A Call from the Master (TV story)

A Call from the Master was a story that was broadcast on the children's phone-in show Saturday Superstore in 1985, to tie-in with The Mark of the Rani. It featured an in-character voice-over cameo by Anthony Ainley as.

Synopsis
The Sixth Doctor and Nicola Bryant are answering questions from callers during a phone-in on Saturday Superstore, until suddenly comes on the line...

Plot
On Saturday Superstore, Nicola Bryant from Wrexham calls in to ask "the other" Nicola Bryant about why she chose to be an actress. After the call concludes, presenter Mike Read alerts them that an individual known as is on the line.

The caller is indeed the Doctor's Time Lord arch-enemy, who proclaims that "[he] is the Master, and you will obey [him]", but the Sixth Doctor is taken aback as he, or rather, we, had previously watched the Master die. The Master tells him that he would "come from the depths of hell" to haunt the Doctor, and he replies succinctly that the Master can't, as he's dead.

The Master laughs, but Nicola reaffirms that she saw him die — the Master casts doubts on this, however. He then challenges the Doctor to settle things once and for all, to finally decide their feud. The Doctor accepts the challenge, but the Master only laughs and hangs up. Mike wonders where the Master was calling from while, on the desk in front of him, a small robot named SieveHead shakes his head. "I bet he reversed the charges!" exclaims the Doctor.

Cast

 * Sixth Doctor - Colin Baker
 * Nicola Bryant - Nicola Bryant
 * - Anthony Ainley (voice only)
 * Mike Read - Himself
 * Nicola Bryant - Herself

Crew

 * Writers - Pip & Jane Baker

Story notes

 * While they are in-costume as their characters, they both act in-character and not at the same time; Colin Baker is addressed as the Doctor, but also acts like Colin Baker. Similarly, Nicola is referred to as "the other Nicola" but appears to have the memories of both Peri and herself. In contrast, Anthony Ainley's voice-over cameo is entirely in-character as the Master.
 * A colour head-and-shoulders photograph of the Master appears when he comes on the line, with the on-screen caption 2: THE MASTER — indicating the Master is on line 2.
 * This story was made to tie-in with 's return in TV: The Mark of the Rani, almost a month later.