Tardis

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Tardis
RealWorld

John Francis Christian Ducker[1] (born on 16 March 1943[2]) better known by his stage name John Leeson, voiced K9 from 1977-1979, and then from 1980-2010 on Doctor Who, K9 and Company, The Sarah Jane Adventures, and K9. He provided other voice-over roles on television and for Big Finish Productions and Magic Bullet Productions, and reprised K9 for Big Finish and BBV Productions.

He also appeared on screen as Dugeen in the season 16 television story The Power of Kroll, and as Anthony in the Reeltime Pictures spin-off video Downtime.

Tom Baker detested the character of K9, but got along very well with Leeson. A favourite joke during filming breaks was for Baker to work out crossword puzzles, asking the K9 prop the clues with Leeson giving the answers in character.

Leeson himself became frustrated with the character. He left the programme after the conclusion of the 16th season in 1978. David Brierley took over for four stories (one of which was never completed due to a BBC strike) the following year. When John Nathan-Turner took over as series producer for season 18 in 1980, he tempted Leeson back, with the promise the character would be "killed off" that year. Although the character was, eventually, not killed off, merely written out, Leeson agreed to return, and portrayed all of K9's subsequent return appearances on Doctor Who and its spin-off shows.

Career[]

Leeson's other credits include appearances in Blake's 7 - both in the Season A episode Mission to Destiny and the Season B episode Gambit; Jigsaw in which he played the Scottish giant Biggum, who was so tall only his feet were seen and his voice heard; Sorry!; 'Allo 'Allo!; and Bungle in the children's television series Rainbow. Leeson is also the voice behind the Space Gypsy characters on Children's UK hospital radio.

Today, he is now most likely to be heard as continuity announcer on Channel 4 in Britain. He also contributed to the charity reference book Behind the Sofa: Celebrity Memories of Doctor Who.

DWU credits[]

Television[]

As K9

Doctor Who[]

Mini-episodes[]

K9 and Company[]

The Sarah Jane Adventures[]

Mini-episodes[]

K9[]

Specials[]

Video Games[]

Webcasts[]

Audio[]

Doctor Who Main Range[]

Special Releases[]

The Lost Stories[]

The Fourth Doctor Adventures[]

Novel Adaptations[]

Dalek Universe[]

Tenth Doctor Classic Companions[]

The Companion Chronicles[]

Gallifrey[]

The Diary of River Song[]

The Eighth of March[]

Adventures in a Pocket Universe[]

Other Roles

Television[]

Doctor Who[]

Direct-to-video[]

Audio[]

Doctor Who Main Range[]

The Fourth Doctor Adventures[]

Novel Adaptations[]

Tenth Doctor Classic Companions[]

Gallifrey[]

The Diary of River Song[]

Kaldor City[]

Audiobook Readings[]

Target Novelisations[]

BBC Novelisations[]

Doctor Who Audio Annuals[]

K9 Audio Annual[]

The Adventures of K9[]

Time Hunter Novels[]

Documentary[]

Other[]

External links[]

Footnotes[]

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