Portsmouth Comic Con: Doctor Who's Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann to be special guests at this year's event

Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann have been confirmed as among the special guests appearing at the family-friendly event which is taking place at the Portsmouth Guildhall on May 11 and 12, celebrating the best in comic, film, TV and pop culture entertainment.

Sylvester McCoy is a Doctor Who legend, who became best known for playing the seventh incarnation of the Doctor from 1987 to 1989 in TV’s longest-running science fiction series. He took over the mantle from another previous Portsmouth Comic Con guest - Colin Baker.

Sylvester returned to the role multiple times, including for the 2022 special, The Power of the Doctor, and the series, Tales of the TARDIS, in 2023. His amazing career portfolio spans decades and also encompasses The Hobbit film trilogy, with his role as Radagast the Brown, Mr. Dowling in The History of Tom Jones: A Foundling, and multiple theatre performances.

Whovians will know Paul McGann for his portrayal of the eighth Doctor in the 1996 TV film Doctor Who. His adventures were portrayed extensively in subsequent spin-off media, including more than 70 audio dramas in which he starred. Paul later reprised his role in a mini-episode in 2013, as well as the 2022 special, The Power of the Doctor. Some of his other acting achievements include his breakthrough role as Percy Toplis in the BBC production The Monocled Mutineer, cult film Withnail and I, and his portrayal of William Bush in Hornblowers.

As well as multiple TV and stage appearances, he has been a prolific voice actor over the years, not only for Doctor Who projects but also other audio books, video games and podcasts, and is the chief narrator of the popular A short history of… podcast series.

Other highlights at this year's event will be the return of the Star Wars walk-though experience which promises to be bigger and better than ever and a brand new Strangely Marvellous Wizarding walk celebrating Harry Potter, Stranger Things and the Marvel universe.

Sales for early bird tickets to this year's Comic Con, starting at £18.50, will end on February 29 and are selling fast at www.portsmouthcomiccon.com.