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146) DELTA AND THE BANNERMEN

2 - 16 November 1987

Average Viewing Figure: 5.3M

Plot

Arriving in a holiday camp in 1950's Wales, The Doctor must save the Chimeron Queen from Gavrok and the Bannermen

Cast

Sylvester McCoy (The Doctor), Bonnie Langford (Melanie), Don Henderson (Gavrok), Belinda Mayne (Delta), Stubby Kaye (Weismuller)

Morgan Deare (Hawk), Hugh Lloyd (Goronwy), Ken Dodd (Tollmaster), Richard Davies (Burton), David Kinder (Billy), Sara Griffiths (Ray)

Johnny Dennis (Murray), Martyn Geraint (Vinny), Brian Hibbard (Keillor), Clive Condon (Callon), Richard Mitchley (Arrex), Tim Scott (Chima)

Anita Graham (Bollitt), Leslie Meadows (Adlon), Robin Aspland, Keff McCulloch, Justin Myers, Ralph Salmins (The Lorells)

Tracey Wilson, Jodie Wilson (Vocalists), Jessica McGough, Amy Osborn (Young Chimeron), Laura Collins, Carley Joseph (Chimeron Princess)

Uncredited Cast

Bill Malin, Jeremy Davies (Chimerons), Russell Diamond, Derek Hartley, Robert Patton, Philip Babot, Rob York, Jared Morgan

Ricky Garrett, Jan Lawrence, Terry Bennett, Darrell Brooks (Bannermen)

Crew

Malcolm Kohll (Writer), Roy Scammell (Stunt Arranger), Ron Grainer (Theme Music)

Keff McCulloch (Theme Arrangement/Incidental Music), Dick Mills (Special Sound), Gary Downie (Production Manager)

Ann Faggetter (Production Associate), Rosemary Parsons (Production Assistant)

Christopher Sandeman, Kim Wilcocks (Assistant Floor Managers), Andy McVean (Visual Effects Designer)

Dave Chapman (Video Effects), Shirley Coward (Vision Mixer), William Dudman (Film Cameraman)

John Wilson (Engineering Manager), Alistair Mitchell, Chas Snare (Film Cameramen), Hugh Parson (Videotape Editor)

Cathy Cosgrove (Properties Buyer), Ian Dow (Lighting), Doug Whittaker, Brian Clark (Sound), Richard Croft (Costumes Designer)

Gillian Thomas (Make-Up Designer), Andrew Cartmel (Script Editor), Oliver Elmes (Graphic Designer), John Asbridge (Designer)

John Nathan-Turner (Producer), Chris Clough (Director)

Broadcast

Filming Locations

  • Springwell Quarry, Rickmansworth, Herts

  • Sutton Farm, nr Penarth, S Glam

  • Psygodlyn Mawr, Hensol Forest, nr Welsh St Donats, S Glam

  • Coed y Wallas, Castle-upon-Alun, S Glam

  • Majestic Holiday Camp, Barry Island, S Glam

  • British Tissues Hangar, Llandow Trading Estate. Llandow, S Glam

  • Television Centre: Studio 3

Deaths

  • Gavrok [atomised]

  • Tollmaster [brutally shot down by Gavrok]

  • Murray [killed when his bus is destroyed]

  • Keillor [ionised by the Bannermen]

  • Chima [dies after being shot by Gavrok]

  • Bollitt [killed when Murray's bus is destroyed]

  • Adlon [killed when Murray's bus is destroyed]

  • Arrex [shot dead by Delta]

  • Navarinos [killed when Murray's bus is destroyed]

  • Chimerons [killed during a battle with the Bannermen] 

Production Days

  •  13 days between Wednesday 24 June - Wednesday 12 August 1987

Prodution Errors

  1. When the space bus lands at Shangri-La the wheels are suspended in the mid-air  before dropping to the ground

  2. Sylvester McCoy (The Doctor) can be seen wearing his glasses during certain shots whilst driving Ray's bikes

  3. Billy seems to luck out big time after injecting himself with Chimeron food, he could have died after doing so

Working Titles

  • Flight of the Chimeron

Verdict

An absolute mess of a story. The plot is annoying and corny with forced plotlines, unrelatable characters, stupid-looking aliens, terrible acting and poor production values. Whilst Bonnie Langford is remarkably comfortable, her best performance as Mel, the rest of the cast are either too bland, boring, bogged down or basically written to add anything worthy to the story. The plot is nonsense, corny lines, forced musical numbers, poorly crafted scenes where The Doctor gets to ride on a Motorbike, a dull Princess who cannot even move her facial expressions and a soundtrack best fitted for even the worst of Soap Operas. The holiday camp will more likely want you to cover your ears than watch with many too many music cues. Honestly, who wants to go on holiday to be awoken by a terrible singer on a speakerphone? The less said about Burton who is neither witty, funny or likeable and Ray -  who supposedly had something with Billy before the story takes place – we never get to see it so we just have to run with it – guess what their love relationship is rubbish – a very boring laborious character who almost became the next companion, the better. Thank goodness the production team got something right and chose the confident, outgoing Ace instead of the one-dimensional motorbike girl. A complete waste of time in every way that not even the great Don Henderson as the barbaric Gavrok can save. *​

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