Colin Baker (photo ©steve cranston) was born on June 8, 1943, in London, England.

Colin Baker’s family moved to Rochdale, Greater Manchester when he was very young so he studied at St Bede’s College in Manchester. Originally, he studied to become a solicitor but changed his mind and at 23 he enrolled at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA).

The first role of some importance for Colin Baker was in an adaptation of the trilogy “The Roads to Freedom” by Jean-Paul Sartre produced by the BBC. Important roles for him in those years came in other BBC productions such as the adaptation of “War and Peace”) and the TV show “The Brothers”.

Colin Baker got married to actress Liza Goddard but the marriage didn’t last long. In those years, Baker often worked in stage plays, while continuing to appear in various television productions, and got married again, to Marion Wyatt.

Colin Baker’s debut in science fiction came in 1980 in the TV show “Blake’s 7”. In 1983 he made his appearance in the famous series “Doctor Who” in the role of commander Maxil in the adventure “Arc of Infinity”. At that point, he thought he had lost all hope of being able to play the Doctor, instead shortly after he was chosen to play the Sixth Doctor.

The time spent by Colin Baker in “Doctor Who” was difficult from a personal and professional point of view. He and his wife were struck by tragedy when their son Jack died at just 3 years of age. This led him to be active in the fight against Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, also helping to raise money for a foundation that studies that syndrome.

During those years, the BBC managers became more and more hostile to “Doctor Who”, cutting the show’s budget and moving it in the schedule. In 1985 a suspension of the show was decided but returned the following year with the reduced season known as “The Trial of a Time Lord” following protests from fans. After that season the BBC fired Colin Baker.

In spite of the way he was ousted from “Doctor Who”, Colin Baker maintained a positive attitude towards the show, which was an important influence in his life. In subsequent years, Baker still worked mainly in stage plays and also played the Doctor in the stage adaptation “Doctor Who – The Ultimate Adventure”.

Even his participation in the video series “The Stranger” and in “The Airzone Solution” in the ’90s, Colin Baker shows his connection with “Doctor Who” because in these productions he worked with other actors who previously appeared in the show, including other former Doctors.

Colin Baker keeps on playing the Doctor in the Big Finish audio adventures, which largely cover the years between the end of the Sixth Doctor era and the beginning of the Seventh Doctor in the TV show. On September 4, 2011, he became president of “The Doctor Who Appreciation Society”, a further confirmation of his connection with the show.