Connections Old Jack's Boat by DJ Forrest

Old Jack's Boat starred Bernard Cribbins as Old Jack who laments about his days as a captain on the high seas with his dog, Salty. It's aimed at the younger viewers for the television channel CBeebies. It ran for 3 seasons from 2013 - 2015.

The series was filmed in the seaside village of Staithes, in Yorkshire which has links to Captain James Cook.

The big excitement for me was learning that Russell T Davies had written four episodes for the first two seasons of this programme. Plus, I knew that Bernard was playing Jack but the biggest shock was finding that Freema Agyeman was playing Shelly Periwinkle, the mermaid.

Once again, we’ve done the research, so you don’t have to.

Writer

Russell T. Davies directed 4 episodes from 2013-2014. I'm sure we don't need to explain just how deep Russell was in Doctor Who and its spin offs do we? Oh, OK. Brace yourselves then.

Russell wrote 31 episodes of Doctor Who from 2005 - 2010. If I've understood this correctly - Russell's characters of the Judoon, Ood and Sycorax were used in 1 episode of Who in 2015, Ood and Judoon used in one episode in 2011 and the Ood in another episode in 2011.

He introduced us to Sarah Jane Adventures, the spin off series from Doctor Who, reviving Lis Sladen for her companion character role for a series on CBBC which brought in a group of young people to act as alien sleuths with her for 54 episodes.

Another spin off from Doctor Who and one which we dearly hope will return to our screens one day, is Torchwood. It ran from 2006 - 2011 for 41 episodes. Russell created 40 episodes from 2006 - 2011 and wrote 5 episodes from 2006 - 2011, wrote the story for 1 episode in 2011 and teleplay for 1 episode in the same year.

Russell also wrote the television short - Doctor Who: Music of the Spheres in 2008 which also appeared in Doctor Who at the Proms in 2009. He wrote the TV short, Doctor Who: Children in Need Special in 2005 which introduced us to David Tennant as the New Doctor (Barcelona).

Russell T Davies was also executive Producer of Torchwood for 37 episodes from 2006 - 2011 and executive producer of Torchwood: Web of Lies animated series that was shown before Miracle Day in the same year.

He was executive producer of 38 episodes of SJA from 2007 - 2010. And executive producer of the SJA: Alien Files in 2010.

He was executive producer of 61 episodes of Doctor Who from 2005 - 2010 and Doctor Who Confidential for 58 episodes from 2005 - 2010. He was also executive producer of Doctor Who: Dreamland - another animated mini series in 2009 for 6 episodes.

He was executive producer for 28 episodes of Torchwood Declassified from 2006 - 2009 and in fact anything stamped with Doctor Who in the title from Music of the Spheres, The Infinite Quest, Totally Doctor Who, Tardisodes, Attack of the Graske, Doctor Who: A New Dimension, he was executive producer of in those years.

He was also show runner of Doctor Who for 60 episodes from 2005 - 2010 and we really wish he would return to the Whoniverse as I don't know about you, but I miss him.

Cast 

Bernard Cribbins played Old Jack for 47 episodes from 2013-2015. Cribbins has been involved in Doctor Who far longer than as Wilfred Mott which he appeared as for 9 episodes from 2007 - 2010. Cribbins played Tom Campbell in the Doctor Who film Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. in 1966, alongside Peter Cushing who played the Doctor, and Roberta Tovey who played Susan. Cribbins has voiced many a children's character or narrator of children's stories on BBC over the years - his voice unmistakeable. And hands up who wanted Bernard Cribbins as their Grandad?

Freema Agyeman played Shelly Periwinkle for 27 episodes from 2013-2015. Played Dr Martha Jones in Doctor Who from 2006 - 2010 for 20 episodes, played same character in Torchwood for 3 episodes in 2008. Voiced Martha Jones for Doctor Who: The Infinite Quest animated film in 2007.

Don Gilet played Captain Periwinkle for 21 episodes from 2013-2014. Played Lance Bennett in Doctor Who episode The Runaway Bride in 2006.

Sam Benjamin played Young Jack for 1 episode in 2013. He played an Estate Agent in Doctor Who episode Knock Knock in 2017.

Music Department

Nicholas Baxter was music publisher for 47 episodes from 2013-2015.  Is the music publisher for 10 episodes of Doctor Who in 2020, and music supervisor for 10 episodes for the same year.