Lost Doctor Who Episodes Restored and Coming to iPlayer Thanks to the BBC
Two previously lost episodes of Doctor Who have been rediscovered and will soon be available on BBC iPlayer. The episodes, titled “Nightmare Begins” and “Devil’s Planet,” were believed to be permanently missing until they were located by the charity Film is Fabulous! and subsequently restored by the BBC.
These episodes originate from the show’s third series, titled “The Daleks’ Master Plan,” which was penned by the esteemed sci-fi writer Terry Nation. This series features William Hartnell in the role of the Doctor, alongside Peter Purves as Steven Taylor, Nicholas Courtney as Bret Vyon, Adrienne Hill as Katarina, and Kevin Stoney as Mavic Chen.
Film is Fabulous!—a charity formed by enthusiastic film collectors—approached the BBC’s archive team after discovering the episodes in a private collection. The BBC then restored the episodes from their original 16mm telerecordings.
Furthermore, these episodes will be added to the iPlayer Whoniverse during the Easter season, which includes a range of Doctor Who content spanning the years, including the latest season with Ncuti Gatwa. The forthcoming Doctor Who episode will be a Christmas special written by Russell T. Davies. However, the long-term future of the show remains uncertain following Disney’s withdrawal from its co-production deal. Despite this, the BBC’s head of drama recently affirmed that Doctor Who "isn’t going anywhere."
Noreen Adams, Director of BBC Archives, expressed enthusiasm about the restoration, stating, “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.”
In related news, late last year, the BBC archives launched a significant project, releasing 50,000 files, including correspondence related to Laurence Olivier’s potential television debut and exchanges with Vanessa Redgrave.
