Colin Baker (born June 8, 1943) is a British actor who is best known for playing the sixth incarnation of the Doctor in the long-running science fiction television series Doctor Who. Playing the Doctor from 1984 to 1986, he had a mass of curly fair hair and a lurid patchwork coat, and was assisted by companions Peri and Mel.

Colin Baker as the Sixth Doctor

Before being selected to replace Peter Davison as the Doctor, Baker was an established television actor, his most notable role having been that of Paul Merroney in The Brothers. Baker also appeared in Blake's 7.

Before taking over as the Doctor, he guest starred in the programme (as Commander Maxil, in the Davison serial Arc of Infinity ), being the only Doctor to have done so. At one point in the serial Maxil shoots the Peter Davison Doctor, and Baker often jokes that he got the role by killing the incumbent.

He is largely thought of as the least successful Doctor, although he suffered from inconsistent writing and a long hiatus, officially because the show was moved back from the spring to the autumn schedules. He was sacked from the role at the insistence of BBC management wanting to refresh the show. The Controller of BBC One at the time, Michael Grade, criticized Doctor Who, saying it had become overly violent, and storylines were becoming farcical.

Since leaving Doctor Who he has continued to act, mainly on the stage. He played the Doctor once again in the 1993 charity special Dimensions in Time. He has also played a Doctor-like character in the BBV video series The Stranger and reprised the role of the Doctor in a series of audio plays produced by Big Finish Productions. The audio plays are generally well received by fans, reinforcing the idea that it was bad writing that his Doctor's era suffered from, and not a lack of ability on Baker's part.

Later television work during the 1990s included guest appearances in the BBC's medical drama Casualty, Channel 4's adaptation of A Dance to the Music of Time and as himself as the resident celebrity in 'Dictionary Corner' on the daytime quiz show Countdown, also on Channel 4. He appeared in the first episode of Jonathan Creek (1997).

Since the death of his son in 1983 he has been active in raising the profile of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome research, and is the current chairman of the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths .

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