John Barrowman reveals the strangest gift he's received from a Doctor Who fan
It’s the thought that counts, John
Whovians are known for being a hugely loyal and passionate lot – but on this occasion, one particular Doctor Who fan may have pushed their love for the show a little too far.
John Barrowman, who played Captain Jack Harkness in the BBC1 series and its spin-off Torchwood, revealed that he got a particularly surprising gift in the post from one fan, which left even the flamboyant 51-year-old lost for words – a sex toy.
“The most bizarre thing was a fan who gave me a marital aid shaped like a bomb,” he exclusively told RadioTimes.com on the red carpet of the National Television Awards. “It was shaped like the bomb Captain Jack rode to Earth on. So that was a little odd.
“But I don’t call [the gifts] weird, I just call it unique.”
Despite last having appeared on screen in Doctor Who in 2011, Barrowman, who was attending the ceremony as a finalist from the last series of I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, said his character was still hugely popular amongst fans.
“I do conventions all over the world to thousands upon thousands of people, that’s why I know Jack’s still popular,” he said. “There’s generations who have watched it and we have younger generations who are still coming up watching Torchwood.
“If Doctor Who asked me back and they wanted to bring back Torchwood, I would do it at the drop of a hat. Captain Jack changed my life and he will always have a soft spot in my heart.”
It was a wild night for Barrowman at the NTAs, with I’m a Celebrity scooping the Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award.
Giggling along with his campmates Harry Redknapp and Emily Atack, Barrowman, who came third in last year’s I’m a Celeb, said he fully supported host Ant McPartlin on his return to the show.
“We were all so happy Ant is back on a journey, getting back on his feet. For someone to own what they’ve gone through – the respect goes from all of us for that,” he said.
“I think Holly was a great host of the show.
“Holly had big shoes to fill, but she did it, she landed on it. With Holly’s new blood into the show, alongside Dec, it made it a huge success.”
I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! returns to ITV later this year
Doctor Who returns to BBC 1 in 2020
