A SCHOOLBOY whose design for a Doctor Who monster won a national competition has met his creation in the flesh.William Grantham, nine, from Colchester, won a Blue Peter contest for a new enemy that drew 43,920 entries when it was launched last year.

By Roddy Ashworth

A SCHOOLBOY whose design for a Doctor Who monster won a national competition has met his creation in the flesh.

William Grantham, nine, from Colchester, won a Blue Peter contest for a new enemy that drew 43,920 entries when it was launched last year.

And as the top prize, his alien baddy has been brought to life for an episode of the reinvigorated sci-fi classic to be broadcast tomorrow.

William's invention, the horrific, human-hating Abzorbaloff, is being played by stand-up comic and TV star Peter Kay.

The creature, which absorbs its victims, comes up against the new regeneration of the Doctor, David Tennant, in a story called Love Monsters.

Yesterday, William told of what it was like to visit the set of the popular series and meet both his monster and the show's eponymous Time Lord.

“David Tennant told me secrets about the TARDIS, and what's inside. He stopped the cameraman filming in there, but said there were lots of special things inside - even Jacuzzis, but I can't say any more,” he said.

“It was really cool and exciting. I liked Peter Kay. He told me lots of jokes and made me laugh. Most of the time he was cracking everyone up.

“The Abzorbaloff is green, and fat, and absorbs people. The Doctor is not very happy about it - I could tell.

“Peter Kay is a good actor. He scared me as the Abzorbaloff. I had hiccups and he even scared them away.”

The current version of Doctor Who, now in its second series, has been made by BBC Wales after a revival masterminded by writer and producer Russell T Davis.

When a youngster in the 1960s, Mr Davies himself entered a Blue Peter “Design a Monster” contest and was one of the judges in this latest one.

Blue Peter editor Richard Marson said: “We were staggered by the popularity of the competition. We knew Doctor Who had been a huge hit with our audience but this was something else.

“Every day brought more sacks and, as well as getting all hands on deck in the Blue Peter office, we also had to draft in extra help to get through the mountain of highly inventive designs.”

n Billie Piper, who has played Rose Tyler, the female companion of both the ninth and tenth doctors, announced yesterday she will leave Doctor Who at the end of the current series.

The actress said: “Rose and I have gone on the most incredible journey with Russell T Davies and the cast and crew of Doctor Who over the past two years.

“It has been an amazing adventure, and I can confirm it comes to an end, for now at least, as series two climaxes.”