Doctor Who's biggest stars unite for book about beloved Ace jacket

Sophie Aldred still owns the jacket she wore in Doctor Who in the 1980s

During an episode of Doctor Who in 1988, Sophie Aldred beat up a Dalek with a baseball bat while wearing her character's iconic jacket.

Thirty-seven years later, standing next to one of the models used in that very same episode, the actress admits her old nemesis has not "aged terribly well".

The 62-year-old played Ace, who was a troubled but clever teen who became a companion of the seventh Doctor played by Sylvester McCoy.

Aldred spoke to the BBC at the Discover Bucks Museum in Aylesbury, where her co-star Dalek model is on display.

The actress, who lives in nearby Hertfordshire, has written a book about her character's jacket, with contributions from Doctor Who stars including David Tennant, Jodie Whittaker and Peter Capaldi.

Sophie Aldred's book about the jacket she wore in Doctor Who includes a contribution from Sylvester McCoy

Back in 1987, the then 24-year-old had suggested the jacket to the show's costume designer after seeing teenagers, like Ace, wearing similar ones in clubs.

It was soon crammed with more than 50 badges; a mix of Aldred's own keepsakes and additions from the costume team.

She pinned on her Blue Peter badges, her old lacrosse captain's badge, and a Thunderbirds badge, having written a university dissertation on creator Gerry Anderson.

"I've got a Charlton Athletic badge there which is my team, however Ace came from Perivale in west London [so] she would have likely supported QPR or something like that," she explained.

Ace's jacket is often worn by fans at conventions

The jacket was worn in the story Remembrance of the Daleks, where Ace famously beat up a Dalek before jumping out of a window to escape.

Face to face again with one of the Daleks used in that story, she said: "It's not aged terribly well, has it?

"Back in the day we didn't have HD so we actually could get away with slightly battered Daleks with paint splashes and brush marks and things like that."

She recalled: "Our stunt director said, 'Look, sit down. You've been through the equivalent of a minor car crash in terms of adrenaline'.

"And so, off everybody went and I was sitting there doing breathing exercises... Then I heard, 'Uh, excuse me. Could somebody let me out, please?'

"They'd all gone and left the poor bloke inside the Dalek."

The actress appeared on screen again three years ago, wearing the same jacket from the original series

In 2022, she returned to the screen alongside Jodie Whittaker's Doctor, once again swinging a baseball bat at a Dalek.

Aldred recalled: "I said to Chris Chibnall, who was the producer: 'I've got the jacket, do you want me to bring it?' and he said 'Yes!'

"Young people who didn't know anything about Ace saw me in that as an older woman and they also loved the character of Ace.

"There's something about Ace that I think appeals to people because she's very realistic and she's very authentic."

Sophie Aldred included her own badges on the jacket, including a lacrosse badge and two she was given by Blue Peter

The idea to write a book about the jacket came from Doctor Who fan Shawn Levy.

Split into two parts, the first instalment, Ace's Jacket: The Inside Story, includes fictional tales about how each badge ended up on Ace's coat.

"I went off to various Doctor Who alumni like David Tennant, Chris Chibnall... I said to them, could you write a story about one of the badges that takes your interest?

"I got in touch with a lot of the people I know, I collared people at parties and conventions.

"They've written little short stories or poems - we've had paintings, we've had cartoons, we've had all sorts."

The list of more than 50 people who have taken part includes names from across Doctor Who's 63-year history, including guest star Hugh Bonneville and writer Steven Moffat.

Almost every living actor who has played the leading role made a contribution.

Some fans were also invited to contribute such as content creator Christel Dee and writer Beth Axford.

Cast, crew and fans have united for the new book about Ace's jacket

The actress said much of the money raised from the book would go towards charities Autism All Stars and the National Autistic Society.

She explained: "It felt like something really great to do for charity as well.

"We wanted to choose charities which had some kind of association with Doctor Who and there's a lot of Doctor Who fans who do have autism. I've met so many of them.

"They're such incredible, amazing people. I just really felt that it would be good to raise some awareness and some money as well for for these charities."

Aldred admitted it felt surreal, decades on, to still be wearing the same jacket and standing in front of a Dalek talking about Ace.

However she insisted she would not change a thing: "It's extraordinary. She's such an amazing character and I've absolutely loved every minute of it."