One of the defining traits of the series Doctor Who is that the lead actor who plays the titular character changes. There have been 12 actors who have played the Doctor, with the current one being Peter Capaldi. But did you know that once upon a time, Mr. Bean actor Rowan Atkinson took on the role? Well, sort of.
We say sort of because Atkinson played the role for an episode in a Comic Relief Red Nose Day special in 1999, called The Curse of Fatal Death. At the time, there was no Doctor because it was cut, until Christopher Eccleston took on the role in 2005.
The Comic Relief Red Nose Day is a a yearly British telethon that raises money for the Comic Relief charity. It has an influential cultural impact, as James Corden got his idea for Carpool Karaoke in a special he filmed with George Michael in 2011, while this year’s telethon featured a “sequel” to the Christmas favorite Love Actually.
Watch Mr. Bean play the Doctor below:
In the skit, Atkinson is joined by his companion Emma (played by Julia Sawalha) as they attempt to defeat the Master (Jonathan Pryce), who is trying to exact revenge by killing them on the planet Tersurus.
Doctor Who is a British TV show that followed a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey called the Doctor, who travels through time in a blue police box called the TARDIS and saves people. It began airing in 1963 and has become a pop culture phenomenon.
What do you think of the episode? Share your thoughts below!
Follow When in Manila Koji for more stories like this!
