Its fascinating to see how Doctor Who has reflected the changes that have occurred in society over the past 42 years of its existence.  Take for example the above two photos.  The first shows Carole Ann Ford posing for what would have been considered a “Gentlemen’s Magazine” a year or two before she appeared as the first “Doctor Who girl”. The photo on the bottom is of the latest “Doctor Who girl”, Billie Piper, a preview of a photoshoot she is doing in a “Men’s Magazine” called Arena (the “readers” of such would not be considered “gentlemen”, presumably).

The photos of Carole would have been considered quite revealing in their day, and it is doubtful she would have posed for them a year or two later when portraying a 15 year old girl in a children’s television programme. One could imagine quite the scandal erupting at the BBC if she wore something close to what Billie is wearing in her pic. Ford herself has indicated that she got into trouble with some parents when after leaving Doctor Who she portrayed a prostitute on television in a late-night time slot.

The difference to today is quite dramatic - Billie Piper is also playing a teenage girl in the series, which hopes to attract many kids, and yet it would be very surprising if the production team weren’t very pleased about the extra publicity such a photoshoot will bring to the show.  And it’s difficult to imagine that there will be too much controversy when the full photo shoot appears.  Especially when photoshoots like these nowadays are a dime a dozen.

Not that I’m complaining, mind you.