Picture the scene: it's 1974. You're shown this photo and told that one member of this team of building site workers is going to be the new Doctor Who. Working out which one would not exactly be what Sherlock Holmes called a two-pipe problem, would it?

Officially visiting #Brighton for a wedding, but snuck in a little #DoctorWho location-spotting that's right on target.

September in the #IsleOfMan

I was sorry to learn of the death of Christopher H Bidmead on the same evening I started a 45th anniversary rewatch of the season of Doctor Who he script-edited. It's a distinct turning point in the show's history and has his clear, clever intent for the programme running through every episode.

This is such sudden and upsetting news. John was a warm and erudite contributor to social media, and so much more. I had the pleasure of exchanging a couple of messages with him. His last Bluesky post was only a few days ago, brimming with joy and love as he celebrated his husband's birthday.

Oh, this is marvellous. (And I'm not just saying that because very kind words are said about me at one point.) A warm, witty chat about why being enthusiastic about creative work that you love is a force for good. It covers Doctor Who, the Isle of Man, and many other points of quirky interest.

Casually brilliant writing, acting, and direction; and evidence of only one degree of separation between Violet Carson and Lady Gaga.

We lost #Manx actor #DursleyMcLinden 30 years ago today, aged just 30. Always remembered.

Harry Towb appears twice in Doctor Who, and once in The Champions. In all three roles, his character dies near a chair without meeting the regular cast.

"Oompa-Loompa Doompa-de-ditch, The lack of spacing Makes my eyes twitch."

The decor of the head office of the #IsleOfMan bank is different to that of most banks these days. #decor #architecture #Manx

The first issue of ver Hits I ever bought. 40 years on, and I still don't know the answer to the question, "Where is the Marilyn on the breakfast?" #SmashHits #LiveAid

It's the birthday of #JonPertwee and here in the #IsleOfMan it's a bank holiday. Happy Pertday to all who celebrate. Here's my article about the time JP put the Island's naval base on full alert after apparently spotting a German U-boat in Douglas Bay. marktrevorowen.com/2021/02/08/p...

My top five Davison wouldn't include Androzani anyway, and I think I'll take Five Doctors out of the running, as it's a special case. So that means today, it's: 1. Kinda 2. The Visitation 3. Earthshock 4. Castrovalva 5. The Awakening

For #Tynwald Day, here's a #Manx artifact newly on-display. The Manx Museum currently has an exhibition marking 90 years of George Formby's IOM-filmed flick, No Limit. It includes this banjolele signed twice by George, and once by his remarkable wife Beryl. Turned out nice again.

25 years ago this month, I bought Pop Trash, the least successful album by Duran Duran. Today I gave my copy a second listen, and pencilled in a third for 2050. As a palate-cleanser, I listened to Duran's latest waxing, Danse Macabre. Goofy fun and arty styling - much more satisfyingly them.

I found these amazing doors tucked away down a back lane in #Liverpool

This impressive-looking deep dive into the work of #Manx writer Nigel Kneale by @tobyhadoke.bsky.social has finally landed in NK's homeland, the Isle of Man. Looking forward to starting the Experiment.

#Manx actor #DursleyMcLinden was born in Douglas, 60 years ago today.

Just finished a 50th anniversary rewatch of the first series of The Good Life. Now quietly acclimatising to the realisation that if they made it today, Tom would have been born in 1985, and Margo in 1990.

I was happy with this photo that I took of Douglas Bay. The pale full moon, easing through the delicate pink and gold striations of the evening sky. The Tower standing firm on Conister Rock. The limpid sea. Then I noticed the house down the hill looks like Inspector Gadget. And I can't un-see it.

Watched today's new episode of #DoctorWho No spoilers, but it will be quite refreshingly escapist to get back to my rewatch of 20th-century Who, where currently all Tom Baker has to deal with is some Cybermen trying to blow up the Planet of Gold.

Today I met a 43-year-old horse. I had no idea they lived that long. Rheumy eyed but standing up straight, and quick enough to take the offered snack.

Writer #HeleneHanff was born #OTD In the 1950s she worked as an outside reader for a film company, speed-reading books to see if they were adaptable. Here's one example...

Writer #HeleneHanff was born #OTD In the 1950s she worked as an outside reader for a film company, speed-reading books to see if they were adaptable. Here's one example...

Emerging from the hecticness of the week, I see that it was the 161st birthday of the most famous #Manx artist #ArchibaldKnox two days ago. I will hie off to the new exhibition of his work that's just opened. Meanwhile, here's a piece I wrote for his 157th. marktrevorowen.com/2021/04/12/l...

Really enjoying my - oh crikey! - 40th anniversary rewatch of the second series of #RobinOfSherwood. Has any TV episode had as striking an opening shot as The Swords of Wayland? And this rich, darkly beautiful, often quite outrageous show was shown in a teatime slot - on ITV. Astonishing.

Absolutely exquisite hand-crafted genius.

I've started the long, tedious task of stripping as much as possible off my Facebook account. I'm still quite pleased with this banner photo I took of Peel Beach more than a few summers ago. #IsleOfMan #Manx #ManxScenes #Peel

The word "arguably" is doing some heavy lifting on this sign on Douglas Promenade. #IsleOfMan #DoctorWho #JonPertwee

Looking For Dursley, the superb documentary about #Manx actor #DursleyMcLinden has been nominated for a Royal Television Society Award.

I've said this before, but what TV needs more of is performances by @tobyhadoke.bsky.social Tonight's #WaterlooRoad was enlivened by his turn as Mr Taylor, host of the (ahem) 'Mathlympics', resplendent with gold lurex jacket, crown of leaves, and Blankety Blank-style microphone.

Really, really hoping I might be able to join in celebrating the arrival of the much-loved Doctor Who Season Seven box set today. (Drums fingers in a Jon Pertwee style.) The mission started smoothly enough, but there's been no contact for five days now. *Something* took off from HMV...

Who watches The Watcher? Bryan "my brother wrote Quatermass" Kneale's sculpture, Yn Arreyder ('The Watcher' in English) has disappeared off its plinth in the grounds of the Manx Museum. Apparently, it's off for some repatination. Fancy.

There's a line spoken by Joan Sanderson in an episode of #AfterHenry thar makes Bixby, the assistant on my phone, awaken from her long slumber to ask how she can help. I'm now trying to rename Bixby Valerie Brown On The Pension Counter's Sister Mary. Sorry, that's a really obscure reference.

Spotted this blu ray in the window of my local cex shop. Has it really more than doubled in sale value since release? It still works out at less than £4.50 an episode, but even so...£115! 😮 My main thought is that the sticky price tag will be a 'mare to get off that cardboard slip. #DoctorWho

"But Monsieur Poirot, however did you solve The Mystery of the Missing Mackerel?" "Simple, mon ami. I merely disguised myself as a fishing boat."

I've written an article to mark the 125th anniversary of the most famous bank crash in the history of the #IsleOfMan and the remarkable photo taken of that cash-based #Manx drama in 1900. marktrevorowen.com/2025/02/03/t...

After their years in the limelight, life was tough for the Barbapapa Family.

#ArchibaldKnox Then & Now # 1: In the first picture, the most famous Manx artist is in the lane behind his house in Athol Street, Douglas in 1932. Perhaps he's taking a break from merging the Celtic Revival and Modernism, to ponder when bins is. The second picture shows the same spot today.

Picture the scene: it's 1974. You're shown this photo and told that one member of this team of building site workers is going to be the new Doctor Who. Working out which one would not exactly be what Sherlock Holmes called a two-pipe problem, would it?

Today I saw a Peel P50, "the smallest car in the world" on display in the city where it was built. Too wee to fit a reverse gear, but no need to worry about such details. The handle at the back allows you to simply yank the car round the other way.

This cold and frosty morning has provided another good reason to hold on to physical media. I saw somebody scraping ice off a car windscreen by skilful use of a CD.

Sixty years ago today, round about now, the regular cast of Doctor Who went for a pub lunch, to celebrate William Hartnell's 57th birthday. Future Coronation Street director Kay Patrick, appearing in Who as Empress Poppea of Rome, also went down the pub, as Hartnell has taken a shine to her.

Dinnae be feart, but today marks 30 years since the one and only series of The High Life took off, for a brief but entertaining flight. It's enough to make your heart go pif paf pof.

It is definitely the weather for hiding in the Owen Towers Book Nook with a mug of peppermint tea and a 1980s edition of a late-period Agatha Christie.

Yesterday was the anniversary of the first TV episode of Simon Brett's After Henry. (It started on radio.) Here's the piece I wrote about it for We Are Cult: wearecult.rocks/after-henry-...

Doctor Who In Memoriam 2024. Remembering people from the Doctor Who universe who died this year. youtu.be/SKzqWWW763A

I don't do reviews of the year, but one of the highpoints of 2024 was making it back to wonderful #Worcester after far too long away.