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Folks, I don't know about you, but I personally think that 2026 has been shaping up to be an absolutely awful year for our favorite celebrities: word reached the World Wide Web over the weekend regarding the passing of voice actor John Leeson.
His name may not mean a great deal to some, but Whoovians definitely recognize it because Leeson served as the voice of the lovable robotic Doctor Who companion K-9. It was a gig he landed all the way back in the year 1977 and continued to visit all the way through this year when he brought the pooch to life in podcasts and audiobooks. Granted, he definitely did a bit more in the Whooniverse so far as voice acting is concerned, but it's his singular presentation of K-9 that fans will likely always remember.
Frankly, I was a bit unaware that K-9 was still around. I knew of him from '77 as well as a few appearances within some Doctor Who episodes since and the like, but -- as I live on this side of the pond (as they say) -- I was almost oblivious to the character living on in such fashion as audio dramas. I might have to do some digging into seeing if any of these are available as I do so love listening to stuff like that as I drift off to sleep each night. It's great that robot has enjoyed such longevity, especially given the fact that the entire Who franchise seems to be a bit mismanaged these days ... so far as TV installments are concerned.
Our warmest prayers are extended to the family, friends, and fans of John Leeson.
May he rest in peace ...
-- EZ