To be cast as Doctor Who once might be regarded as fortunate, but to be Doctor twice would be AWESOME!

According to Reg voters, at least, who've picked Jelly Baby-toting Tom Baker as their choice for BBC's next Time Lord.

Baker beat ex-BBC petrolhead Jeremy Clarkson by 547 votes to 544 as Reg readers' choice to play the 13th Doctor once Peter Capaldi bows out at Christmas.

Third place in The Reg's poll went to those high priestesses of the gingham altar, Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins, with 391 votes.

How exactly would Who writer Chris Chibnal workshare the character? Who cares?

Baker regularly tops fan polls for "favourite Doctor" and almost any conversation on the topic of "best" Doctor immediately ends with a blanket "Baker".

But what makes Baker, Time Lord for seven years during the 1970s and early 1980s, so damn popular? You can get a brief taster, below:

Youtube Video

Baker combined an irreverence and spontaneity to what had been a serious, studied, moral or even tetchy role.

This being the 1970s, Baker's doctor was a free-flowing spirit with fierce disregard for tyranny and authority.

Armed with a floppy brimmed and rebellious scarf, Baker was your school supply teacher – smart, serious, but fun.

The intense eyes and cracking smile was pure buccaneering Burt Lancaster.

It was during Baker's tenure that Doctor Who achieved some of its highest rankings – 13.5 million and 14.5 million for Destiny of Daleks and City of Death in the late 1970s.

Other Whos also hit double-digit million, but only David Tennant has come close to Baker by breaking the 13 million viewers barrier.

Of course, Baker arguably enjoyed the last era in TV as event, when British TV was just channels, the whole family gathered around a single set, and the right broadcast really could be a national event, with chatter next day at school.

Of course the BBC already knows this. Tellingly, Baker – the actor, not the Who – garnished the 50th anniversary Day of the Doctor episode.

The eyes, it seems, still have it. ®