Colin Baker regrets not filming his regeneration scene

[The Nth Doctor]

Colin Baker expressed regret about not filming his regeneration scene while promoting the Season 23 Blu-ray release at BFI.

At the BFI screening, Baker recalled how he was invited by the BBC to return to film a single story for the following season 24, but refused. “This was in November and that would take place the following March/April… I wasn’t going to commit myself to two weeks work the next March/April… and I’ll be honest, I was hacked off. I saw no reason to be nice to them.”

Addressing the audience, he added: “I forgot about you [the fans] – sorry. I was being brutally selfish at the time and I just felt annoyed. Because I loved that part… and I thought I had more to offer.”

Baker did propose that he could return for the entirety of the following season and regenerate at the end of it, but says he “never heard back” from the BBC.
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Honestly, I still don't blame him. He was rightfully miffed at the way the BBC and especially Michael Grade treated him.

 

[Pindar]

I don't blame him either, he was treated very badly.
At least he got to record one for Big Finish.

 

[Mr Awe]

I don't blame him either. I always thought that for the BBC to even think he might return for that was ridiculous.

 

[yotsuya]

I've seen some fan edits that have Colin in the scene. That is one scene/episode I'd approve of an SE of.

 

[The Wormhole]

Yeah, I don't blame him either. I mean I get where he's coming from now feeling he cheated the fans through the gift of hindsight. But were I in his situation at the time, I'd have made the same decision with no regrets, and ultimately he shouldn't have any regrets himself.

 

[Professor Zoom]

This is one of the reasons why I adore Colin. He deeply cares about the fans. He’s a passionate guy—which showed in his performance.

But he has no need to apologize in my mind. He made the right decision.

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

In hindsight, seeing as how his incarnation really got his due by Big Finish, he was right not to return.

Of course, I can't imagine how it might've felt for a long-time fan. I would imagine losing a regeneration story would be a pretty big bummer, on top of having a replacement Doctor this soon after only his second season. But overall, the BBC fucked him over, he was under no obligation to do them any favours.

 

[Nightowl1701]

Of course, I can't imagine how it might've felt for a long-time fan. I would imagine losing a regeneration story would be a pretty big bummer, on top of having a replacement Doctor this soon after only his second season. But overall, the BBC fucked him over, he was under no obligation to do them any favours.

UK fan: “Wart from Starstrider? AND Bonnie bloody Langford?? FINE, sod it! We can take a hint. Colin’s well rid of it, you ask me. Coronation Street’s on anyway.”
US fan: “... what the HELL is going on over there?!?”

 

[kirk55555]

I think he was right to refuse, but there is also the fact that the story probably would have been godawful. Even as someone who adores most of the 6th Doctor era, going into the 7th's the writing really got bad for awhile, and if the 6th Doctor had ended as badly as the 7th began, that honestly to me would have been worse then not having a regeneration story at all.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

I'm pretty sure it would've been Time and the Rani either way, but I could be wrong.

 

[Haggis and tatties]

Yeap, the BBC seems to have treated him very poorly indeed so no one can blame him in anyway, and 20 years later the BBC were again treating the new Dr, CE, very poorly again as we now know.

 

[kirk55555]

I'm pretty sure it would've been Time and the Rani either way, but I could be wrong.

How would Time and the Rani have worked if Colin was there? Everything I've read, including the article/quote at the top of this topic, has said they wanted him to show up for one last story, and then regenerate at the end of the story. Time and The Rani is all about a regeneration addled Doctor. It might always have been McCoy's first story, but it wouldn't have worked as a full last story for Colin unless it was drastically changed.

 

[C.E. Evans]

I'm another one who thought that Colin was right to refuse. He had been basically fired very publicly, but they wanted him to come back and make it a nice & easy transition onscreen. That meant he couldn't even commit to any new work that might run into that two-week filming schedule. Get real.