There have been many kind tributes to John Leeson, the actor best known as the distinctive, original voice of K9 on Doctor Who and spin-offs The Sarah Jane Adventures and K9, and portraying Bungle in the children’s show, Rainbow, following the announcement of his death on social media by his son, Guy Ducker.
“Our condolences go out to his family and friends,” said the Big Finish team, who will publish a full tribute later this week. “He will be sorely missed by us all.”
“John gave the Doctor’s loyal robot dog something no special effect could supply, a personality that generations would love,” noted Tenth and Fourteenth Doctor David Tennant. “That unmistakable voice could make K9 sound clever, wonderfully particular and quietly heroic sometimes within a single ‘Affirmative’.
“For fans of David Tennant’s Doctor, his return in School Reunion holds a special place. Alongside Elisabeth Sladen’s Sarah Jane Smith, K9 brought a piece of Doctor Who’s past into its present, welcoming a whole new generation into an already much-loved friendship.”
“One of the most genuine, cleverest and charming of men,” noted former Doctor Who Magazine editor, author and producer Gary Russell.
“John was the very first person we recorded a Myth Makers with, way, way back in late 1984,” noted Reeltime Pictures Keith Barnfather, “on the same day as Michael Wisher’s… he was, as I’d hoped, supportive and delighted to be involved… We lost one of the best today.”
John Leeson, born John Francis Christopher Ducker, was working right up to the end, performing the voice of “Dr. Watson” on AUK Studios Sir Sherlock audio dramas, featuring former Doctor, Tom Baker, as Sherlock Holmes. The latest, Sir Sherlock – The Doctor’s Son, is currently seeking crowdfunding support.
Here, Barnaby Eaton-Jones of AUK Studios pays tribute to the man who may forever be associated with a mechanical canine…
Powering Down…
For many, of course, John Leeson was the voice of K9. Doctor Who‘s deliciously logical robot dog (from Tom Baker to David Tennant, to all of the new adventures at Big Finish on audio).
But, having only got to know him recently, when I made the instinctive decision to cast him as Doctor John Watson to Tom Baker’s Sir Sherlock Holmes in the Sir Sherlock audio series, he just made me feel like we were instantly friends.
He was just so gentle in his demanour, in his words, in his wit, and in his approach.
I found him adorable. And he was, as he always was with whatever part he was cast in, brilliant in his mastery of the character.
Sometimes, when you’re stuck in a role that so many people know you for and praise you for, it’s easy to forget how good he was at being other roles (with Dr. Watson being a case in point).
I wish I’d met him sooner, I wish I’d worked with him before, but I’ve been blessed to record with him of late (formerly with Tom Baker in a recording studio together and more lately – when he wasn’t doing too well – via his son, Guy, at his home).
My thoughts are with his lovely wife, Judy, as well as with Guy.
I’m working on a project with Judy at the moment, to be announced soon, and I only wish I’d been able to turn it around quicker to allow John to revel in it too.
But, there will be glasses raised to him, I’m sure, when it’s released.
Barnaby Eaton-Jones
John Francis Christopher Ducker, known professionally as John Leeson, 16th March 1943 – 1st November 2026
Head downthetubes for…
• Sir Sherlock – The Doctor’s Son, is currently seeking crowdfunding support
Each Sir Sherlock audio adventure is funded by an individual Kickstarter, but you can buy previous ones on each new Kickstarter. So, this fourth adventure – The Doctor’s Son – is still running for about a week and there are bundles on it to buy the previous adventures too.
Books by John Leeson
• John Leeson: Tweaking the Tail
Available direct from Fantom Films | AmazonUK (Affiliate Link)
The amusing story of a wildly unpredictable career journey…
Not every RADA-trained actor with aspirations to the classical stage expects to find himself an international sci-fi icon in Doctor Who at the end of the day. Again, not every actor expects to find fulfilment in a parallel profession as an accredited wine educator alongside his work in the theatre, film and TV….and yet again, not every actor expects to find himself appointed to a completely different ‘theatre’ – the Magistrates’ Courts – sitting in judgement on the right side of the law!
Nobody could be more surprised, perhaps, at the curious turns of fortune that have been dealt to the author revealed in this engaging, often hilarious picture of his life other than the author himself, John Leeson.
This, then, is your invitation to share a kaleidoscope of recollections: the surprise, the triumphs, trials and tribulations of professional work across half a century including repertory and ‘fringe’ theatre work, West End appearances, British TV sitcoms including Dad’s Army, voiceover work, question setting for Mastermind, TV commercials at home and abroad….. let alone his insights into the worlds both of wine and of public service as a magistrate. A passionate cook, too, he even found the time to write this book!
• Dog’s Dinners by John Leeson
Available direct from Fantom Films | AmazonUK (Affiliate Link)
This book is a celebration of good food. It also reveals a love of cooking by an author who for many years has conducted a passionate affair with his household’s kitchen stove. No one has minded so far – not even his wife, who happily allows him to hold sway as the regular family cook.
This book is not a cookbook in the usual sense, rather more an assembly of best-loved recipes collected across the years from various acknowledged sources. The author is certainly not a professional cook – though at some time in the last century he won a competition run by the BBC to recreate ‘the taste of Italy’ on a plate – judged by top chef Antonio Carluccio.
So why ‘Dog’s Dinners’? Many will know the author as an actor simply for his role as the voice and soul of the robot ‘dog’ K9 in Doctor Who – hence the punning title; others will know John as a wine educator and wine writer. Maybe both have something of a pedigree!
The book is a taste-bud tickler and, who knows, it might be a spur to your own experimentation in the kitchen. So put on your apron! Arthur Daley’s immortal misquote in television’s Minder series: “The world is your lobster” is the key to it all!
After all, what have you got to lose?
John Leeson on TV…
• Watch: Doctor Who: Invisible Enemy on BBC iPlayer
• Watch: K9 & Company: A Girl’s Best Friend on BBC iPlayer
• Watch: Doctor Who: School Reunion on BBC iPlayer
• John Leeson: Blake’s 7 Connections
John Leeson’s television appearances also included two roles in Blake’s 7: Pasco in Mission to Destiny and Toise in Gambit. Magic Bullet Productions collaborated with him on the Kaldor City audio series, where he played the Chief Mover in Storm Mine, and you can read an amusing interview conducted by Fiona Moore during the recording here
Our thanks to Barnaby Eaton-Jones for permission to publish his personal tribute to John on downthetubes
- About the Author
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: Doctor Who, downthetubes News, Features, Obituaries, Science Fiction
In Memoriam: Doctor Who Author and Editor Justin Richards 
In Memoriam: Cover Artist Walt Howarth
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