Oxford News
Doctor Who star Christopher Eccleston coming to Oxford University
The Manchester-born actor brought the iconic Time Lord back to television screens in 2005 with a hugely popular revival series.
Starring alongside Billie Piper’s Rose Tyler, the duo became two of the UK’s most famous faces, battling aliens and monsters throughout time and space each week.
Another iconic role of Mr Eccleston’s was in Our Friends in the North, with the actor also starring in films such as roles in 24 Hour Party People, 28 Days Later and Thor: The Dark World.
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This weekend, the legendary star will be coming to Oxford University’s Sheldonian Theatre to talk to fellow actor Paterson Joseph, known for Peep Show and Wonka.
The pair will chat as part of the Oxford Literary Festival, which will see Mr Eccleston discuss his book, I Love the Bones of You: My Father and the Making of Me.
“One of Britain’s best-loved actors and star of Our Friends in the North and Dr Who, Christopher Eccleston, talks about his life and acting career in conversation with the Chancellor of Brookes University and fellow actor Paterson Joseph,” reads the event preview.
“Eccleston was born into a working-class family in Salford and strongly identifies with his roots.
“He has often spoken about a feeling that his northern accent and background held him back. Eccleston’s early roles included a teenage convict in the 1991 drama Let Him Have It and as DCI Bilborough in the crime drama Cracker.
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“His big breakthrough came in the role of left-wing activist Nicky Hutchinson in the award-winning BBC drama Our Friends in the North.
“His film work includes the title role in Jude, based on the Thomas Hardy novel, and roles in 24 Hour Party People and 28 Days Later.
“In 2005, he became the ninth incarnation of Dr Who in the opening series of the BBC revival of the science fiction programme, where he spoke with his natural northern accent.
“The role won him the Most Popular Actor award at that year’s National Television Awards.
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“Eccleston’s awards also include an International Emmy for Accused and Best Actor in the Broadcast Press Guild Awards for Our Friends in the North.
“He is the author of I Love the Bones of You: My Father and the Making of Me, a portrait of the relationship with his father, Ronnie, that he says shaped his entire career.
“Paterson Joseph has starred in recent television series, including Vigil, Noughts and Crosses and Boat Story and in the 2023 film Wonka.
“His recent debut historical novel, The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho, was based on the true story of the man born on a slave ship who went on to be a writer, leading abolitionist and one of the first people of African descent to vote in a British parliamentary election.”
The talk takes place from 4pm until 5pm on Sunday (March 29) at the Sheldonian Theatre on Broad Street with tickets priced between £10 and £25.
Uma Ali Sheikh has been named and shamed by the government in a new list published by the government department.
Information is published by the agency when a person or business has made at least one deliberate default on more than £25,000, according to HMRC.
The list is updated every three months before the information is removed after a year.
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Uma Ali Sheikh was investigated by HMRC and charged a penalty for either deliberate errors in his tax returns or a deliberate failure to notify a liability to tax.
The 50-year-old is listed as being a landlord based at Apt 4604, The Torch Tower, Al Sharta Street, Dubai Marina in Dubai.
HMRC says that between April 6, 2014 and April 5, 2019, he did not pay £261,252 worth of tax.
He subsequently paid a penalty worth £137,333.77.
His nationality is listed on Companies House as being British, meaning he is an expat.
Thames Valley Police had been investigating a report that a man committed indecent exposure at around 3pm on August 29 in Headington.
The incident happened in Cox’s Aly near the junction of Gladstone Road.
The offender was last seen walking towards Gladstone Road and is described by police as white, slim and around 5ft 10ins tall.
He had a baggy royal blue tracksuit on – with white stripes running up the sides – and has fair hair, police said in an earlier appeal.
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Police had issued an appeal at the time of the offence looking for witnesses or people with information.
However, seven months later, not enough evidence has been provided to find the culprit.
A police spokeswoman said on Monday morning (March 30): “This case has been filed, pending further information coming to light.”
Indecent exposure, a sexual offence, can see a punishment of up to six months in prison or a fine imposed by the court.
Offenders can also be put on the sex offenders register list, but in most cases this is if the victim is under 18 years of age.
Depending on its seriousness, cases can go to trial in crown court.
Police constable Edward O’Reilly previously said: “If anyone has any further information and witnessed this incident, we would also ask them to get in touch.
“If you have information, please call 101 quoting the reference 43250442508 or you can provide information on the online reporting pages.”
Food, beer and flower stalls attracted lots of shoppers to the Market Place on Saturday.
The local excellence market is held about six times a year, running alongside the regular Monday market.
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Among traders selling to shoppers were Abingdon Distillery, food and drink supplier Barbury Hill from Steventon, Natural Bread Company in Oxford, and Authentic Desi Food from Oxford.
The town council said in a statement: “Local excellence is a market at which local food producers, craft workers and retailers sell their goods in Abingdon Market Place.
“The market gives Abingdon shoppers the chance to sample foods, beers and crafts from Oxfordshire and nearby.
“The market starts at 9am and finishes at 2pm, sometimes later.
“Held on occasional Saturdays through the year, it is very popular with people who are at work all week and miss out on our weekly markets on Monday, or the local farmers’ market on the third Friday in the month.”
Rachel, who works at Abingdon Distillery, said it was a big year for the company as it looks forward to its Single Malt Oxfordshire Whisky going on sale in the autumn.
The next local excellent market is expected to take place on Saturday, May 30.
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