Doctor Who is a British science-fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of the Doctor, a Time Lord—a time-travelling humanoid alien. He explores the universe in his TARDIS, a sentient time-travelling space ship. Its exterior appears as a blue British police box, which was a common sight in Britain in 1963 when the series first aired. Along with a succession of companions, the Doctor faces a variety of foes while working to save civilisations, help ordinary people, and right wrongs.
The show has received recognition as one of Britain's finest television programmes, winning the 2006 BAFTA for Best Drama Series and five consecutive (2005–2010) awards at the National Television Awards during Russell T Davies' tenure as executive producer. In 2011, Matt Smith became the first Doctor to be nominated for a BAFTA Television Award for Best Actor. In 2013, the Peabody Awards honoured Doctor Who with an Institutional Peabody "for evolving with technology and the times like nothing else in the known television universe." The programme is listed in Guinness World Records as the longest-running science fiction television show in the world, the "most successful" science fiction series of all time—based on its over-all broadcast ratings, DVD and book sales, and iTunes traffic- and for the largest ever simulcast of a TV drama with its 50th anniversary special. During its original run, it was recognised for its imaginative stories, creative low-budget special effects, and pioneering use of electronic music (originally produced by the BBC Radiophonic Workshop).
The show is a significant part of British popular culture,[8][9] and elsewhere it has become a cult television favourite. The show has influenced generations of British television professionals, many of whom grew up watching the series.[10] The programme originally ran from 1963 to 1989. After an unsuccessful attempt to revive regular production in 1996 with a backdoor pilot in the form of a television film, the programme was relaunched in 2005 by Russell T Davies who was showrunner and head writer for the first five years of its revival, produced in-house by BBC Wales in Cardiff. The first series of the 21st century, featuring Christopher Eccleston in the title role, was produced by the BBC. Series two and three had some development money contributed by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), which was credited as a co-producer.[11] Doctor Who also spawned spin-offs in multiple media, including Torchwood (2006–11) and The Sarah Jane Adventures (2007–11), both created by Russell T Davies; K-9 (2009–10); and a single pilot episode of K-9 and Company (1981). There also have been many spoofs and cultural references of the character in other media.
Eleven actors have headlined the series as the Doctor. The transition from one actor to another, and the differing approach to the role that they bring, is written into the plot of the show as regeneration into a new incarnation, a life process of Time Lords through which the character of the Doctor takes on a new body and, to some extent, new personality, which occurs after sustaining injury which would be fatal to most other species. While each actor's portrayal differs, they are all intended to be aspects of the same character, and form part of the same storyline. The time-travelling nature of the plot means that on occasion, story arcs have involved different Doctors meeting each other. The Doctor is currently portrayed by Peter Capaldi, who took on the role after Matt Smith's final appearance in the 2013 Christmas special "The Time of the Doctor".[12]
History with Blue Peter[]
Faction Paradox attacked the Blue Peter garden in 1996. This caused a far more intense psychological reaction than any direct assault on the people's psyche. (PROSE: Interference - Book Two) In 2006, an alien ship crashed into the Thames. Blue Peter presenter Matt Baker did a feature on how to make an alien ship cake. (TV: Aliens of London)
In 2008, Maria Jackson watched an episode in which the presenters Gethin Jones and Konnie Huq promoted the Bane's Bubble Shock! soft drink. (TV: Invasion of the Bane)
Additional Information[]
Ace, who left Earth in 1987, wore two Blue Peter badges on her jacket; one standard blue badge, one silver. (TV: Remembrance of the Daleks) One of them had been awarded for heroic achievement. (PROSE: Cat's Cradle: Time's Crucible) The actor, Sophie Aldred, had won two Blue Peter badges in her youth and was entitled to wear them on screen, according to the BBC's strict regulations regarding the use of Blue Peter badges. (BBC DVD: The Horns of Nimon)
Behind the Scenes[]
OVERVIEW edit In real life, Blue Peter has had a longtime association with Doctor Who. It was used on many occasions to promote the series and upcoming episodes, monsters and special events, including the debuts of Peter Davison and Sylvester McCoy, who spoke about taking up the role of the Doctor. Historically, the series has proven valuable for not only featuring contemporary interviews with actors and behind-the-scenes personnel from the series, but for also providing glimpses into production history. For many years, the series also had another connection to the franchise in the form of co-host Peter Purves, who appeared on Blue Peter for many years after his tenure playing Steven Taylor in Seasons 2 and 3.
Doctor Who Magazine explored the programme and its vast connections to Doctor Who in its 334th issue.
CLIPS FROM MISSING EPISODES edit A 1973 instalment of Blue Peter marking the tenth anniversary of Doctor Who included many excerpts from the William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton eras; due to the BBC's then-ongoing practice of junking old episodes, these clips are in many cases the last surviving remnants of these episodes. These include such significant moments as the death of Katarina in The Daleks' Master Plan (which was aired on Blue Peter primarily because it featured then-co-host Peter Purves during his tenure as companion), and the regeneration of the First Doctor into the Second from The Tenth Planet. These clips survived beyond their initial Blue Peter broadcast thanks to long-time showrunner Biddy Baxter's staunch policy of archiving every episode of Blue Peter.
DESIGN A MONSTER COMPETITIONS edit Blue Peter has run contests over the years involving Doctor Who. The design for the Abzorbaloff from 2006's Love & Monsters originated in a Blue Peter "design your own monster" competition. Contrary to rumour, the Krotons did not originate in a 1967 competition; a design-a-monster competition was held, but the winning design did not appear on the show. TARDIS DESIGN COMPETITION edit In late 2009-early 2010, a Blue Peter contest invited viewers to submit designs for a new TARDIS control console to be featured in an upcoming episode. On 17th February 2010, Matt Smith chose twelve-year-old Susannah Leah's design as the winner; it was announced that Neil Gaiman's episode in Series 5 would feature this design in some way. However the episode's funding ran out of money and it was pushed back to Series 6, when it appeared as The Doctor's Wife and featured Leah's design as the Junk TARDIS console. [1] [2] [3] OTHER INFORMATION AND TRIVIA edit When two Dalek props were stolen, Blue Peter ran an appeal to bring them back. They were returned within twenty-four hours. GUEST APPEARANCES edit DOCTOR WHO edit Raymond Cusick (possibly didn't personally appear in studio, but was at least referred to by name and picture) Patrick Troughton (the first Doctor to judge a Blue Peter competition) Jon Pertwee Dick Mills (Special Sounds) John Nathan-Turner (Producer) Peter Davison Richard Hurndall (the First Doctor in The Five Doctors) Colin Baker Bonnie Langford Sylvester McCoy Christopher Eccleston David Tennant Elisabeth Sladen Anthony Head Freema Agyeman John Barrowman Russell T Davies Matt Smith Susannah Leah Non-human characters A War Machine Daleks Cybermen K9 L1 and L3 robots Robot Yeti (Mark 2) Sil Sea Devils Kraals THE SARAH JANE ADVENTURES edit Elisabeth Sladen Samantha Bond - In character as Mrs Wormwood. Yasmin Paige Tommy Knight Daniel Anthony Anjli Mohindra EPISODE CLIPS edit Doctor Who edit An Unearthly Child The Daleks' Master Plan - Clips from currently lost episodes. The War Machines The Tenth Planet - Regeneration clip from currently lost Episode 4. The War Games - Five from Episode 10, including reused footage from currently lost Fury from the Deep (Episode 1). The Three Doctors The Hand of Fear The Ribos Operation The Pirate Planet Black Orchid The Five Doctors Journey's End ON DVD edit Many Blue Peter segments relating to specific episodes and/or events have been included on DVD releases from BBC Video. Doctor Who edit The Dalek Invasion of Earth (How to make Dalek cakes) The Romans (Feature on Roman life) The War Machines The Three Doctors (Feature on the "Whomobile" with Jon Pertwee) Robot (Filming on Doctor Who sets) Genesis of the Daleks (Stolen Daleks appeal) The Invisible Enemy The Stones of Blood The Horns of Nimon (part 1 of a 2-part retrospective documentary) The Leisure Hive Castrovalva The Five Doctors Black Orchid The Mark of the Rani Doctor Who (part 2 of a 2-part retrospective documentary) The Sarah Jane Adventures edit From Series 1 DVD set: Set visit. BLUE PETER PRESENTERS IN DOCTOR WHO edit Peter Purves, prior to his presenting stint on Blue Peter, was an actor. He was cast as Morton Dill and then as companion Steven Taylor opposite William Hartnell's First Doctor in The Chase. Janet Ellis played Tika in the story The Horns of Nimon.
Christopher Wenner had a walk-on part in The Awakening.
Sarah Greene was unrecognisable as a bubble-wrap clad alien in Attack of the Cybermen.
Who Peter[]
Who Peter was a Royal Television Society Award-winning, two-part documentary hosted by Gethin Jones and written, produced and directed by Chris Chapman. It appeared on two separate Doctor Who DVD releases. In sum, the two parts explored the long relationship of Doctor Who and Blue Peter. The first part — subtitled Partners in Time 1963-1989 — dealt with Blue Peter's role in helping to promote the 1963 version of Doctor Who, while the second part concentrated on the period from the show's cancellation in 1989 through the RTD era. Part one was included on The Horns of Nimon release, which, only in Region 2, was an indivisible part of the Myths and Legends boxset. Part two was included on the 2010 re-release of Doctor Who (1996).