"The Faceless Ones" Getting Animated

The BBC has announced that the Second Doctor story, "The Faceless Ones," will be the next missing episode to get the animation treatment. The story was originally broadcast in spring 1967, with only parts one and three (of six) surviving today. Pre-orders are available here.

Animated Version of "The Macra Terror" Coming 2019

The BBC has announced that an animated version of Doctor Who: The Macra Terror will be released March 18. This story is one of many that was destroyed, sold, or recorded over when the BBC's warehouse ran out of space in the late 1960s/early 1970s, leaving only the audio. Pre-orders will be available later today.

Power of the Daleks Animation Confirmed

The BBC has confirmed rumors that Power of the Daleks will be getting an animated release.

It’s one of the Doctor’s most celebrated adventures and yet no complete film recordings of The Power of the Daleks are known to have survived. The master negatives were destroyed in an archive purge in 1974.

BBC Worldwide has announced that a brand new black and white animation based on audio recordings of the programme using the original cast, surviving photographs and film clips will be released 50 years to the minute after its only UK broadcast on BBC One.

The six half hour episodes feature the regeneration, or as it was then called ‘renewal’, of First Doctor William Hartnell into Second Doctor Patrick Troughton, as the Time Lord and his companions Polly (Anneke Wills) and Ben (Michael Craze) do battle with the Daleks on the planet Vulcan.

Doctor Who: The Power of the Daleks is being produced by the team behind the highly successful animation of lost Dad’s Army episode A Stripe For Frazer first released on BBC Store in February this year. The producer and director is Charles Norton, with character designs from acclaimed comic book artists Martin Geraghty and Adrian Salmon.

Charles Norton says, “The Power of the Daleks animation is the most ambitious Doctor Who archive restoration ever attempted and we’re all very honoured to be a part of such a an exciting project. Intelligent, suspenseful and magnificently staged, Power of the Daleks is one of the great lost classics of 1960s television and a superb example of the black and white era at its finest.”

Paul Hembury, Executive Producer, BBC Worldwide says, “Charles and his team are remarkably talented and passionate about Doctor Who and we are thrilled that fans will soon be able to enjoy this rather sinister but wonderful, classic story.”

Doctor Who: The Power Of The Daleks will be released on BBC Store on Saturday 5^th November followed by the DVD on Monday 21^st November.

• Register your interest in the BBC Store download
• Pre-order the DVD from Amazon and HMV (£20.42 RRP)

On Saturday 5^th November there will be a special screening of episodes 1-3 of Doctor Who: The Power of the Daleks at BFI Southbank, London which will also include a Q&A with Anneke Wills, Charles Norton and Frazer Hines. Further information will be available from bfi.org.uk from Monday 19^th September.

Power of the Daleks Getting Animated

Patrick's Troughton's first Doctor Who story, Power of the Daleks, is getting an animated release. Power is one of several stories that were recorded over or sold in the 1970s when the BBC's warehouse filled up. All six episodes of the serial (which aired in fall 1966) are currently missing except for a few short clips and the audio.

UPDATE: According to one source, this is just a rumor

Enemy of the World and Web of Fear North America Releases

Details have come to light regarding the North American Blu-ray and DVD releases of The Enemy of the World and The Web of Fear. Both sets will cost US$19.98 and come with no special features. The Web of Fear will be released on April 22nd, while The Enemy of the World will be released on May 20th.

Recovered Episodes Screening

On Saturday the 22nd, Prince Charles Cinema in London will be putting on a screening of the two recently recovered Doctor Who serials. The Web of Fear and Enemy of the World will be shown back-to-back starting at 11:15am. Tickets go on sale this morning at 9am for £14. There will be a Q&A session with Deborah Watling and Frazer Hines following the screening.

The Enemy of the World and The Web of Fear DVD and iTunes Release

The two just-discovered classic series episodes are being released on DVD and iTunes. Both stories have been remastered and specially enhanced frame-by-frame and are available on iTunes worldwide right this moment.

The Enemy of the World

On Earth in the near future, the Doctor and his companions are enmeshed in a deadly web of intrigue thanks to his uncanny resemblance to would-be 21st century dictator Salamander. He is hailed as the ‘Shopkeeper of the World’ for his efforts to relieve global famine, but why do his rivals keep disappearing? How can he predict so many natural disasters? The Doctor must expose Salamander’s schemes before he takes over the world.

 The Web of Fear

The TARDIS narrowly avoids becoming engulfed in a cobwebby substance in space. It arrives in the London Underground railway system, the tunnels of which are being overrun by the web and by the Great Intelligence’s robot Yeti. The Intelligence’s goal is to drain the Doctor’s mind; can the Doctor sabotage the device before the Intelligence’s plan comes to fruition?

Official Press Release Regarding Found Episodes

Despite news leaking about the found classic episodes, the BBC have officially unveiled the contents of their press conference from earlier today. As reported earlier, 9 episodes from The Web of Fear and The Enemy of the World were found in an archive in Africa. The find brings Enemy to completion, with Web still missing part 3.

The official press release includes no new information, but I've made part of it available below. The two episodes have been made available to iTunes users in the UK here and here. Part 3 of The Web of Fear has been specially reconstructed for release. Presumably, the stories will eventually be released on iTunes to the rest of the world and DVD.

Nine missing episodes of 1960s Doctor Who have been found at a TV station in Nigeria, including most of the classic story The Web of Fear.

The black and white story sees Patrick Troughton's second Doctor battle robot yeti in the London underground.

Also recovered is a complete version of Troughton's six-part story The Enemy of the World.

It is thought to be the largest haul of missing episodes recovered in the last three decades.

"It's thrilling," said Mark Gatiss, an actor and writer for the 21st Century incarnation of Doctor Who.

"Every single avenue seemed to have been exhausted, every now and then something turns up - but to have two virtually complete stories out of the blue is absolutely incredible."

The BBC destroyed many of the sci-fi drama's original transmission tapes in the 1960s and 1970s.

However, many episodes were transferred on to film for sale to foreign broadcasters. It is often these prints found in other countries that are the source of retrieved episodes.

In this case, 11 Doctor Who episodes were discovered, nine of which were missing, in the Nigerian city of Jos.

The find was made by Phillip Morris, director of a company called Television International Enterprises Archive.

Mr Morris said: "The tapes had been left gathering dust in a storeroom at a television relay station in Nigeria. I remember wiping the dust off the masking tape on the canisters and my heart missed a beat as I saw the words, Doctor Who. When I read the story code I realised I'd found something pretty special."

The Web of Fear and The Enemy of the World Found

The results of today's press conference are still embargoed until midnight, but the Northern Echo has leaked the results (and subsequently pulled them). Apparently all of The Enemy of the World and part of The Web of Fear have been found in an archive in Nigeria. Apparently part three of The Web of Fear is still missing.

Both Patrick Troughton stories were uncovered by Philip Morris, director of Television International Enterprises Archive. They include the introduction of then-Colonel Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart (better known as the Brigadier). The Web of Fear also includes the villainous Great Intelligence, recently brought back by Steven Moffat for Series 7. Both stories will be made available on iTunes and DVD.

FOUR decades ago, Dr Who’s encounter with the mythical Yeti left a generation of children terrified and enthralled. The six part serial Web of Fear became one of the best-loved serials of the Patrick Troughton era. Sadly, in the 1970s the well-travelled time lord faced an enemy far deadlier than the Daleks – BBC beancounters.

In an effort to save money, tapes of classic shows were wiped and recorded over. In a matter of months some of the Doctor’s greatest adventures were lost… seemingly forever. The Web of Fear is one of the most missed serials, along with another Troughton era adventure, The Power of the Daleks. But now all six missing episodes have been found – in a dusty storeroom in Nigeria.

The previously lost nine shows were among 11 traced to a television relay station and the find brings back to life an entire six-episode story, while another is almost complete. The newly found programmes – which introduce the character of Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart, better known to audiences as The Brigadier – will be available on iTunes from today and will later come out on DVD.

Phillip Morris, the director of Television International Enterprises Archive, unearthed the programmes by looking up the records of overseas shipments of tapes made by the BBC.

The stories, The Enemy Of The World (1967) and The Web Of Fear (1968) and both starring Patrick Troughton as the second Doctor, have now been remastered by BBC Worldwide, the corporation’s commercial arm.

Mr Morris said: ‘‘I remember wiping the dust off the masking tape on the canisters and my heart missed a beat as I saw the words Doctor Who. When I read the story code, I realised I’d found something pretty special.’’

Only one episode of The Enemy Of The World – which featured Deborah Watling as companion Victoria and Frazer Hines, later to find fame in Emmerdale as Jamie – had remained in the archives, so the addition of programmes one, two, four, five and six have completed the story.

Fiona Eastwood, director of consumer products, BBC Worldwide, said: ‘‘We are thrilled with the recent discovery of The Web Of Fear and The Enemy Of The World and we’re very happy to be launching re-mastered versions of these treasured episodes to fans as we celebrate the 50th year of Doctor Who.’’

The BBC still had the first edition in the Web Of Fear story, and the new finds mean only number three is missing. The tale introduced Nicholas Courtney as Lethbridge-Stewart, who began with the rank of Colonel but later became Brigadier.

The missing episode has been recreated using 37 still images which were available and the original audio which survived.

Update from BBC on Lost Episodes

BBC News has issued a confirmation that lost episodes have, indeed, been found.

A number of early episodes of Doctor Who, which were believed to have been permanently lost, have been returned to the BBC. BBC Worldwide is expected to confirm the find at a press conference in London later this week. It follows weeks of speculation that some lost episodes had been located. Details of how fans will be able to watch the recovered episodes are also expected to be revealed later this week.

Press Conference for Lost Episodes Rescheduled

According to the Mirror, the press conference announcing the discovery of lost classic episodes has been rescheduled for the end of the week.

BBC worldwide were hoping to announce details of the exact lost episodes that have been found to the press tomorrow with a view to them being available to watch on Wednesday. But a BBC spokesman admitted today they were “not quite ready” and the press conference has now been rescheduled for the end of the week. A BBC insider added: “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.” The BBC has asked the Mirror not to reveal the new details of the London press conference, but fans should find out which episodes have been discovered by the end of the week.

According to the Guardian, the press conference will be held on Thursday.

More News on Lost Classic Episodes

For months now, rumors have been circulating that the BBC has unearthed a stash of lost Classic Series episodes. Rumors have been started, rumors have been denied, but now it seems the BBC are calling a press conference to deal with it all. On Tuesday, they are going to announce the discovery of some number of Classic Who episodes. How many episodes, exactly, remains to be seen, but rumors that it's over 100 have been denied.

This from the Mirror

BBC Worldwide has now called a press conference and screening on Tuesday in a London hotel.

The invitation sent out had he event details written inside the screen of a old-fashioned sixties style television set, complete with a dial to tune in the channels, seeming to hint at the type of news to come.

Journalists will be told exactly which old footage has been recovered, with some of it then broadcast on screen to watch.

A senior BBC source said: “There will be big news this Tuesday regarding lost Doctor Who episodes.

“It is great that in the show’s 50th year, fans will now be able to look back with classic episodes as well as looking to the future with the new film-length episode in November.

“For some fans watching their lost episodes will be like going back in time.”

A BBC spokesman played down the reports that more than 100 of the old episodes had been found.

However, when asked if there were some episodes to announce this week, he admitted: “There is a connection.”

Asked for a further official comment, he said he could not say anything more before Tuesday’s press screening.

UPDATE: According to the Radio Times, the episodes will be released for sale on Wednesday morning. They will be released on iTunes, and presumably DVD and other platforms as well.