In 2004 I was far removed from the excitement surrounding the imminent return of Doctor Who in almost every respect. It was a long time ago and I was in a galaxy far, far away… Well, California actually, working at Skywalker Ranch, the headquarters of Lucasfilm. On this occasion I was interviewing George Lucas for an authorised biography, but I also spent time rummaging through the company’s filing cabinets and inspecting some of the props displayed in glass cases. After the novelty of seeing original lightsabers and Indiana Jones’ fedora wore off, I would wander outside the house, admiring the view across Lake Ewok (seriously) while I ate my lunch.
It was on one of these less eventful days that a Lucasfilm executive asked me if I’d like to see some things that weren’t stored in the company’s official archive. Intrigued, I followed him back to his office. He opened the drawers of his desk to produce an exquisite X-wing starfighter and an intricate, carved wooden game that apparently originated in Thailand. I said I’d never seen any of these items before, and he didn’t look surprised – they belonged to his collection of Star Wars bootlegs. These unlicensed toys had been confiscated from wholesalers and, while most of the stock had presumably been destroyed, my friend had preserved some of his favourite pieces.
Unlikely as it may seem, I was reminded of this incident on a rainy day in Skegness, three years later. By 2007 my long association with Lucasfilm was over, and Doctor Who had reclaimed its place in the nation’s affections.