‘Doctor Who’: When David Bowie turned down the chance for British TV legend status

Posted On January 4, 2025January 4, 2025

No singular musician defined the era of sci-fi and the space race quite like David Bowie. From his early jaunt into the charts with ‘Space Oddity’ in 1969 to the extended period of time spent adopting the character of the ethereal Ziggy Stardust, the songwriter owed a lot of his success to space exploration. In truth, the only other institution of British culture that comes close to matching his sci-fi influence is that of Doctor Who, which has captivated space-obsessed audiences all the way back in 1963.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of Doctor Who, going right back to its early days, has been its endlessly broad range of characters. Over the years, the series has seen a roving door of starring actors, supporting cast members, and monsters appearing on screen. A fair few real-world celebrities have been included in that mix, with musicians being a regular feature. Everyone from The Beatles to Kylie Minogue has played some part in the lineage of the time lord, so it seems strange that the show’s creators never sought out Bowie.

After all, Bowie made more than one appearance within the world of acting, performing in a variety of film roles in works like Labyrinth and Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence, and often made cameo appearances on British television, perhaps most famously in the sitcom Extras. Apparently, his filmography very nearly included Doctor Who, as the ‘Star Man’ had multiple opportunities to get involved with the iconic show. 

There have been multiple Bowie references and mentions in Doctor Who over the years, but the songwriter was once asked to take on the role of the infamous Sharaz Jek in 1984. However, his touring schedule prevented him from fully committing to the role. In the years that followed, the production crew approached Bowie a few more times, but nothing ever materialised. Then, the trail went cold until the show was revitalised in 2005. 

When the show came back from its absence, composer Murray Gold was brought in to tackle the show’s soundtrack. At one point, Gold marked Bowie as a potential collaborator on the programme but was quickly shut down by the songwriter. Speaking to Den of Geek, Gold recalled meeting the singer, “I said, ‘I write music for Doctor Who,’ and he said, ‘I’m not doing it.’”

“I said, ‘What do you mean?’” the composer continued, “And he said, ‘They want me to do it.’ I don’t know what it means, to this day, but that’s what he said. I don’t know in what capacity, as an actor or as a musician.” That quote would seem to suggest that Bowie had been contacted more than a few times to take part in the programme but was not all that interested.

Gold didn’t seem to be overtly offering Bowie a role in the show at that time, but the singer’s abrupt response certainly stopped the composer from ever raising the possibility again. Whether or not Bowie was simply too busy to spend time acting in a cult sci-fi series or whether he actually disliked the show remains unknown. Even if he never appeared in the series, his influence over Doctor Who and the wider sci-fi genre remains incredibly strong.

In the years since Bowie’s passing, Doctor Who has referenced the work and music of Mr. Stardust on multiple occasions, paying tribute to the musician who typified the late 1960s sci-fi boom. Although a cameo appearance in the show would undoubtedly have pleased fans immensely, maybe it is better that Bowie never made it onto the show. After all, nothing is worse than a superfluous cameo shoehorned into a show.

Related Topics