WINDER UP

This is a picture of Hawthorne, the Chief Winder in the 'Doctor Who' episode "The Beast Below". I'm not sure if Hawthorne's position was considered a combination of Prime Minister and Chief of the Secret Police.

I doubt this will ever be verified, but I wonder if the name of "Hawthorne" was an in-joke tip of the hat to Nigel Hawthorne. The late actor played the "power behind the throne" (as it were) in the series 'Yes, Minister' and 'Yes, Prime Minister'. And as Hawthorne was played by Terrence Hardiman, I'm tempted to suggest that either he was a direct descendant of Abbot Radulphus ('Cadfael'), or the Abbot's soul was "born to rerun" all those centuries later..... That's right, I said a "direct" descendant! Come on, even Brother Cadfael had a son! He couldn't have been the only one at St. Winifred's who was monk-ing around!

BCnU!