“When I finished working on Doctor Who, I didn’t watch another episode,” says Edward Thomas, the production designer on the show’s first five post-millennial series. The laidback, genial Welshman co-ordinated the entire initial look and visual language of new Who - everything from the colours and the textures to the designs themselves. “To this day, I still haven’t been able. I think that’s just an emotional response more than anything.”
Edward adds that he did accept an invite to visit the studio while the late Michael Pickwoad was production designer. “It was an opening ceremony or something. When they asked if I wanted to see the TARDIS, though, I just couldn’t do it. The TARDIS felt so real in my mind. When I worked on Doctor Who, my team and I were so ingrained in the show. Once I left, I had to come completely out. I know it sounds odd, but to continue watching Doctor Who just didn’t make any sense.”
In 2004, 35-year-old Edward went for an interview at BBC Wales, hoping to land a job on Russell T Davies’ revived Doctor Who. He’d already worked in theatre, commercials, advertising and film. Recently returned from South Africa, where he’d shot movies such as The Last Leprechaun (1998) and The Little Unicorn (2002), he was acutely aware of his lack of TV experience. Nevertheless, his eclectic and fantasy-heavy showreel earned him a meeting with Russell.