It's Rhod-tree Morgan
by Marc Baker
30/3/2005
Red faced Beeb mistakes first minister for Dr Who nemisis
Watch out Doctor Who fans - welsh premier Rhodri Morgan Could be the time Timelord's next arch enemy!
The stunned First Minister almost landeda role in the resserected BBC1 sci-fi series after confused production make up artists tried to transform him into one of the doctors latest arch enemies.
Rhodri was left speechless after red faced Auntie Beeb staff mistook him for an actor who had landed a part as the bizare tree-like villain Jabe the tree in the eagerly awaited series which starts next saturday.
The bushy haired politician had turned up at bbc wales to take part in the politics show Dragons Eye.
But on Arriveing at the LLandaff studios, the first minister became entangled with a group of show extras and was directed to the Doctor Who make up room.
Make up artists from London, Who didn't recognise Rhodri, then set about transforming him into an enemy of new Timelord Christopher Eccleson before he twigged what was going on.
Jabe The Tree appears in the second episode of the new series, writain by Welsh writer Russell T Davis.
The tree like aliens are from the fictional forest of Cheam and meet the Doctor and his assistant Rose (billie Piper) when the time lord travels in his tardis to the year five billion.
Fortunately Rhodri saw the funny side, laughing out loud after learning of the blunder.
A spokeswoman for the first minister said: "Yes it's true. They were filming Doctor Who at the time and there were loads of extras at the BBC Wales studios and a BBC meet-and-greet guy from London obviously did not recognise him. A young make up artist then came in and said to Rhodri, "oh, are you one of the trees?". Rhodri then twigged and had a good chuckle about it. He thought it was really funny."
Rhodri's spokeswoman jokes: "Veiwers will have to watch Doctor Who to see if Rhodri is in it!"
© Wales on sunday 2005
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