Adrian Rigelsford
Encyclopedia
Adrian Rigelsford is a writer and TV historian whose factual and fictional work has been subject to controversy. In June 2004, he was convicted of stealing photographs from the Daily Mail
/Associated Newspapers archive in Kensington
. Rigelsford has written several works on a variety of television and film subjects, ranging from Peter Sellers
to Doctor Who
.
In 1993, he wrote the script for "Lost in the Dark Dimension", a proposed 30th anniversary Doctor Who
special. BBC Enterprises supported the project and it was scheduled as a "straight-to-video" project, despite its very low budget. The project eventually earned the backing of BBC1 Controller Alan Yentob
, who agreed to invest in it and show the programme on BBC1. However, the programme folded after 5 weeks of pre-production.
In 2004, Big Finish Productions
produced the Rigelsford-written The Roof of the World
as part of their range of Doctor Who audio plays.
and Roger Delgado
, or the omission of the entirety of Season 17 from one of his Doctor Who reference works.
A publication in TV Times
of a "final" interview with director Stanley Kubrick brought Rigelsford to the attention of Anthony Frewin, a friend of Kubrick's. Frewin's investigation uncovered that a supposed tape of the Kubrick interview did not exist. In the light of this and Frewin's expert doubts, TV Times ran an apology about the interview.
In June 2004, Rigelsford was convicted of stealing 56,000 photographs from the Daily Mail/Associated Newspapers research library over an eight year period and reselling them for approximately ₤75,000. Rigelsford was sentenced to eighteen months.
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
/Associated Newspapers archive in Kensington
Kensington
Kensington is a district of west and central London, England within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. An affluent and densely-populated area, its commercial heart is Kensington High Street, and it contains the well-known museum district of South Kensington.To the north, Kensington is...
. Rigelsford has written several works on a variety of television and film subjects, ranging from Peter Sellers
Peter Sellers
Richard Henry Sellers, CBE , known as Peter Sellers, was a British comedian and actor. Perhaps best known as Chief Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther film series, he is also notable for playing three different characters in Dr...
to Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
.
Non-fiction and fiction writing
Rigelsford has written several articles and books on TV and film history.In 1993, he wrote the script for "Lost in the Dark Dimension", a proposed 30th anniversary Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
special. BBC Enterprises supported the project and it was scheduled as a "straight-to-video" project, despite its very low budget. The project eventually earned the backing of BBC1 Controller Alan Yentob
Alan Yentob
Alan Yentob is a British television executive and presenter who has worked throughout his career at the BBC.-Early life:...
, who agreed to invest in it and show the programme on BBC1. However, the programme folded after 5 weeks of pre-production.
In 2004, Big Finish Productions
Big Finish Productions
Big Finish Productions is a British company that produces books and audio plays based, primarily, on cult British science fiction properties...
produced the Rigelsford-written The Roof of the World
The Roof of the World
The Roof of the World is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Plot:The Doctor and friends arrive in Tibet, 1917 and investigate an ancient evil hidden in the Himalayas....
as part of their range of Doctor Who audio plays.
Controversies
The accuracy of Rigelsford's reference work has been disputed, for example for unsourced and previously unheard-of quotes from William HartnellWilliam Hartnell
William Henry Hartnell was an English actor. During 1963-66, he was the first actor to play the Doctor in the long-running BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Early life:...
and Roger Delgado
Roger Delgado
Roger Caesar Marius Bernard de Delgado Torres Castillo Roberto was an English actor, best known for his role as the first Master in Doctor Who....
, or the omission of the entirety of Season 17 from one of his Doctor Who reference works.
A publication in TV Times
TV Times
TVTimes is a television listings magazine published in the United Kingdom by IPC Media, a subsidiary of Time Warner. It is known for its access to television actors and their programmes. In 2006 it was refreshed for a more modern look, increasing its emphasis on big star interviews and soaps...
of a "final" interview with director Stanley Kubrick brought Rigelsford to the attention of Anthony Frewin, a friend of Kubrick's. Frewin's investigation uncovered that a supposed tape of the Kubrick interview did not exist. In the light of this and Frewin's expert doubts, TV Times ran an apology about the interview.
In June 2004, Rigelsford was convicted of stealing 56,000 photographs from the Daily Mail/Associated Newspapers research library over an eight year period and reselling them for approximately ₤75,000. Rigelsford was sentenced to eighteen months.