Janet Fielding
Encyclopedia
Janet Fielding is an Australian actress, known for her role in the BBC
science fiction television series Doctor Who
as Tegan Jovanka
, a companion
of the Fourth Doctor
, played by Tom Baker
, and the Fifth Doctor
, played by Peter Davison
. She was born in Brisbane
. As 'Janet Claire Fielding' she made her UK TV debut in the Hammer House of Horror
episode Charlie Boy, which aired in October 1980 as she was announced as the new Doctor Who companion.
Fielding played the part between 1981 and 1984. She made a guest appearance on Jim'll Fix It
in a Doctor Who related sketch alongside Colin Baker
's Doctor
in 1985 (A Fix with Sontarans
).
In 1982, Fielding married Daily Mirror foreign editor Nicholas Davies
. They divorced in 1991. In 1984, she had a role in the ITV
children's drama Murphy's Mob, followed in 1985 with a part in Hold The Back Page.
In 1991, Fielding gave up acting to take up an administrative position with Women in Film and Television UK. While she maintained the position for only three and a half years, she has continued to work with the group since, managing the Skillset
study on successful women in television in 2009. After leaving her position with the group, Fielding worked as a theatrical agent, at one point representing Paul McGann
when he took the role of the Eighth Doctor
.
She returned to acting and the role of Tegan for Big Finish Productions
audio plays
including The Gathering
(2006), Cobwebs and The Cradle of the Snake (2010) alongside Peter Davison
as the Fifth Doctor. She has shown reluctance at reprising the role in the past, but has confirmed that she will be appearing as Tegan in further audio stories in the future. Fielding has also provided audio commentaries for several DVD releases of Tegan's Doctor Who stories. She also appeared in DVD extras for Frontier in Space
and Planet of the Daleks
, stories in which she did not appear, where she provided forthright critique on the portrayal of female characters in the serials.
Fielding has also worked as the head of finance for a charity, One Plus One.
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
science fiction television series Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
as Tegan Jovanka
Tegan Jovanka
Tegan Jovanka is a fictional character played by Janet Fielding in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. An Australian airline stewardess and a native of Brisbane who was a companion of the Fourth and Fifth Doctors, she was a regular in the programme from 1981 to...
, a companion
Companion (Doctor Who)
In the long-running BBC television science fiction programme Doctor Who and related works, the term "companion" refers to a character who travels with, and shares the adventures of the Doctor. In most Doctor Who stories, the primary companion acts as both deuteragonist and audience surrogate...
of the Fourth Doctor
Fourth Doctor
The Fourth Doctor is the fourth incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC British television science-fiction series Doctor Who....
, played by Tom Baker
Tom Baker
Thomas Stewart "Tom" Baker is a British actor. He is best known for playing the fourth incarnation of the Doctor in the science fiction television series Doctor Who, a role he played from 1974 to 1981.-Early life:...
, and the Fifth Doctor
Fifth Doctor
The Fifth Doctor is the fifth incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He is portrayed by Peter Davison....
, played by Peter Davison
Peter Davison
Peter Davison is a British actor, best known for his roles as Tristan Farnon in the television version of James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small and the fifth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who, which he played from 1982 to 1984.-Early life:Davison was born Peter Moffett in Streatham,...
. She was born in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. As 'Janet Claire Fielding' she made her UK TV debut in the Hammer House of Horror
Hammer House of Horror
In 1980, Hammer Films created a series for British television, the Hammer House of Horror, which ran for 13 episodes with 51 minutes per episode...
episode Charlie Boy, which aired in October 1980 as she was announced as the new Doctor Who companion.
Fielding played the part between 1981 and 1984. She made a guest appearance on Jim'll Fix It
Jim'll Fix It
Jim'll Fix It was a long-running British television show, broadcast by the BBC between 1975 and 1994. It was presented by Jimmy Savile. It was produced by Roger Ordish, who also worked on other BBC shows, including A Bit of Fry & Laurie...
in a Doctor Who related sketch alongside Colin Baker
Colin Baker
Colin Baker is a British actor who is known for playing Paul Merroney in The Brothers from 1974 to 1976 and as the sixth incarnation of the Doctor in the long-running science fiction television series Doctor Who, from 1984 to 1986.- Background:Colin Baker was born in London, but moved north to...
's Doctor
Sixth Doctor
The Sixth Doctor is the sixth incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He was portrayed by Colin Baker...
in 1985 (A Fix with Sontarans
A Fix with Sontarans
"A Fix with Sontarans" is the name of a specially written segment produced for the BBC children's programme Jim'll Fix It featuring Colin Baker in character as the Sixth Doctor. It was broadcast on 23 February 1985...
).
In 1982, Fielding married Daily Mirror foreign editor Nicholas Davies
Nicholas Davies
Nicholas Davies, also known as Nick Davies, is a journalist and author, formerly foreign editor at the Daily Mirror. He was closely associated with Robert Maxwell, and was the centre of considerable UK media attention in 1991 after he was accused in Seymour Hersh's book The Samson Option of...
. They divorced in 1991. In 1984, she had a role in the ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
children's drama Murphy's Mob, followed in 1985 with a part in Hold The Back Page.
In 1991, Fielding gave up acting to take up an administrative position with Women in Film and Television UK. While she maintained the position for only three and a half years, she has continued to work with the group since, managing the Skillset
Skillset
Skillset is the Sector Skills Council which supports skills and training for people and businesses to ensure the UK creative media industries competitive and productive.-History:It was founded 1992 and is jointly funded by industry and government...
study on successful women in television in 2009. After leaving her position with the group, Fielding worked as a theatrical agent, at one point representing Paul McGann
Paul McGann
Paul McGann is an English actor who made his name on the BBC serial The Monocled Mutineer, in which he played the lead role...
when he took the role of the Eighth Doctor
Eighth Doctor
The Eighth Doctor is the eighth incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He was portrayed by Paul McGann...
.
She returned to acting and the role of Tegan for Big Finish Productions
Big Finish Productions
Big Finish Productions is a British company that produces books and audio plays based, primarily, on cult British science fiction properties...
audio plays
Doctor Who audio productions
A number of officially licensed audio productions based upon the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who have been produced over the years....
including The Gathering
The Gathering (Doctor Who audio)
The Gathering is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Plot:...
(2006), Cobwebs and The Cradle of the Snake (2010) alongside Peter Davison
Peter Davison
Peter Davison is a British actor, best known for his roles as Tristan Farnon in the television version of James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small and the fifth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who, which he played from 1982 to 1984.-Early life:Davison was born Peter Moffett in Streatham,...
as the Fifth Doctor. She has shown reluctance at reprising the role in the past, but has confirmed that she will be appearing as Tegan in further audio stories in the future. Fielding has also provided audio commentaries for several DVD releases of Tegan's Doctor Who stories. She also appeared in DVD extras for Frontier in Space
Frontier in Space
Frontier in Space is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in six weekly parts from February 24 to March 31, 1973...
and Planet of the Daleks
Planet of the Daleks
Planet of the Daleks is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in six weekly parts from April 7 to May 12, 1973.-Synopsis:...
, stories in which she did not appear, where she provided forthright critique on the portrayal of female characters in the serials.
Fielding has also worked as the head of finance for a charity, One Plus One.