Rowlands

Lord Rowlands, or as the Third Doctor described him, "Tubby Rowlands", was the head of a department in the Ministry in the late 20th century. (TV: Terror of the Autons ^[+]Loading...["Terror of the Autons (TV story)"])

Rowlands attended the launch of the Hotspur Network and spoke to the Doctor at the party. He looked very red, which the Doctor remarked to Liz Shaw was likely due to him drinking too many sherries at the club. (AUDIO: The Unzal Incursion ^[+]Loading...["The Unzal Incursion (audio story)"])

To stop Brownrose, the Doctor claimed he was friends with Rowlands and threatened: "I was saying to him in the Club only the other day, wrong sort of chap is creeping into your lot, Tubby, I said." (TV: Terror of the Autons ^[+]Loading...["Terror of the Autons (TV story)"])

According to Sir John Sudbury, Rowlands and the Doctor frequented the same bridge club, the Pemburton, with Sir John. (PROSE: The Scales of Injustice ^[+]Loading...["The Scales of Injustice (novel)"]) The Brigadier cited Rowlands as a contact the Doctor had at his club, which he used to ensure UNIT got the equipment it needed. (PROSE: Greyhound ^[+]Loading...["Greyhound (short story)"])

The Eighth Doctor once facetiously talked about "just telling Tubby Rowlands down the club, those rebels have got to know their place" to mock an unnaturalist. (PROSE: Unnatural History ^[+]Loading...["Unnatural History (novel)"])

Behind the scenes

• While the books would refer to "Tubby", it's never confirmed in the show if the Doctor is really this friendly with him or is just bluffing.