It’s been a bit of a Colin-Tastic month at Big Finish, what with his final bow The Last Adventure and now this very special two disc release in which Colin discusses his life and his career.
Colin is interviewed by the ever enthusiastic Nick Briggs – they are obviously good friends as this sounds more like a couple of old mates putting the world to rights.
Last year’s Tom interview was marvellous, but I did get the impression that Tom was wheeling out the old anecdotes and we were not seeing much of the real man. With this release, nothing could be further from the truth. There is a real truth and honesty to the proceedings, whether discussing his upbringing, his schooling, his career, or answering some pretty difficult questions from Nick, Colin is honest, truthful and direct.
Colin is not a person who tends to wheel out the old anecdotes so all his stories are fresh and vibrant. This release feels like an audio Who do you Think You Are as it moves chronologically through Mr Baker’s life, from his birth during the blitz, to the family’s move to Rochdale, to his not going to University, to acting, and at each point we get a frank reflection on the building blocks that made Colin the man he is today.
The interview isn’t always pretty and sometimes brings up painful memories but it is always truthful & candid. Nick Briggs teases out a lot of information from Colin, sometimes asking a question and letting him get on with it, sometimes probing further when the subject demands it, but always pitches it just right and whilst he may not always get the answer he expects, he always gets the answer that the listener needs to hear.
Highly Recommended!
Written by Ed Watkinson
SYNOPSIS:
Colin Baker’s career as an actor spans six decades of television and theatre. To many he is Paul Merroney from the BBC’s much-loved 1970’s drama The Brothers. To others he is the unhinged Bayban the Butcher in Blake’s 7, or Inspector Morse on stage. Or perhaps some know him best simply as Colin Baker himself, the man who entered the jungle and won over the nation in I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here.
Yet, millions know him best as the colourfully-dressed Sixth Doctor in Doctor Who, a character that has endured – and will continue to endure – through generations.
This is Colin’s own story, in conversation with interviewer Nicholas Briggs.