Hello.
My name is Toby. I am an actor, writer and comedian. I have a Patreon Page here with all sorts of goodies.
I was going to write this in the third person in order to give the impression that I have “people”. But I don’t. So, hello!
Here’s my latest news (April 2022):
I’m still largely isolating due to living with a vulnerable person, but still trying to keep busy and pay the rent…!
I am fronting a new documentary – Remembering Nigel Kneale – on BBC Radio 4 Extra on April 17th, as part of a weekend celebrating the great writer’s work to coincide with his centenary at the end of this month. I’ve been given 15 minutes to do my Kneale appreciation so I have packed in as much as I can. There will also be a repeat of my adaptation of The Road and the Matthew Graham audio version of Kneale’s The Stone Tape. In fact, I am in The 7th Dimension all month, introducing some short stories form LP Hartley read by Robert Lang, as well as Horror Hospital – a horror play set in two time periods – and Sheridan le Fanu’s classic Carmilla (though I excised my reference to the characters being “suck buddies” in my intorduction to save the BBC doing it for me).
Actually, I will be talking about Nigel Kneale all over the place this month. The BFI have announced their DVD/Blu-ray release of 1984 : I appear on the commentary track accompanying the main feature and on a bonus video extra, talking about the writer and his work in general in conversation with Kneale’s biographer Andy Murray. 1984 is available for pre-order here. I will also be at the Crouch End Picture House on April 23rd MCing the Nigel Kneale celebration which includes a reading of one of his lost radio plays, special screenings, panel discussions and guests including Jane Asher, Mark Gatiss and David Simeon.
Nigel Kneale – the TV writer. 2022 marks his centenary which means I will hopefully be talking and writing about him a lot.
I recently had the sad duty of writing the Guardian obituary for that splendid actress Lynda Baron and a Doctor Who favourite Stewart Bevan. Click on the names to get to the articles.
XS Malarkey – my award winning, 24 year old comedy club – has opened its doors again after over a year of lockdown shows (we ran weekly throughout the pandemic). Our online shows went so well we are going to continue with them, bringing you fantastic acts from around the world on the first Sunday of every month at 8pm on our Twitch channel
Joe Lycett, Chris Kehoe and Sophie Duker are amongst the brilliant acts we have had at XS Malarkey recently
My partner Cherylee Houston was awarded an MBE in the New Years’ Honours List and I couldn’t be more proud. She deserves it, having worked tirelessly for her charities and initiatives which are all about improving representation and access for disabled people within the Arts.
My podcasts are all up and away. They just clocked up over 175, 000 downloads across 150 episodes which I am told is very good (we only launched a year ago)! They are all about Doctor Who : there’s Too Much Information (a fact-filled, episode-by-episode breakdown), Indefinable Magic (whimsical vocal essays inspired by some random aspect of the the show), and Happy Times and Places (commentaries with the aim of positivity). They are released under the blanket title of Toby Hadoke’s Time Travels. My Podbean podcast page is here. My Patreon Page is here.
I have directed a new set of episodes of the Dan Dare/Buck Rogers type spoof Dick Dixon in the 21st Century by the brilliant Jonathan Morris. It has a great soundscape (thanks Darrell MacLaine) and a terrific cast including Kieran Hodgson, Dan Starkey, Terry Molloy and Sooz Kempner. Jonny has packed it with jokes and characters who will definitely strike a chord with anyone who likes what I like. The latest two episodes have just been released – they are called The Love Bug and Menagerie a Trois (click on the links for previews) and got 8/10 from Sci Fi Bulletin and 5 stars from setthetape.com.
And here’s the general stuff about me if you’re interested (which I’m guessing you might be as you are here, so thanks!):
My one man show Moths Ate My Doctor Who Scarf sold out at the Edinburgh Fringe before embarking on a national tour, international dates and a West End run. The radio version was released on CD by the BBC and was nominated for a Sony Award. The follow up – My Stepson Stole My Sonic Screwdriver – joined its predecessor for a double bill at the Garrick Theatre in 2013. My radio work includes afternoon plays, a Fright Night presentation and topical comedy and has been nominated for a BBC Audio Drama Award.
I am a regular performer at the Comedy Store, Manchester (New Stuff every second and last Sunday of the month), the 99 Club Leicester Square, and have been resident compere at the award winning XS Malarkey comedy club for 23 years.
I also like old TV and can spot a character actor in a crowd from space. I have written about such passions for national newspapers and magazines, and spoken about them on documentaries and TV news programmes. My podcast, Toby Hadoke’s Who’s Round, has run to over 250 episodes, and my new lot, Toby Hadoke’s Time Travels, have hit 50, 000 downloads.
But I’m an actor really. I have appeared in Holby City, An Adventure in Space and Time, Phoenix Nights, The Forsyte Saga, Emmerdale, Coronation Street and Casualty 1907, the forthcoming feature film Six Minutes to Midnight (2020) and dozens of radio plays. I also present the weekend science fiction hour, The 7th Dimension, on BBC Radio 4 Extra.
