Sadly, my first news piece for The Doctor Who Companion is an obituary. Reg Whitehead passed away recently at the age of 83. He was best known to Doctor Who fans as one of the first actors to play a Cyberman in The Tenth Planet, The Moonbase and The Tomb of the Cybermen and also a Yeti in The Abominable Snowmen, racking up a total of 15 episodes over 4 stories that he appeared in. He was, in fact, the very first Cyberman we saw on screen, stomping through the Antarctic in The Tenth Planet.
He also appeared in several other shows in the 60s and 70s, such as The Avengers, Z Cars and The Saint, as well as participating in several Doctor Who DVD Extras including Frozen Out, the documentary recalling the trials and tribulations behind the making of The Tenth Planet.
He was well known and much loved at a local horse racing stable, where he was one of the first owners and was regularly involved as an active member of the community.
Reg Whitehead, 11th Dec 1932 – 11th Mar 2016.