O is for... Outlers

A group of rebellious teenagers from the Starliner community on the planet Alzarius which was located in E-Space. They were led by a boy named Varsh, and included Keara and Tylos. Keara was the daughter of Login, a respected member of the Starliner community

Wishing to join the group was Adric, Varsh's younger brother. To prove his worth, he elected to steal a number of river fruit which had been gathered. This coincided with a period known as Mistfall, when the atmosphere was said to become toxic and everyone took refuge within their massive spacecraft. Adric witnessed the death of one of the Deciders, who ruled the community.

A number of savage creatures emerged from the swamps of Alzarius at this time, and they instinctively made for a cave which the Outlers used as their camp.

Adric knew of a safe refuge - the TARDIS - as he had been taken in earlier by the Doctor and Romana. Whilst the Doctor and K-9 were away monitoring the Marshmen, the Outlers took over the TARDIS, holding Romana at knifepoint. The ship then materialised in the cave, where they abandoned her after she was bitten by a spider which emerged from one of the river fruit.

The TARDIS then materialised inside the Starliner, piloted by Adric, and Keara was reunited with her father. They were all arrested and taken before the Deciders, who now numbered Login. 

Their punishment was to help prepare the spacecraft for the day of embarkation, when they would leave Alzarius and return to the planet Terradon where they believed they came from.

An infected Romana helped the Marshmen break in and first Tylos and then Varsh was killed.

The Doctor assisted the community to depart after the Marshmen had been expelled. Adric, however, stowed away aboard the TARDIS.

Played by: Richard Willis (Varsh), June Page (Keara), Bernard Padden (Tylos), Matthew Waterhouse (Adric). Appearances: Full Circle (1980).

• Willis starred in the ITV children's drama series The Feathered Serpent, in which Patrick Troughton played a Tlotoxl-like Aztec High Priest.
• He was married to Kate O'Mara for a time - and to June Page. 
• He is now artistic director of a Shakespeare festival - unsurprising perhaps, as he was born in Stratford-Upon-Avon.
• Bernard Padden had unsuccessfully auditioned for the role of Adric.
• June Page also appeared in a number of episodes of Terry Nation's Survivors.