10 Facts about Sylvester McCoy!

1. Sylvester McCoy became the Seventh Doctor after taking over the lead role of ‘The Doctor’ in 1987 from previous incarnation Colin Baker. He remained on the series until it ended in 1989.


2. As Colin Baker declined the invitation to film the regeneration scene, Sylvester briefly wore a wig and appeared as the 6th Doctor in the regeneration scene.


3. He played the Doctor in the 1993 charity special Dimensions in Time, and again in 1996, appearing in the beginning of the Doctor Who television movie starring Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor.


4. In his first series, Sylvester portrayed the character with a degree of clown-like humour, but script editor Andrew Cartmel soon changed that when fans argued that the character and plots were becoming increasingly lightweight.


5. The Seventh Doctor developed into a much darker figure than any of his earlier incarnations, manipulating people like chess pieces and always seeming to be playing a deeper game.


6. A distinguishing feature of McCoy's performances was his manner of speech. He used his natural slight Scottish accent and rolled his R’s.


7. In 1990, readers of Doctor Who Magazine voted McCoy's Doctor "Best Doctor", over perennial favourite Tom Baker.


8. The 7th Doctor was the last Incarnation to have his face in the opening titles of the show.


9. The 10th Doctor Two–Part Story ‘Human Nature’ and ‘Family of Blood’ was an adaptation of a ‘Virgin New Adventure’ originally written for the 7th Doctor called ‘Human Nature’.


10. McCoy is acknowledged as the actor who played the Doctor for a longer period of time than any other.

The Seventh Doctor era is noted for the ‘Virgin New Adventures’, a range of original novels published from 1992 to 1997, taking the series beyond the television serials. It is also noted for the cancellation of Doctor Who after 26 years on British TV.

A sketch of The Seventh Doctor is later seen in John Smith's ‘A Journal of Impossible Things’ in the new series 2007 episode "Human Nature". Brief holographic clips of the Seventh Doctor appear in "The Next Doctor" and "The Eleventh Hour".