The Fugitive Doctor’s stunning debut reignited a debate that had been smouldering quietly for a number of years – ie: was the incarnation originally portrayed by William Hartnell the Doctor’s first body? Going from statements made in 1983’s The Five Doctors and 2013’s The Time of the Doctor, that’s certainly what he believed.
But fandom has always pointed to a scene in 1976’s The Brain of Morbius, wherein all the Doctor’s previous incarnations are shown consecutively on a screen – revealing eight distinct faces preceding old Bill. Regardless of various theories, it’s since been confirmed that these faces (belonging to various members of the production team wearing a range of silly hats) were indeed meant to represent earlier, unknown incarnations of the Doctor.
Below left: The Doctor with her future self (Jodie Whittaker) in Fugitive of the Judoon.