Jelly baby

Jelly babies were a form of Earth sweet favoured by the Doctor during several of his incarnations.

The Doctor eats a jelly baby

Second Doctor

• The Second Doctor offered a Jelly Baby to the Brigadier while in the TARDIS. (DW: The Three Doctors)

Fourth Doctor

• The Doctor offered round a bag of jelly babies while aboard space station Nerva, shortly before a comparison of the Wirrn eating up humanity like jelly babies was made. (DW: The Ark in Space)
• He offered one to Leela of the Sevateem tribe upon their first meeting, leading her to think he ate babies. He would also effectively bluff the Sevateem by threatening one of the tribe with a "deadly jelly baby". (DW: The Face of Evil)
• The Doctor offered round a bag of jelly babies whilst on the sandminer (they were slapped out of his hand while he attempted to do so). (DW: The Robots of Death)
• Whilst investigating the Fendahl on Earth he offered "Eustace" a jelly baby in jest. (DW: Image of the Fendahl)
• Whilst on Gallifrey as Lord President he requested Castellan Kelner to remove a jelly baby from his pocket for him, in this (slightly power mad state) he preferred an orange one. He also gave one to Andred and then also gave him the packet.(DW: The Invasion of Time)
• Romana offered a bag of jelly babies around while she and the Doctor are on Zanak. (DW: The Pirate Planet)
• The Doctor offered a jelly baby to Davros, which are also slapped out of his hand and, oddly, an expolosion is heard when they fell to ground. (DW: Destiny of the Daleks)
• Whilst in the Eden projection the Doctor eats some jelly babies, and also gives a green one missing a leg to Bernice Summerfield (as she was tracking the Key to Time). (DW: Nightmare of Eden, DWM: Time & Time Again)
• He offered them to the Anethans whilst aboard the Skonnan freighter. (DW: The Horns of Nimon)

Sixth Doctor

On Ravalox, Drathro's minions, Humker and Tandrell discover a bag of jelly babies in the Doctor's coat as they investigate him. He quickly snatches the bag back, before wordlessly offering them each one of the sweets. (DW: The Mysterious Planet)

Seventh Doctor

• The Doctor enjoyed a snack of jelly babies while reading The Time Machine, just before the events that led to his regeneration, technically making this his last meal. (DW: Doctor Who: The TV Movie)

Eighth Doctor

• The Eighth Doctor also seemed to develop a taste for jelly babies, he also used them to distract a police officer so he could disarm him, whilst in San Francisco. (DW: Doctor Who: The TV Movie)
• The Eighth Doctor also searched for jelly babies in the markets of Hyspero. (EDA: The Scarlet Empress)

The Master

• The Master also appeared to enjoy a bag of jelly babies along side his wife whilst awaiting the Toclafane. (DW: The Sound of Drums)

Behind the Scenes

In the United States, jelly babies had a low as a confectionery product. When Pinnacle Books published Doctor Who novelisations in new packaging, the editorial changes made by them included changing jelly babies to jelly beans, for fear of confusing American readers. Later, when the series had a great deal more popularity, many Americans simply associated jelly babies with Doctor Who and with the Doctor as played by Tom Baker. Under license from the BBC, one company sold jelly babies in packaging resembling the Doctor's TARDIS, advertising them as "the Cosmic Candy of the Time Lords".

The "Inside the TARDIS" featurette on the UK DVD of Doctor Who: The TV Movie includes a closeup view of the tray of jelly babies enjoyed by the Seventh Doctor at the start of the film.