Having attended two previous events at Epsom Funcottage, to celebrate K9’s birthday and to meet Carole Ann Ford & Wendy Padbury (as well as attending an event in Aldbourne run by the same company earlier in the year), the announcement of an afternoon event with First Doctor companion, Peter Purves, meant that a further jaunt was proposed. Prior to them booking tickets a further event was announced, an evening with Mark Strickson and Nicola Bryant, taking place on the same day. Due to there being a bargain joint ticket, Chalky, Dufus, Shirt (given Ms. Bryant), Enigma, Lupine and Mavic Chen, were all definites, with tickets being booked by Chalky, and Dufus coming down to Shirt’s the evening before.

The late morning was spent at Chalky & Tigger’s (Dufus and Shirt picking up Enigma on the way), celebrating Chalky’s birthday a few weeks late (and Mavic Chen’s a few days late). They then made their way in two cars to Epsom Funcottage. The original plan was for Dufus to follow Chalky, but at the first point that his sat-nav gave different directions, this was abandoned. Dufus also insisted on having a telephone conversation with his girlfriend on loudspeaker, which quite turned Shirt and Enigma’s stomachs.

Unsurprisingly Chalky and his passengers were first to the venue, partly because Enigma and Dufus both needed to use a nearby cashpoint. Tickets were handed out, and they made their way into the studio theatre, trying to find seats where Mavic Chen would be able to see what was going on. Dufus then realised that he had left his phone in his car, but there was not time for him to go and get it before the event started.

At 2pm, the organiser stepped to the front and announced Peter Purves, who entered from the side door, sitting down for the first part of his interview. This focused on his career away from WHO, including a fringe play that Shirt had seen him in at the Edinburgh Fringe in August 2018, as well as his other main claim to fame, ‘Blue Peter’. There was then a brief Q&A focusing on non-WHO work, followed by a 15 minute interval. Dufus took the opportunity to go and retrieve his phone, whilst everyone else went out to browse the stalls in the foyer (Mavic Chen being bought a ‘Tenth Doctor’ PEZ Dispenser for his birthday by Enigma), whilst Shirt looked after the bags in the studio. The second half of the interview focused on Peter’s time in WHO which it was clear he would have preferred to go on for longer being told that he had to leave after one year. There was then another Q&A with Mavic Chen asking an excellent question about missing episodes (making both Chalky and Shirt very proud).

It was then time for the photoshoots for all three guests, which was taking place upstairs, where the Alec Wheal Collection was also on display. Only Dufus was having a photo, but Chalky and Mavic Chen went up to view the collection, whilst the others looked at the stalls again, all purchasing TITAN vinyl figures of various Doctors and monsters. Having finished looking at the collection, and reaching the top of the stairs back down, Mavic Chen called out (slightly too loudly),

“Uncle Shirt, Peri’s up here !”

Shirt went quite red, and attempted to blend into the background, before going up to look at the collection himself, and glance in Ms. Bryant’s direction as she was having her photo taken.

Eventually all photos were taken, and the studio opened again as the signing room. It became clear that all three guests were charging £15 per signature and £5 for a selfie. First up was Chalky and Mavic Chen who got Mr. Purves to sign his autograph book, then Shirt who got him to sign a ‘Blue Peter’ publicity photo of Peter with ‘John & Val & Princess Anne’. Dufus then proceeded to buy two photos (DW & BP) and get two DVD sleeves signed. Lupine got a photo signed, whilst Enigma got her ‘Companions’ book signed.

Moving along, the process was repeated with Mark Strickson, but on reaching Nicola Bryant, Chalky realised that he did not have quite enough money (underestimating the cost of autographs). He therefore turned behind him,

“Uncle Shirt, can we borrow £10”, he asked.

Nicola seemed amused by this, repeating “Uncle Shirt ?” in a lascivious way that put a soppy grin on Shirt’s face, as he handed over the note, before getting Mark Strickson on his ‘Planet of Fire’ DVD cover. A few seconds later, and he was getting Nicola to sign it also. DVD covers signed (for Dufus), and ‘Companions’ book for Enigma, and they were regrouping in the foyer.

There being just under an hour until the evening activities began, they walked into Epsom town centre, where it was decided to stop for a drink at a nearby hostelry. All ordered drinks, but Dufus ordered chips which Shirt was concerned might not come before they had to head back. However, all was well (save Dufus being unable to find some of his pills), and they arrived back at the theatre in plenty of time for the evening session. (Dufus also retrieved his pills from the floor by the seats where they had been sitting earlier).

First up was Mark Strickson, who didn’t say much that Dufus and Shirt hadn’t heard him say a few weeks before. However, it seemed that he was in the country to work for a short period as his mother was close to death, but that he would have to return to New Zealand in a month’s time whether she had passed away or not.

After an interval, it was time for Nicola Bryant, who spoke at length about the sneaky way she got into drama school, and the closeness of her relationship with Colin (him acting as a ‘father figure’ after the death of her own father). Mavic Chen then asked a question about her working with Patrick Troughton and Frazer Hines in ‘The Two Doctors’, swelling Shirt’s fan-heart.

The event ended with a brief contribution from Alec Wheal’s son-in-law, and Mark & Nicola reminiscing about filming ‘Planet of Fire’ together.

Filing out, they made their ways back to their respective cars, with Dufus dropping Enigma home, and Chalky dropping Lupine off at Carshalton Station. It had been great to all be together at a ‘Doctor Who’ event again.

[PL]