Community hub
0 subscribers8 pages, 0 posts
Recent from talks
All channels
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Contribute something
Welcome to the community hub built to collect knowledge and have discussions related to Janet Fielding.
Nothing was collected or created yet.
Janet Fielding
View on Wikipediafrom Wikipedia
Janet Claire Mahoney (born 9 September 1953), known professionally as Janet Fielding, is an Australian actress who starred in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who as companion Tegan Jovanka.
Key Information
Early life and career
[edit]Fielding was born in Brisbane.[1] After spending some of her childhood schooldays in America, Fielding studied at the University of Queensland, from which she graduated with a degree in English. She planned to become a reporter for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and journalism had been a major part of her degree course. Instead, she moved to Britain to become an actress. After arriving in Britain she joined an actors' cooperative.
As 'Janet Clare Fielding' she made her UK TV debut in the Hammer House of Horror episode "Charlie Boy", which aired in October 1980 as it was announced she had been cast as the next Doctor Who companion. She got the Doctor Who companion role after a number of interviews and auditions.
Between 1981 and 1984, Fielding played the part of Tegan Jovanka, a companion of the Fourth Doctor for his four episode story Logopolis only (played by Tom Baker), and later of the Fifth Doctor (Peter Davison) in 18 of his stories, as well as in the regeneration sequence for his final 19th story. 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).[2] She played Mel during Sylvester McCoy's audition for the part of the Seventh Doctor.[3] In 1982 she had a small role as the waitress Tracy in the ITV sitcom Shelley. In 1984 she had a role in two ITV series, Minder and the children's drama Murphy's Mob. This was followed in 1985 with a part in another ITV series called 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 administrative position for only three and a half years, she continued with the group afterwards, managing the Skillset study on successful women in television in 2009.[4] During that time, 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),[5] Cobwebs and The Cradle of the Snake (2010)[6] alongside Peter Davison as the Fifth Doctor. She had been initially reluctant to reprise her role for Big Finish; at Doctor Who conventions she has stated this reluctance was due primarily to her work as a theatrical agent, as she perceived a potential conflict of interest in working as an actor while representing actors. She has confirmed that she will continue to appear as Tegan in future audio stories. Fielding has also provided audio commentaries for several DVD releases of Tegan's Doctor Who stories[7] and appeared in DVD extras for Frontier in Space and Planet of the Daleks, stories in which she did not appear, where she provided critiques on the portrayal of female characters in the serials.
Fielding has worked as the head of finance for a charity. She is Project Co-ordinator for Project MotorHouse, a charity based in Ramsgate, UK, which aims to modernise the old motor museum into a multi-use venue featuring offices, bars, a restaurant, a café and cinemas, where local youths will have a chance to learn from successful businesses.[8]
In August 2013, Fielding contributed to the one-off special show Doctor Who Live: The Next Doctor in an interview segment with other companions and Doctors, and she appeared in the 50th-anniversary comedy homage The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot.[9]
Fielding reprised the role of Tegan in the October 2022 Doctor Who BBC centenary special "The Power of the Doctor", alongside Sophie Aldred as Ace and in the episode she reunites with Peter Davison as Fifth Doctor.[10]
In a 2023 interview,[11] Fielding reflected on her role as the first Australian companion in Doctor Who, stating, "I was not only the first Australian companion, but I was the first companion who wasn't a Brit." She also discussed her return in The Power of the Doctor, noting that it had been over 30 years since she had last acted on camera, and described the experience as both exciting and daunting. Speaking about the impact of the series, she remarked, "I got to learn 10 years later what a privilege it was to be a treasured part of so many childhoods and adolescents… and how lucky you were that that was part of your life."
She reprised the role in the series Tales of the TARDIS.[12]
Personal life
[edit]In 1982 Fielding married Daily Mirror foreign editor Nicholas Davies. They divorced in 1991.[13] In September 2012, Fielding revealed she was being treated for cancer.[14] She has not remarried and has no children.
Filmography
[edit]Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Hammer House of Horror | Secretary Mandy | Episode: "Charlie Boy" (credited as Janet Clare Fielding) |
| 1981–1984, 2022 |
Doctor Who | Tegan Jovanka | Regular: 1981–1984 (66 episodes) Guest: "The Power of the Doctor" (2022) |
| 1982 | Shelley | Tracy | Episode: "Slaughterhouse Sling" |
| 1983 | The Adventure Game | self | Series 3 Episode 5 |
| 1984 | Minder | Janice | Episode: '"Windows" |
| 1985 | Murphy's Mob | Caroline | Series 4 |
| 2013 | The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot | self | TV movie |
| 2016 | Prisoner Zero | Dr. Mendez | Voice; episode: "Breakout" |
| 2023 | Tales of the TARDIS | Tegan Jovanka | Episode: "Earthshock" |
References
[edit]- ^ "Interview with Janet Fielding (Tegan from Doctor Who)". John Oxley Library. State Library of Queensland. 31 October 2016. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
- ^ Mento, Charles. "A Fix with Sontarans". Doctor Who Reference Guide. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
- ^ "Exclusive First Look: Mel Leaving Scene - Doctor Who: Dragonfire - BBC". YouTube. 4 July 2008. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
- ^ Simpson, Amanda. "Why Her? Factors that Have Influenced the Careers of Successful Women in Television" (PDF). skillset.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 January 2010. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
- ^ "087. Doctor Who: The Gathering". Big Finish Productions. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
- ^ "138. Doctor Who: The Cradle of the Snake". Big Finish Productions. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
- ^ "DVD update | Revised schedule, plus Time-Flight and Arc of Infinity". BBC. 4 May 2007. Archived from the original on 4 November 2010.
- ^ "Janet Fielding - Project Motorhouse". Ramsgate Town Council. 27 August 2015. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
- ^ "Janet Fielding | Filmography". BFI. Archived from the original on 17 October 2016. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
- ^ Mzimba, Lizo (17 April 2022). "Doctor Who: Former companions to join Jodie Whittaker's farewell". BBC News. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
- ^ Crisp, Oscar (13 April 2023). "Doctor Who: Janet Fielding INTERVIEW 2023 (Tegan Jovanka)". YouTube.
- ^ "Doctor Who: Welcome to The Whoniverse where every Doctor, every companion and hundreds of terrifying monsters live". BBC Media Centre. BBC. 30 October 2023.
- ^ Thomas, Gordon; Dillon, Martin (28 May 2003). The assassination of Robert Maxwell: Israel's superspy. London: Robson Books. pp. 127–129. ISBN 1-86105-642-7.
- ^ Bowman, John (19 September 2012). "Janet Fielding Battles Cancer". doctorwhonews.net. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
External links
[edit]
Janet Fielding
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
Early life
Childhood and family
Janet Claire Mahoney was born on 9 September 1953 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.[3] After her birth, the family spent her first 18 months in Cloncurry, Queensland, before moving to Townsville and then returning to Brisbane in 1959.[10] She grew up in an academic family, with her father working as a parasitologist whose research career prompted several relocations during her childhood and teenage years, including moves within Australia and abroad.[11][10] As a child, the family spent a year in Washington, D.C., where her father conducted malaria research at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.[11] They also visited the United Kingdom in 1966 for a month, coinciding with the FIFA World Cup.[11] She attended Lourdes Hill College, a secondary school in Brisbane, from 1966 to 1970.[12] These travels provided early exposure to the performing arts, fostering her interest in theater. In Brisbane, she attended a production of the ballet The Nutcracker, while during the family's time in Washington, she saw the musical The King and I.[11] Such experiences during her formative years in Brisbane and abroad contributed to her developing passion for performance, though opportunities for direct involvement remained limited until later.[11] Mahoney adopted the stage name Janet Fielding upon relocating to the United Kingdom in 1977, drawing from her grandmother's surname to differentiate herself professionally from another actress named Janet Mahoney, aligning with her emerging aspirations in the acting field.[4]Education
Janet Fielding attended the University of Queensland in Brisbane, where she pursued a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in English, having also studied journalism, graduating in 1976.[13][10][4] During her studies, she became actively involved in university theatre groups, participating in dramatic productions that honed her interest in performance.[12] This engagement extended to joining Queensland's radical Popular Theatre Troupe in 1976, where she contributed to experimental works under the influence of visiting English playwright and director Albert Hunt.[11] Following graduation, Fielding decided to commit to acting as a full-time career, forgoing initial considerations of journalism or science paths influenced by her family's academic background. In 1977, she relocated to the United Kingdom as part of a theatrical tour led by Hunt, marking her transition from student productions to professional opportunities abroad.[14][4]Acting career
Early roles in the UK
Janet Fielding arrived in the United Kingdom in 1977 during a theatrical tour and chose to remain in London to pursue a professional acting career.[4] Upon settling in the UK, she adopted the stage name Janet Fielding to distinguish herself from another performer and joined director Ken Campbell's experimental Science Fiction Theatre of Liverpool, a fringe company known for innovative productions. There, she performed in stage works including The Warp (1979), a four-week improvised epic, and The End is Nigh (1978).[14][8] By 1980, as a member of an actors' cooperative, Fielding transitioned to television with her UK debut, portraying the character Mandy, a secretary, in the Hammer House of Horror episode "Charlie Boy," which aired on ITV in October of that year.[11] In the early 1980s, she secured additional guest appearances on British television, including the role of Tracy in the ITV sitcom Shelley in 1982, helping to build her profile amid the competitive landscape for immigrant performers.Doctor Who as Tegan Jovanka
Janet Fielding was cast as Tegan Jovanka in 1980 after a successful audition for the role of a bossy Australian air hostess, a character created by producer John Nathan-Turner and script editor Christopher H. Bidmead to bring diversity to the companions and appeal to international co-production interests, such as with Australia's ABC.[15][16] Tegan debuted in the 1981 serial "Logopolis," the final story for Tom Baker's Fourth Doctor, where she accidentally entered the TARDIS while searching for her aunt Vanessa after their car broke down near a police box.[17] As an unwilling traveler, Tegan joined the Doctor's companions, initially serving as a bridge between the Fourth and Fifth Doctors during the regeneration.[15] Fielding's tenure as Tegan spanned from "Logopolis" in 1981 to "Resurrection of the Daleks" in 1984, covering the end of Season 18 through Season 21 and encompassing 19 stories.[18] Tegan became a regular companion to Peter Davison's Fifth Doctor, traveling alongside Nyssa (Sarah Sutton) and Adric (Matthew Waterhouse) before the addition of Vislor Turlough (Mark Strickson).[18] Her adventures involved confronting threats like the Master, Cybermen, and Daleks, often highlighting her resourcefulness in high-stakes scenarios.[19] Tegan's character was defined by her feisty, argumentative personality, earning her the self-described nickname "mouth on legs" for her direct confrontations with the Doctor and unfiltered reactions to the chaos of time travel.[20] Motivated initially by the shock of her aunt Vanessa's murder by the Master, which stranded her in the TARDIS, Tegan's arc evolved from frustration and homesickness to deeper emotional investment in her companions and the Doctor's missions.[17][21] Over time, she displayed growth through moments of vulnerability, such as grieving losses and asserting her independence, culminating in her weary decision to leave after repeated traumas.[18] Behind the scenes, Fielding's audition emphasized her authentic Australian background, aligning with the producers' vision for a non-English companion to inject energy into the ensemble.[15] She described early challenges in finding her footing during "Logopolis" and "Four to Doomsday," but praised the supportive dynamic with co-stars like Peter Davison, whose collaborative style helped build on-screen chemistry, and Sarah Sutton, fostering a tight-knit TARDIS crew.[18] Fielding departed after Season 21 due to frustrations with the storylines, feeling the role had lost its enjoyment amid the mounting intensity of the narratives.[18] As one of the first strong-willed female companions of the 1980s era, Tegan influenced perceptions of Doctor Who by challenging the Doctor's authority and representing everyday resilience, contributing to the series' appeal during Davison's run.[20] Her fiery demeanor and status as the inaugural Australian companion marked a shift toward more diverse, outspoken women in the series, resonating with audiences and highlighting themes of personal agency amid cosmic perils.[22][20]Post-Doctor Who television work
Following her departure from Doctor Who in 1984 after portraying Tegan Jovanka for three seasons, Janet Fielding transitioned to guest roles in British television, leveraging her visibility from the series for initial opportunities. That year, she appeared as Fran in the episode "Second Hand Pose" of the crime drama Minder, a popular ITV series about small-time crooks and their schemes.[23] She also took on the role of Caroline in Murphy's Mob, an ITV children's adventure series following a group of young football enthusiasts solving mysteries.[24] These appearances marked her immediate post-Doctor Who efforts to diversify into lighter, ensemble-driven formats. In the mid-1980s, Fielding continued with supporting parts in comedic and dramatic series. In 1985, she played Deborah Simons in Hold the Back Page, an ITV sitcom centered on the chaotic world of a local newspaper office, appearing in one episode of the short-run production. By the late 1980s, her television work included a guest spot as a doctor in the 1988 legal thriller miniseries Blind Justice, where she featured in the episode "A Death in the Family," contributing to a narrative exploring class tensions and courtroom intrigue in historical England.[25] Her final notable television role came in 1991 with a brief appearance as an attractive woman in "The Libel," an episode of the BBC historical drama Parnell & the Englishwoman, which dramatized the life of Irish nationalist Charles Stewart Parnell. By the early 1990s, Fielding's on-screen television opportunities had dwindled, prompting her to step away from acting in 1991 to pursue administrative work with Women in Film and Television UK. She attributed this shift to broader industry challenges, including age discrimination against women over 30 and persistent typecasting from her Doctor Who tenure, which limited roles to similar feisty or authoritative characters.[4] These factors reflected the era's constraints on female actors in British television, where procedural dramas and period pieces often favored younger talent, leading Fielding to focus on behind-the-scenes contributions rather than pursuing further guest spots.[11]Return to acting and audio dramas
After a period away from acting, Janet Fielding returned to the role of Tegan Jovanka in Big Finish Productions' audio adaptation of Doctor Who: The Gathering, released in September 2006, where an older Tegan reunites with the Fifth Doctor amid a mysterious gathering of former companions.[26] This marked her debut in the company's extensive range of Doctor Who audio dramas, initially intended as a one-off but leading to ongoing involvement.[27] Fielding has since reprised Tegan in numerous Big Finish audio stories, exceeding 50 appearances through 2023, often alongside Peter Davison as the Fifth Doctor and other companions like Nyssa (Sarah Sutton) and Turlough (Mark Strickson), as well as interactions with later incarnations such as the Eighth Doctor (Paul McGann).[28] These productions have expanded Tegan's lore beyond her original television tenure, featuring adventures that delve into her personal growth, relationships with the Doctor, and encounters with classic foes like the Daleks and Cybermen in full-cast audio formats.[29] The audio medium has enabled deeper exploration of Tegan's post-television adventures, portraying her navigating life after leaving the TARDIS in stories set decades later, including themes of retirement and reflection on her past travels.[26] For instance, The Gathering depicts Tegan in a settled, post-airline career existence disrupted by temporal events, highlighting her enduring resilience while aging gracefully.[27] Fielding made her on-screen return as Tegan in the 2022 Doctor Who 60th anniversary special The Power of the Doctor, where Tegan and Ace (Sophie Aldred) aid the Thirteenth Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) against the Master (Sacha Dhawan), marking a brief but impactful reunion.[27] She reprised the role again in 2023's Tales of the TARDIS episode Earthshock, a reimagined framing sequence for the classic serial, reuniting her with Davison and emphasizing Tegan's emotional depth amid the story's tragedy.Other professional activities
Advocacy in film and television
Following her departure from acting in 1991, Janet Fielding shifted her focus to advocacy for gender equity in the entertainment industry, motivated by her own experiences of diminishing opportunities for women as they aged. She co-founded Women in Film and Television (UK), a membership organization established in 1989 to promote opportunities for women across media roles, and served as its first director, running the organization for its initial four years.[11][2][12] As director, Fielding led campaigning efforts to address systemic barriers, including sexism and ageism in casting, drawing directly from her career challenges where roles for women over 30 became scarce after her mid-30s. She also founded Reel Women, a group specifically aimed at representing actresses in their 30s who faced limited professional prospects due to industry biases favoring younger female talent. These initiatives emphasized policy discussions on equal representation and pay, contributing to broader awareness of gender disparities in film and television production.[11][12][14] Fielding's work with Women in Film and Television (UK) helped establish it as a enduring advocacy body, with ongoing events and reports highlighting persistent issues like the predominance of male-centric casting—where she later observed as an agent that approximately 75% of briefs were for men. Her contributions, rooted in personal insights from post-Doctor Who role scarcity, supported mentoring-like networks and industry dialogues that advanced women's professional support, influencing policy conversations on equity in the UK media sector. The organization remains active today, reflecting the lasting impact of her foundational leadership.[11][2][30]Charity and community work
Janet Fielding has been deeply involved in community initiatives, particularly through her leadership of Project MotorHouse, a UK-based charity she founded in 2009 to support disadvantaged youth in Ramsgate, Kent.[31][11] The organization transformed a derelict former motor museum into a hub for youth development programs, emphasizing arts and creative activities to foster skills and confidence among local young people from deprived backgrounds.[7][2] As project director, Fielding coordinated efforts to restore the West Cliff Hall site, overseeing fundraising, legal work, and community events over 13 years until the charity's closure in 2022 due to funding challenges.[32][33] Fielding's commitment to Project MotorHouse was hands-on and personal; she designed programs like the "Fantastical Worlds" exhibition, which engaged Year 8 pupils in collaborative art projects with professional photographers, empowering participants through creative expression and skill-building.[31][34] She actively participated in fundraising events, including Doctor Who-themed conventions that drew celebrity support to raise awareness and resources for youth initiatives, amassing over £300,000 by 2017 for site restoration and program delivery.[35][32] During her own health challenges with cancer in 2012, Fielding channeled the experience into advocacy for the charity, organizing events like Project MotorMouth to boost donations and highlight the transformative role of such programs in community resilience.[36][12] Beyond Project MotorHouse, Fielding served as head of finance for a charity.[7] Her work has emphasized long-term community impact, with initiatives like hall restorations and exhibitions providing sustained opportunities for disadvantaged youth to develop talents and build networks, leaving a legacy of empowerment in Ramsgate despite the charity's eventual closure.[33][31]Personal life
Marriage and relationships
Janet Fielding married Nicholas Davies, the foreign editor of the Daily Mirror, in 1982 while she was actively filming her role as Tegan Jovanka on Doctor Who.[4] The union took place amid the rigorous schedule of the series, which involved extensive location shoots and long production hours that characterized her professional life in the 1980s.[4] The couple divorced in 1991 after nearly a decade of marriage.[4] Fielding and Davies had no children together. Post-divorce, Fielding has kept her personal relationships largely private, with no public record of remarriage or other long-term partners disclosed in available sources.Health challenges
In September 2012, Janet Fielding was diagnosed with cancer, leading her to withdraw from a planned convention appearance.[37] She underwent a course of chemotherapy and radiotherapy as part of her treatment regimen.[9] By 2013, Fielding had recovered sufficiently to resume her professional activities, including recording audio dramas for Big Finish Productions such as Smoke and Mirrors. She also made public appearances, contributing to the BBC's Doctor Who Live: The Next Doctor special in August of that year. Fielding has shared her experiences publicly to support cancer awareness, emphasizing community solidarity without disclosing specific medical details.[9] During her treatment, involvement in charity initiatives like Project MotorMouth served as a positive outlet, helping maintain her spirits amid the challenges.[38] Fielding continues to manage her health effectively, with the condition exerting minimal long-term impact on her ongoing commitments to acting, audio work, and public engagements.[39]Filmography
Television roles
Janet Fielding began her television career in the late 1970s with guest appearances in British anthology and drama series, gaining prominence through her recurring role in the science fiction series Doctor Who. Her subsequent television work largely consisted of one-off guest spots in popular ITV programs, reflecting a transition away from lead roles after the mid-1980s as she pursued administrative and advocacy positions in the industry. She made a notable return to television in the 2020s, reprising her iconic Doctor Who character in anniversary specials and spin-off episodes.[40][4] Fielding's key television credits, organized chronologically, highlight her early breakthrough and later selective engagements:| Year | Show | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Hammer House of Horror | Secretary | Guest appearance in the episode "Charlie Boy," marking her TV debut in a horror anthology series. |
| 1981–1984 | Doctor Who | Tegan Jovanka | Recurring lead companion role across 65 episodes and 19 stories, from "Logopolis" to "Resurrection of the Daleks," alongside the Fourth and Fifth Doctors.[40] |
| 1982 | Shelley | Tracy | Guest role as a waitress in the episode "Slaughterhouse Sling" of the comedy series. |
| 1984 | Murphy's Mob | Caroline | Guest appearance in season 3, episode 5, of the children's sports drama.[24] |
| 1984 | Minder | Janice | Guest role as a fitness instructor in the episode "Windows" (series 4, episode 9).[41] |
| 1985 | Jim'll Fix It | Tegan Jovanka | Cameo reprise in the Doctor Who-themed sketch "A Fix with Sontarans," alongside Colin Baker.[42] |
| 1985–1986 | Hold the Back Page | Deborah Simons | Guest role in the comedy-drama mini-series about newspaper journalists. |
| 2022 | Doctor Who | Tegan Jovanka | Guest return in the BBC centenary special "The Power of the Doctor." |
| 2023 | Doctor Who | Tegan Jovanka | Guest appearance in the 60th anniversary special "The Giggle." |
| 2023 | Tales of the TARDIS | Tegan Jovanka | Guest reprise in the episode "Earthshock," a re-edited classic with new framing sequences. |