By Nicola Methven The Mirror 27 October 2005
ONLY Fools and Horses star Roger Lloyd-Pack is to join the cast of Doctor Who for the new series, it was revealed last night.
The actor - Trigger who always called Rodney "Dave" in the classic BBC sitcom - will be a baddie in a two-part story with the Time Lord's long-standing enemies the Cybermen.
And EastEnders actress Tracy-Ann Oberman is joining a long line-up of guest stars set to appear on the hit sci-fi show. She will also play a villain.
Lloyd-Pack, 61, is to star as John Lumic, a human who becomes the Doctor's arch enemy - and last night an insider said: "We're really thrilled to have signed Roger.
"It's a great coup for the show and the viewers will love him. The character is a million miles from Trigger."
He will star alongside the new Time Lord David Tennant with whom he has just worked on the forthcoming Harry Potter movie.
In the Goblet of Fire, Lloyd-Pack plays magical ministry official Barty Crouch and Tennant is his evil son Barty Crouch Jnr. Meanwhile, Oberman, 36, who bows out as Albert Square's scheming murderess Chrissie Watts at Christmas, starts filming as evil Yvonne Hartman next week.
She said: "It's a great role. Yvonne is a sophisticated sort of baddie. In fact, I don't think she's really that bad - but then I didn't think Chrissie was either."
The show source added: "Tracy-Ann has proved what a great villain she is by killing her husband Den in EastEnders and trying to pin the blame on everyone else.
"She is perfect to play evil Yvonne and will be brilliant at terrorising the next generation of viewers."
There are a string of guest stars lined-up for the second run of the hit sci-fi series including Thunderbirds beauty Sophia Myles, Shirley Valentine actress Pauline Collins and Buffy star Anthony Head. Christopher Eccleston quit after one series but Billie Piper, who played his sidekick Rose, will return.
The pair picked up gongs for best actor and actress for their roles at the National TV Awards on Tuesday. Doctor Who also won best drama.
Lloyd-Pack is not the first Only Fools actor to appear on the show.
John Challis, who played Boycie, was villain Scorby in The Seeds of Doom, a six-part installment from 1976 starring fourth Doctor Tom Baker.
Since breaking into acting in the 1960s, Lloyd-Pack has performed more in serious dramas than comedies.
His long TV career includes Dalziel and Pascoe, The Naked Civil Servant, Archer's Goon, The Gravy Train, Oliver Twist, Born and Bred and Longitude.
Roger has also featured in a number of movies. One of his first roles was in John Fowles' The Magus and then The Go-Between starring Julie Christie, Edward Fox and Alan Bates.
He went on to have roles in Fiddler on the Roof, 1984, The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover, Interview with the Vampire and American Friends.
The London-born actor is married to poet and dramatist Jehane Markham. His daughter is actress Emily Lloyd.