Tom Baker has confirmed that it was planned for him to appear on The Sarah Jane Adventures.

The final episode of the Doctor Who spin-off aired on CBBC in October 2011, following the death of star Elisabeth Sladen.

Baker told TV Choice: “I think it was being mooted at a time when Elisabeth began to be ill. I’d never seen [The Sarah Jane Adventures], you see, but she was so thrilled.”

He added: “I had a terrific, tender thing for her. I never met her out of the studio, except by the time she was doing that. But I never got around to doing that.”

Asked if he had any advice for Peter Capaldi as the new Doctor, the actor joked: “No, I don’t have any advice for anybody! Not for anybody. Certainly not for someone taking over Doctor Who. But he’s a very accomplished actor. I’ve seen him do those mean things, swearing into his mobile. Nobody has ever failed, have they? So there you are. They’ll be all right.”

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