John Leeson obit

John Leeson 1943-2026

 

He was not on the list.

The actor John Leeson, the voice of K-9, has died at the age of 83.

John Leeson played the voice of the Doctor's robot dog in 55 episodes of Doctor Who.  His characterisation of the little robot dog was so skilled and so full of fun that he helped make what was due to be a temporary character into a fully fledged member of the TARDIS crew, much loved and remembered by fans. It is a tribute to the actor that his cry of Affirmative is as much associated with Doctor Who as the Daleks' cry of Exterminate. He endowed the character with a life force that saw K-9 return to the series and its spinoffs many times over the years.

John Leeson was born John Ducker in 1943. In the 1950s, he joined the Leicester Dramatic Society before winning a place at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. At RADA, he adopted the stage name John Leeson, derived from the surname of a wealthy godmother whom he believed was funding his tuition.

After graduating, he worked in repertory and pantomimes, including a production of Toad of Toad Hall, in which he met his future wife.

His first work in television was as a walk-on in a BBC play The Wedding Feast in 1965, followed by The Spanish Farm and Dad's Army in 1968. He played the original Bungle the Bear in the children's series Rainbow.

In 1977, he was asked to play two voices in the fourth Doctor story, The Invisible Enemy. One was the voice of the Nucleus, the other a fun character, Professor Marius's robot dog K-9. Because the electronic prop was unavailable for the rehearsal period, Leeson got down on his hands and knees and physically ran around the rehearsal room acting as K9.

His voice for the character was so successful that the producer Graham Williams decided to make the character a regular and put Leeson on contract to provide the voice. 

Leeson would stay with the series for the next two years, appearing on screen as the character Dugeen in the story The Power of Kroll, a story where K-9 does not appear. He left at the end of The Armageddon Factor, fearing that he would lose work if he remained firmly off-screen.

The character of K-9 remained in the series, voiced by David Brierley for season 17, but for season 18, Leeson was back behind the microphone, guiding the character until it was written out at the end of the 1981 story Warriors' Gate.

K-9 and Leeson would be back at the end of the year in the spin-off starring Elisabeth Sladen, K-9 and Company and in the 20th Anniversary special The Five Doctors. In 2006, when Russell T. Davies was writing an episode, School Reunion, dealing with the return of Sarah Jane Smith, he also brought back John Leeson as K-9.  Over the next 15 years, Leeson would reprise his portrayal of K-9 on many occasions, including in The Sarah Jane Adventures, the K-9 series and many Big Finish audio adventures.

Away from Doctor Who, John Leeson made many memorable appearances on British television, including roles in Blake's 7, Jigsaw, Crown Court,  The Barretts of Wimpole Street,  Minder, Vanity Fair and Doctors.

John Leeson died peacefully earlier today after a short illness. He is survived by his wife Judy Griffiths and their son, filmaker Guy Ducker

 

Actor

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Elizabeth Banks, Tom Kane, and Troy Baker in Lego Dimensions (2015)

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Paul McGann, Colin Baker, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, and Sylvester McCoy in The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot (2013)

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Christopher Eccleston, Peter Capaldi, David Tennant, Matt Smith, and Jodie Whittaker in Doctor Who (2005)

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Mwaka Mudenda, Lindsey Russell, Adam Beales, and Richie Driss in Blue Peter (1958)

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Dead Ringers (2002)

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Doctor Who: Shada (2003)

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Doctors (2000)

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Nicholas Courtney, Elisabeth Sladen, and Deborah Watling in Downtime (1995)

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1995

 

Jesse Birdsall, Craig McLachlan, and Alistair Robins in Bugs (1995)

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1995

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George Cole in Minder (1979)

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1994

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Doctor Who: Dimensions in Time (1993)

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1993

2 episodes

 

The Bill (1984)

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1993

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Jeremy Beadle in Beadle's About (1986)

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1990

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Jonathan Hyde in Shadow of the Noose (1989)

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1989

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Arthur Bostrom, Kirsten Cooke, Sue Hodge, Gorden Kaye, Richard Marner, Vicki Michelle, Carmen Silvera, and Guy Siner in 'Allo 'Allo! (1982)

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1989

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Whoops Apocalypse (1987)

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1987

 

Tucker's Luck (1983)

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6.7

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1985

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1985

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The Brief (1984)

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1984

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The Barretts of Wimpole Street (1982)

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1982

 

John Leeson and Elisabeth Sladen in K-9 and Company (1981)

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1981

 

Ronnie Corbett in Sorry! (1981)

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1981

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Martin Jarvis and Diane Keen in Rings on Their Fingers (1978)

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1979

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Nigel Davenport, Peter Egan, and Bosco Hogan in Prince Regent (1979)

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1979

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The World About Us (1967)

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1979

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1979

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7.3

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1977

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Lynette Davies in The Foundation (1977)

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7.6

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1977

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Frank Windsor in Headmaster (1977)

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6.8

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1977

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1975

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1973–1974

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Stanley Bates, Geoffrey Hayes, and Roy Skelton in Rainbow (1972)

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6.9

TV Series

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1972

50 episodes

 

My Wife Next Door (1972)

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7.2

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1972

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7.8

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1971

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On the House (1970)

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5.4

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1970

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The Doctors (1969)

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6.4

TV Series

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1970

1 episode

 

Clive Dunn, John Le Mesurier, and Arthur Lowe in Dad's Army (1968)

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8.1

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1969

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Rodney Bewes in Albert! (1969)

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5.8

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Clapper boy

1969

1 episode

 

The Spanish Farm

TV Series

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1968

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Crossroads (1964)

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4.5

TV Series

Henri de Burgoyne

1967–1968

6 episodes

 

Additional Crew

Hannah Hauxwell in Too Long a Winter (1973)

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8.3

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helicopter pilot

1973

 

Mastermind (1972)

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6.3

TV Series

question writer

1972–1997

 

Soundtrack

John Leeson and Elisabeth Sladen in K-9 and Company (1981)

K-9 and Company

6.1

TV Movie

performer: "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" (uncredited)

1981

 

Thanks

Helena Bonham Carter, Alison Elliott, and Linus Roache in The Wings of the Dove (1997)

The Wings of the Dove

7.1

special thanks

1997

 

Self

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2023

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5.4

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2020

 

Time Space Visualiser IV (2020)

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Video

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2020

 

Gallifrey Stands (2014)

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2019

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2018

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2017

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2017

 

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2015

 

80's: The Best of Bad TV (2015)

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5.0

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2015

 

Ian Cullen and Toby Hadoke in Who's Round (2013)

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8.1

Podcast Series

Self (voice)

2014

1 episode

 

Dara Ó Briain and Brian Cox in Stargazing Live: Back to Earth (2012)

Stargazing Live: Back to Earth

8.2

TV Series

Self - K-9 (voice, uncredited)

2013–2014

5 episodes

 

Doctor Who Live: The Afterparty (2013)

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6.1

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2013

 

Doctor Who: Tales from the TARDIS (2013)

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8.4

TV Movie

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2013

 

Colin Baker, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Sylvester McCoy, David Tennant, and Matt Smith in Doctor Who: The Doctors Revisited (2013)

Doctor Who: The Doctors Revisited

8.2

TV Mini Series

Self

2013

1 episode

 

My Life (2010)

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7.4

TV Series

Self - K-9 (voice)

2013

1 episode

 

Celebrity Eggheads (2008)

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5.5

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Self - Contestant

2010

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Sidekick Stories

TV Movie

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2010

 

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7.0

TV Special

Self - K-9 (voice)

2009

 

The Justin Lee Collins Show (2009)

The Justin Lee Collins Show

5.0

TV Series

Self - Guest

2009

1 episode

 

All Aboard the Starliner: The Making of 'Full Circle'

7.4

Video

SelfSelf - Voice of K.9

2009

 

The Dreaming

6.8

Video

SelfSelf - Voice of K9

2009

 

The Vampire Lovers: The Making of 'State of Decay'

6.3

Video

Self

2009

 

Out of Time

Video

SelfSelf - K9

2008

 

Top 50 Showbiz Comebacks

TV Special

Self

2008

 

Dreams and Fantasy

Video

Self

2008

 

Celebration (2008)

Celebration

6.8

Video

Self

2008

 

A Matter of Time

8.2

Video

Self

2007

 

Getting Blood from the Stones

Video

SelfSelf - K9 (voice)

2007

 

Parrot Fashion

Video

Self

2007

 

Anne Robinson in The Weakest Link (2000)

The Weakest Link

5.6

TV Series

Self - K-9 (voice, as K9)

2007

1 episode

 

David Tennant in Doctor Who Confidential (2005)

Doctor Who Confidential

8.0

TV Series

Self

2006

1 episode

 

Top 50 Greatest Celebrity Animals

8.4

TV Movie

Self

2005

 

Ultimate Sci-Fi Top 10 (2004)

Ultimate Sci-Fi Top 10

8.1

TV Mini Series

Self

2004

 

A New Beginning

8.3

Video

SelfSelf - Voice of K9

2004

 

Bruce Forsyth in The Generation Game (1971)

The Generation Game

6.6

TV Series

Self - K9Self - Bungle (voice)

1978–2001

3 episodes

 

Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Jon Pertwee, and Patrick Troughton in Longleat 83: The Greatest Show in the Galaxy (2001)

Longleat 83: The Greatest Show in the Galaxy

8.9

Video

Self - Presenter

2001

 

Bob Baker in K9 Unleashed (2000)

K9 Unleashed

7.1

Video

Self

2000

 

Eamonn Andrews in This Is Your Life (1955)

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6.4

TV Series

Self

2000

1 episode

 

Katy Manning in Where on Earth Is... Katy Manning Because She'd Really Like to Know! (1998)

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5.8

Video

Self

1998

 

Myth Makers Vol. 7: Myth Runner (1987)

Myth Makers Vol. 7: Myth Runner

Video

Self

1987

 

The Great Egg Race (1979)

The Great Egg Race

7.7

TV Series

Self

1985

1 episode

 

Janet Ellis, Adrian Hedley, Sylvester McCoy, and David Rappaport in Jigsaw (1979)

Jigsaw

7.2

TV Series

Self - JiggSelf - PterrySelf - Biggum (voice)

1979–1983

31 episodes

 

The Computer Programme (1982)

The Computer Programme

7.3

TV Series

Self - K9 (voice)

1982

1 episode

 

General Studies (1976)

General Studies

TV Series

Self - Narrator (voice)

1982

1 episode

 

Meeting Point

TV Series

Self

1965

1 episode

 

Archive Footage

Harriet Fettis and Henry Fettis in Sarah Jane Investigates (2016)

Sarah Jane Investigates

TV Mini Series

K9 (archive sound)

2016

1 episode

 

Being a Girl (2013)

Being a Girl

6.2

Video

Self - K-9 (archive footage, voice, uncredited)

2013

 

The Science of Doctor Who (2012)

The Science of Doctor Who

7.9

TV Movie

Self - K-9 (archive footage, voice, uncredited)

2012

 

Who Peter: Partners in Time - 1963-1989 (2010)

Who Peter: Partners in Time - 1963-1989

8.6

Video

Self - K9 (archive footage, voice)

2010

 

Lalla's Wardrobe: A Frockumentary

Video

Voice of K9 (archive footage, uncredited)

2009

 

Philip Madoc: A Villain for All Seasons

6.1

Video

Self - Dugeen (archive footage)

2007

 

There's Something About Mary

6.7

Video

Self - K9 (archive footage, voice)

2007

 

Ultimate Sci-Fi Quiz (2006)

Ultimate Sci-Fi Quiz

4.9

Video Game

K-9 (archive footage, uncredited)

2006

 

Tom Baker in Doctor Who: The Tom Baker Years (1992)

Doctor Who: The Tom Baker Years

8.1

Video

Self - K9 (archive footage, voice)

1992

 

Paul McGann, Colin Baker, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, William Hartnell, Sylvester McCoy, Jon Pertwee, and Patrick Troughton in Doctor Who (1963)

Doctor Who

8.4

TV Series

K9 (archive footage, voice, uncredited)

1981

1 episode

 

Bruce Forsyth in The Generation Game (1971)

The Generation Game

6.6

TV Series

Self - K9 (archive footage, voice)

1978

1 episode