Strabane’s biggest Doctor Who fan celebrates 60 years of show

“The show takes you to places that nothing else will ever take you to… I just love it.”

These are the words of Strabane’s – and, perhaps, the country’s – biggest Doctor Who fan, Stephen Birkett, who told the Tyrone Herald that he simply cannot wait to watch the show’s three anniversary episodes to celebrate its grand 60th birthday.

Crowned the ‘longest-reigning Sci-fi series of all-time’, Doctor Who’s adventures through time and space flew onto our television screens with its first episode, ‘An Unearthly Child’, on Saturday, November 23, 1963.

Viewers heard the ominous, and now, iconic, theme tune, and watched with their eyes peeled as they discovered the wonder and magic of a humble navy police box, nestled in an old junk yard, that appeared to be bigger on the inside than out… and its interior bright, futuristic… and, altogether, intriguing.

This, of course, is the spacecraft, the ‘TARDIS’, which, it transpires, belongs to protagonist ‘the Doctor’ – an extraterrestrial being known as a ‘Time Lord’, who combats foes, travels to different timelines in the universe to save civilisations, and aids people in need.

But, for Stephen, this episode in particular stirs up pangs of regret – as he was unable to watch it when it aired for the very first time… as he was at boy scouts!

“I missed the episode on November 23,” he lamented. “But, thankfully, it was repeated the following Saturday!”

Regeneration into a new physical is a particular quirk, or ability, of the Time Lord species, which means that, to date, the Doctor has been played by many different actors across the decades – including Jodie Whittaker, the first female to ever play the role.

But who is Stephen’s favourite Doctor?

“People always ask me that,” he said. “However, I like every one of them – all in their own ways.

“If I were to give an answer, I’d say probably Matt Smith from the newer series, and Patrick Troughton from the old series.”

Next to portray the famous role of the Doctor will be Ncuti Gatwa, the first black person to take the mantle.

“I think that he will be fantastic as the new Doctor,” Stephen said. “And I’m looking forward to seeing all three of the new anniversary episodes.

Doctoring change

“Doctor Who has always been very up-to-date; the themes of the stories being always relevant to the times.

“For example, in the new series, they’ve got Jasmine Finney, who is a transgender woman,” he explained.

“She is also going to be playing a character who is a transgender woman, and, as such, the show is going to address some of the issues that transgender people face.

“Indeed, since the ‘70s, the show has had an LGBTQ sensibility, and has enjoyed a huge following in the LGBTQ community.”

Surrounded by gleaming models of Daleks – one of the most feared races in the Doctor Who universe, whose raison d’être is to destroy all life forms, other than themselves – Stephen paused for a moment when considering what his favourite episode of all time was.

“Perhaps it’s ‘Rosa’,” Stephen said. “It’s an episode which focuses on a character called Rosa Parks, a civil rights activist, in which the Doctor ends up involved in her famous bus protests for black people’s rights.”

The Strabane Whovian also owns hundreds of Doctor Who collectibles, as well as a home-knitted scarf, meticulously hand-crafted by himself.

And when we asked him why the show means so much to him personally, he said, “When I was a kid, I never felt like I belonged. Doctor Who spoke to that, and the show took you away from the real world; transporting you to another.

“The writers also have fantastic imaginations; every storyline is different – and you never know what’s coming next.”

There is no denying that ‘Doctor Who’ has reached iconic status in its 26 seasons of adventures, and it has no sign of stopping anytime soon.

So, that only leaves us with one final question…

What does Doctor Who have with his Spaghetti Bolognese?

….Dalek Bread.

The third and final part of Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary shows, titled ‘The Giggle’, will air this Saturday (December 9) at 6.30pm.

Catch up on the first and second episode, ‘The Star Beast’ and ‘Wild Blue Yonder’ on BBC iPlayer now.