David Bowie
David Bowie was a singer from Earth. He died in February 2016. (PROSE: Life on Mars on Mars)
Bowie's song "Starman" was played by one of Rose Tyler's neighbours on the Powell Estate. (TV: Aliens of London)
"Starman" was also played just after Eugene Jones had explained how he acquired the Dogon sixth eye. (TV: Random Shoes)
In 1974, the Eighth Doctor mentioned Bowie as one of the great musicians of the period to Lucie Miller. (AUDIO: Horror of Glam Rock)
Evelyn Smythe spoke of her experience in a space suit as "like that David Bowie song." (AUDIO: The Feast of Axos)
After his death, Erimem and Andy Hansen left a copy of Bowie's song "Life on Mars" on Mars. It was discovered by a mars rover on New Year's Eve 2020. (PROSE: Life on Mars on Mars)
The Twelfth Doctor recited some of his song "Ashes to Ashes" to a robot, with the line "I'm Happy, Hope You're Happy Too". (TV: Smile)
Behind the scenes
- Bowie and his song "Life on Mars" were presumably the influence for the name of Mars station Bowie Base One. (TV: The Waters of Mars)
- In 1983, Bowie was offered the role of Sharaz Jek but the dates clashed with his Serious Moonlight tour.
- In 1973, Bowie and his band, The Spiders From Mars, mingled with the cast of Planet of the Daleks at BBC Television Centre, leading a passer-by to ask if they were playing aliens in the show.
- The Doctor Who Confidential episode Is There Life on Mars? is titled in reference to Bowie's song "Life on Mars".
- The novel Loving the Alien shares the title of a Bowie song.
- The comic strip The Woman Who Sold the World is a reference to the Bowie song "The Man Who Sold the World".
- The character John Jones was heavily inspired by Bowie.
