THE DIARY OF DOCTOR WHO

DOCTOR WHO: CHRONICLES

By 1983 Doctor Who had been on

THE ROARING TWENTY

Doctor Who’s 20th anniversary saw the series enjoying its highest level of visibility in years – and firmly embracing its status as a British cultural institution. But the party wouldn’t last…

ARC OF INFINITY

The Arc of Infinity is the gateway to dimensions. At one end, the universe of anti-matter. At the other, Amsterdam...

SPECIAL EFFECTS

The relationship between the Doctor Who production team and the BBC Visual Effects Department hadn’t always been harmonious. The making of Season 20 would prove particularly difficult…

SNAKEDANCE

Once upon a time, the hideous Mara was banished to the dark places of the inside. But now it’s back, in Tegan’s dreams…

The Night CHARGERS

In the early 1980s Venice Barry developed a script highlighting the latest member of the TARDIS crew. With a plot that saw Turlough going undercover in a boys’ boarding school, The Night Chargers anticipated one of the most memorable stories of Season 20

MARK STRICKSON

Mawdryn Undead saw the introduction of an entirely new kind of companion. The actor cast in the role of Vislor Turlough was himself embarking on what would prove to be an unorthodox career

MAWDRYN UNDEAD

A dislocated schoolboy strikes a deal with the Devil: to escape Earth, he must destroy the Doctor…

HARD COPY

The insatiable demand for Doctor Who publications led to a boom in fanzines. The best of them offered valuable experience to some now professional writers

TERMINUS

In a broken-down ship at the precise heart of the known universe, a plague-ridden Nyssa reaches her journey’s end

Getting TH E PICTU RE

BBC Television Centre is where the vast majority of Doctor Who episodes were recorded throughout the 1970s and 80s. The BBC’s most famous building was also its busiest, and during Season 20 producer John Nathan-Turner had a fight on his hands to secure the facilities he needed…

FLIGHT INTO INFINITÛ

In 1983, the Target Doctor Who novelisations celebrated their tenth anniversary. The popular range was uniquely placed to both delight and exploit the show’s expanding fanbase

ENLIGH TENMENT

The all-powerful Eternals are engaged in a race through space where the winner takes all. But Turlough’s soul is at stake too…

GERALD FLOOD

Following a guest appearance in The King’s Demons, Gerald Flood provided the voice for the Doctor’s robotic companion Kamelion. These were relatively minor engagements for a well-loved actor who earned his reputation in the theatre

THE KING’S DEMONS

When the TARDIS disturbs a medieval joust, its crew of ‘demons’ meet King John I of England… whose master dreams of total war

WORK OF ART

For artist Andrew Skilleter, Doctor Who’s 20th anniversary meant starting his own business. Here he recalls the launch of a publishing company whose illustrated posters were a must-have for many fans

EVENT ONE

The BBC significantly underestimated demand for its first Doctor Who convention. The organisational chaos at Longleat in April 1983 is notorious, but there were compensations for many of those prepared to brave the queues

TOY STORIES

The 20th anniversary should have delivered a bonanza of toys, games and clothing, but 1983 merely continued the trend away from mainstream licensing. The year did, however, bring innovations in home video and other new technology

PAGES OF HISTORY

The Doctor Who annual published in 1983 made a surprise foray into the series’ past, as well as going behind the scenes on recent productions. Other sections of the book were compromised by some curious editorial decisions

Light Entertainment

The 20th anniversary represented a turning point for Doctor Who conventions on both sides of the Atlantic. Professionally run events in the US attracted a dazzling array of talent, most notably at Spirit of Light’s Ultimate Celebration. In the UK, however, some convention organisers began to feel like poor relations

THE INSIDE STORY

Doctor Who reference books came of age with the arrival of A Celebration. Principally credited to author Peter Haining, this seminal publication was actually a collaborative effort

THEATRE OF DREAMS

Often overlooked in accounts of the 20th anniversary year, The Developing Art was an unprecedented opportunity for fans to watch Doctor Who rarities at the National Film Theatre

RICHARD HUR NDALL

The 20th Anniversary Special included a new face in a familiar role. The actor cast as the First Doctor brought a lifetime of experience to this bold experiment

THE FIVE DOCTORS

A mystery malefactor transports the Doctors and their friends to the Death Zone on Gallifrey – to play a deadly game…

WELL VERSED

The Radio Times Doctor Who 20th Anniversary Special was a colourful cornucopia of interviews, character profiles, fiction… and poetry. How does it compare with its illustrious predecessor from 1973?

CODE BREAKING

Doctor Who: The Unfolding Text didn’t make any concessions for the fans who purchased it as a 20th anniversary souvenir. The academic book’s reputation has suffered as a result, but have its finer points been overlooked?

BREAKING NEWS

Flirting with the tabloids wasn’t enough to guarantee good reviews in 1983, although the 20th anniversary prompted a wave of nostalgia from TV critics

On the BOX

In a fast-changing television landscape that offered unprecedented choice, even the hype surrounding Doctor Who’s 20th anniversary couldn’t guarantee a ratings triumph

FINAL SCORE

The television landscape was changing fast when Season 20 began in January 1983. What impact did Channel 4, and the everpresent competition from ITV, have on Doctor Who’s viewing figures?