Seven Scousers who made the biggest impact on the 'Whoniverse'

Liverpool's connection with Doctor Who goes all the way from its first decade to its most recent. 

Even The Beatles have appeared on the show when Footage of them on Top of the Pops appeared in the 1960s serial ‘The Chase.' This is now the only surviving recording of the Beatles on the show. 

Scousers have had an integral role in this show, so lets take a look at the seven Liverpudlians who have made the biggest impact on the ‘Whoniverse.’

7. David Morrissey

David Morrissey has just sneaked into this list. A Liverpool born actor famous for roles in The Walking Dead, Blackpool, and Sherwood.

His Doctor Who connection comes from when he played Jackson Lake alongside David Tennant, in the 2008 episode ‘The Next Doctor’. 

In this Christmas special, Morrissey plays a man who believes he is the Doctor due to information from the Cybermen backfiring into his mind. Just a typical Doctor Who episode really. 

6. John Bishop

Bishop played Dan Lewis, who accompanied the 13th Doctor Jodie Whittaker on her travels, up until her final episode Power of the Doctor.

He joined the cast of Doctor Who in 2021 and brought the city along with him to the shows 13th series.

John is most famous for his career in stand up but has also done numerous acting jobs throughout the years such as Skins and ITVs Fearless. 

5. Maureen O’Brien

Maureen O’Brien played Vicki Pallister from 1964 - 1965 a companion of the first Doctor William Hartnell. 

Maureen was born in 1943 and after the war moved out from the city to Gillmoss with her family.

She trained at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and went on to be a founder member of the Everyman theatre company. 

Vicki was the first new regular cast member to join the show; after Carol-Ann Ford who played Susan decided to leave. 

Vicki was like a surrogate granddaughter to the Doctor and sadly we will never see her final appearance due to it being one of the stories missing from the Doctor Who archives.

Thankfully, she did return for numerous audio adventures and twice for pieces of extra media produced by the show; the most recent was in 2023 for Tales of the Tardis.

4. Chris Chibnall

Chris Chibnall was born in 1970; he grew up in Formby as a massive Doctor Who fan who even went on television to complain about the show in the 80s (so a true fan indeed!) 

Chibnall became the third modern Doctor Who showrunner in 2018 and introduced the first female Doctor Jodie Whittaker. 

He also went on to put the city of Liverpool at the forefront of the show. He brought in John Bishop as a companion and the city of Liverpool along with him. Even giving a Sci-fi explanation to the Williamson Tunnels mystery. 

Before taking on the role, he had written 5 episodes of Doctor Who and was the co-producer on the spinoff series Torchwood. 

He is also well known outside of Doctor Who for creating ITV crime drama Broadchurch.

3. Paul McGann

Some call him the longest serving Doctor and others call him the shortest serving Doctor but either way Paul McGann played the Eighth Doctor in the Doctor Who Tv Movie. 

Paul was born in Kensington, Liverpool in 1959. He grew up with four siblings, and his three brothers also went on to become actors. 

He was cast in the American made for tv Doctor Who movie in 1996. Which meant until the show was revived in 2005 he was the incumbent Doctor.

Paul has made a couple of returns to Doctor Who in the modern era; appearing in his own short episode for the 50th anniversary and making an appearance in Jodie Whitaker’s swan song episode Power of the Doctor. 

He is also well known for his roles in Withnail and I, Alien 3, and a recurring role in Luther.

2. Elisabeth Sladen

Sarah Jane Smith has been voted many times as Doctor Who’s best companion and the first character to span the two different eras of the show. 

Sladen was born in 1946 in Aigburth and grew up in the area. She got involved in performing at a young age and trained at Elliott-Clarke Drama School; she started to work at the Playhouse repertory where she met her husband, Brian Miller.

Then Sladen went on to begin a lifelong role as journalist and companion to the Doctor Sarah Jane Smith. 

She is one of the most beloved companions because she slightly broke the mould by being more than just a screaming girl. (Not to say there was not others before this, but Sladen really cut through with her portrayal.) 

She played Sarah from 1974 to 1976 and appeared in 4 seasons of the show alongside Jon Pertwee’s Doctor and then Tom Baker’s Doctor. 

Tom was not very happy when Elisabeth left and the two were even allowed to devise their own goodbye scene. 

This was not the end for Sladen’s relationship with the show as she returned for anniversary specials and nearly got her own spin off in the 80s. 

Her true renaissance in the show came in 2006 when she was the first Doctor Who regular to span the two centuries of the show. When she appeared in the David Tennant episode ‘School Reunion.’

Following this she finally got a spin off show; 'The Sarah Jane Adventures,' which ran from 2007 to 2011 with 5 seasons but ended due to her untimely death.

When Sladen passed away the outpouring from her fans was overwhelming. CBBC said they were inundated with messages from fans sending condolences and saying how much they loved her. 

1. Tom Baker 

The only man who could be number one on this list. The ultimate scouser and one of best Doctors there is (to many the best.)

Tom Baker was born in 1934 around the Scotland Road area of Liverpool and was brought up as staunch catholic by his mother. 

This then led him to become a monk after leaving school and living a monastic life for six years. He left after losing his faith and took part in his national service where he developed an interest in acting. 

He played many roles over his career but he is synonymous with playing the 4th Doctor from 1974-1981. 

He has been regularly voted as the best Doctor from the show and is definitely still considered the best Doctor of the classic run.  

He appeared in classic serials like the Ark in Space, Genesis of the Daleks, Pyramids of Mars and City of Death. He made his final appearnce on the show in the 50th anniversary special 'Day of the Doctor.'

He entranced a nation of children with his alien personality and slightly menacing grin. Baker still speaks to this day of seeing grown men turn right back to being 8 years old when they come into his presence. 

He is also the only doctor to have a fully Scouse Tardis team comprised of him and Elisabeth Sladen, so it is nice to think that two scousers were starring in one of the biggest shows of the time. 

By Rebecca Burgess