Multiple lost Doctor Who episodes from the ’60s have been found in a collection of vintage films, and the BBC is planning to air them for fans to see very soon.
As reported by the BBC, two episodes have been found, containing a forgotten storyline featuring the first Doctor, played by William Hartnell, facing the Daleks as they plan to take over the galaxy. The episodes, titled The Nightmare Begins and Devil’s Planet, aired as part of season 3 in November 1965.
It is unknown just how the collector got their hands on the lost footage, but after the owner died, they anonymously donated the episodes to a charity in the UK known as Film is Fabulous. The episodes were part of a 12-part storyline that only ever aired in the UK, as the footage was deemed too violent to show overseas. The tapes were then ordered to be wiped, and to this day, more than half of the season remains missing.
However, fans now have the chance to view just part of the lost storyline. In 2004, another episode titled Day of Armageddon, which sits between the two that have just been found, was uncovered by a former BBC engineer. This means that a chunk of the third season, which lays out the Daleks’ master plan, can now be viewed as a whole with the three consecutive episodes now back together.
In celebration, the charity invited actor Peter Purves to view the episodes in a cinema, but told the star that he was there to give an interview, then surprised him with the tapes. Purves notably played the first Doctor’s assistant, Steven Taylor. After seeing the lost tapes, Purves teared up and said, “My flabber has never been so gasted,” adding, “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.”
As noted by Purves, the episodes are special as they include just the fourth appearance of the Daleks. In celebration, the charity FIF is holding a special screening of the episodes in London on April 4, where Purves will be the guest of honour. For those who cannot make it, restored versions of the episodes will be available to view on BBC iPlayer this Easter.
For more, check out our guide to the best Doctor Who characters, and keep up with new TV shows heading your way.