Robert Burns

According to the Second Doctor, Robert Burns was an author born in 1759. During Jamie McCrimmon's initial trip in the TARDIS, he was informed by Ben and Polly that they never knew where or when the TARDIS might land. He didn't believe them, but the Doctor confirmed it, using a quote from Burns: "Nae man can tether time nor tide". As Jamie came from 1746, he had no idea who Burns was. (TV: The Underwater Menace)

The Fourth Doctor described Scottish to Leela as "haggis, bagpipes, Robbie Burns and deep-fried Mars Bars". (PROSE: The Very Last Picture Show)

In 1884, Captain Kybo read Burns' poetry to help him learn English. The experience led Kybo to write a poem of his own. (AUDIO: Judoon in Chains)

Behind the scenes

• The quotation the Second Doctor used in The Underwater Menace comes from the poem, "Tam O'Shanter".
• The phrase "tim'rous beastie", used by the Tenth Doctor in Tooth and Claw to describe Rose Tyler and by Jackson Lake in The Next Doctor to describe Rosita, would seem to be lifted from a Robert Burns poem. However, no connection is explicitly noted in the script of either episode.