Lalla Ward Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Interview

[@leoaaaa938]

I don't think I've ever smiled so much watching an interview. She has such a great personality.

[@joesmoe71]

God she was so sooooooooooo cute back in those days, and she's aged well too, still got those stunning eyes and smile!

[@morghan_with_an_h]

I just met her recently through my mother. I kinda came here to check her out. She was lovely and brilliant! I might start to finally watch Doctor Who.

[@jamesbevan9939]

So happy to see Lalla and Tom together again. Here's hoping the recording sessions aren't too awkward.

[@MaddoxProductions1]

"It was very clunky back in my day, there were no computers..." Except... Prime computers? ;)

[@CrrUptdSprt]

PRIME WE LOVE YOU PRIME

[@coloneljackmustard]

Actually, for the time period, some of the episodes like State of Decay were quite smooth and glossy.

[@captainz9]

Never worked on one, but we had a Prime at my job in the mid-80s for project planning/charts. I was more a DEC/Interdata/IBM guy (and early Sun/Apollo/HP workstations).

[@tubian323]

@@coloneljackmustard Doctor Who gets a lot of flack for it's low budget and yes sometimes the set would wiggle or you'd catch a blooper, but I think they did pretty well with what they had. It kept me spellbound as a child, in fact the suspension of disbelief was part of the fun. You know it's just a rock quarry in England but it's fun to imagine it was Skaro or Telos, and I had a lot of fun pretending my local area was a distant planet or earth of the past.

[@aaronleedorsett]

Thanks for this, wonderful to see Lalla Ward, especially to hear about her working with Tom.

[@BlueLou]

Lalla is adorable as ever, I think even more so. That was a such a well done interview as well. I feel she really likes the fans and appreciates them, and loved her time on the program. A shear delight!

[@chewie211171]

She talks of costumes, the best Romana II costume for me was the one she had in 'Destiny of the Daleks'; the long pink coat and white scarf mirroring that worn by Tom's 4th Dr.

[@supernerd5781]

chewie211171 Agreed

[@chewie211171]

Lalla and Tom working together again after all they've been through? Who'd have thought eh.

[@markandresen1]

The Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor of the series.

[@teodelfuego]

It was a very civil and un dramatic split, according to her statement in an interview

[@michaelleacy]

@@somerandomguy2073 They worked on Doctor Who BEFORE they got married, so there's a bit of a flaw in that story

[@IanGettings]

Lalla Ward speaks very well and the stuff about Neil Armstrong was fascinating!

[@Lupi33z]

yes its nice to hear about actors from different eras sharing their techniques

[@broadshoulder]

It is unbelievable that Tom has come back as the Doctor. Even more of a miracle that he is doing it with :Lalla who he has avoided for thirty years. What a shame Mary Tamm has left us,

[@rhysjonesmusic6064]

What? Tom thinks Lalla is great, he signed my picture of himself and Lalla and at the end he wrote "From The Doctor and his favourite companion"

[@nathanbreen5535]

@@rhysjonesmusic6064 they were married so it could be kind of awkward

[@jmann6130]

@@nathanbreen5535 i think they realized they work better as friends then as husband and wife

[@nathanbreen5535]

@@jmann6130 yeah i suppose so

[@rnw2739]

@RhysJonesMusic Well there you go.... Tom has often said Liz Sladen was always his favourite companion so I wouldnt believe everything.

[@E101ification]

If they ever follow through with this "bringing the Timelords back" storyline, they HAVE to get Lalla Ward to reprise her role as Romana. Even if it's just for one episode where she regenerates into someone else at the end of it, though if it were up to me it'd be her throughout the whole series.

[@AndyNations]

i was in love with her back in ‘79 n am still in love with her in ‘24 …….. jus ‘ sayin’

[@josephmoses72]

i have to disagree with Lalla, she looked absolutely stunning in all of those outfits she wore on doctor who

[@straker454]

Oh she' still looks lovely. She's not only one of my absolute favorite companions but also my favorite Romana.

[@Owl_of_Books]

I hope she appears in the new episodes, and meets the twelfth doctor.

[@jpowell180]

Wow, she's still gorgeous - amazing!

[@ripleyjlawman.3162]

Not quite as she was then but she's aged better than others

[@allilliendahl6687]

I'd like to see a Romana series. It would be “classic” (pre-Time War), it would have the Time Lords, it could have visits from the 8th Doctor, and it could bridge its way into the new series via Romana’s 3rd and 4th regenerations. I’m sure Steven Moffat would appreciate it, because it would give fans a female Time Lord - with her own series.

[@kallemick]

Yeah it could appeal to the female audience :) People would get their female "Doctor" character.. Thats brilliant... Have you thought of sending a mail to the BBC about it?

[@rhysjonesmusic6064]

That's such a great idea omg! I mean just look at The Sarah Jane Adventures, which I personally prefer to Doctor Who, lead by a woman so another spinoff lead by Lalla would be amazing!!

[@omegaaverenger112]

Hate to break it to you, but a Gallifrey spin-off series does exist.

[@RohenKapur]

Whats it called?

[@jezz2k]

Gallifrey

[@larrylarry1]

First time I’ve seen Lalla since 1980. She is brilliant at any age. I like her more now than in Dr. Who.

[@erich6096]

When I was a child I had the biggest crush on Lalla Ward. I didn't recognize her after all of these years. Anymore than someone from back then would recognize me now. We all get older. Tom Baker's voice is still mostly the same. Hers is not. She seems like a wonderful person. I'm not certain which voice over work the interview is referencing, but if it's to voice her Romana character her voice no longer sounds the same. I wouldn't recognize it is being her character from long ago.

[@naparry4772]

She's reprising her character from the television show for audio company Big Finish and yes, she sounds pretty much the same as she did all those years ago. I don't think her voice has changed, barely at all.

[@fucheduck]

She and Mary Tamm were my absolute favorite companion (1) of Doctor Who! they spoke on Doctor Who's level, not on that of a moron! as for the effects, inspired me to do card board models of those space ships she refers to, and some of my own design.

[@douggraham5082]

No disrespect to the late, great Mary Tamm, but Lalla Ward was just fantastic as Romana. City of Death is almost unmatched in all of Dr. Who.

[@teh_hunterer]

Hey it's the voice from all the the Dawkins audiobooks!

[@aliservan7188]

What a lovely lady! And when she smiles... wow, it's like going back in time :D

[@jillharrington3641]

Never realized what a truly darling person she was and still is. Great interveiw

[@chapelpluto4484]

Wow. She genuinely sounds highly intelligent.

[@ftumschk]

She does, and she is :)

[@Alan1701b]

I'm very much looking forward to listening to the Big Finish audios with Lalla and Tom recreating their times during Series 17! I really hope that these stories will have the Doctor and Romana encountering well-known aliens and villains that they never appeared with before during Series 17 such as the Cybermen, the Ice Warriors, the Sontarans, the Master, etc. I'm particularly fond of the idea of a story having the Doctor and Romana fighting some scheme concocted by the Master. Having all that Time Lord intelligence on different but equal levels from 3 different sources and particularly from these characters has always fascinated me and it does make me regret that Romana didn't stick around one more story so she could meet the Master in 'The Keeper of Traken'. But anyway, I'd really enjoy listening to Romana's Time Lord intelligence working against the Master's. Yes, I'd like that very much indeed. Here's to the future in the past coming soon in the future. :)

[@allilliendahl6687]

Yes, this will be fun. I'd love to hear Tom Baker as the Doctor again. He's still our favorite!

[@Alan1701b]

So much fun! The chemistry between Tom's Doctor and Lalla's Romana was just wonderful!

[@knavehart]

Al Lilliendahl well then you should purchase the 2 seasons they have already done (one with Leela and one with Romana I (Mary Tamm)

[@Alan1701b]

I have every intention of doing just that. I was in Waterstones one day and out of curiosity picked up "Energy of the Daleks" starring Tom and Louise and was so impressed. I'd have bought the rest immediately but money only stretches so far. I'll get there in the end though, no bother. :)

[@georgee.williams1449]

Miss Ward is absolutely beautiful after all these years. I realize that she is very intelligent. The truth is that intelligence is far more common and lasting than physical beauty.

[@LarryLeeMoniz]

Fantastic interview. I have happily subscribed!

[@FlicksAndTheCity]

+Larry Lee Moniz Thanks, Larry! So glad you enjoyed my interview. :-)

[@John-tz2tx]

Happy Birthday

[@Problembeing]

Oh, she's so lovely :)

[@andrewsharpe1060]

Actually there were computers in those days because Lalla and Tom did the Prime Computer adverts.

[@neilmcdonald9164]

I think she just means they didn't have the prevalence they do nowadays,rather than literally no computers at all🎩

[@railrider2000]

Granted, she looks older; but she's still the hottest girl that Doctor Who ever had. Yes, I am bias. Although, Jena is really giving her a run for the money.

[@stuartmack8769]

Romana... BEAUTIFUL WOMAN WHO" WHO" ENDS UP MARRIED TO.... Years ago for Halloween i dressed up as Tom Baker /4th Doctor made a Dalek outfit for my girlfriend.. . i now wish id made her an outfit like Lalla wore in "Destiny Of the Daleks"... or even one like that sexy Movellan "Agella"... (think that may have been Suzanne Danielle? Or am I wrong?? Doc)

[@larsviklund3874]

My best Companion, Husband is (Richard Dawkins) one of my best and only whriter whos books i buy.

[@SplotchTheCatThing]

Don't you mean aka Princess Astra? Kidding, kidding.

[@thomasstevens2746]

She's great

[@n43510]

"1979, 80 there were no computers" - of course there were; there'd been commercial computers since the 1950s and cheap(ish) minicomputers since the 1960s. The BBC just hadn't started using them.

[@emilpaquin9999]

She even did a publicity for a home computer

[@peterlenham3180]

She meant computers back then weren't capable of believable images like they are now.

[@SofaKingTouge]

She was the hottest companion.

[@DOWSOE]

nuh uh - Mary Tamm was the HOTTEST : D

[@randomdave30]

DOWSOE Yeah - especially when she was cremated

[@IncredibleFortune]

randomdave30 TOO SOON

[@DOWSOE]

randomdave30 jeez man, what the hell?! Stow that mouth away

[@DOWSOE]

IncredibleFortune more like insensitive, pity her husband died just hours after her funeral : (

[@maxcardun]

She's doing Big Finish with Tom Baker? I hope those two get along in the studio, they are ex-spouses and she is very happy in her marriage. Don't get me wrong, I do love the Doctor and Romana II Team up, it is the best ever, those two must really love the fans.

[@Andrewnuva199]

Tom's been known to recording his dialogue in a separate studio session from his fellow Big Finish cast members, so chances are he's still avoiding Lalla by that manner.

[@chewie211171]

Andrewnuva199 Andrewnuva199 Tom recording in a separate studio? Sounds like Tom to a t; still grumpy as usual.

[@KevinTheTimeGeek86]

chewie211171 Actually, it's because Tom lives somewhere that's way too far for him to make the trip to the regular Big Finish studio. Also, given that he's 80 now, it's more from a practical standpoint than Tom being all grumpy.

[@maxcardun]

GoldenTalesGeek

[@E101ification]

I find it really hard to picture them as a couple; she's so down to earth, Tom Baker is borderline insane (and I mean that in a good way, of course). I guess "opposites attract" as they say.

[@josephdesouza5457]

Still fancy her

[@catsend]

We used to have Doctor Who conventions when I was little. Now the conventions that come here have Doctor Who anywhere else.

[@RossM3838]

the real dr who show was quieter and slower than the new one and so much better and more fun.

[@Amnesiadescenntlol]

Richard Dawkin's wife?

[@augustmarkvard]

Tom's ex-wife...

[@16Arson]

Ex wife now.

[@UnchainedEruption]

Paul McDonagh She divorced Dawkins too?

[@hojofan]

@ Karl Hiramanek Yes, I believe that she and Dawkins separated in July 2016 but still share the same home just as always. Seems like an odd arrangement to me.

[@ftumschk]

@@hojofan They're separated but, at time of writing (June 2019), they haven't divorced.

[@eleanorwilliams3908]

I’m a big fan of dr who

[@jaytops]

Class.

[@MrCuddy2977]

School Uniform … ? The Leisure Hive was always one to watch …

[@heathwatkins9086]

I was never a Romana II fan, but Lalla looks very good here! Mary Tamm was my favorite companion! So beautiful! RIP Dearlady! 👍🏽😎🎬📽😢❤

[@daviangel]

out of corn flakes boxes awesome!

[@filmbuff-ru4xt]

Lol!! She had to quickly suppress a belch at the beginning - oh dear!

[@mymusicvideosx]

1:09 or... "I think Doctor Who is like the Bowie of sci fi: The gnostic a-gender alien from outer space who saves the world 100's of times and preserves HOPE to many hopeless worlds and realities... Really, How can that NOT appeal to millions and millions of human beings on planet Earth?"

[@timothywait9457]

there similar

[@josiahtejeros4896]

How's with Dawkins?

[@timothywait9457]

they talk of coming from Nothing over porridge

[@midnight_styx]

Lalla Ward = Elisabeth Sladen No cap

[@rickylvu42]

beautiful women would have like to see more of her as a women time lord or mayde on torchwood

[@colinmcphan]

Glad to hear Tom and Lalla working together. Maybe Lalla lost some of the unflattering bitcheness she had developed. Like her and Tom a lot and always liked there on air chemistry.

[@johnwalters4792]

Mmmm very very very very nice

[@ThornabyBloke]

b

[@dickiegreenleaf750]

Not a fan of her at all as a companion. They should have stuck with the first.

[@nyassaisleaving990]

mary tamm wanted to leave because of sexist writing.

[@scorpio6593]

I don't know why Romana can't be brought back to the series, the last time we saw her, the Dr left her in E Space, so I would imagine that she was ignorant of, and protected from, the Time War!? I have mentioned this to the BBC, but they have never bothered to reply to me, even though they always promise that they will!? Basically, they don't give a Sh*t what the viewers think! The fact that they turned the master into a woman proves that!? That's Bullsh*t! The new writers have totally rewritten history to their own liking, and expect people to forget the past! Originally, there were Time Lords and Time Ladies, the men could regenerate 12 times when their body was injured, and the women could regenerate whenever they felt like it, as Romana did! Now we have the Master turning into a woman, and talking about when she'd been a woman before, and she mentions how the Dr has been a woman in the past!? Bullsh*t! If he only had 12 regenerations, and the first time he regenerated was when William Hartnell regenerated into Patrick Troughton, then when the F*ck has he been a woman!? The new writers are complete Dickheads who think that the viewers will accept any Sh*t that they come up with!

[@waltonsimons12]

Hate to break it to you, but you're the one forgetting the past and rewriting history. Changing genders while regenerating has been a part of the Doctor Who universe since "The Hand of Fear" in 1976.

[@scorpio6593]

That was 'Eldrad' who changed, not a Timelord, and he only looked female to start with because Sarah Jane was touching his hand and he modeled his new body on her, he later changed himself back to his original form!

[@waltonsimons12]

Yes, but Kastrian and Time Lord regeneration are similar enough that Eldrad felt justified in chiding the Doctor when he failed to recognize that the male Kastrian standing before him was indeed Eldrad. That being the case, the ability of Kastrians to change gender during regeneration suggests that Time Lords have the same ability. It would appear to be an uncommon occurrence, to be sure, but not an impossible one.

[@MrHairyNeck]

Romana was an awful companion. Too snooty.

[@davidmarks509]

She was very pretty, but played a very cold character,but I would not call her awful.