Doctor Who Missing Episodes To Appear Restored On BBC

One of the most fanatically followed television series of all time, Doctor Who, will be given a jolt of nostalgia soon as the BBC can confirm the recovery of a mass of episodes previously thought lost to the vaults of time. This suggestion comes from the BBC itself, suggesting that a total of 106 episodes featuring the first two doctors, William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton, will be mined. Though the BBC did apparently – for whatever reason – destroy many of the television show's original transmission tapes through the 1960s and 70s, tapes transferred onto film for overseas broadcast are being recovered now.

Advertisement

This recovery rings a bell similar to that of the recovery of the Doctor Who episodes surrounding the Tomb of the Cybermen. This series of four specials was recovered in Hong Kong where the film had laid dormant for two decades. This discovery was made all the way back in 1991 – more than two decades ago again.

The BBC online news source in Entertainment and Arts has suggested today that BBC Worldwide will reveal more details about the find later this week. The BBC Worldwide headquarters team have not yet revealed how many episodes were found, nor how they'll be broadcasting the lost film. It's possible that these episodes will be shown only locally on BBC UK at first, then transferred to digital media soon thereafter.

Advertisement

According to the publication Mirror UK, a BBC spokesperson has said specifically that they're delaying on purpose.

"With all the excitement in the last few days about the lost episodes we are really keen to get the information out, but there are a few delays. We want everything to be ready and for this announcement to excite fans so they will have to wait a few days longer.

They have been waiting nearly 50 years for this, so a couple of days shouldn't make any difference." – BBC Spokesperson

BBC Worldwide has also suggested that a collection of other new programs may follow with the launch of these lost episodes. We're to find out the full details, top to bottom, later this week! Stick around and have a peek at other recent Doctor Who news in the timeline below!

Recommended

Advertisement