Feature by TIM WORTHINGTON
In 1958 Clive Murley of Warrington wrote to the TV Times, asking about the mysteriously shimmering suit worn by the host of ABC’s short-lived game show Can Do. It was made, the reply claimed, from “a special silk material imported from Italy”.
How true this was we don’t know, but it’s certainly true that Jon Pertwee – the host in question – had a lifelong love of stylish and unusual clothing. Eleven years after Can Do, he admitted to “raiding the family wardrobe” for his first Doctor Who photocall – after which his frilly shirts, capes and velvet smoking jackets were adopted as his costume. Pertwee owned dozens of the latter, and many of them found their way into Doctor Who. Here are five of the best…