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. 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)

According to Sir John Sudbury, Rowlands and the Doctor frequented the same bridge club, the Pemburton, with Sir John. (PROSE: The Scales of Injustice) 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)

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)

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.