Hello.
My name is Toby. I am an actor, writer and comedian.
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 (January 2022):
I’m still largely isolating due to living with a vulnerable person, but still trying to keep busy and pay the rent…!
I will be talking about Nigel Kneale at HOME in Manchester on Sunday 9th January, in conversation with Kneale’s biographer Andy Murray. I’ll be explaining the importance of Quatermass, The Creature, The Stone Tape, The Road and many more – the event sold out and so has been moved to a bigger screen (so tickets are currently available here) and my appearances is part of a whole season celebrating Kneale’s centenary so have a gander at the website and avail yourself of the rare opportunity to see several treats from that master of TV science fiction and horror on the big screen. I have also contributed to the BFI DVD of Kneale’s adaptation of 1984 which will be out later this year.
Nigel Kneale – the TV writer. 2022 marks his centenary which means I will hopefully be talking and writing about him a lot.
I am back on BBC Radio 4 Extra at weekends until 9th January, presenting the archive hour The Seventh Dimension – this month there’s a play with Blake himself, Gareth Thomas, and my old friend Robin Laing (who gives us a little insight into his memories of working with the legendary Mr Thomas) and the usual mix of sci-fi and horror. Over the New Year I had two small shows of my own in the slot – I bade a fond farewell to genera legends such as Bob Baker, Michael Ferguson, Jackie Lane, Edward Barnes, Stephen Critchlow, Morris Perry, Damaris Hayman, John Challis, Clifford Rose and many more in two episodes of Absent Friends. Clips are featured, including some never-before-broadcast interviews done by me. The two shows are available online here – episode one and episode two.
It’s lovely that Absent Friends is now a show as opposed to something crowbarred into my continuity announcements – that means it can be made available online afterwards for those who missed it on the night.
My In Memoriam video for 2021, remembering all those from the world of Doctor Who whose deaths were reported last year, can be found here. It’s a labour of love and now something of an annual tradition so please give it a watch if you can, and share it amongst those whom you think may be interested.
With Bernard Holley, one of those featured in both Absent Friends and my Doctor Who In Memoriam.
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.
I had the sad duty of writing the Guardian obituary for that wonderful man and solid, reliable actor with a golden voice Bernard Holley : Bernard was a friend and it was an honour to pay tribute to him here. Not long before that I also remembered Bob Baker – last of the Pertwee scribes – and you can find it here.
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). The live shows begin again in 2022 on 11th January. 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 podcasts are all up and away. They just clocked up over 100, 000 downloads across 100 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.
