A Hamster With a Blunt Penknife - a Doctor Who Commentary podcast

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Join Joe Ford as he waltzes all around the world (via whatever means the internet allows) and undertakes Doctor Who commentaries with a wide range of wonderful contributors. Fans, podcasters, online reviewers, writers, actors...the USP of this podcast is it's variety of guests and the fact that they all bring their own unique perspective to the podcast. The guest chooses the story, be it one they love, hate or are completely indifferent, and amongst the gossip is trivia, critique and personal experience.

Joe Ford


    • Oct 27, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekdays NEW EPISODES
    • 1h AVG DURATION
    • 1,047 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from A Hamster With a Blunt Penknife - a Doctor Who Commentary podcast

    The (X) Hamster Files - Ghost in the Machine (featuring Agent Ioan Morris)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2025 50:32


    Evil sentient technology…a portent of the future? How does The X-Files tackle HAL? Agent Morris is with me to do all the hard work and let me take all the credit!

    Hamster Book Club - Vanderdekens Children by Christopher Bulis (featuring Luke Sims-Jenkins, Jon Arnold & Andrew Batty)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2025 120:59


    War in the Hamster Book Club! As we explore Christopher Bulis' gaping orifice, there is a huge spread of opinions. Is this the Middest of all Doctor Who writers...or are there some surprises?

    Talks to Dr Simon Exton about his choice of The Moonbase (4/4)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2025 35:39


    That's taken care of the Cybermen! The most powerful tea tray in history! Is gravity the best weakness of the Cybermen ever? And have you ever seen a bigger ray gun?

    Talks to Dr Simon Exton about his choice of The Moonbase (3/4)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2025 30:43


    What the hell her the ingredients of a Polly cocktail? Is this her best episode? And are Jamie and Ben both in love with her?

    Hamster Book Club - The Last Dodo by Jacqueline Rayner (featuring Gareth Bowley, Dan Pinn & David Gillespie-Pratt)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 23, 2025 130:27


    A throwaway New Series Adventure or a moving lesson in the human races extinction list? We tackle the thorny subject of extinction, of museums, and of conservation in this surprisingly touching book.

    The (X) Hamster Files - Shadows (featuring Agent Frazer Gregory)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2025 50:20


    The first supernaural case in The X-Files - a woman haunted by her murdered boss who is trying to protect her from the people who killed him. Is this so serious that Frazer's journey will end before it begins?

    Talks to Dr Simon Exton about his choice of The Moonbase (2/4)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2025 26:12


    Our discussion of this under appreciated story continues as we figure out…it's in the sugar! Troughton charms, and his scenes with Polly charm the most.

    Strictly Come Hamster - the rest of Hartnell (Jon Arnold, David Gillespie Pratt & Frazer Gregory)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2025 231:48


    The maddest, most contentious, most laughter filled Strictly yet! How can the fag end of Hartnell provoke so many potent opinions?

    Talks to Dr Simon Exton about his choice of The Moonbase

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 17, 2025 36:07


    Grab your Polly cocktails, zip up your quilted spacesuits, avoid the Phantom Piper...we're heading to the moon!

    Talks to Paul Arthur about his choice of Kerblam!

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2025 90:36


    Politics, adventure, a McCoy love in, sinister robots, terrorism, love...this one has it all! Paul steps into the Ham Fam and discusses a much undervalued episode...

    The (X) Hamster Files - The Jersey Devil (featuring agent Jack Coyer)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 14, 2025 58:58


    What happens when Agent Coyer faces his first experience of The X-Files and comes up against Neanderthal woman?

    Talks to Lee, Andy & Cam about their choice of The Mind Robber (5/5)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 12, 2025 44:50


    It's time to bring this piece of art to an end with a celebration of the many positives about the story, the man positives about Scotland, and the man positives about Subbuteo!

    Talks to Andy, Lee & Cam about their choice of The Mind Robber (4/5)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2025 32:00


    Lesson 42! It's time to beat up the Karkus, get trapped in a book and worry about a dollop of foamy spittle at the side of the mouth of a writer of weeklies...

    Hamster Book Club - The Eyeless by Lance Parkin (featuring Kieran Pell)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 10, 2025 90:11


    A surprisingly bleak, dystopian world with huge things to say about war, weapons of mass destruction, genocide and scientific responsibility...aimed at children?

    Talks to Glenn Fitzgerald about his choice of The Stones of Blood (4/4)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2025 39:37


    One of my favourite single episodes to record, beautiful Glenn reminds us of the joys of finding your tribe within Doctor Who fandom and how enriching it can be to your life...

    Talks to Glenn Fitzgerald about his choice of The Stones of Blood (3/4)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2025 26:57


    The story takes a massive diversion into domesticity and science fiction as the Doctor and Amelia attempt to reach Romana in Hyperspace...

    The (X) Hamster Files - Conduit (featuring Agent Iain Martin)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2025 49:45


    When Ruby goes missing in the woods, her mother becomes obsessed that she has been abducted. Scully is sceptical, but Mulder thinks this might be linked to the disappearance of his sister...

    Strictly Come Hamster - Season 16 (featuring Nathan Bottomley, Toby Hadoke & Ioan Morris)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 5, 2025 208:48


    Segments, assignments from God, Pirate planets, blood sucking stones, swordplay, giant farting squids and nuclear war! Everything is to play for in this astonishing season of Doctor Who...

    Hamster Book Club - The Sleep of Reason by Martin Day (featuring Michael Mills & Dylan Rees)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 4, 2025 69:43


    Content Warning - reading contains material pertaining to self harm One of us loved this book, one of us hated it and one of us sat squarely in the middle but doesn't ever want to read another Doctor Who book after this. Can Doctor Who tackle mental health sensitively in prose?

    Hamster Book Club - The Romans (Redux) by Donald Cotton (featuring James Lark)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2025 91:06


    The gauntlet has been thrown. A less than favourable episode released on Donald Cotton's books released and James Lark, in a fit of epistolary pique, decides to build a defence for The Romans!

    Talks to Andy, Lee & Cam about their choice of The Mind Robber (3/5)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2025 30:09


    It doesn't exist! Our waltz through the Doctor's weirdest, most literate adventure continues. And we discover precisely what Andy is available for by the end of the episode...

    Talks to Lee, Cam & Andy about their choice of The Mind Robber (2/5)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 28, 2025 37:56


    What fresh madness occurs when this foursome finally reaches The Land of Fiction? What can Joe be taught about football? And will Lee wow us all with his his incredible reading?

    Talks to Glen Fitzgerald about his choice of The Stones of Blood (2/4)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2025 28:27


    Sausage sandwiches clamped in our hands, we are facing off against globulin feeding Stones! I know that woman...

    Talks to the Lee, Cam & Andy about their choice of The Mind Robber (1/5)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2025 37:23


    This was a delightful, slightly deranged, love in for this quirky, imaginative story. Expect gags, flirting, revealing information and trivia!

    Talks to Glenn Fitzgerald about his choice of The Stones of Blood (1/4)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2025 41:50


    Joe meets gorgeous Glenn Fitzgerald in the countryside to have a flask of tea and a sausage sandwich and to chase about with sinister stones...

    Hamster Book Club - The Androids of Tara by David Fisher (featuring David Gillespie-Pratt)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 22, 2025 79:13


    What has happened to our favourite lines? Fisher rewrites a rewrite and then rewrites Tom Baker's rewrite! But with charming prose, glorious backstory and some brilliant new jokes. A piece of sunshine.

    Strictly Come Hamster - 12th Doctor Finale (featuring Joumana, Frazer, Mark & Dan)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 20, 2025 164:13


    Four huge Peter Capaldi fans assemble to celebrate and cajole the members of the Ham Fam that say nasty things about their favourite and we battle it out through the runners up and winners to find our favourite 12th Doctor story!

    Talks to Jack Coyer & Steven B about their choice of The Awakening (2/2)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2025 81:04


    is this an atmospheric political statement of the time...or just a load of old tosh? Join Joe, Jack & Steven who investigate...

    Talks to Steven B & Jack Coyer about their choice of The Awakening (1/2)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2025 42:22


    Devils in the church, ghosts in the crypt, demons from the far reaches of space…Joe, Steven and Jack investigate this atmospheric two parter…

    Hamster Book Club - Face of the Enemy by David A. McIntee (featuring Luke Sims-Jenkins, Andrew Batty & Jon Arnold)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2025 119:54


    Where the book club learns to be REAL MEN! A McIntee love-in as we tackle one of his most celebrated and fun books; a ballsy, continuity filled, characterful piece with the best depiction of the Master in print. Badda-Badda-Badda!

    Talks to Paul Dunn about his choice of Revenge of the Cybermen (4/4)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 14, 2025 37:49


    Joe and Paul are heading for the biggest bang in history! My skystriker!

    Talks to Paul Dunn about his choice of Revenge of the Cybermen (3/4)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 13, 2025 31:03


    We're down in the caves, bullets are firing, the Cybermen are massacring the Vogans, Sarah is trying to get back to the Beacon, the Doctor is bomb-loaded and Harry Sullivan is very possibly an imbecile! It's all going on!

    The (X) Hamster Files - Squeeze (featuring Agent Morris)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 12, 2025 61:04


    Responsible for my every nightmare for about a decade - Eugene Victor Tooms! The baby faced, liver eating, body contorting mutant!

    Talks to Paul Dunn about his choice of Revenge of the Cybermen (2/4)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 12, 2025 30:44


    Sarah is infected, trapped with Harry on the planet of gold and the Doctor is sniffing out a traitor with a Cybermat. All the while the Cybermen loom ever closer...

    Talks to Paul Dunn about his choice of Revenge of the Cybermen (1/4)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 11, 2025 46:05


    Paul starts his Hamster journey in style as he heads straight for one of the most kicked Tom Baker worries to champion. Hoover attachments at the ready!

    Hamster Book Club - The Book of the Still by Paul Ebbs (featuring Mark Donaldson)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2025 70:01


    On the Timelash's Mark Donaldson & I discuss Bollywood, big concepts, romance and an idiosyncratic prose style! Boom Shakalaka!

    Strictly Come Hamster - Season Eight (featuring Toby Hadoke, Luke Molloy & Chris Curtis)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2025 188:55


    The Master! Autons! The Master! The Keller Machine! The Master! Axos! The Master! IMC! The Master! Azal! And of course the most important thing of the season - the Master! Also, the true villain of the piece - the Doctor!

    The (X) Hamster Files - Deep Throat (featuring Agent Nathan Bottomley)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2025 53:17


    The second episode of The X-Files comes under examination by the second contributor to this new paranormal Hamster thread...

    Hamster Book Club - Grave Matter by Justin Richards (featuring Jon Arnold, Luke Sims-Jenkins & Andrew Batty)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 5, 2025 128:11


    To Dorsill we go, stepping into the pastWhere zombies roam, with brains their repast, Peri persued, she needs to be fast, Or else death will catch up and forever last...

    Talks to Robert Valentine about his choice of Pyramids of Mars (4/4)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2025 41:42


    Is the last episode of this classic a disappointment or not? Does it become less Hammer horror and more Doctor Who?

    Talks to Robert Valentine about his choice of Pyramids of Mars (3/4)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 2, 2025 30:27


    The last, great episode of this story? Should Sarah be able to fire a gun? Did Tom need to dress up as a Mummy? Is this one of the best cliffhangers ever?

    Talks to Robert Valentine about his choice of Pyramids of Mars (2/4)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 1, 2025 29:57


    And then the murders started...and never stopped. Bernard Archard returns as the animated human cadaver, Ernie Clements is crushed to death by tits and Warlock is throttled at the behest of his oldest friend...

    Talks to Robert Valentine about his choice of Pyramids of Mars (1/4)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 1, 2025 43:27


    The delightful Rob Valentine joins me in celebrating this much vaunted classic by way of homework - we watched the Hammer film The Mummy and we're talking about inspiration!

    Hamster Book Club - Mean Streets by Terrance Dicks (featuring John Isles & Dylan Rees)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2025 69:14


    Here on the Mean Streets of Megacity, the line between justice and death is a thin one. And unearthing the secrets of The Project will go one way or the other...

    Strictly Come Hamster - Series 10b (featuring Si Hart, Daniel(s) Rawnsley & Knight & Elliot Mair

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 29, 2025 226:45


    Passions rise as we discuss Monks, Ice Warriors, Celts and Cybermen. Is this bold and innovative, or half arsed and ugly? Joe, Si, the Daniel's & Elliot investigate!

    The (X) Hamster Files - The Pilot (featuring Agent Ioan Morris)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2025 60:50


    Right back to the beginning of the journey of The X-Files; where paranoia is rife, Mulder and Scully first meet, the Smoking Man makes his first appearance and we see our first abduction. Joe & Ioan investigate.

    Hamster@1000!

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2025 154:14


    Happy 1000th episode to all of the Ham Fam! Celebrations, reminiscences, laughter, madness, and so many voices from the Ham Fam within. This is our hugely indulgent party where we celebrate the most incredible thing to come out of this podcast - the community. Happy birthday Hamster.

    Interview - Nicola Bryant & Nev Fountain

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2025 57:41


    Where we talk all about their respective journeys through Doctor Who; actress, director, writer, Nev's wonderful new book, Lies & Dolls, Tales From the TARDIS and just what this silly show means to all of us.

    Talks to Paul Quinn about his choice of The Haunting of Villa Diodati

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 22, 2025 91:50


    A seminal moment in literary history, and a prelude to a seminal moment in Doctor Who history; this atmospheric chiller comes under scrutiny by a top class intellectual...

    Hamster Update - 100th episode, Book Clubs, (X) Hamster Files & Patreon!

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2025 6:16


    Rather than plaguing your social media feeds, here are all the Hamster updates - new pods, old pods moving, celebrations and community get togethers!

    Talks to Eddie & Jon Arnold about their choice of Cold Blood (2/2)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 20, 2025 73:06


    We were (sort of) kind to The Hungry Earth but now the bile really comes forth. Are these really the cheapest cave sets? Can three nobodies negotiate the future of two races? How much will Ambroise annoy us this week?

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