Nicholas Pegg
Nicholas Pegg is a British actor, writer and director. Educated at Nottingham High School and graduating with a Master of Arts in English Literature from the University of Exeter,[1][2] Pegg subsequently trained at the Guildford School of Acting.
Acting
Pegg's acting work in the theatre includes productions for Nottingham Playhouse, Scottish Opera, Birmingham Repertory Theatre and the Theatre Royal, Plymouth.[3] His television roles include appearances in EastEnders, Doc Martin and It's a Sin, and he has appeared as a Dalek operator in numerous episodes of Doctor Who.[4] In his capacity as a Dalek operator he has also appeared in person on Blue Peter and in many editions of the documentary series Doctor Who Confidential. In November 2013 he appeared as himself in the 50th anniversary comedy homage The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot.[5]
Pegg has also worked on
On 19 January 2014, Pegg wrote and performed The UKIP Shipping Forecast, a satirical response to the pronouncements of various high-profile members of the UK Independence Party. The sketch went viral, receiving 250,000 hits in 4 days.
Writing
David Bowie
As a writer, Nicholas Pegg is a noted authority on the life and work of
Also in 2017, Pegg appeared as a guest Bowie speaker at events including the Penzance Literary Festival[19] and the Victoria and Albert Museum's Celebrating Bowie at 70.[20] Since 2018 he has been a regular contributor to the Album to Album Bowie podcast series.[21] In 2019 and 2021 he was a guest speaker at the annual Dublin Bowie Festival,[22] and in 2022 he compered the David Bowie World Fan Convention in Liverpool, a role he would reprise at the 2023 event in New York.[23] He also appeared as a Bowie expert in the 2007 TV documentary series Seven Ages of Rock, and has hosted Bowie radio specials for broadcasters in Australia and the United Kingdom.[24][25]
In 2018, the author Philip Reeve revealed that Pegg's book The Complete David Bowie had "played an inspirational role" in the genesis of Reeve's Railhead trilogy of novels.[26]
Decades
Nicholas Pegg is the co-creator of the 2017 concept album
Scriptwriting
Pegg has written stage plays, including numerous pantomimes for British theatres including Harrogate Theatre, the Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch, the MacRobert Playhouse in Stirling, and the Theatre Royal, Nottingham.[34][35][36][37] He is also the author of the Doctor Who audio play The Spectre of Lanyon Moor, and he adapted the text of King Lear for the 2017 Big Finish version starring David Warner.[38]
Other writing
Pegg has written for publications including
In October 2017 Pegg, under his regular pseudonym of The Watcher, concealed a crude acrostic message in his regular "Wotcha" column in Doctor Who Magazine, in which the first letters of each sentence spelled out the message "Panini ..." (publishers of Doctor Who Magazine) " ...and BBC Worldwide are cunts".[39] This was widely reported as leading to his sacking from the magazine and from Doctor Who.[40][41][42] These reports turned out to be inaccurate, as Pegg has continued to work regularly on the series. Alternative accounts suggest that the decision to axe his column had already been made and that it was this decision that led to Pegg writing the hidden message.[43] Pegg's column that month was subtitled "The column that is not something to be shuffled off on to some stray boffin, you know" (ostensibly a reference to a line of dialogue by the character Brownrose from the 1971 story Terror of the Autons, mentioned in passing in the article.)[39]
Directing
In addition to several Doctor Who audio plays for the Big Finish series, Pegg's work as a director includes theatre productions of Hamlet, Twelfth Night, Peter Pan, Funny Money, I Thought I Heard a Rustling, and Diary of a Somebody.[3]
Personal life
Pegg's long-term partner is actor Barnaby Edwards. Guesting at the 2017 Pride Cymru event Who's Queer Now, a symposium celebrating the impact and influences of Doctor Who on LGBT people, the couple revealed that they were celebrating their 25th anniversary.[26][44]
Doctor Who credits
Pegg has operated the Daleks in numerous episodes of Doctor Who since 2005:
- Bad Wolf
- The Parting of the Ways
- Army of Ghosts
- Doomsday
- Daleks in Manhattan
- Evolution of the Daleks
- The Stolen Earth
- Journey's End
- Victory of the Daleks
- Asylum of the Daleks
- The Day of the Doctor
- The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot (as a Dalek and as himself)
- The Time of the Doctor
- The Magician's Apprentice
- The Witch's Familiar
- Revolution of the Daleks
- The Vanquishers
- Eve of the Daleks
- The Power of the Doctor
He has also written, featured in or directed a number of Doctor Who audio plays for Big Finish Productions:[45]
- The Sirens of Time – actor
- The Marian Conspiracy – actor
- The Spectre of Lanyon Moor – actor, writer, director
- The Holy Terror – director
- Storm Warning– actor
- Loups-Garoux– actor, director
- The One Doctor – actor
- Bang-Bang-a-Boom!– director
- Doctor Who and the Pirates – actor
- Shada – actor, director
- Robophobia – actor
Pegg has also contributed to the following Doctor Who DVD releases:
- The Reign of Terror – writer, "info text" subtitles
- The Krotons – script editor, Second Time Around documentary
- The Dæmons – script editor, Remembering Barry Letts documentary
- The Mutants– moderator on audio commentary
- Planet of the Spiders – writer, "info text" subtitles / script editor, The Final Curtain documentary
- Revenge of the Cybermen – writer, Cheques, Lies and Videotape documentary / writer, "info text" subtitles
- Terror of the Zygons – interviewer, Scotch Mist in Sussex documentary
- The Android Invasion – writer, "info text" subtitles / script editor, The Village that Came to Life documentary
- Underworld – script editor, Into the Unknown documentary
- The Ribos Operation – writer, A Matter of Time documentary
- The Armageddon Factor – interviewer, Defining Shadows documentary
- The Creature from the Pit – writer, "info text" subtitles
- Nightmare of Eden – writer, "info text" subtitles
- Shada – writer, "info text" subtitles
- State of Decay – writer, "info text" subtitles
- The Visitation (Special Edition) – writer, "info text" subtitles
- Resurrection of the Daleks (Special Edition) – script editor, Come in Number Five documentary / moderator on audio commentary
- The Happiness Patrol – writer, When Worlds Collide documentary
References
- ^ "The Complete David Bowie - Author Interview". Archived from the original on 20 November 2016. Retrieved 12 April 2006.
- ^ "The Exe-Terminators: An interview with the Daleks – Part 2". 29 September 2015.
- ^ a b "Nicholas Pegg". Archived from the original on 29 June 2004. Retrieved 29 June 2004.
- ^ "The Exe-terminators: An interview with the Daleks – Part 1". 28 September 2015.
- ^ "The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot", BBC programmes, retrieved 26 November 2013
- ^ "16. King Lear - Big Finish Classics - Big Finish".
- ^ "19. The Box of Delights". bigfinish.com. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
- ^ "2. Torchwood: Torchwood One - Machines - Torchwood One - Big Finish".
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ "The Waringham Chronicles". thebookloversboudoir.wordpress.com. 21 March 2020.
- ^ "Scarlet City: An Audible Original Series". Audible.com. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
- ^ "Andrew Marvell Society – Connecting Marvellians".
- ^ "Nicholas Pegg - the Complete David Bowie".
- ^ "BBC Radio 2 - Exploring 'Life on Mars?'".
- ^ "Bowie is First Artist Honored with Royal Mail Stamps". 25 January 2017.
- ^ "David Bowie: Actor". iompost.com. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
- ^ "REVIEW | Lindsay Kemp: My Life and Work with David Bowie -". 27 May 2016.
- ^ Gormley, Jess; Sprenger, Richard; Dennis, Jon; Silverstone, Tom (10 January 2017). "David Bowie remembered by two of his biggest fans – video". The Guardian.
- ^ http://www.pzlitfest.co.uk/event/bowie-in-the-bar-with-nicholas-pegg-and-members-of-the-bowie-lounge/ [dead link]
- ^ "Let's Dance: Remembering David Bowie".
- ^ "DAVIDBOWIE: ALBUMTOALBUM on acast".
- ^ "Dublin Bowie Festival 2021: Tony Visconti, Rick Wakeman, Woody Woodmansey and more set to feature". hotpress.com. 9 December 2020.
- ^ "David Bowie World Fan Convention". bowieconvention.com. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
- ^ "Illustrated db Discography Forum • View topic - Nicholas Pegg on Oz radio this weekend - 2 hr Bowie special".
- ^ "Bowie author waxes lyrical on the Spitting Feathers Radio Show".
- ^ a b "Philip Reeve". www.philip-reeve.com. Archived from the original on 11 May 2018.
- ^ "SPILL FEATURE: DECADES - A CONVERSATION WITH NICHOLAS PEGG AND DAVID PALFREYMAN". The Spill Magazine. 13 July 2017. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
- ^ "James R. Turner Talks to David Palfreyman and Nicholas Pegg about 'Decades'". 11 October 2017.
- ^ "Art rock album reviews round-up". 6 September 2017.
- ^ "Review – Nicholas Pegg & David Palfreyman – Decades – by James R. Turner". 10 September 2017.
- ^ "SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DAVID PALFREYMAN AND NICHOLAS PEGG - DECADES". The Spill Magazine. 14 July 2017. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
- ^ "The Vintage TV Sessions Ep 39 – Vintage TV". Archived from the original on 16 May 2018. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
- ^ "Nicholas Pegg: My Vintage – Vintage TV". Archived from the original on 16 May 2018. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
- ^ "Theatre review: Jack and the Beanstalk at Harrogate Theatre".
- ^ [2][dead link]
- ^ "5-star Aladdin at the Queen's Theatre Hornchurch - Review". December 2015.
- ^ [3][dead link]
- ^ "REVIEW: King Lear is a Cinematic Shakespeare Adaptation for Audio". 24 October 2017.
- ^ a b History of Doctor Who in 100 Objects - #87: The Doctor's Pufferfish" - "Wotcha" by "The Watcher" (Nicholas Pegg) Doctor Who Magazine 516, Panini Comics 2017
- ^ "Dalek sacked from Doctor Who for hiding this offensive message". Daily Mirror. November 2017.
- ^ "Writer fired from Doctor Who Magazine over coded insult". Cultbox. 1 November 2017. Archived from the original on 6 July 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
- ^ Welsh, Daniel (1 November 2017). "'Doctor Who' Magazine Writer And Dalek Operator Fired After Calling BBC Worldwide 'C***s' In New Column". Huffington Post. Archived from the original on 6 July 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
- ^ Staff Writer (3 November 2017). "Media News". Private Eye. No. 1456. p. 15.
- ^ "StackPath".
- ^ "Nicholas Pegg". Archived from the original on 21 February 2006. Retrieved 12 April 2006.
External links
- Nicholas Pegg at IMDb
- 2016 interview with Foyles Booksellers about The Complete David Bowie
- 2000 interview with Teenage Wildlife fan site about The Complete David Bowie
- Nicholas Pegg interviewed by Dave Owens at 2016 David Bowie tribute event 'Turn and Face and Strange'
- David Bowie remembered by two of his biggest fans: Gary Kemp and Nicholas Pegg pay tribute for The Guardian
- Official 'Decades' website
- 'Introducing Decades' interview with David Palfreyman and Nicholas Pegg on YouTube
- The Spill Magazine Feature: Decades - A conversation with Nicholas Pegg and David Palfreyman
- We Are Cult: The Nicholas Pegg interview
- 'We All Fall Down' featuring Sarah Jane Morris (official video) on YouTube
- 'Dead End Morning' featuring David Palfreyman (official video) on YouTube
- 'Hurting, Sinking' featuring Jessica Lee Morgan (official video) on YouTube
- 'Eyes Wide' featuring Cassidy Janson (official video) on YouTube