Hello everyone! 🙂
Welcome to ‘Bradley’s Basement’ blog and I’m Tim Bradley!
And Happy Who Year everyone! 🙂 Yes! I’ve been to the latest ‘Happy Who Year’ convention at the Lights theatre in Andover and thoroughly enjoyed it! The convention exceeded my expectations! It was so well worth going to after celebrating Christmas and the New Year!
This is the second ‘Happy Who Year’ convention I’ve been to after attending the previous ‘Happy Who Year’ convention at the Epsom Playhouse theatre in Epsom in January 2025. If you recall my convention report for that event, my feelings for it were very mixed at best.
Whilst I enjoyed seeing the ‘Doctor Who’ stars in attendance for that event, I was disappointed about the crowd control issues and the size of the venue. Mainly, there wasn’t enough space in the autograph room when going around to seeing all the guests.
I was anxious about this year’s ‘Happy Who Year’ event and wondered whether it would be a similar experience in Andover like it was in Epsom. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case this time, since the Lights theatre in Andover is an amazing place to go to for a convention.
There was more room in the autograph room, and you could manoeuvre your way around people without feeling claustrophobic. It was a happier and easy-going event compared to Epsom last year. Perhaps my feedback on the Epsom convention was taken to heart. 😀
I achieved as much as I wanted with seeing ‘Doctor Who’ guests, including Sarah Sutton (Nyssa of Traken), my favourite ‘Doctor Who’ companion. Granted, I didn’t get to see everyone, and I knew it’d be impossible to get all the autographs I wanted signed that day.
But compared to the Epsom event in 2025, I found the Lights theatre in Andover a better venue with seeing ‘Doctor Who’ stars for panel talks, autographs and photo shoots. I hope more ‘Happy Who Year’ conventions will be held at the Lights theatre in Andover in future.
As well as Sarah Sutton, there were Peter Davison (the Fifth Doctor), Colin Baker (the Sixth Doctor), Sylvester McCoy (the Seventh Doctor) and Paul McGann (the Eighth Doctor). Janet Fielding (Tegan), Nicola Bryant (Peri) and Sophie Aldred (Ace) were also at the event.
There was also Carole Ann Ford (Susan), Anneke Wills (Polly) and Katy Manning (Jo Grant). Colin Spaull (from ‘Revelation of the Daleks’ and ‘Rise of the Cybermen’/’The Age of Steel’), Ray Martin (from ‘The Mark of the Rani’ and ‘The Curse of Fenric’) and Tim Hudson (from ‘The Giggle’) were also guests at the event, although I didn’t get to meet those three.
Let me share with you what the highlights of ‘Happy Who Year 2026’ in Andover were for me. The theatre opened between 9:15 to 9:30, as we were allowed to go into the auditorium where the panel talks would be at 9:30. We didn’t stay out in the cold for long.
There was a foyer and a dealer’s room containing merchandise, and I purchased the DVD of ‘A Christmas Carol’, starring Colin Baker, Peter Purves and Tom Baker, which I’m hoping to share my thoughts on soon. I’m so happy I purchased the DVD from the Andover event!
I met up with some fellow fans in the arena part of the Lights theatre where the autograph tables were. We soon went into the auditorium to take our seats before the convention started at 10:30. We had an introduction by one of the show’s producers: Martin Parsons.
At 10:35, we had our first panel talk with the four Doctors – Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann, hosted by Martin Parsons. I attended two panel talks at ‘Happy Who Year 2026’, and for both talks, I asked the first question from the audience!
How lucky am I? 😀 Then again, I was seated in the second row of the auditorium, which was good. 🙂 The question I got to ask the four Doctors was whether there was a ‘Doctor Who’ story they did where they’d like to reexperience it or get a second chance at doing it again.
Peter answered with ‘Time-Flight’, of course ( 😀 ), Colin answered with ‘The Twin Dilemma’, Sylvester answered with ‘Dragonfire’ and Paul answered with ‘The Night of the Doctor’ in wanting it to be longer than six minutes. I’m happy they answered my question. 😀
Apparently, according to Peter, ‘The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot’ is going to get its Blu-ray release in the upcoming Season 21 Blu-ray box set coming soon in 2026. I’m very pleased about this and I understand there’s going to be an audio commentary accompanying it. 🙂
Peter was wearing a ‘Five(ish) Doctors Reboot’ t-shirt at the convention. Apparently, his son – Louis, I believe – had purchased it for him for Christmas last year. I wouldn’t have noticed Peter was wearing that t-shirt till much later, but it does look impressive indeed.
After The Four Doctors panel talk, I went to see people for autographs. I got to see Sarah Sutton first, who arrived earlier than I expected according to the schedule, as I assumed she’d be coming later in the afternoon. She was setting things up when I first met with her.
I said a quick hello to Sarah and gave her a belated Christmas present of Christmas chocolates for her to enjoy. Allowing her to continue setting things up at her autograph table, I went to see Janet Fielding. I had a nice time chatting to Janet at the convention. 🙂
Janet signed the CD sleeve notes of my copy of the ‘Warriors of the Deep’ audiobook, which I purchased at the ‘Bury Comic Con’ last year and got to listen to. I also had a selfie taken with Janet whilst wearing a Christmas hat on my hat (more on this later). 😀
After seeing Janet, I went back to see Sarah, who was already set up by that point. I’m glad I got to see Sarah more than once throughout the day, as I do enjoy chatting to her at conventions. Sarah signed my 2025 Christmas Photobook my Dad bought me last Christmas.
Sarah went through the photobook and saw the many happy memories I have of seeing ‘Doctor Who’ stars at conventions over the years. This includes Sarah, Peter and Janet as well as Nicola Bryant, Sophie Aldred, David Tennant, Jodie Whittaker, Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson. Sarah was very impressed with the photobook and how it was all put together.
One of the photos that Sarah really liked in the photobook is the one from the Exeter convention back in October 2024 where Sarah, Peter and I are holding cards, and Sarah and I are saying “David Tennant is very special” whilst Peter is going “Oh, shut up, you two!” 😀
Tim Bradley with Sarah Sutton and Peter Davison at ‘Exeter Comic Con and Gaming Festival Autumn 2024’, Westpoint Arena, Exeter, October 2024
Sarah asked me to provide her a copy of the Sarah, Tim and Peter photo from Exeter 2024 at the next convention I see her at. Hopefully, I can oblige. 🙂 Maybe I’ll be put it into a frame or something for her. I’m very pleased that Sarah enjoyed checking out that photo.
I had a selfie with Sarah, and Cuddles, my cute cuddly toy dog, joined in on the photo too. 😀 If you’re wondering why I’m wearing a Christmas hat in the selfies for Janet and Sarah, it’s because, in the auditorium, we had Christmas crackers in our seats which we pulled. 😀
It was part of the “Happy Who Year” celebrations, since we were starting quite early in 2026 with the convention in January. Sarah was happy with the explanation I gave her at her autograph table. I later told Sarah the joke from the cracker as well as my own joke. 🙂
She laughed at both jokes, though I think my joke was better and more fitting with the New Year. 😀 I also showed Sarah the ‘Favourite Dr. Who People’ Advent Calendar I had from my parents last December, featuring a photo of her, me and Peter from Epsom in 2025. 🙂
Sarah was very impressed with the Advent Calendar and wanted to know where her birthday (12th of December) was on the calendar. It was where Peter’s face is. 😀 I teased about eating pieces of her last December from that calendar, which she did find amusing.
I also encouraged Sarah to enjoy the upcoming ‘Gallifrey’ convention that will happen in Los Angeles in February, as I know she’s anxious about going to that. Apparently, her upcoming charity auction on her website is still happening, which I’m looking forward to.
I got to see Peter Davison and have a selfie with him at the convention. Peter signed my DVD cover for ‘Warriors of the Deep’. I told him I was looking forward to seeing the new Special Edition version of the ‘Warriors’ story for the upcoming Season 21 Blu-ray box set.
It’s to contain new CGI effects. Hopefully, it should improve the Myrka, which Peter and I chatted and joked about. 😀 Peter was intrigued when I shared that I found ‘Warriors’ to be my least favourite story of his era, though that’s more to do with its production values.
It was great to see Sophie Aldred again after all these years, since the last time I saw her was at the ‘Scarborough Comic Con’ in November 2023. Sophie remembered me as well as my name. 🙂 I’m so pleased I chatted to Sophie, and I had something signed by her.
Sophie signed the Blu-ray booklet for Season 25 of the classic ‘Doctor Who’ TV series, previously been signed by Sylvester McCoy. We chatted about ‘Tiny Time Lord Trouble’ with Pudsey Bear and her latest podcast series ‘Ace Odyssey’. I also had a selfie with Sophie. 🙂
I’m pleased I saw Colin Baker at ‘Happy Who Year 2026’ and we had a nice chat about his recent guest appearance in Series 5 of ‘Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators’. Colin was miffed that he got killed and by his own daughter in his episode. 😀
He also recalled working with Sarah Douglas in the episode, who he’s good friends with. Colin signed my CD cover of the Big Finish audio story ‘Jubilee’, which I hope to do a review on soon. I also had a few selfie photos with Colin. He’s quite cheerful in the photos, isn’t he? 😀
I got to see Nicola Bryant at the event and had a nice time chatting with her. Nicola signed my Blu-ray booklet of Season 23 of ‘Doctor Who’, containing ‘The Trial of a Time Lord’. The booklet was previously signed by Colin Baker. I’m glad I’ve had it signed by both Colin and Nicola.
I also had a couple of selfies with Nicola. I chatted to Nicola about how deeply affected I was by her exit as Peri from the TV show in ‘Mindwarp’ and asked her about the bald cap she wore when taken over by Lord Kiv. I also asked her about her using her British accent to play Kiv.
At 14:30, I went to have some professional photos with some ‘Doctor Who’ stars. This included Carole Ann Ford, Anneke Wills, Sarah Sutton and Janet Fielding. I had a group photo with Carole, Anneke, Sarah and Janet, which I’m very pleased I had taken that day.
I also had a photo with both Sarah and Janet as a duo, and I had a single photo with Sarah. I recall Sarah saying, “Come along, Tim!” when she beckoned me to join her for the photo. I told her, “You’re my guide, Sarah!” She laughed at that. 😀 A happy photo session indeed!
At 15:30, we had the Eighties Who convention panel talk with Sarah Sutton and Janet Fielding, hosted by Martin Parsons. I greatly enjoyed the panel talk featuring Sarah and Janet, and like before, I got to be first in asking a question to them, which I’m very pleased about.
Sarah said “Hi, Tim!” as soon as I was given the microphone and said hello to Sarah and Janet. Sarah asked me to ask a ‘simple’ question to her and Janet, to which I gave her a look and went, “What do you take me for, Sarah?” 😀 I think Sarah knows me pretty well by now. 😀
I asked Sarah and Janet if there’s a ‘Doctor Who’ story, whether TV or Big Finish audio, that they enjoyed so much and would like to do again. Sarah answered with ‘The Keeper of Traken’ and ‘Spare Parts’. She later mentioned ‘The Emerald Tiger’ whilst chatting to Janet.
Janet answered with ‘The Lady of Mercia’ as well as ‘Goth Opera’. There was a bit of confusion between Sarah and Janet about ‘Goth Opera’ taking place in Tasmania, which I helped them with. 🙂 I had a lot of interaction with Sarah and Janet during their panel talk. 😀
After the panel talk, I met up with Paul McGann and got to have my CD box set cover of the first ‘Dark Eyes’ audio anthology signed by him. Paul has fond memories of doing the first ‘Dark Eyes’ box set, including working with Ruth Bradley who played Molly Sullivan. 🙂
I also had a selfie taken with Paul. I met up with Anneke Wills and had my CD sleeve notes of ‘Doctor Who and the Cybermen’ (the Target novelization/audiobook of ‘The Moonbase’) signed by her. I shared with Anneke that I enjoyed her reading of ‘The Moonbase’ on audio.
This is especially since ‘The Moonbase’ is one of my favourite ‘Doctor Who’ stories featuring the Cybermen. We commented that the Cyberman on the CD sleeve notes is the ‘wrong’ one compared to the TV story. I also had a selfie taken with Anneke, which I’m glad about.
Sadly, I didn’t get to meet Sylvester McCoy, Carole Ann Ford and Katy Manning for a signing session that day, which is a shame. Like I said, it wasn’t going to be possible to meet everybody that day, but I’m pleased I’ve been able to see almost everyone that day.
The day ended with me saying goodbye to Sarah. I thanked Sarah for the signed photo I had from her for Christmas, which my Dad purchased in Farnborough last year. We wished each other well, hoping to see each other again very soon for the next convention.
‘Happy Who Year 2026’ was a very successful ‘Doctor Who’ convention for me to start off the New Year! I’m very pleased I got to see Sarah more than once throughout the day and I’m so glad the Lights theatre venue turned out to be better than I anticipated beforehand.
Everyone else seemed to enjoy themselves throughout the day and I’m very pleased it was a smooth-running event. I don’t know if I’ll be attending more ‘Happy Who Year’ events or the upcoming ‘Christmas with the Doctor’ event in November. That should be exciting!
Whatever happens, I’m looking forward to when I get to see Sarah again for the next convention. Sarah told me she’s up for another convention in May, but I’m holding back on sharing details about that since she hasn’t been announced as a guest for that event yet.
Hopefully, it won’t be long before she’s announced for the next ‘Doctor Who’ convention she’s at. In the meantime, I’m looking forward to the ‘London Comic Con Spring’ in February and March, where Ncuti Gatwa, Millie Gibson and Verada Sethu are to attend. 🙂
Thanks for reading!
Bye for now!
Tim 🙂
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