Wendy Padbury
Encyclopedia
Wendy Padbury is a British
actress from Warwickshire
, England
. She is most famous for her involvement in various Doctor Who
projects.
Padbury came to prominence in 1966 when she joined the cast of the long-running ATV
soap opera Crossroads after she came second in the television talent contest "Search For A Star". She played the role of Stephanie "Stevie" Harris, foster daughter to the show's main character, Meg Mortimer (Noele Gordon
).
She was cast as the Second Doctor
's new companion, Zoe Heriot
, in Doctor Who in 1968. She became very close to her co-stars Frazer Hines
and Patrick Troughton
, the latter playing the Doctor. Padbury tells many fond stories about the practical jokes they would play on each other during rehearsals.
Her connection with Doctor Who after she left the programme (at the same time as Hines and Troughton) was not quite over. She appeared in Doctor Who and the Daleks in the Seven Keys to Doomsday
(1974), a stage play at the Adelphi Theatre
London
based on the television series, in which she played a companion named Jenny, opposite Trevor Martin
as the Doctor
. She then made a cameo appearance, again with Hines and Troughton in Doctor Whos 20th anniversary story, The Five Doctors
.
Other roles include co-presenter of the second series of Score With The Scaffold
. She appeared in three series of the children's television adventure programme Freewheelers
playing the part of Sue Craig. She made a series of appearances in the British soap opera Emmerdale
(then known by its original title Emmerdale Farm) coincidentally opposite Frazer Hines, one of the major stars of that show.
In 1971 Padbury appeared in Piers Haggard
's cult British horror film Blood on Satan's Claw
as the unfortunate Cathy Vespers. Coincidentally, she appeared alongside actor Anthony Ainley
who a decade later would take the role of The Master
in Doctor Who, including the above mentioned episode, The Five Doctors
.
In an interview with Doctor Who Magazine
, Padbury explained that she no longer appeared at Doctor Who conventions nor spoke about her time on the programme, as she felt she no longer had anything new to say about her time in the show. However, following her retirement she returned to the convention scene and was a guest at Gallifrey One
in 2009 where she spoke about how she first met new Doctor actor, Matt Smith.
She is now retired, having previously been a theatrical agent
with Nicholas Courtney
, Colin Baker
and Mark Strickson
, all former Doctor Who actors, amongst her clients. She discovered Matt Smith at the National Youth Theatre
.
Padbury was for a time married to Melvyn Hayes
with whom she had two daughters, Joanna (born 1974) and actress Charlotte (born 1977).
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
actress from Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. She is most famous for her involvement in various Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
projects.
Padbury came to prominence in 1966 when she joined the cast of the long-running ATV
Associated TeleVision
Associated Television, often referred to as ATV, was a British television company, holder of various licences to broadcast on the ITV network from 24 September 1955 until 00:34 on 1 January 1982...
soap opera Crossroads after she came second in the television talent contest "Search For A Star". She played the role of Stephanie "Stevie" Harris, foster daughter to the show's main character, Meg Mortimer (Noele Gordon
Noele Gordon
Noele Gordon was an English film and television actress.- Early life :Gordon's father was an engineer in the Merchant Navy and she was born in East Ham, London. After attending convent school at Forest Gate, she was taught to dance by the late Maude Wells and later spent several years living in...
).
She was cast as the Second Doctor
Second Doctor
The Second Doctor is the second incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He was portrayed by character actor Patrick Troughton....
's new companion, Zoe Heriot
Zoe Heriot
Zoe Heriot , or simply Zoe, is a fictional character played by Wendy Padbury in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
, in Doctor Who in 1968. She became very close to her co-stars Frazer Hines
Frazer Hines
Frazer Hines is an English actor best known for his roles as Jamie McCrimmon in Doctor Who and Joe Sugden in Emmerdale. Hines was born in Horsforth, a civil parish of Leeds.-Acting career:...
and Patrick Troughton
Patrick Troughton
Patrick George Troughton was an English actor most widely known for his roles in fantasy, science fiction and horror films, particularly in his role as the second incarnation of the Doctor in the long-running British science-fiction television series Doctor Who, which he played from 1966 to 1969,...
, the latter playing the Doctor. Padbury tells many fond stories about the practical jokes they would play on each other during rehearsals.
Her connection with Doctor Who after she left the programme (at the same time as Hines and Troughton) was not quite over. She appeared in Doctor Who and the Daleks in the Seven Keys to Doomsday
Doctor Who and the Daleks in the Seven Keys to Doomsday
Doctor Who and the Daleks in the Seven Keys to Doomsday was a stage play based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. The play ran at the Adelphi Theatre in London, England for four weeks, beginning on 16 December 1974...
(1974), a stage play at the Adelphi Theatre
Adelphi Theatre
The Adelphi Theatre is a 1500-seat West End theatre, located on the Strand in the City of Westminster. The present building is the fourth on the site. The theatre has specialised in comedy and musical theatre, and today it is a receiving house for a variety of productions, including many musicals...
London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
based on the television series, in which she played a companion named Jenny, opposite Trevor Martin
Trevor Martin
Trevor Martin is a British actor.He is perhaps known for playing the Doctor on stage at the Adelphi Theatre, London in Doctor Who and the Daleks in the Seven Keys to Doomsday based on the popular television series Doctor Who...
as the Doctor
Doctor (Doctor Who)
The Doctor is the central character in the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who, and has also featured in two cinema feature films, a vast range of spin-off novels, audio dramas and comic strips connected to the series....
. She then made a cameo appearance, again with Hines and Troughton in Doctor Whos 20th anniversary story, The Five Doctors
The Five Doctors
The Five Doctors is a special feature-length episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, produced in celebration of the programme's twentieth anniversary. It had its world premiere in the United States, on the Chicago PBS station WTTW and various other PBS member stations...
.
Other roles include co-presenter of the second series of Score With The Scaffold
Score with the Scaffold
Score with the Scaffold is a BBC children's programme, which was first aired in 1970 and 1971. It starred the pop group The Scaffold.It was a quiz programme, although interspersed with various material including musical numbers and sketches. It ran for two series, and the format was substantially...
. She appeared in three series of the children's television adventure programme Freewheelers
Freewheelers
Freewheelers is a British television series made by Southern Television between 1968 and 1973. It was the brainchild of television producer Chris McMaster, who was aware of the popularity of adult action series such as The Avengers and Department S amongst teenagers and saw the potential of a...
playing the part of Sue Craig. She made a series of appearances in the British soap opera Emmerdale
Emmerdale
Emmerdale, is a long-running British soap opera set in Emmerdale , a fictional village in the Yorkshire Dales. Created by Kevin Laffan, Emmerdale was first broadcast on 16 October 1972...
(then known by its original title Emmerdale Farm) coincidentally opposite Frazer Hines, one of the major stars of that show.
In 1971 Padbury appeared in Piers Haggard
Piers Haggard
Piers Inigo Haggard is a British film and television director, although he has worked mostly in the latter medium.He is the great grandnephew of H...
's cult British horror film Blood on Satan's Claw
Blood on Satan's Claw
Blood on Satan's Claw is a 1970 British horror film made by Tigon British Film Productions and directed by Piers Haggard. The film was written by Robert Wynne-Simmons, with additions by Piers Haggard, and stars Patrick Wymark, Linda Hayden and Barry Andrews...
as the unfortunate Cathy Vespers. Coincidentally, she appeared alongside actor Anthony Ainley
Anthony Ainley
Anthony Ainley was an English actor best known for his work on British television and particularly for his role as the third Master in Doctor Who. He was the fourth actor to play the role of the Master, and the first actor to portray the Master as a recurring role after the death of Roger Delgado...
who a decade later would take the role of The Master
Master (Doctor Who)
The Master is a recurring character in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. He is a renegade Time Lord and the archenemy of the Doctor....
in Doctor Who, including the above mentioned episode, The Five Doctors
The Five Doctors
The Five Doctors is a special feature-length episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, produced in celebration of the programme's twentieth anniversary. It had its world premiere in the United States, on the Chicago PBS station WTTW and various other PBS member stations...
.
In an interview with Doctor Who Magazine
Doctor Who Magazine
Doctor Who Magazine is a magazine devoted to the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
, Padbury explained that she no longer appeared at Doctor Who conventions nor spoke about her time on the programme, as she felt she no longer had anything new to say about her time in the show. However, following her retirement she returned to the convention scene and was a guest at Gallifrey One
Gallifrey One
Gallifrey One is an annual North American science fiction convention focusing primarily on the British television series Doctor Who and its spin-offs, Torchwood, K-9 and The Sarah Jane Adventures, with an additional emphasis on British and American science fiction television media, held each...
in 2009 where she spoke about how she first met new Doctor actor, Matt Smith.
She is now retired, having previously been a theatrical agent
Talent agent
A talent agent, or booking agent, is a person who finds jobs for actors, authors, film directors, musicians, models, producers, professional athletes, writers and other people in various entertainment businesses. Having an agent is not required, but does help the artist in getting jobs...
with Nicholas Courtney
Nicholas Courtney
William Nicholas Stone Courtney was an English television actor, most famous for playing Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Early life:...
, Colin Baker
Colin Baker
Colin Baker is a British actor who is known for playing Paul Merroney in The Brothers from 1974 to 1976 and as the sixth incarnation of the Doctor in the long-running science fiction television series Doctor Who, from 1984 to 1986.- Background:Colin Baker was born in London, but moved north to...
and Mark Strickson
Mark Strickson
Mark Strickson is a British TV producer and actor best known for his acting role as the character of Vislor Turlough on the television series Doctor Who.Strickson was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England...
, all former Doctor Who actors, amongst her clients. She discovered Matt Smith at the National Youth Theatre
National Youth Theatre
The National Youth Theatre is a registered charity in London, Great Britain, committed to creative, personal and social development of young people through the medium of creative arts....
.
Padbury was for a time married to Melvyn Hayes
Melvyn Hayes
Melvyn Hayes is an English actor probably best known for playing the effeminate Gunner "Gloria" Beaumont in the 1970s BBC sitcom It Ain't Half Hot Mum,-Early life and career:...
with whom she had two daughters, Joanna (born 1974) and actress Charlotte (born 1977).