STRINGS ATTACHED

TOYS & GAMES

In 2004 I was far removed from the excitement surrounding

ENTERPRISE AND INITIATIVE

In the 1960s there would have been no Doctor Who toys, or sales of episodes to foreign countries, without the pioneering BBC department founded by Ronnie Waldman.

THE 1960s

What’s a Dalek’s sucker arm for? And how is the TARDIS bigger on the inside than the outside? The answers to these questions and more can be found in rarities from the first wave of Doctor Who merchandising…

DALEK AGENT

Richard Culley was at the beginning of a long and distinguished career in brand licensing when he negotiated some of the original deals for Doctor Who merchandise.

Christmas with thePVC Daleks

The most expensive of all the Doctor Who toys produced in the 1960s was the luxurious, and problematic, ‘Dalek suit’…

THE 1970s

A resurgence in popularity was eventually accompanied by a fresh wave of merchandising. The Doctor Who toys issued in the 1970s included a few old favourites, alongside some innovative new items.

INTREPID EXPLORERS OF THE GALAXIES!

The defining Doctor Who toys of the 1970s belonged to innovative manufacturer Denys Fisher. The people behind the range explain how they made it happen.

THE 1980s

This was the decade in which Doctor Who models were first marketed strictly for collectors, while games moved into the digital realm…

PLAYING with FIRE

From the late 1980s to the early 2000s toy manufacturer Dapol was one of the most prolific Doctor Who licensees. Company founder David Boyle explains how he overcame numerous challenges to produce a successful, if sometimes controversial, range of action figures.

Counter Culture

The Who Shop in East London has served fans with toys and other memorabilia since 1984. We meet proprietor Alex Loosely-Saul.

THE 1990s

Doctor Who was off the air for much of the 1990s, but independent toy companies continued to meet the demand from loyal fans.

DALEK MANIA

Steve Walker’s company Product Enterprise earned the admiration of collectors all over the world with its range of high-quality Dalek toys. But keeping up with demand proved exhausting…

DRAWN FROM MEMORY

Much of the packaging created by toy company Product Enterprise was adorned with vivid and stylised illustrations by graphic designer Graham Humphreys.

THE 2000s

The explosion of merchandise that accompanied the return of the series led to an unprecedented variety of Doctor Who toys and games.

Worldwide Domination

From 2005 Doctor Who returned to toy shops and even invaded supermarkets. BBC Worldwide staff past and present describe how they transformed the series’ marketing.

Cover Stories

Since 2006 Doctor Who Adventures has given away hundreds of cover-mounted toys to its young readers. Paul Lang, DWA’s original art editor, tells us about the free gifts that came with the magazine in its first year.

New Adventures

Current Doctor Who Adventures editor Jason Quinn talks us through the process of sourcing free gifts for the children’s magazine.

GO FIGURE

Producing figures based on the 2005 episodes was just the beginning for Character. The company has now created the biggest range of Doctor Who toys in the series’ history…

The Space Museum

Andy Glazzard’s passion for collecting Doctor Who toys led to a new career as the curator of his own exhibition.

HAIL to the CHIEF

Produced as limited editions with tailored outfits and accessories, the Doctor Who figures sculpted by BIG Chief occupy a unique place at the luxury end of the market.

BATTLE OF THE BOARD GAMES

Doctor Who board games have been around for more than 50 years. We decided to play-test examples from each era…

The Winner Takes It All

In the series’ fictional universe many of the Doctor’s enemies, and even his own people, are characterised by their penchant for game-playing...

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