Trivia - Dr Who Companions with prior roles

[Fred588]

I think I did a trivia item a while back asking about actors or actresses who became companions of Dr Who after doing prior roles as general characters. I was able to identify one at the time, the actor who played Harry Sullivan. I can now identify another. Can anyone identify who that was? A companion who appeared first as an early incarnation of himself or herself (e.g. Clara Oswald) does not count. A complete answer will consist of the performer's real (or stage) name, the names of the prior character, and the name of the companion.

[JungleJim]

Freema Agyeman, who played Martha Jones, was in an earlier episode. She played a character (Adeola Oshodi) in the episode "Army of Ghosts". She was assimilated by the Cybermen and died in the episode.

[Fred588]

Freema Agyeman, who played Martha Jones, was in an earlier episode. She played a character (Adeola Oshodi) in the episode "Army of Ghosts". She was assimilated by the Cybermen and died in the episode.

Thank you for this. I will add her to my list. There is, however, at least one more. I will give one hint. Both companion and prior roles were in the original (1963 to 1988) series.

[Zargen]

Would Nicholas Courtney count? He played Bret Vyon in The Daleks' Master Plan before his iconic role as Brigader Lethbridge-Stewart.

And there's also Lalla Ward, who was Astra in The Key to Time before becoming Romana II.

[Fred588]

I think both can count, although some might argue that while the Brigardier was a recurring character whether or not he counts as a companion might be argued. But he did go along on one or two trips in the Tardis so I think he counts. Lalla might be argued as well on the basis that the two roles were intended from the beginning but the initial trivia question did not say anything about intent. So those are two more. There remains, however, at least one more. I will add another hint that for this person both the initial role and the companion role would be considered very obscure today.

Would Nicholas Courtney count? He played Bret Vyon in The Daleks' Master Plan before his iconic role as Brigader Lethbridge-Stewart.

And there's also Lalla Ward, who was Astra in The Key to Time before becoming Romana II.

[JungleJim]

Here's followup trivia: Same original question, except instead of a companion, what about the Doctor himself? Which Doctors have appeared as other characters before becoming the Doctor himself?

[Zargen]

Three off the top of my head: Colin Baker (Arc of Infinity), Peter Capaldi (Fires of Pompeii) and David Bradley (Dinosaurs on a Spaceship before being the First Doctor in Twice Upon a Time)

[Fred588]

Three off the top of my head: Colin Baker (Arc of Infinity), Peter Capaldi (Fires of Pompeii) and David Bradley (Dinosaurs on a Spaceship before being the First Doctor in Twice Upon a Time)

This trivia item was about prior characters who later became companions. It does refer to a previous item about prior characters who then became the doctor. Colin Baker and Peter Cpaldi were identified in the earlier item. David Bradley would be another correct answer for that one.
If no one gets the one remaining (that I know about) answer to the current trivia item I will give the answer tomorrow - assuming I don't forget.

[JungleJim]

This is probably not correct because it's reversed. But Jacqueline Hill, who played the original companion Barbara Wright, later appeared as a different character in the Tom Baker story Meglos. portraying Priestess Lexa, leader of the religiously fanatical Deons.

[Fred588]

The answer I have is:

Peter Purves played a character called Morton Dill in The Chase (William Hartnell) and then was companion Steven Taylor the following season, also with Hartnell.