Mr. Magpie was the owner of a small television shop in 1953. He was used by the alien known as the Wire.
Profile
He owned, Magpie Electricals, a business which sold cheap TV sets to many Londoners claiming that it was his "patriotic duty" to allow as many as possible to see Queen Elizabeth II's coronation. In reality, Magpie was dominated by the alien criminal the Wire, who fed off the energy of Human faces. When he was found out by the Doctor, Magpie fled to Alexandra Palace to finish the Wire's evil plan but all he ever wanted was peace and the Wire coldly destroyed him, turning his body into dust.(DW: The Idiot's Lantern)