There must be times when Colin Baker regrets giving up the keys to the Tardis – and this weekend will definitely be one of them.

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It is more than 20 years now since the Sixth Doctor vanished from our screens after a disappointingly-short time in the role.

Colin was axed by BBC management after just two series.
Given his unhappy experience, he could have been forgiven for turning his back on the role, but he remains an enthusiastic ambassador for the series and will be at Washington's Holiday Inn hotel this weekend for the Dimensions 2007 convention.

He is a huge fan of the new series and recently visited the set in Cardiff where he met executive producer Russell T Davies – "this big, broad fellow, so full of joy, he was very welcoming" – and admires 9th and 10th Doctors Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant.



His own Doctor has undergone something of a renaissance in the eyes of fans in recent years, with Colin reprising the role in a series of official BBC-licensed audio plays from fan-run production company Big Finish.

"The Big Finish stuff has helped to re-establish me," says Colin, on the phone from Birmingham where he is appearing in She Stoops to Conquer.

He believes his sacking was a result of deeper problems behind the scenes – "I'm not willing to take all the blame," he jokes.

This will be Colin's first visit to Washington, but he is no stranger to Wearside – he hosted the event to celebrate Sunderland becoming a city – and is looking forward to coming back.

"I tend to stay with a friend who lives at Lanchester now and used to live at Chester-le-Street, so I know that area well," he says. "I did a thing at Lumley Castle two years ago."

He was originally scheduled to be in Washington for both days of this weekend's event, but will now only be able to attend on the Sunday.

"I'm doing a play in Birmingham at the moment, so after finishing on the Saturday I will be driving up to arrive around two or three in the morning," he said.

Even an actor who has worked regularly for more than 30 years can't afford to turn down a pay cheque, he explains: "When I finished my last job, it was looking pretty bleak until Christmas – then this came along.

" I do always say 'subject to commitments' when I take something on but Derek, who organises these conventions, is such a nice bloke that if I have committed to doing it, I always try not to let him down

"And the fans are always so pleased to see you that I always try to honour commitments if I can."

Tickets for Dimensions 2007 are available from 10th Planet Ltd, Unit 37a Vicarage Field Shopping Centre, Ripple Road, Barking, Essex, IG11 8DQ. Credit card bookings may be made by telephone on 020 8591 5357 or through the website www.tenthplanet.co.uk/dimensions

We have two tickets to this weekend's convention to give away.
Just tell us which incarnation of the Doctor was played by Colin Baker.
Send your answer, with an address and daytime telephone number, to kevin.clark@northeast-press.co.uk by noon Friday, November 9.