It's been funny to see the trailer on the BBC heavily promoting the return of Have I Got News For You, with Merton (who happily put Doctor Who in Room 101 a few years ago - but we'll let that go ) and Hislop coming out of the TARDIS both wearing the unmistakable Tom Baker scarf.

My question: is this proof - after more than 30 years and sexier Doctors like David and Matt - that Tom is still the iconic Doctor to most of the audience? Or simply that his costume has never been bettered?

Absolutely, "long scarf" is basically the quickest way to impersonate Doctor Who for the largest audience.

I think when Doctor Who gets spoofed, the 4th Doctor image is always the one they use. Dead Ringers did the same. The 4th Doctor image still sticks in peoples mind as the most iconic Doctor. The long multicoloured scarf, floppy hat and curly hair is so memorable.

That's one hell of a tribute to Tom and the classic series IMHO after all these years.

And it kind of makes me think that no matter how good Capaldi - and any future Doctor is - Tom's got a special place that will never be usurped in Doctor Who.

It's not proof of anything. It's evidence that the fourth Doctor is still a pretty big deal, but it's not like whoever came out of that TARDIS would be the last word on Doctor Whoness.

Have they got Tom for a guest host stint again this series?

They did one sketch with 5 Doctors in it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35uYgSYXtfA

I think for people of a certain era Tom was and always will be the definitive Doctor. Particularly those making TV programs such as HIGNFY and its viewers will generally be of an age where he defined Doctor Who. In years to come it will be just the same for white converse and a brown coat and a fez and bow tie no doubt. Purely anecdotal of course but of everyone I've ever met who grew up or was around when Classic Who was on Tom was the defining image that went beyond just fandom to become an iconic popular culture image of its very own.

Tom Baker is the most commonly used target because he was Doctor for longest with 20% of the time that the programme has spent in active production and he got the highest viewing figures with City of Death versus the ITV strike. In the USA he was also the Doctor which PBS used to show habitually because it's a donation-funded network that therefore tends to show things quite a lot once it has acquired them, and at some point it invested in a boatload of Baker episodes.

His is the most iconic characterisation, across ALL eras of the show. Before 2005 most people would have instantly thought of him whenever Doctor Who was mentioned. That hat and scarf, the blue box, the Daleks, K9, all these would enter someone's head probably before any other incarnation of the Doctor.

My desk at work. Today.

I read that expecting a desktop wallpaper, but bravo. Is it that cold and windy outside today?

Tom Baker is the only "Doctor" who can be immediately recognised even with your eyes shut - even if you're not a current "fan".

David T came close to achieving that by using catchphrases like "allons y".

CELT1987 - Dead Ringers started out on Radio 4 and included the Tom Baker as "The Doctor" impression long before it moved to TV and used make-up, wigs and physical props.

Impersonation is probably a major reason for it still being such a recognised look. As a comparable example, think of how many people know Groucho Marx as fat cigar, eyebrows and moustache despite never have seen a Marx brothers movie.

For people who watch HIGNFY maybe, for the wider populace it could be Tennant. Just mere guesswork and speculation without concrete evidence though. It could just be that it's the scarf that's truly iconic...

Quite windy. Makes the scarf take to the air quite dramatically.

Nah none of them could fit in Tennant's skinny suit!

Tom Baker will always be the iconic Doctor in the way Basil Rathbone will always be the iconic Sherlock Holmes, even if someone later (Jeremy Brett, Benedict Cumberbatch?) does a better or even a more definitive version of the character. It's something to do with when they did it and the exposure they got (not leaving out brilliance).

Absolutely Tom Baker is the most iconic Doctor. This in itself doesn't make him the best though. Just the most immediately recognisable.

No idea about Tom, but I believe Capaldi's doing it..

(Maybe they could do a special, "Have I got Who's for You")

I'd love to get into his trousers.

And the deerstalker hat will always be associated with Sherlock, even though it's not used in recent portrayals. As with the scarf, it's a very recognisable symbol, that's strongly associated with the character.

They did use the deerstalker quite effectively and humorously in the Moffat/Gattis version.

We should have a reciprocal moment in Sherlock with Cumberbatch wearing a long scarf for a scene.

The demographic of HIGNFY is basically as old as time itself, over 55.