Doctor Who legend Carole Ann Ford reveals her “emotional” reaction when watching David Bradley’s William Hartnell

Watching the 50th anniversary drama, An Adventure in Space and Time, was a moving experience for many Doctor Who fans, but Carole Ann Ford’s reaction was particularly special.

Jacqueline Hill played Susan, the very first companion in Doctor Who, and helped the original Doctor, William Hartnell, on his adventures throughout the galaxy from 1963 to 1964. A recent special dramatized some of their first days working together, with David Bradley portraying Hartnell and Claudia Grant as Hill.

Although Ford briefly appeared in the show and found watching an actress portray her to be a bit unsettling, she generally enjoyed ‘An Adventure in Space and Time’.

Mark’s research was excellent. We had a great conversation over lunch about it, and I really enjoyed discussing his work with him. He’s a dedicated and thorough person – he always investigates things completely. He clearly put a lot of effort into this research and did a fantastic job.

We were talking about her time on Doctor Who, and she started reminiscing about her old co-stars – it was lovely hearing her talk about them. She spoke so fondly of the late William Hartnell, sharing how close they’d been. It really highlighted the special bonds formed on set.

Honestly, I was completely charmed by him! He just had this sweet, considerate quality, and I really appreciated how seriously he took everything. I can’t stand it when people don’t treat their work with respect, and he definitely wasn’t one of those types. He was genuinely lovely.

The role meant the world to him. He was incredibly dedicated and a perfectionist because it was so important to him.

She fondly recalls Jaqueline Hill, who portrayed Barbara Wright, describing her as a kind, thoughtful, and talented actress.

When I first saw William Russell, I thought, ‘Wow!’ I then suggested that his character might have a little crush on Susan, thinking it would be a fun idea. But they quickly shut that down – apparently, there’s no room for romance or playful interactions on the TARDIS!

Love Doctor Who? Join TopMob’s Doctor Who Insiders club to get exclusive monthly interviews with your favorite Doctor Who actors and creators!

Authors

Louise Griffin

Louise Griffin is the Sci-Fi & Fantasy Editor at TopMob, where she writes about popular franchises like Doctor Who, Star Wars, Marvel, House of the Dragon, and Good Omens. Before joining TopMob, she was a Senior Entertainment Reporter at Metro and holds a degree in English Literature.

  • Visit us on Twitter

Read More

2026-01-21 11:34