The Trial of a Time Lord Parts 13-14 (aka The Ultimate Foe)

The Sixth Doctor (Colin Baker) gets
that sinking feeling you have when you
get to the end of a season and wonder
if you'll get another one...

Two episodes (of a total of 14) (Part Thirteen, Part Fourteen)
First broadcast Nov 29 to Dec 6 1986
Average audience for serial: 5.0m

REGULAR CAST

Colin Baker (The Doctor) Born Jun 8 1943 Click here for Colin Baker's entry on Arc of Infinity

Bonnie Langford (Melanie Bush) Born Jul 22 1964 Click here for Bonnie Langford's entry on The Trial of a Time Lord Parts 9-12

Lynda Bellingham (The Inquisitor) May 31 1948 to Oct 19 2014 (colon cancer) Click here for Lynda Bellingham's entry on The Trial of a Time Lord Parts 1-4

Michael Jayston (The Valeyard) Oct 29 1935 to Feb 5 2024 Click here for Michael Jayston's entry on The Trial of a Time Lord Parts 1-4

GUEST CAST

Anthony Ainley (The Master) Aug 20 1932 to May 3 2004 (cancer) Click here for Anthony Ainley's entry on The Keeper of Traken

James Bree (Keeper of the Matrix) Jul 20 1923 to Dec 1 2008
Doctor Who credits
Played: Security Chief in The War Games (1969)
Played: Nefred in Full Circle (1980)
Played: Keeper of the Matrix in The Trial of a Time Lord (1986)
Career highlights
James's earliest appearance was in What's in Store (1953), then Give Them a Ring (1954), Stage By Stage: The Relapse, or Virtue in Danger (1954), Just My Luck (1957), Probation Officer (1962), R3 (1965), The Prisoner (1968), On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969), On the Buses (1971), Ace of Wands (1972), The Donati Conspiracy (1973), I, Claudius (1976), Secret Army (1977), Rumpole of the Bailey (1979), The Jewel in the Crown (1984), Galloping Galaxies! (1985-86), Executive Stress (1986), Without a Clue (1988), Anna Lee (1994), Silent Witness (1996) and Ruth Rendell: The Orchard Walls (1998). James also appeared in the Doctor Who fan video spin-off Downtime (1995) and Lust in Space (1998, his final work).
Facts
He was a close friend of Doctor Who film actor Peter Cushing, and read a tribute out at his funeral. James suffered a stroke in 1998 which left him without the power of speech for the rest of his life. James was born as James Rutherfoord Worsfold Thomson, but became Thomson-Bree (just Bree professionally) after inheriting land from his great-uncle, Archdeacon William Bree. Through this inheritance, James became patron of the benefice and rectory of Allesley in Coventry. James's long-time partner, Albert Yates, died in 2006.

Geoffrey Hughes (Mr Popplewick) Feb 2 1944 to Jul 27 2012 (prostate cancer)
Career highlights
Geoffrey made his acting debut as Podge in The Likely Lads (1966), after which he found work in The Bofors Gun (1968), Yellow Submarine (1968, as the voice of Paul McCartney), The Virgin Soldiers (1969), Curry and Chips (1969), Up Pompeii! (1970), Carry On at Your Convenience (1971), Dad's Army (1972), Crown Court (1974), Confessions of a Driving Instructor (1976), Nijinsky (1980), The Bright Side (1985), Flying Lady (1989), Spender (1991), The Upper Hand (1993), Flick (2008), Skins (2007-09) and The History of Stand-Up Comedy (2010). Geoffrey had four long-running roles which he will forever be remembered for: Eddie Yeats in over 160 episodes of soap Coronation Street (1974-83/87), Onslow in 44 episodes of sitcom Keeping Up Appearances (1990-95), Vernon Scripps in 88 episodes of Heartbeat (2001-07) and Twiggy in eight episodes of sitcom The Royle Family (1998-2008).
Facts
Geoffrey was first diagnosed with cancer in 1996, but beat it; sadly, it returned in 2010 and he had to give up acting. In 2009, he was appointed Deputy Lord Lieutenant for the Isle of Wight (where he lived), making him the official link between the island and royalty at formal engagements. He was also the Honorary Squire of the Dartington Morris Men and made an appearance at the Dartington Morris Ring meeting in 2008. His musical interests included English folk-rock, which led to him compering at Fairport Convention's annual Copredy festival several times.
This is Your Life: Geoffrey was the subject of BBC TV's This is Your Life on February 14th, 2001, surprised by host Michael Aspel during filming of the drama Heartbeat in Yorkshire.

Tony Selby (Glitz) Feb 26 1938 to Sep 5 2021
Doctor Who credits
Played: Sabalom Glitz in The Trial of a Time Lord Parts 1-4 & 13-14 (1986), Dragonfire (1987)
Career highlights
Tony debuted at the age of 13 in 1951's Menius Was a Bad Boy, followed by roles in Skippy Smith Goes to the Circus (1953), The Explorer (1955), An Alligator Named Daisy (1955), An Age of Kings (1960), Teletale (1964), Alfie (1966), King of the River (1966), Poor Cow (1967), The Informer (1967), The Avengers (1968), Witchfinder General (1968), According to Dora (1969), Shine a Light (1970), Catweazle (1971), Villain (1971), Ace of Wands (1970-71), Warship (1973), Reg Varney (1974), Moody and Pegg (1974-75), The Good Life (1975-76), Superman (1978), Jack of Diamonds (1983), Give Us a Break (1983-84), Hideaway (1986), The Secret Garden (1987), The World of Lee Evans (1995), Loop (1997), Holby City (1999), Burnside (2000), EastEnders (2002), Dream Team (2006), My Family (2011), Cockneys vs Zombies (2012) and Stan Lee's Lucky Man (2016). Tony also regularly played Corporal Percy Marsh in Get Some In! (1975-78), Bert in Mulberry (1992-93), Max Taplow in Love Hurts (1992-94) and Sergeant Nozzer Richardson in The Detectives (1994-97).

CREW

Robert Holmes (writer, Part 13) Apr 2 1926 to May 24 1986 (chronic liver ailment) Click here to see Robert Holmes's entry on The Krotons

Pip Baker (writer, Part 14) Jan 3 1929 to Apr 14 2020 (coronavirus)
Doctor Who credits
Wrote: The Mark of the Rani (1985), The Trial of a Time Lord (episodes 9-12 & 14, 1986), Time and the Rani (1987)
Career highlights
As part of a highly successful husband and wife writing team, Pip co-wrote for The Pursuers (1961), The Third Alibi (1961), Dilemma (1962), Detective (1968), Captain Nemo and the Underwater City (1969), Circus (1975), Space: 1999 (1976), Z Cars (1976-77), Watt on Earth (1991-92) and The Last 28 (1999). Pip was also an accomplished playwright and novelist, co-writing Doctor Who novelisations of their TV stories, as well as a Make Your Own Adventure book entitled Race Against Time (1986), which also featured the Rani. In 2000, Pip and Jane resurrected the Rani once more for the audio drama The Rani Reaps the Whirlwind.
Facts
Pip was named after the Dickens character in Great Expectations. He suffered a fall early in 2020 and was ill for some time before being admitted to hospital with breathing difficulties shortly before he died.

Jane Baker (writer, Part 14) Dec 30 1924 to Aug 29 2014
Doctor Who credits
Wrote: The Mark of the Rani (1985), The Trial of a Time Lord (1986), Time and the Rani (1987)
Career highlights
As part of a highly successful husband and wife writing team, Jane co-wrote for The Pursuers (1961), The Third Alibi (1961), Dilemma (1962), Detective (1968), Captain Nemo and the Underwater City (1969), Circus (1975), Space: 1999 (1976), Z Cars (1976-77), Watt on Earth (1991-92) and The Last 28 (1999). Jane was also an accomplished playwright and novelist, co-writing Doctor Who novelisations of their TV stories, as well as a Choose Your Own Adventure book entitled Race Against Time (1986), which also featured the Rani. In 2000 Jane and Pip resurrected the Rani once more for the audio drama The Rani Reaps the Whirlwind.

Chris Clough (director) Born Mar 9 1951
Doctor Who credits
Directed: The Trial of a Time Lord Parts 9-14 (1986), Delta and the Bannermen (1987), Dragonfire (1987), The Happiness Patrol (1988), Silver Nemesis (1988)
Played: Voice of Fifi in The Happiness Patrol (1988, uncredited)
Played: Policeman in Silver Nemesis (1988, uncredited)
Career highlights
Further directing work includes Brookside (1982), EastEnders (1985-88), Casualty (1994-95), The Bill (1992-95), Ballykissangel (1996) and Skins (2007). Chris later went into production, handling The Bill (1995-97), Ballykissangel (1998-99), Black Cab (2000), Table 12 (2001), Born and Bred (2003-04), The Ghost Squad (2005), Skins (2007-13), Sirens (2011), Strike Back (2012), Lucan (2013), The Missing (2014), Stan Lee's Lucky Man (2016), Rellik (2017), Dark Heart (2018) and World on Fire (2019).
Awards
2019: BAFTA TV Award for Best Single Drama (Killed By My Debt) - with Joseph Bullman, Tahsin Guner and Aysha Rafaele.

Eric Saward (script editor, Part 13) Born Dec 9 1944 Click here for Eric Saward's entry on on Castrovalva

John Nathan-Turner (producer, and (uncredited) script editor, Part 14) Aug 12 1947 to May 1 2002 (liver failure) Click here for John Nathan-Turner's entry on The Leisure Hive