Two previously missing Doctor Who episodes from the 1965 First Doctor adventure, 'The Daleks' Master Plan', have been found!

Episode One (The Nightmare Begins), and Episode Three (Devil's Planet) were discovered in an "eclectic" collection by Film is Fabulous! – a charitable trust run by film collectors, cinema lovers and vintage television enthusiasts. The trust approached BBC Archives after finding them in a private collection.

This brings the total number of discovered episodes from the serial to 5 (Episodes 1, 2, 3, 5 & 10), with the most recent episode from the serial (Episode Two: Day of Armageddon) having been recovered in 2004 from a former Yorkshire Television engineer who rescued it from a junk pile in the 1970s.

Written by Terry Nation, the story featured William Hartnell as the Doctor and Peter Purves as Steven Taylor. It also featured Nicholas Courtney (who would later to go on to play Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart) as Bret Vyon, Adrienne Hill as Katarina, and Kevin Stoney as Mavic Chen.

Peter Purves, was invited to the Phoenix Cinema in Leicester on Wednesday under false pretences to view the two episodes, and said:

"My flabber has never been so gasted. I've never forgiven the BBC for losing those episodes, it would be really nice to get a few royalties. I'm not sure I even saw those programmes go out originally - I remember the stories, but having seen them, the pictures are unfamiliar to me.

I didn't remember the first one when I was still almost comatose following the injury I received fighting in Troy in the wonderful Mythmakers - which of course is missing.

It was just a job. It sounds silly but we did an episode of the programme each week, in the year I did 46 episodes. It was great fun and was great to be doing a series that was hugely popular. But it was a difficult time, I won't pretend it was easy, the cast kept changing and it seemed a bit of a time of flux.

In the two episodes we've seen there was a great performance by Nick Courtney playing Bret Vyon. I was concerned very much that he was there as a replacement for me. As it happens, he got killed in episode four or five."

Noreen Adams, Director of BBC Archives said:

“We’re thrilled to have worked with the team at Film is Fabulous! to bring these lost Doctor Who episodes to viewers on BBC iPlayer this Easter. BBC Archives has been working to restore the original recordings and update these to broadcast quality, ensuring fans can enjoy a little extra treat with their Easter Eggs this April.”

BBC Archives has worked to restore the original 16mm telerecordings – meaning viewers will be able to watch them in the best possible condition on BBC iPlayer this April!

A full Press Release can be found on the Film is Fabulous! website.

Following on for the recent colourization of the Second Doctor's swansong aventure; The War Games, the BBC iPlayer has now added it to their library!

Originally aired in 1969, The War Games marked the end of an era for the Second Doctor (Patrick Troughton), following him and his companions Zoe and Jamie as they land in a battlefield that appears to be a World War I military zone—but all is not as it seems. They soon discover that soldiers from different historical periods have been abducted and are being manipulated in a cruel game. As they work to uncover the mystery behind the War Lord and his twisted experiments, the Doctor faces one of his most difficult challenges.

For the first time, these original episodes have been meticulously colourised and enhanced with updated visual effects edited into a new, 90-minute feature-length experience to appeal to today’s modern audiences. With updated sound and a new score, this newly updated version of The War Games offers both fans and newcomers even more ways to watch the much-loved classic story.

In addition, the episode also features the Second Doctor's never-before-seen regeneration into the Third Doctor (Jon Pertwee), alongside recovered footage not seen since the original broadcast.

+  WATCH The War Games on the BBC iPlayer, here.

[Source: BBC iPlayer]

It is with deepest regret that DWO announces the passing of Classic Series Doctor Who Actor, William Russell.

William was best known by Doctor Who fans for playing the beloved role of Ian Chesterton - one of the first companions in the show, all the way back in 1963. Appearing together with Barbara and Susan, Ian accompanied the first Doctor, played by William Hartnell. His final appearance was in the 2022, 13th Doctor adventure; 'The Power Of The Doctor'.

His career highlights includes roles in Nicholas Nickleby, Hamlet, Harriet's Back In Town, Coronation Street & The Great Escape.

DWO would like to extend our sympathies to William's family and friends.

[Source: The Guardian]

It is with deepest regret that DWO announces the passing of Classic Series Doctor Who Actor, Michael Jayston.

Michael was known best by Doctor Who fans for playing the role of The Valeyard in the 6th Doctor's final season; The Trial Of A Time Lord.

His career highlights includes roles in Nicholas And Alexandra, Zulu Dawn, Highlander III, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Darling Buds Of May and Only Fools And Horses (to name just a few of his performances).

DWO would like to extend our sympathies to Michael's family and friends.

[Source: Colin Baker]

It is with deepest regret that DWO announces the passing of Classic Series Doctor Who Actor, Nicholas Parsons.

Nicholas was known for the playing the role of Reverend Wainwright in the 7th Doctor adventure, The Curse Of Fenric.

His career began at the end of the Second World War, making his stage debut as Kiwi in The Hasty Heart. Nicholas then went on to have further credits in Film and TV; The Eric Barker Half-Hour, Look At It This Way, Here And Now, The Adventures Of Robin Hood, Four Feather Falls, The Ugliest Girl In Town, Benny Hill, Cluedo, The Wotwots and Good Omens are just a few from his many performances.

Nicholas was also the host of popular BBC Radio 4 panel game, Just A Minute - a show which had its first broadcast in 1967! There were some episodes where he relinquished his chair to be a panellist, but was famed for never missing an episode until 2018, where Giles Brandreth stood in for him due to illness.

On a personal note, I met Nicholas in 1998 during the Southampton leg of The Rocky Horror Stage Show. I was studying drama at college at the time, and all of our class were dressing up as characters from the show. As I knew Nicholas was in Doctor Who, I decided to dress up as him with flour in my hair and eyebrows and a cravat (much to the confusion of some of my peers) - in hindsight, this was also my first-ever cosplay!

I met him after the show (pictured-right) and he was incredibly generous with him time. A gently spoken man who looked back on his Doctor Who role with pride. He even found time to give me a few career tips and advice. Lovely man!

DWO would like to extend our sympathies to Nicholas' family and friends.

[Source: DWO]

54 years after the original BBC television broadcast, BBC Studios will premiere a new production of Mission to the Unknown, a missing Doctor Who episode that has been faithfully recreated by a team of students, graduates and staff of the University of Central Lancashire.

Mission to the Unknown will be premiered on the Doctor Who YouTube channel at exactly 5.50pm BST on the 9th October to mark the anniversary of the original broadcast of the episode, which was first aired on BBC One in 1965.

The episode will be followed by a making-of documentary short created by YouTuber Josh Snares featuring the cast and crew of Mission to the Unknown with voice of the Daleks, Nicholas Briggs, original cast member Edward de Souza and the classic Doctor Who companion Peter Purves (Steven Taylor) who played the companion to the First Doctor in the 1960s

Luke Spillane, Digital Publishing Manager for Doctor Who at BBC Studios, said:

“I’m delighted that we will be bringing the story of Space Security agent Marc Cory to our 1.3 million subscribers on the Doctor Who YouTube channel as it is such a fantastic recreation, made lovingly with real craft and expertise by everyone at the University of Central Lancashire. I hope audiences around the world can imagine that it’s tea time on the 9th October 1965 as they rather excitingly watch a black and white episode of Doctor Who premiere on their television sets, mobile phones and tablets.”

The project was master-minded by Andrew Ireland, Pro-Vice Chancellor of Digital and Creative Industries at the university, and brought together a dedicated group of students from a wide range of disciplines including film and television, acting, fashion, music, design and dance to recreate the episode from the original script as authentically as possible, carefully researching and reproducing as faithfully as possible the original 1960s production techniques to re-create the classic look of the series.

Andrew Ireland, Pro-Vice Chancellor of Digital and Creative Industries at the University of Central Lancashire, said:

“It is such a loss to our cultural heritage that so many episodes of 1960s Doctor Who are missing from the BBC archives. This project presented us with an exciting opportunity to address that, to explore a new way of bringing these missing slices of TV history to life, and in the process, help students learn their craft by comparing contemporary production methods with historical approaches. The project gave so many people great experiences, and it is wonderful to see the Daleks menacing a black and white jungle once more.”

The recreation caught the imagination of several Doctor Who luminaries including Nicholas Briggs, who has provided the Dalek voices for the recreated episode, and stars including Peter Purves, who played 1960s companion Steven Taylor, and Edward de Souza, who played Marc Cory in the original episode, visiting the new set to lend their support.

You can view the trailer in the player, below:
[youtube:_Vk6wtVigew]
[Source: BBC Studios]

Doctor Who is returning to popular streaming platform Twitch, starting from 5th January 2019, the BBC has confirmed!

2018 saw a hugely positive reaction from fans - old and new - who tuned in to watch episodes from the Classic Series, which were streamed on Twitch. Meme's such as Ian and Barbara returning to "London 1965" catapulted the service to reach even more fans, and talented personalities such as Pip Madeley (@pipmadeley) emerged. Madeley (previously of the Planet Skaro site) produced trailers for the stream as well as some hilarious observations.

For a full list of streams, episodes and times, check out the doctorwho.tv website.

[Source: BBC Studios]

The 4 x 25 min missing episodes, which were originally part of Doctor Who’s (now mostly lost) fourth season, have been animated for the first time, to be released on DVD, Blu-ray, special edition Steelbook and digital download. 

Pre-order will be available from midnight tonight on Amazon and HMV (links will go live at 00:00). 

Originally broadcast in four weekly parts from 11th March to 1st April 1967, and starring Patrick Troughton, Anneke Wills, Michael Craze and Frazer Hines, no full episodes of this serial are known to have survived on film. Fortunately for fans, a complete audio recording of all four parts still exists. Now, 52 years later, the four episodes will be brought back to life through the power of animation, available on disc and digital download, in both colour and black and white, from 18th March 2019. 

Anneke Wills says:

"Back in 1967 “There's no such thing as Macra!” was the cry; and for many years after there was no such thing as “The Macra Terror”. Now, thanks to the magic of animation, we can see the story come to life again. I can't wait to see this adventure and how gratifying to have a little more of Ben and Polly’s time with the Doctor available to be seen by new generations."

The Doctor (Patrick Troughton) and his companions arrive on a human colony in the far flung future. The colony appears to be a giant recreational complex - a holiday camp for rest and relaxation. Everyone looks happy and carefree but all is not as it seems. The colony has been infiltrated and brainwashed by a race of giant parasitic crab creatures called the Macra. 

The Macra have only returned once since, 40 years later, coming face to face with the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant) and Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman) in the 2007 episode Gridlock. 

Paul Hembury, Executive Producer, BBC Studios says:

"After the success of Shada, we were very excited by the possibility of further animations. We are therefore delighted to be able to bring fans these missing episodes in a completely new form."

Special features for the DVD and Blu-ray release include: Animation Gallery, Behind the Scenes Film and Audio Commentary.

Doctor Who: The Macra Terror will be released on digital download, DVD (RRP £20.42), Blu-ray (RRP £25.52) and special edition Steelbook (RRP £40.84) on 18th March 2019.

A special screening of Doctor Who: The Macra Terror will be held at the BFI Southbank, London on the 16th March 2019. Tickets will go on sale to BFI members on Tuesday 5th February with public sale opening on Tuesday 12th February. Further information will be available soon via the BFI website.

+ PREORDER this title from Amazon.co.uk! 

[Source: BBC Studios]

It is with deepest regret that DWO announces the passing of Classic Series Doctor Who Script Editor & Producer, Derrick Sherwin.

Derrick began his work on Doctor Who as Script Editor for the following stories: The Web Of Fear, Fury From The Deep, The Wheel In Space, The Dominators & The Mind Robber. He then took on the role of Producer for The War Games & Spearhead From Space.

Derrick also wrote the 2nd Doctor adventure, The Invasion, which was the first story to properly introduce UNIT. It was also his idea to exile The Doctor to Earth for Jon Pertwee's early 3rd Doctor stories.

Derrick's other career highlights include acting credits for; Here Lies Miss Sabry, United!, The Scales Of Justice and even an uncredited cameo appearance in Spearhead From Space as a UNIT Commissionaire.

DWO would like to extend our sympathies to Derrick's family and friends.

[Source: DWO]

Over 500 classic episodes from the 1960s to the 1980s will air worldwide on Twitch from May 29th to July 23rd.

Social video service Twitch today announced it is joining forces with BBC Studios for the first-ever digital broadcasting event of the Classic Doctor Who series. Over 500 episodes from 26 seasons dating from the show’s inception in 1963 until the 1980s will air worldwide over a seven-week period. Starting May 29th, fans can tune in each week Monday to Friday at 11 am PDT to catch episodes on Twitch.tv/TwitchPresents.

Doctor Who is a British action adventure sci fi series produced by BBC Studios which follows the adventures of "The Doctor", an alien Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey who travels through time in a TARDIS, a spaceship shaped like a police telephone box. Accompanied by a number of friends, the Doctor combats a variety of foes, while working to save civilizations and help those in need. Instead of dying, the Doctor is able to "regenerate" into a new body, taking on a new personality with each regeneration. This has led to 13 different incarnations of the Doctor appearing in the series.

Nick Coulter, Director of Digital Sales and Business Development at BBC Studios says:

“We are constantly looking at ways to reach new audiences and make it easier for fans to engage with our most popular shows. Doctor Who, in particular, has a great tradition of pioneering new technologies, from early VHS all the way through to the new digital services of today. Twitch is another great example of this, as a brilliant service with over 15 million active daily users, we are thrilled to be able to offer them the chance to indulge in the Classic Doctor Who series and celebrate its amazing 54 year legacy of excitement and innovation.”

Leveraging the real-time shared viewer experience that has defined Twitch, Doctor Who is the latest entry in over a dozen TV shows that have aired on the service. To elevate the social experience in chat, viewers who Subscribe to the TwitchPresents channel will gain access to 14 exclusive emotes themed after each of the first seven doctors.

For Doctor Who fans in the US, UK, and Canada, Twitch is hosting a giveaway each week of the event, including a grand prize trip to London Comic Con in Fall 2018. For details on the giveaway, visit: https://watch.twitch.tv/DoctorWhoSweepstakes.

As part of the event, leading UK digital content creators The Yogscast are producing a series of shows that will introduce each Doctor. With a cast of Doctor Who screenwriters, experts, fans, and even a former companion, the Yogscast's Turps and resident Doctor Who expert and High Roller's player Matt Toffollo will be discussing why modern audiences should be watching Doctor Who. Each 20-minute episode will provide a brief summary of the stories that are about to be shown, including the actors, monsters, famous phrases or production gaffes to look out for. With first-hand knowledge from former companion Katy Manning (who played Jo Grant the Third Doctor Companion) and writers Bob Baker and Paul Cornell, the shows will give insight into the series alongside the humor and irreverence viewers expect from the Yogscast.

Also joining them will be Beth Axford of The Time Ladies, Tom Spilsbury of Doctor Who Magazine and YouTuber, Bill Garratt-John.

Jane Weedon, Director of Business Development at Twitch, says:

“Doctor Who and its clever take on sci-fi exemplifies the type of adjacent content to gaming that has resonated with the Twitch community. By presenting this iconic BBC show in a new interactive format, it is a fun new way to bridge several generations of Doctor Who fans, while building a new generation of them.”

For more information on the Doctor Who episodes that will air on Twitch, visit the Twitch blog.

[Source: BBC Studios]

It is with deepest regret that DWO announces the passing of Classic Series Doctor Who Actor, Peter Miles.

Peter appeared in 3, classic series, Doctor Who adventures; Doctor Who And The Silurians (as Dr Charles Lawrence), Invasion Of The Dinosaurs (as Professor Whitaker), and, his most fondly remembered role in Genesis of Daleks as Davros' chief henchman, Nyder.

Peter's other career highlights include roles in; Blakes 7, Bergerac, Z-Cars and Disraeli (to name just a few). Peter also appeared in a number of audio plays for Big Finish.

DWO would like to extend our sympathies to Peter's family and friends.

On a personal note, I (Seb), got to meet Peter on two occasions, but most memorably in 2006, where I got to have a photo with him [pictured right]. Unlike his famed character, Nyder, Peter was a gentle, kind man, who genuinely loved meeting fans of the show. He will be greatly missed.

[Source: DWO]

According to research conducted prior to this week's BBC Showcase in Liverpool, The Doctor has been named the second favourite British BBC character.

Sherlock snagged the top spot with 29.7%, with Doctor Who in second place with 17.6%. The full list of top 10 characters are as follows:

1. Sherlock (29.7%)
2. Doctor Who (17.6%)
3. Luther (12.4%)
4. Basil Fawlty (11.8%)
5. The Stig (8.2%)
6. Patsy Stone (8.1%)
7. Edmund Blackadder (7.4%)
8. Hyacinth Bucket (6.1%)
9. Vicar of Dibley (5.8%)
10. The Daleks (5.6%)

In addition to the favourite character, Doctor Who also made its way into the top 3 slo for 'Most Memorable Scene':

1. Sherlock falling to his ‘death’ (26.0% of respondents)
2. ‘The Dead Parrot’ sketch by Monty Python (14.1% of respondents)
3. The Doctor’s regeneration in Doctor Who (13.1% of respondents)

[Source: BBC Worldwide]

Amazon.co.uk have let slip one of the upcoming 2018 Doctor Who, Classic Series DVD releases.

The Enemy Of The World: Special Edition will be released on 19th March 2018, and whilst more information on the special features is yet to be forthcoming, we believe there with be a whole host of new features and commentaries. The next issue of Doctor Who Magazine (#522 - released this Thursday), should have more information on the releasee

As it happens, DWO got in touch with BBC Worldwide today to ask about the future of the range, and we still have the same (3-year-old) statement:

“We're hoping to release more classic Doctor Who and we'll let you know when we have news.”

Owing to the fact that this is to be released next month, it is odd that there has been very little fanfare for the DVD, and whilst we expect there to be other Classic Series DVD (and possibly Blu-ray) releases later this year, it is hard to read what BBC Worldwide's plan is for the marketing of the range.

UPDATE: 7th February

BBC Worldwide have now confirmed the release and have sent DWO the synopsis and full list of Special Features:

Synopsis:

Recovered and restored – a classic Patrick Troughton adventure!

The TARDIS lands on an Australian beach in the 21st century. But this is no seaside holiday - within minutes, the Doctor, Jamie and Victoria are under attack.

They soon discover that the Doctor bears a startling resemblance to Leader Salamander, a would-be dictator intent on world domination. Before long, the Doctor and his companions are plunged into a dangerous game of intrigue and deceit as they face off against the enemy of the world...

Special Features:

· Remastered episodes.  Even though all episodes were restored in 2013 for the previous DVD release, Peter Crocker from the Restoration Team is using advances in technology since then to go over each one with a fine tooth comb to ensure they are now presented in the best possible quality for this special edition. 

· “Treasures Lost and Found” - produced by Ed Stradling.
With so much information now available about every Doctor Who serial, it's not easy to learn anything new, so Toby Hadoke embarks on an exciting treasure hunt to find out all he can about the production. Along the way he'll interview some of the cast and crew including Frazer Hines, Mary Peach and David Troughton - who made his first TV appearance in this serial as an extra. 

· “Recovering the Past – The Search for The Enemy of the World” - produced by Paul Vanezis.
A brand new interview with the episode hunter Philip Morris, we hear how he tracked down the last surviving film copy of the serial to a dusty room in the African desert.  

· “Remembering Deborah Watling” - produced by Cameron McEwan.
Family, friends and colleagues pay tribute to Debbie Watling who played Victoria Waterfield, companion to Patrick Troughton’s doctor. 

· Audio commentaries on all six episodes produced by John Kelly.  Contributors include Frazer Hines, Mary Peach, Gordon Faith, Milton Johns and Sylvia James.  Moderator is Simon Harries. 

· Production subtitles on all six episodes written by Martin Wiggins.

· Photo gallery produced by Derek Handley.

· Scripts of all six episodes as PDFs.

+  The Enemy Of The World: SE is released on 19th March (DVD), priced £20.42.
+  PREORDER The Enemy Of The World: SE DVD from Amazon.co.uk for £19.99.
+  Discuss all the Doctor Who DVD releases in the DWO Forums.

[Source: Amazon.co.uk]

In 1979, Shada was set to be the celebratory end to the seventeenth series of Doctor Who. Critically acclaimed writer Douglas Adams had completed the script, Tom Baker’s Doctor was at the height of his popularity, and the series had bigger audiences than ever before. But strike action at the BBC in November 1979, meant the studio scenes were never completed and the adventure was abandoned. The story became legendary among fans. 

Now, thirty-eight years on, BBC Worldwide has announced that Shada, is to finally be completed, combining the original, remastered footage, with brand new colour animation to complete the story. The animation will feature the newly-recorded voices of the original cast, including Tom Baker as the Doctor and Lalla Ward as Romana, performing the original script. Shada will be released as a digital download on Friday 24th November, and on DVD and Bluray on Monday 4th December. 

Tom Baker says:

“Shada was one of my favourite Doctor Who stories. I have many fond memories of shooting the location scenes in Cambridge, and it was disappointing not to finish the story in studio. I’m so glad that BBC Worldwide have found a way to bring fans a complete visual version.”

The new feature-length production incorporates all of the live-action scenes from 1979, together with new animated material. Shada finds the Doctor in Cambridge working alongside companion Romana and retired Time Lord, Professor Chronotis, to defeat the evil alien Skagra who is attempting to steal the secrets to the prison planet, Shada.

Shada is being produced by the team behind the highly successful and critically acclaimed animation of lost Doctor Who episode, The Power of the Daleks and lost Dad’s Army episode A Stripe For Frazer. The team have had access to nearly seven hours of raw footage from the original 1979 Shada shoot from which they are editing the new production from scratch, with all the original film negatives re-scanned in full HD and digitally remastered.

Paul Hembury, Executive Producer, BBC Worldwide says:

“Fans loved The Power of the Daleks, so we’re delighted to be able to complete and bring them another lost Doctor Who classic.”

On Saturday 2nd December there will be a special screening of Shada at BFI Southbank, London. Further information will be available from bfi.org.uk from Monday 23rd October. Tickets for BFI members will be available from Tuesday 7th November, and for the public from Tuesday 14th November.

Special Features:

-  Taken Out of Time (25' 39")
-  Now and Then (12' 45")
-  Strike, Strike, Strike! (27' 50")
-  Studio Sessions - 1979 (44' 38")
-  Dialogue Sessions (14' 16")
-  Model Filming (04' 36")
-  Deleted Scenes (01' 22")
-  Title Sequence Films (TBC)
-  Live Action Reference Footage (02' 48")
-  1979 Gallery (04' 50")
-  2017 Gallery (02' 52)

Watch the trailer for the new Shada release in the player, below:
[youtube:67qiRyJ35nw]
+  PREORDER Shada on DVD from Amazon.co.uk for £19.99.
+  PREORDER Shada on Blu-ray from Amazon.co.uk for £24.99.
+  Discuss all the Doctor Who DVD & Blu-ray releases in the DWO Forums.

[Source: BBC Worldwide]

It is with deepest regret that DWO announces the passing of Classic Series Doctor Who Actress, Deborah Watling.

Deborah was loved and cherished by fans for her role as the 2nd Doctor's companion, 'Victoria Waterfield', in the Classic Series of Doctor Who.

Deborah's other career highlights include A Life Of Bliss, The Newcomers & Danger UXB (to name just a few).

DWO would like to extend our sympathies to Deborah's family and friends, and we will remember her fondly not just for her role in the series and her personality off-screen, but for the many occasions she gave her time to Doctor Who Online.

You can watch a greeting that Deborah recorded for us at the 2013 press event for the return of the missing Doctor Who episodes, in the player below:
[youtube:jL7U2P7rbJE]
[Source: DWO]

Sydney Newman: Innovator, designer, director, and producer. In April it will be 100 years since Doctor Who's creator was born, but where exactly did the idea come from? How much of it came from him before Bunny Webber's famous memo which established the idea did the rounds?

In 2013, the BBC aired An Adventure In Time and Space; a dramatic reconstruction of the early days of Doctor Who, and Sydney was played by the excellent Brian Cox. It was a great portrayal of the man, and other founding members such as Verity Lambert, Waris Hussein, and Mervyn Pinfield, and was well received in Doctor Who's 50th year.

But in the very beginning it was touch-and-go for the real show, and Sydney's role was as an over-seer and advisor to Verity and her team in 1963.

Looking back after all of this time, and understanding Sydney wasn't entirely happy with how the series started off until it became a success, its easy to forget his role. Him creating such a phenomenon was no surprise, although people would have thought it unlikely of a children's show. He had already changed drama in Britain, and people's perception of culture with theArmchair Theatre series he produced as head of drama at ABC, before he moved into the same role at the BBC in 1962. The series showed for the first time people on the fringes of society such as unmarried mothers, drug-addicts, and the homeless, and regional accents were used. Plays like No Trams To Lime Street, and Cathy Come Home showed the face of changing Britain as it looked towards the future which didn't look very bright.

And the future is what Doctor Who was all about, although its original premise was to educate and teach children about history and science. One week an adventure would be set in the past, and the next it would be in the future, and that is where the ratings were at.

Sydney had always love science-fiction, but the basic idea for Doctor Who had been with him for at least ten years before it made it onto the screen.

His biography The Man Who Thought Outside The Box: The Life And Times Of Doctor Who Creator Sydney Newman, reveals lots of information about the worlds best-loved science-fiction show, and the man who created it. It is a must for all Doctor Who fans.

It is available to preorder now from digitalentropy@hotmail.com for £11.99 and will be released on April 22nd 2017.

+ Find out more at the Digital Entropy website: digitalentropy.co.uk 

[Source: Ryan Danes]

It is with deepest regret that DWO announces the passing of Classic Series Doctor Who Director, Rodney Bennett.

Rodney directed the 4th Doctor stories; The Ark In Space, The Sontaran Experiment & The Masque Of Mandragora. As an in-joke reference, the 4th Doctor mentions the "Bennett oscillator" in Episode One of The Ark In Space.

Rodney's other career highlights include directing credits for; The Darling Buds Of May, Z Cars, Tales Of The Unexpected and Soldier Soldier (to name just a few).

DWO would like to extend our sympathies to Rodney's family and friends.

Comedian, Actor and Writer, Toby Hadoke has put together a more in-depth obituary on his blog. You can also watch Toby's 'In Memoriam' video for the Doctor Who personalities we lost in 2016.

[Sources: Toby Hadoke; DWO]

DWO recently caught up with Doctor Who Missing Episode hunter, Philip Morris - responsible for the discoveries of The Web Of Fear & The Enemy Of The World, 3 years ago. Read the DWO interview, below:

It has been 3 years since the official announcement of your fantastic discovery of nine missing episodes of Doctor Who. How happy were you with the finished, packaged product released by BBC DVD and how likely do you feel it is that the last missing episode from The Web Of Fear will be found?

Very happy with the job BBC Worldwide did on restoration, packaging, artwork. You have to remember, back then BBC Worldwide did not really know how these lost stories would be received - basically, how successful. Web 3 will surface, I will make sure it does! I never give up and never give in!

Which single discovery has brought you the most satisfaction in all your years of hunting?

The single best discovery is still ahead of me. Definitely!

Have you read all the theories on the now famous ‘Omnirumour’ and what are you thoughts on it all?

The famous omnirumour! I have seen some of the strange theories, but it’s nothing new. Rumours always surround Doctor Who - it’s always ‘my mate who has an uncle’, that sort of thing. Never any solid facts to back it up, so I haven’t read all the theories, really, I stick with the hard facts. However, I will say the truth is stranger than fiction and my best advice… believe it when you see it!

There has been some chatter about more potential discoveries. Is the wind still blowing in the right direction and can we hope to have more episodes returned in the near future?

There will always be chatter about wishing our favourite shows back into existence. It’s nice to discuss, however, the truth is it takes a lot of really hard work - which I enjoy, I really do. I really believe in what I do and the work TIEA does, however, there is hope, of course.

If you could take a round trip in the TARDIS, anywhere in time and space, where would you go and why?

A trip in the TARDIS... where would I go… probably back to were I could record every missing show possible in UK history and bring it all back so we can all enjoy our rich heritage.

Many thanks, Phil!

Thank you! …we will return.

[Source: Doctor Who Online]

It's one of The Doctor’s most celebrated adventures and yet no complete film recordings of The Power of the Daleks are known to have survived. The master negatives were destroyed in an archive purge in 1974. 

BBC Worldwide has announced that a brand new black and white animation based on audio recordings of the programme using the original cast, surviving photographs and film clips will be released 50 years to the minute after its only UK broadcast on BBC One.

The six half hour episodes feature the regeneration, or as it was then called ‘renewal’, of First Doctor William Hartnell into Second Doctor Patrick Troughton, as the Time Lord and his companions Polly (Anneke Wills) and Ben (Michael Craze) do battle with the Daleks on the planet Vulcan.

Doctor Who: The Power of the Daleks is being produced by the team behind the highly successful animation of lost Dad’s Army episode A Stripe For Frazer, first released on BBC Store in February this year. The producer and director is Charles Norton, with character designs from acclaimed comic book artists Martin Geraghty and Adrian Salmon.

Charles Norton says:

“The Power of the Daleks animation is the most ambitious Doctor Who archive restoration ever attempted and we’re all very honoured to be a part of such a an exciting project. Intelligent, suspenseful and magnificently staged, Power of the Daleks is one of the great lost classics of 1960s television and a superb example of the black and white era at its finest.”

Paul Hembury, Executive Producer, BBC Worldwide says:

“Charles and his team are remarkably talented and passionate about Doctor Who and we are thrilled that fans will soon be able to enjoy this rather sinister but wonderful, classic story.”

Doctor Who: The Power Of The Daleks will be released on BBC Store on Saturday 5th November followed by the DVD on Monday 21st November.

+  Register your interest in the BBC Store download!
+  Pre-order the DVD from Amazon and HMV (£20.42 RRP)

On Saturday 5th November there will be a special screening of episodes 1-3 of Doctor Who: The Power of the Daleks at BFI Southbank, London which will also include a Q&A with Anneke Wills, Charles Norton and Frazer Hines. Further information will be available from bfi.org.uk from Monday 19th September.

Watch the glorious trailer in the player, below:
[youtube:3Ib3IEIT0Yw] 
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DWO ChatBack:
Are you looking forward to this release? Is there a missing episode of Doctor Who that you'd like to be animated in this way? Let us know in the comments box, below! 

[Sources: BBC Worldwide]

It is with deepest regret that DWO announces the passing of Classic Series Doctor Who Writer, Robert Banks Stewart.

Robert was perhaps best known to Doctor Who fans for penning two, much-loved, 4th Doctor adventures; Terror Of The Zygons & The Seeds Of Doom.

Robert's other career highlights included contributing scripts to; The Sweeney, Callan, Special Branch and The Edgar Wallace Mysteries. He also produced Bergerac, The Darling Buds Of May and Lovejoy (to name just a few)

DWO would like to extend our sympathies to Robert's family and friends.

+ Read DWO's Interview with Robert Banks Stewart from 2013. 

[Source: BBC News]

DWO interviews Ex-Doctor Who DVD Commissioning Editor, Dan Hall, regarding his time on the range, his current projects, and what the future could hold for the Classic Series range.

What have been some of your fondest memories in your time working on the Doctor Who DVD range?

Having the opportunity to work with some great people. Two of my bosses - Sue Kerr and Stuart Snaith - are people who I respect highly in the Home Entertainment publishing world. I learnt a huge amount from them over the years, and they were always highly supportive of the content.

Do you have any regrets, any tears any anxieties from your time on the range?

Ah! I would have liked to have taken more risks. It is impossible to please everybody, and I should have spent less time trying to do this.

What have you been up to since the last release and do you have any non-Doctor Who future projects we can look out for?

It’s been a real mixture of things since Doctor Who. Probably the biggest was working with PWL and Cherry Red records on the recent four Kylie Minogue Special Editions. Pup worked with the record company restoring the content, designing and authoring the DVDs. It was a great project and my teenage self would have been very proud!

We gave over control of the next question to the @DrWhoOnline Twitter followers and Francis (@lifetrainee) asks: “I'm a producer with an unlimited budget ready to go*. What would be your dream extra for any of the classic stories? *[I'm not]”

An unlimited budget is never a good thing! Limitations feed creativity, and certainly some of the best content we made for the range was by no means the most expensive. Where money can help is by providing consistency of content; a regular schedule of commissions and releases.

But if I had had a wee bit more money on some of the releases, I would have liked an Ed Stradling season overview for every single season. The few we had were always insightful and fascinating.

What do you feel the future is for the Classic Series Doctor Who range? Physical / Digital? Season Box-sets? Or has it had its day?

Classic DW has a terrible habit of not going away! It was broadcast and people wanted more. It was broadcast again and they wanted more. Then it came on VHS and they wanted more. Then DVD… So I would be a pretty bad gambler if I said it had had its day.

I am working in other parts of the industry these days and don’t have much to do with Classic DW. But I have genuine confidence that the BBC and BBC Worldwide will take the brand somewhere exciting. Why wouldn’t they?! As for what that is, that is a much wider Home Entertainment question. And if you find the answer, there are a lot of studios in Hollywood that I’m sure would like to speak with you!

+ Follow Dan Hall on Twitter!
+ Follow DoctorWhoOnline on Twitter! 
+ Check Out the Classic Series Doctor Who titles on Amazon.co.uk.
+ Check Out more interviews in the DWO Interviews section.  

[Source: DWO]

BBC Worldwide today confirmed via the @BBCWPress Twitter account that there are plans to release more Classic Doctor Who stories.

Whilst the exact medium isn't specified, it is widely believed to be further Classic Series Doctor Who media in the form of DVDs or Digital content. Rumours have persisted for a while now of a new service to be unveiled by the BBC.

Below is a copy of the exact tweet: 

We're hoping to release more classic Doctor Who and we'll let you know when we have news.

— BBC Worldwide (@BBCWPress) June 26, 2015

+  Discuss all the Doctor Who DVD releases in the DWO Forums.

[Source: BBC Worldwide]

Theatre actress and 70s child star Bonnie Langford is joining the cast of EastEnders, the BBC has confirmed.

She will take the role of Carmel Kazemi, Kush's mother and will start filming her scenes this month, with her first on-screen appearance in June.

Known to Doctor Who fans for her role as The 6th Doctor's companion; Mel Bush, Langford said:

"I'm so thrilled and delighted to be part of EastEnders. I'm a great fan of the show and think the recent 30th anniversary was sensational and shows just how good British television can be. To be part of this family is an absolute privilege."

[Source: BBC News]

Last week, DWO brought you a story about the current status of The Underwater Menace DVD (originally due for release in 2014, and rescheduled for 2015), and the fact that it has been removed from the 2015 schedules for the time being.

We were awaiting an official statement from BBC Consumer Products on their intentions with the title and the future of the Classic Series Doctor Who DVD range, and are pleased to report we now have that statement:

“We appreciate that some Doctor Who fans are disappointed that we have not yet been able to release The Underwater Menace on DVD. We would like to reassure everyone that we are currently reviewing the best way to bring fans more Classic Doctor Who titles. Please bear with us - we’ll let you know more as soon as we can.”

A recent petition from fans showing their support for The Underwater Menace DVD to be released, has now acquired over 1000 signatures.

+  Discuss all the Doctor Who DVD releases in the DWO Forums.

[Source: BBC Consumer Products]

The BBC DVD Enquiry Line have confirmed to DWO that The Underwater Menace DVD (originally due for release in 2014, and rescheduled for 2015) has been removed from the 2015 schedules for the time being.

The last Classic Series Doctor Who DVD release was the previously missing adventure, The Web Of Fear, which was released on 24th February 2014 - exactly a year ago today!

It is not known what the future holds for the range, but the team are currently "exploring options" and are hoping to fire up the range again later in the year.

Anyone wishing to express their support for The Underwater Menace release can do so by sending an email using the BBC's online contact form, or by sending a polite letter to:

BBC Worldwide Ltd
33 Foley Street
London
W1W 7TL
UK

Fans have also started an online petition, which you can sign, here.

DWO are expecting an official statement from BBC Consumer Products shortly and we will post more information as we get it. 

+  Discuss all the Doctor Who DVD releases in the DWO Forums.

[Source: BBC Consumer Products]

Luken Communications has announced the highly-anticipated debut of Doctor Who on Retro TV coming this Monday 4th August. Beginning with the very first episode of the series, “An Unearthly Child,” American fans of the science fiction classic can find two episodes of Doctor Who back-to-back every weeknight at 8:00PM ET/PT on Retro TV.

Retro TV will be showcasing the series’ classic run, featuring the first seven incarnations of The Doctor: William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy.

Matthew Golden, Luken’s Vice President of Production, said:

“We’re excited to set a fixed point in time for the arrival of classic episodes of Doctor Who on Retro TV. These meticulously restored episodes will bring the history of the Doctor to the U.S. in a way that viewers have never seen before.” 

In addition to the weeknight schedule, a two hour encore block will air on Saturday evenings as part of Retro TV’s new Sci-Fi Saturday. Starting at 6:00PM ET/PT, viewers can enjoy the supernatural anthology One Step Beyond, Doctor Who and Mystery Science Theater 3000.

For more information on Retro TV or to find a Retro TV affiliate in your area, please visit www.watchretrotv.com. Everyone at Retro TV is dedicated to expanding the network’s footprint. If you do not yet have a Retro TV affiliate in your area, you can help by contacting your local TV stations to request that they add Retro TV to their subchannel lineup. Retro TV can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/watchretrotv and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/watchretrotv.

[Source: Retro TV]

It is with deepest regret that DWO announces the passing of Classic Series Doctor Who Director, Derek Martinus.

Derek was perhaps best known to Doctor Who fans for directing the Classic Series adventures; Galaxy 4, Mission To The Unknown, The Tenth Planet, The Evil Of The Daleks, The Ice Warriors & Spearhead From Space.

He was also the first person to direct a colour episode of Doctor Who (Spearhead From Space).

DWO would like to extend our sympathies to Derek's family and friends.

[Source: Tim Vine]

Fans of Doctor Who are set to find the TARDIS materialising at a new location this Easter as a selection of the Time Lord’s classic adventures in time and space start screening on Horror Channel.

The UK’s prime home for fans of horror, fantasy and sci-fi has completed a deal with BBC Worldwide to broadcast 30 stories from the Classic series which ran 1963 to 1989 featuring the first seven Doctors, starting with William Hartnell and concluding with Sylvester McCoy.

This specially curated season give fans old and new a chance to get re-acquainted with favourite companions Jamie, Jo Grant and Sarah Jane Smith, rogue Time Lords such as The Master, Omega and The Rani and all those iconic monsters including Daleks, Cybermen, Sea Devils and Ice Warriors.

Launching on Friday 18th April (Good Friday) the season begins with the very first story ‘An Unearthly Child’, starring William Hartnell as The Doctor. It then leads into a special WHO ON HORROR weekend - a classic marathon featuring one story from each of the Doctors across the Easter weekend.  There will then be weekday double-bills in daytime and evening slots with stories shown in chronological order starting on Easter Monday 21st April. 

Horror Channel is screening many of the stories that are regarded as the most memorable that the show produced including ‘The Mind Robber’, ‘The Daemons’, ‘Genesis of the Daleks’, ‘The Talons of Weng-Chiang’, ‘The Caves of Androzani’, ‘Attack of the Cybermen’ and ‘The Curse of Fenric’. Many emphasise the horror elements of the programme from the first scary moments the Daleks appeared, to encounters with giant spiders and maggots, and even battles with Mary Whitehouse over the violent content of the show during Tom Baker’s era. 

Alina Florea, Director of Programming, said today:

“There are many horror themes that Doctor Who has tackled over the years and people of all ages have been terrified and found cowering behind the sofa. Our selection from the classic series include the original appearances of some of the most revered monsters and TV moments which captured the imagination of children and adults throughout the decades.  Doctor Who is an iconic brand and we are proud and thrilled to welcome this giant of British television to our channel.”

The classic Doctor Who series complements the growing segment of cult television series available on the channel.  Wonder Woman, Xena: Warrior Princess, New Twilight Zone, Star Trek and The Invaders fill the daytime schedule, reflecting the expansion of the channel acquisitions into the fantasy, adventure, and science fiction genres. Doctor Who will have been the first taste of frightening television for many Horror Channel viewers, and following on from the show’s record-breaking 50th anniversary celebrations last year, they will now have the opportunity to relive those terrifying moments and exciting cliff-hangers again.

[Source: Horror Channel]

To celebrate the release of recently recovered missing Doctor Who adventure The Web of Fear on DVD, a marathon screening of the story, and preceding adventure The Enemy of the World has been announced by BBC Worldwide and Prince Charles Cinema, in association with BFI.

The twelve 25-minute episodes will be shown back to back at London's Prince Charles Cinema on Saturday 22nd February at 11:15am. Tickets will go on sale from 9:00am on 14th February 2014 from www.princecharlescinema.com, and are priced £14 (£11.50 Prince Charles Cinema members).

The screening will be followed by a 45 minute Q&A session with key cast members from the episodes as well as a member of the Troughton family. The panel will be chaired by writer, actor and Doctor Who fan Toby Hadoke.

Nine of the episodes from these classic stories were missing and feared lost forever before they were returned to the BBC by television archive expert Philip Morris in 2013, after he located them in Nigeria.

+  Download The Enemy Of The World for £9.99 via iTunes in the UK.
+  Download The Enemy Of The World for $9.99 via iTunes in the USA.
+  Order The Enemy Of The World DVD on BBC Shop for just £13.99!

+  Download The Web Of Fear for £9.99 via iTunes in the UK.
+  Download The Web Of Fear for $9.99 via iTunes in the USA.
+  Order The Web Of Fear DVD on BBC Shop for just £13.99!

+  Follow Doctor Who Online on Twitter (@DrWhoOnline)!

[Sources: BBC Worldwide]

It is with deepest regret that DWO announces the passing of Classic Series Doctor Who Director, Christopher Barry.

Christopher was perhaps best known to Doctor Who fans for directing the Classic Series adventures; The Daleks, The Rescue, The Romans, The Savages, The Power of The Daleks, The Daemons, The Mutants, Robot, The Brain Of Morbius and The Creature From The Pit.

He was one of only three people to direct stories featuring the first four Doctors (William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker).

DWO would like to extend our sympathies to Christopher's family and friends.

[Source: Tim Vine]