Alan Davies Isn't Who

Alan Davies appeared on BBC1's "Friday Night with Jonathan Ross" on October 17, coming onstage to an a capella version of the Doctor Who theme by the house band. Davies, who has been featured as a possible new Doctor in the media, made some comments rejecting the press stories: "Well, now you see, thatÆs just paper talk. ... No. Sadly, IÆm not the new Dr Who," he said. "I havenÆt been asked. Two years ago it was in the News of the World, GoÆ bless æem. They said I was signed up under a massive deal." Apparently a lot of his friends have already contacted him asking to play Daleks and/or Cybermen! They also showed an article from the Express newspaper that had a composite photograph of Alan in Tom Baker Who costume. Davies later talked about Mary Tamm and K-9, the Daleks, and even the new guy behind Doctor Who, his namesake, Russell T. Davies. "The thing is I would do Dr Who because Russell T Davies is writing it," he said. "HeÆs BritainÆs nicest man and best writer and he wrote Bob & Rose, so I sent him an email saying if youÆre really stuck and you canÆt get who you want, IÆll fill in but IÆm not wearing that hat." And who would make a good Doctor? "Annette Crosby," he answered, of BBC1's "One Foot in the Grave". "No, I mean it!" Davies cried. This all gives solace to -- or perhaps takes the wind out of the sails of -- a "prevent Alan Davies from being the next Doctor Who" campaign launched in the Diary column of Matthew Norman featured in the Guardian newspaper; the latest chapter was printed here (it's the fourth story down). (Thanks to everyone who wrote in, Craig Potter for the quotes and Steve Tribe for the "campaign" info)