team.
"Jo was a terrific character to play — a determined, gutsy, funny, clumsy little girl who was passionate about the Doctor to the point of offering her life for his.
"As audiences grew, I was thrown into a life of constant recognition and press attention — something we weren't prepared for in those days.
"I left when the time was right because I thought it was good for the Doctor's companion to change.
'After the film Don't Just Lie There, Say Something, written by Jon's brother Michael Pertwee, I was directed twice by the neat Douglas Canfield of Doctor Who fame: first in Armchair Theatre's The Golden Road, the first true lesbian court case shown on TV, and then in Target with Patrick Mower where I Waved a heroin addict.
"I presented Serendipity, an arts and crafts series while also commuting to the Edinburgh Fringe playing a 16-year-old mass-murdering girl guide. Then I was reunited with Jon on Whodunnit?.
"I later did a three-year run of Why Not Stay For Breakfast opposite Derek Nimmo — the first time I'd seen my name up in lights in the West End!
"As my twins were born premature and very frail, I took them for a better climate to Australia to help them. It's where I met my current partner, Barry Crocker, who sang the original Neighbours theme tune.
"Barry and Jon convinced me to do more voice work in animated cartoons, which I've won two awards for. While in Australia, I performed in many plays including The Odd Couple with Tony Randall and Jack Klugman, Blithe Spirit at the Sydney Opera House and I had my own chat show.
"I returned to London to perform in Run For Your Wife in the West End and to reprise Jo Grant on audio
"I love doing the Doctor Who conventions around the world and it's such a joy to meet the fans.
"I wrote Not A Well Woman when I lived in America in the 90s. I've recorded it for audio and plan to stage it early next year. I'm grateful that I've been able to follow my passions of acting, writing and directing for 50 years — and to bring up my children on the proceeds of doing what I love."
Visit katymanning.com.
Caption: Jon Pertwee as the third Doctor and Katy as his companion, Jo Grant, in 1970
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- APA 6th ed.: Padman, Tony (2017-09-09). Where Are They Now... ? Doctor Who's Katy Manning. Daily Express p. Saturday Magazine, p. 69.
- MLA 7th ed.: Padman, Tony. "Where Are They Now... ? Doctor Who's Katy Manning." Daily Express [add city] 2017-09-09, Saturday Magazine, p. 69. Print.
- Chicago 15th ed.: Padman, Tony. "Where Are They Now... ? Doctor Who's Katy Manning." Daily Express, edition, sec., 2017-09-09
- Turabian: Padman, Tony. "Where Are They Now... ? Doctor Who's Katy Manning." Daily Express, 2017-09-09, section, Saturday Magazine, p. 69 edition.
- Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=Where Are They Now... ? Doctor Who's Katy Manning | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Where_Are_They_Now..._%3F_Doctor_Who%27s_Katy_Manning | work=Daily Express | pages=Saturday Magazine, p. 69 | date=2017-09-09 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=15 April 2025 }}</ref>
- Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=Where Are They Now... ? Doctor Who's Katy Manning | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Where_Are_They_Now..._%3F_Doctor_Who%27s_Katy_Manning | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=15 April 2025}}</ref>
