History of Doctor Who in Timeline
Doctor Who, a British science fiction series since 1963, follows the Doctor, a Time Lord, as he travels through time and space in the TARDIS, disguised as a police box. Created by Sydney Newman, C. E. Webber and Donald Wilson, the Doctor combats evil, saves lives, and liberates the oppressed, often accompanied by companions, across the universe and throughout history.
July 1963: Terry Nation commissioned to write The Mutants
On July 31, 1963, Terry Nation was commissioned to write a story titled "The Mutants," which would later introduce the Daleks, Doctor Who's most popular monsters.
November 1963: First episode re-broadcast due to delay and Kennedy assassination coverage
In November 1963, the first episode of Doctor Who was delayed by eighty seconds. Due to coverage of John F. Kennedy's assassination, the BBC re-broadcast the episode on November 30, 1963.
November 1963: Doctor Who series began
On 23 November 1963, Doctor Who originally ran for 26 seasons on BBC One.
November 1963: First appearance of Doctor Who
On November 23, 1963, Doctor Who first appeared on the BBC Television Service at 17:16:20 GMT, intended as an educational program for a family audience.
1963: The Daleks serial release
From 1963 to 1964, the programme's second serial, The Daleks (1963–1964), made both the Daleks and Doctor Who very popular.
1963: The programme's inception
In 1963, Doctor Who began with the companion figure as a constant feature. The Doctor's first companions were his granddaughter Susan Foreman and her teachers Barbara Wright and Ian Chesterton.
1963: First broadcast of Doctor Who
In 1963, Doctor Who, a British science fiction television series, began broadcasting on the BBC. Created by Sydney Newman, C. E. Webber, and Donald Wilson, the series follows the Doctor, an extraterrestrial Time Lord, as they travel through time and space in the TARDIS to save lives and combat foes.
1963: First appearance of the Daleks
In 1963, the Daleks first appeared in "The Daleks".
1963: Start of Classic Doctor Who
In 1963, the classic Doctor Who series (the first 8 Doctors) started.
1963: Original run of Doctor Who begins
In 1963, the original run of Doctor Who began broadcasting. It was originally intended to appeal to a family audience as an educational programme.
1963: Samples in theme music
In 2005, Murray Gold provided a new arrangement for the return of the series, which featured samples from the 1963 original with further elements added in the 2005 Christmas episode "The Christmas Invasion".
1963: Doctor Who televised
Since 1963, 884 Doctor Who instalments have been televised.
1963: Original Doctor Who Series Plot Line
The original Doctor Who series, dating back to 1963, had a plot line that continued in the 2005 revival.
September 1964: New Zealand screens Doctor Who
New Zealand was the first country outside the United Kingdom to screen Doctor Who, beginning in September 1964.
1964: International broadcast begins
Doctor Who has been broadcast internationally outside of the United Kingdom since 1964.
1964: The Daleks serial release
From 1963 to 1964, the programme's second serial, The Daleks (1963–1964), made both the Daleks and Doctor Who very popular.
1964: Dudley Simpson's first Doctor Who score
In 1964, Dudley Simpson composed his first Doctor Who score for the serial Planet of Giants.
1964: Charles de Gaulle depicted as a Dalek
In 1964, a cartoon in the Daily Mail depicted Charles de Gaulle as a Dalek in a political cartoon.
1964: Marco Polo clips missing
In 1964, short clips from Marco Polo do not exist.
1964: "Dalekmania" begins
In 1964, the "Dalekmania" period began, bringing Doctor Who ratings of between 9 and 14 million.
1964: Doctor Who theme music released as a single
In 1964, the Doctor Who theme music was released as a single on Decca F 11837.
January 1965: Show first run by ABC
In Australia, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) exclusively first run Doctor Who since January 1965.
1965: Doctor Who books publication
From 1965, Doctor Who books were published. From 1965 to 1991 the books published were primarily novelised adaptations of broadcast episodes.
1965: "Mission to the Unknown" clips missing
In 1965, short clips from Mission to the Unknown do not exist.
1965: "Dalekmania" continues
In 1965, the "Dalekmania" period continued, with the popularity of the Daleks bringing Doctor Who ratings of between 9 and 14 million.
1965: Release of Dr. Who and the Daleks
In 1965, the feature film Dr. Who and the Daleks, a retelling of the TV story The Daleks, was released.
1966: Serials given their own title
Following The Gunfighters in 1966, each serial was given its own title, and the individual parts were assigned episode numbers.
1966: Patrick Troughton replaces William Hartnell as the Doctor
In 1966, Patrick Troughton succeeded William Hartnell as the Doctor due to Hartnell's declining health.
1966: The Tenth Planet part four lost
In 1966, one of the most sought-after lost Doctor Who episodes is part four of the last William Hartnell serial, The Tenth Planet, which ends with the First Doctor transforming into the Second.
1966: The Massacre clips missing
In 1966, short clips from The Massacre do not exist.
1966: First Doctor Who audio release
In 1966, the earliest Doctor Who-related audio release was a 21-minute narrated abridgement of The Chase.
1966: Release of Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D.
In 1966, the feature film Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D., a retelling of The Dalek Invasion of Earth, was released.
1967: Material destroyed
Between 1967 and 1978, large amounts of older Doctor Who material stored in the BBC's various video tape and film libraries was either destroyed or wiped.
1967: History-oriented episodes dropped
In 1967, history-oriented episodes were dropped after The Highlanders, as science fiction stories dominated the programme.
1967: The Underwater Menace episode
In 1967, part 2 of The Underwater Menace was returned to BBC.
1968: The Enemy of the World
In 1968, six of the eleven films discovered were the six-part serial The Enemy of the World, from which all but the third episode had been missing. Remaining films were from another six-part serial, The Web of Fear, and included the previously missing episodes 2, 4, 5 and 6.
1968: The Invasion
In 1968, the episodes 1 and 4 of The Invasion were reconstructed for the serial's DVD release.
1970: Jon Pertwee replaces Patrick Troughton as the Doctor
In 1970, Jon Pertwee replaced Patrick Troughton as the Doctor, and the series began production in colour.
1970: First appearance of the Autons and the Silurians
In 1970, the Autons with the Nestene Consciousness, first seen in "Spearhead from Space", and the Silurians were first seen.
1971: Terror of the Autons frightens children
In 1971, during Jon Pertwee's second season as the Doctor, the serial Terror of the Autons featured frightening imagery that marked the apex of the series' ability to scare children.
1971: Donald Wilson claims to have named the series
In a 1971 interview, Donald Wilson claimed to have named the Doctor Who series, a claim that Sydney Newman did not dispute.
1972: Doctor Who deemed most violent drama by BBC research
In 1972, a BBC audience research survey found that Doctor Who was considered the most violent of the drama programmes produced by the corporation.
1972: Episodes known to exist
In 1972, almost all Doctor Who episodes then made were known to exist at the BBC.
1973: Roger Delgado's death
In 1973, Roger Delgado, who played the Master, died.
1973: The Three Doctors
In 1973, William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton reprised their roles alongside Jon Pertwee in "The Three Doctors".
1974: Tom Baker cast as the Doctor
In 1974, Tom Baker was cast as the Doctor, leading to a resurgence in viewing figures for the series.
1975: Writers' Guild of Great Britain award
In 1975, Season 11 of the series won a Writers' Guild of Great Britain award for Best Writing in a Children's Serial.
1975: William Hartnell's death
In 1975, William Hartnell, the actor who played the First Doctor, passed away, leading to Richard Hurndall's portrayal of the First Doctor in "The Five Doctors".
1975: First appearance of the Zygons
In 1975, the Zygons were first seen.
1976: TVOntario picks up the show
In 1976 TVOntario picked up Doctor Who, beginning with The Three Doctors and aired each series (several years late) through to series 24.
1976: Time Lord regeneration limit established
In 1976, The Deadly Assassin established that a Time Lord can only regenerate 12 times, for a total of 13 incarnations.
1976: Controversy over violence in The Deadly Assassin
In 1976, controversy arose over violence depicted in The Deadly Assassin, leading to complaints from Mary Whitehouse and changes in BBC policy towards the series.
1976: The Deadly Assassin
In 1976, the only story from the original series in which the Doctor travels alone, "The Deadly Assassin", was released.
1978: Wiping tapes and destroying film copies stopped
By 1978, the practice of wiping tapes and destroying "spare" film copies of Doctor Who material had been brought to a stop.
1978: Disco version of theme released
In 1978, the group Mankind released a disco version of the Doctor Who theme in the UK, Denmark and Australia. It reached number 24 in the UK charts.
1979: Viewership peaks during ITV network strike
During the ITV network strike of 1979, Doctor Who viewership peaked at 16 million.
1979: Derbyshire arrangement until season 17
From 1979 to 1980, the Derbyshire arrangement served, with minor edits, as the theme tune up to the end of season 17.
1979: TVO airings bookended by Judith Merril
From 1979 to 1981, TVO airings were bookended by science-fiction writer Judith Merril who introduced the episode and then, after the episode concluded, tried to place it in an educational context.
1979: Simpson's last score
In 1979, Dudley Simpson composed his last score for Doctor Who for the serial The Horns of Nimon.
1979: Doctor Who Magazine publication
In 1979, the dedicated Doctor Who Magazine (DWM) with newsstand circulation began regular publication.
1980: Derbyshire arrangement until season 17
From 1979 to 1980, the Derbyshire arrangement served, with minor edits, as the theme tune up to the end of season 17.
1980: Peter Howell arrangement
In 1980, a different arrangement was recorded by Peter Howell for season 18.
1980: Radiophonic Workshop assigned incidental music
In 1980, starting with the serial The Leisure Hive, the task of creating incidental music for Doctor Who was assigned to the Radiophonic Workshop.
1981: TVO airings bookended by Judith Merril
From 1979 to 1981, TVO airings were bookended by science-fiction writer Judith Merril who introduced the episode and then, after the episode concluded, tried to place it in an educational context.
1981: Peter Davison replaces Tom Baker as the Doctor
In 1981, Peter Davison took over the role of the Doctor from Tom Baker.
1981: First commercially available audiobook
In 1981, the first commercially available audiobook was an abridged reading of the Fourth Doctor story State of Decay.
1981: Pilot episode of K-9 and Company aired
In 1981, the pilot episode ("A Girl's Best Friend") for a potential spin-off series, K-9 and Company, aired but was not picked up as a regular series.
1982: Black Orchid aired
In 1982, Black Orchid, set in 1920s England, aired as an exception to the show's focus on science fiction tales.
November 1983: "The Five Doctors" shown for BBC Children in Need
In November 1983, coinciding with the series' 20th anniversary, "The Five Doctors" was shown as part of the annual BBC Children in Need Appeal. This episode was the program's first co-production with Australian broadcaster ABC.
1983: Regeneration Limit
In 1983, Mawdryn Undead established that a Time Lord can only regenerate 12 times, for a total of 13 incarnations.
1983: The Five Doctors
In 1983, Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee returned to star with Peter Davison in "The Five Doctors", with Richard Hurndall replacing William Hartnell. Tom Baker also appeared in previously unseen footage from the uncompleted Shada serial.
1983: "The Five Doctors" released
In 1983, "The Five Doctors" was a feature-length production released.
1983: "The Five Doctors" debuts on PBS stations
On 23 November 1983, the 20th-anniversary special "The Five Doctors" debuted on a number of PBS stations two days before its BBC One broadcast.
1984: Colin Baker replaces Peter Davison as the Doctor
In 1984, Colin Baker succeeded Peter Davison as the Doctor.
1984: Resurrection of the Daleks released
In 1984, Resurrection of the Daleks was a 45/50-minute episode.
1985: Series postponed and show off-air
In 1985, Doctor Who's 23rd series was postponed, and the show was off the air for 18 months.
1985: Doctor Who Season 23 cancelled
In 1985, Michael Grade cancelled the upcoming twenty-third season of Doctor Who, leading to an eighteen-month hiatus for the series.
1985: The Two Doctors
In 1985, Patrick Troughton reprised his role in "The Two Doctors" alongside Colin Baker.
1985: 45/50-minute episodes released
In 1985, a single season of Doctor Who episodes were 45/50-minute.
1985: Criticism over violence in season 22
In 1985, violence depicted in season 22 of Doctor Who was publicly criticized by controller Michael Grade, contributing to the series' suspension.
1986: Radiophonic Workshop dropped
After 1986's The Trial of a Time Lord series, the Radiophonic Workshop was dropped, and Keff McCulloch took over as the series' main composer.
1986: Doctor Who recommissioned with a new Doctor
In 1986, Doctor Who was recommissioned on the condition that Colin Baker left the role, leading to a recast.
1986: Dominic Glynn arrangement
In 1986, Dominic Glynn's arrangement replaced Peter Howell's arrangement for season 23.
1986: The Trial of a Time Lord
In 1986, from The Trial of a Time Lord, Michael Jayston's character the Valeyard is described as an amalgamation of the darker sides of the Doctor's nature.
1986: Idea of casting a woman as the Doctor suggested
In 1986, the idea of casting a woman as the Doctor had been suggested by the show's writers, including by Newman.
1987: Keff McCulloch arrangement
From 1987 until 1989, Keff McCulloch provided the new arrangement for the Seventh Doctor's era.
1987: Sylvester McCoy cast as the Doctor
In 1987, Sylvester McCoy was cast as the Doctor.
1988: "Doctorin' the Tardis" released
In 1988, The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu (later known as The KLF), under the name The Timelords, released the single "Doctorin' the Tardis". It reached No. 1 in the UK and No. 2 in Australia and incorporated other songs including "Rock and Roll Part 2" by Gary Glitter.
1988: First radio drama, Slipback, transmitted
In 1988, during a hiatus in the television show, Slipback, the first Doctor Who radio drama, was transmitted.
1988: Silver Nemesis broadcasts on TVNZ
In November 1988, the story Silver Nemesis was broadcast with all three episodes airing back to back on TVNZ in New Zealand.
July 1989: Philip Segal approaches BBC about relaunching Doctor Who
In July 1989, while the 26th season of Doctor Who was still in production, Philip Segal approached the BBC to discuss relaunching the series.
December 1989: Original run ended
On 6 December 1989, Doctor Who's original run ended after 26 seasons on BBC One.
1989: Series' suspension
From 1987 until 1989, Keff McCulloch provided the new arrangement for the Seventh Doctor's era until the series' suspension.
1989: Doctor Who's hiatus
In 1989, Doctor Who went on hiatus, with Anthony Ainley as the Master.
1989: Production of Doctor Who ends
In 1989, production of Doctor Who ended due to falling viewing numbers and a less-prominent transmission slot.
1989: Original Doctor Who Series Plot Line
The original Doctor Who series, which ended in 1989, had a plot line that continued in the 2005 revival.
1991: TVOntario airs to series 24
In 1976 TVOntario picked up Doctor Who, beginning with The Three Doctors and aired each series (several years late) through to series 24 in 1991.
1991: Original fiction line launched
In 1991 an extensive line of original Doctor Who fiction was launched, consisting of the Virgin New Adventures and Virgin Missing Adventures.
1991: Museum of the Moving Image's Behind the Sofa exhibition
In 1991, the Museum of the Moving Image in London named its Doctor Who exhibition "Behind the Sofa", referencing the cultural phenomenon of children hiding behind sofas while watching scary parts of the show.
1993: Mini-episode released
In 1993, a mini-episode of Doctor Who, running about eight minutes, was produced for the Children in Need charity appeal.
1993: Dimensions in Time produced for Children in Need
In 1993, for Doctor Who's 30th anniversary, Dimensions in Time, a charity special featuring all the surviving actors who played the Doctor, was produced for Children in Need, with a crossover with EastEnders.
1996: "Best Popular Drama"
In 1996, Doctor Who was voted as the "Best Popular Drama" the BBC had ever produced at the "Auntie Awards", ahead of EastEnders and Casualty.
1996: John Debney arrangement
In 1996, John Debney created a new arrangement of Grainer's original theme for Doctor Who.
1996: Doctor Who television film broadcast on Fox
In 1996, a Doctor Who television film starring Paul McGann as the Doctor was broadcast on the Fox Network as a pilot for an American series. While successful in the UK, it did not lead to a full series in the United States.
1996: Television film released
In 1996, a Doctor Who television film was released.
1996: BBC applies for TARDIS trademark
In 1996, the BBC applied for a trademark to use the TARDIS' blue police box design in merchandising associated with Doctor Who.
1996: The Master played by Eric Roberts
In 1996, the Master was played by American actor Eric Roberts in the television movie of Doctor Who.
1996: Release of TV film Doctor Who
In 1996, the TV film Doctor Who was released.
1996: End of Classic Doctor Who
In 1996, the classic Doctor Who series (the first 8 Doctors) ended.
1996: Unsuccessful attempt to revive Doctor Who with a TV film
In 1996, there was an unsuccessful attempt to revive regular production of Doctor Who with a television film as a backdoor pilot.
1996: 1996 Doctor Who Film Plot Line
The 1996 Doctor Who television film had a plot line that continued in the 2005 revival.
1998: Metropolitan Police Authority objects to trademark claim
In 1998, the Metropolitan Police Authority filed an objection to the BBC's trademark claim for the TARDIS design.
1999: Doctor Who and the Curse of Fatal Death made for Comic Relief
In 1999, Doctor Who and the Curse of Fatal Death, a special made for Comic Relief, was released on VHS, featuring multiple regenerations of the Doctor.
1999: Dalek on a postage stamp
In 1999, a Dalek appeared on a postage stamp celebrating British popular culture, photographed by Lord Snowdon.
1999: Big Finish Productions releases Doctor Who audios
Since 1999, Big Finish Productions has released several series of Doctor Who audios on CD, featuring the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Doctors.
2000: 100 Greatest British Television Programmes
In 2000, Doctor Who was ranked third in a list of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes of the 20th century, produced by the British Film Institute and voted on by industry professionals.
2000: Many serials released on Video 2000
In 2000, many Doctor Who serials were released on Video 2000.
2001: Eighth Doctor joins Big Finish audio series
In 2001, Paul McGann's Eighth Doctor joined the Big Finish line of Doctor Who audio series.
2001: 100 Greatest Kids' TV shows
In Channel 4's 2001 list of the 100 Greatest Kids' TV shows, Doctor Who was placed at number nine.
2002: Patent Office rules in favor of the BBC
In 2002, the Patent Office ruled in favour of the BBC in its trademark claim for the TARDIS design.
September 2003: BBC announces production of a new Doctor Who series
In September 2003, BBC Television announced the in-house production of a new Doctor Who series after attempts to create a feature film.
2003: Richard E. Grant
In 2003, Richard E. Grant portrayed an alternate version of the Doctor known as the Shalka Doctor in the animated series Scream of the Shalka.
2003: Character incredulous in political cartoon
In 2003, an incredulous character was depicted in the cartoon This Modern World.
2003: Daily screenings of classic episodes begin
In 2003, the ABC began daily screenings of all available classic Doctor Who episodes for the show's 40th anniversary.
2004: TV Guide's Top Cult Shows Ever
In 2004, Doctor Who was ranked number 18 on TV Guide's Top Cult Shows Ever.
March 2005: Doctor Who returns with Christopher Eccleston
On March 26, 2005, Doctor Who returned to BBC One with the episode "Rose," starring Christopher Eccleston as the Doctor after a 16-year hiatus of in-house production.
November 2005: Mini-episode introducing David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor
In November 2005, a seven-minute untitled mini-episode introducing David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor aired as part of Children in Need.
2005: CBC began showing the series again
CBC began showing the series again in 2005.
2005: Success of Doctor Who revival leads to Torchwood
Following the success of the Doctor Who revival in 2005, the BBC commissioned a spin-off series called Torchwood.
2005: Revived series on Prime Television
From 2005 to 2017, the new revived series of Doctor Who aired on Prime Television in New Zealand.
2005: Greatest UK Science Fiction and Fantasy Television Series Ever
In 2005, Doctor Who came first in a survey by SFX magazine of "The Greatest UK Science Fiction and Fantasy Television Series Ever".
2005: National Television Award
In 2005, Doctor Who received the first of five consecutive awards at the National Television Awards during Russell T Davies' tenure as executive producer.
2005: Doctor Who relaunched by BBC Wales
In 2005, Doctor Who was relaunched and produced in-house by BBC Wales in Cardiff, marking the return of the series after a hiatus.
2005: Jane Tranter recommissions Doctor Who
In 2005, Jane Tranter recommissioned the series Doctor Who.
2005: Murray Gold arrangement
In 2005, Murray Gold provided a new arrangement for the return of the series, which featured samples from the 1963 original.
2005: Eighth Doctor confirmed in revival
In 2005, Paul McGann's Eighth Doctor was confirmed as part of the Doctor Who revival through flashback footage and a mini-episode, effectively linking the two series and the television movie.
2005: 2005 series available on UMD
In 2005, the entire 2005 series of Doctor Who became available on UMD for the PlayStation Portable.
2005: Doctor Who revival continues plot from original series
In 2005, the revival of Doctor Who was released, continuing the plot directly from the original 1963-1989 series and the 1996 television film.
2005: Revival serial format change
In 2005, the serial format changed for the Doctor Who revival, with a series usually consisting of thirteen 45-minute, self-contained episodes and an extended 60-minute episode broadcast on Christmas Day.
2005: First Soundtrack released since 2005
Since 2005 six soundtracks have been released. The first featured tracks from the first two series.
2005: 45/50-minute episodes released
Since 2005, 45/50-minute Doctor Who episodes have been the most common format for the revival era.
2005: Series revival features pop music excerpts
Since the 2005 return of Doctor Who, the series has occasionally featured excerpts of pop music from the 1970s to the present day.
2005: New range of novels published
Since the relaunch of the Doctor Who programme in 2005, a new range of novels has been published by BBC Books.
2005: Revival of classic monsters
With the show's 2005 revival, executive producer Russell T Davies stated his intention to reintroduce the classic monsters of Doctor Who. The Autons and Daleks returned in series 1.
April 2006: Blue Peter launched a challenge
In April 2006, Blue Peter launched a challenge to find missing Doctor Who episodes with the promise of a full-scale Dalek model as a reward.
October 2006: Debut of Torchwood on BBC Three
On 22 October 2006, the spin-off series Torchwood debuted on BBC Three, featuring John Barrowman reprising his role as Jack Harkness.
November 2006: The Invasion episodes reconstructed
In November 2006, the BBC, in conjunction with animation studio Cosgrove Hall, reconstructed the missing episodes 1 and 4 of The Invasion (1968), using remastered audio tracks and the comprehensive stage notes for the original filming, for the serial's DVD release.
November 2006: Concert to raise money for Children in Need
On 19 November 2006, a concert featuring the BBC National Orchestra of Wales performing music from the first two series took place to raise money for Children in Need. David Tennant hosted the event, and it aired on BBCi on Christmas Day 2006.
2006: Series broadcast on NHK
From 2006 to 2008 Series 1 through 3 of Doctor Who were broadcast on various NHK channels with Japanese subtitles.
2006: British Academy Television Award for Best Drama Series
In 2006, Doctor Who won the British Academy Television Award for Best Drama Series.
2006: Sarah Jane Smith return and Torchwood launch
In 2006, Sarah Jane Smith returned to Doctor Who and the character of Jack Harkness served to launch "Torchwood".
2006: Hugo Award
In 2006, the Doctor Who episode "The Empty Child"/"The Doctor Dances" won the Short Form of the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation.
2006: Torchwood television series begins
In 2006, the television series Torchwood, a spin-off of Doctor Who, began airing.
2006: Cybermen reintroduced
In the 2006 series, the Cybermen were reintroduced in the form of alternate universe aliens, with radically different back stories.
June 2007: Series three begins broadcasting on CBC
On 18 June 2007, series three began broadcasting on CBC followed by the second Christmas special, "The Runaway Bride", at midnight.
July 2007: Series begins broadcasting on Sci Fi Channel
On 6 July 2007, Doctor Who began on the Sci Fi Channel, starting with the second Christmas special at 8:00 pm E/P followed by the first episode.
September 2007: Start of The Sarah Jane Adventures
On 24 September 2007, the full series of The Sarah Jane Adventures began, starring Elisabeth Sladen as Sarah Jane Smith.
November 2007: "Time Crash" mini-episode aired
In November 2007, the 7-minute mini-episode "Time Crash", featuring the Tenth Doctor meeting the Fifth Doctor, Peter Davison, aired for Children in Need.
2007: Doctor Who is "quintessential to being British"
In 2007, Caitlin Moran, television reviewer for The Times, wrote that Doctor Who is "quintessential to being British".
2007: The Master returns
In 2007, Derek Jacobi reintroduced the Master in the episode "Utopia", with John Simm later assuming the role.
2007: TV Guide's Top Cult Shows Ever
In 2007, Doctor Who was ranked number 22 on TV Guide's Top Cult Shows Ever.
2007: Time Crash
In 2007, Peter Davison returned in the Children in Need short "Time Crash" alongside David Tennant.
2007: The Sarah Jane Adventures
In 2007, Sarah Jane Smith became the central character in "The Sarah Jane Adventures" following a return to Doctor Who in 2006.
2007: Mini-episode released
In 2007, a mini-episode of Doctor Who, running about eight minutes, was produced for the Children in Need charity appeal.
2007: Voyage of the Damned
In 2007, a new arrangement of the theme by Gold was introduced in the Christmas special episode, "Voyage of the Damned".
2007: The Infinite Quest aired
In 2007, the animated serial The Infinite Quest aired alongside the Doctor Who series as part of the children's television series Totally Doctor Who.
2007: The Sarah Jane Adventures television series begins
In 2007, the television series The Sarah Jane Adventures, a spin-off of Doctor Who, began airing.
April 2008: Series four aired in the United States
In April 2008, series four of Doctor Who aired in the United States on the Sci Fi Channel (now known as Syfy).
July 2008: Doctor Who Prom at Royal Albert Hall
On 27 July 2008, a Doctor Who Prom was celebrated in the Royal Albert Hall as part of the annual BBC Proms. The BBC Philharmonic and the London Philharmonic Choir performed Murray Gold's compositions, conducted by Ben Foster. Freema Agyeman presented, and the event featured a mini-episode "Music of the Spheres".
September 2008: Series four aired on CBC
On 19 September 2008, series four of Doctor Who aired on CBC, although the CBC did not air the "Voyage of the Damned" special.
2008: Series broadcast on NHK
From 2006 to 2008 Series 1 through 3 of Doctor Who were broadcast on various NHK channels with Japanese subtitles.
2008: People's Choice Awards nomination
In 2008, Doctor Who received a nomination for "Favorite Sci-Fi Show" in the People's Choice Awards.
2008: Mini-episode released
In 2008, a mini-episode of Doctor Who was produced for a Doctor Who–themed edition of The Proms.
2008: Tenth Doctor informs incredulous character in political cartoon
In 2008, in This Modern World by Tom Tomorrow, the Tenth Doctor informs an incredulous character from 2003 that the Democratic Party will nominate an African-American as its presidential candidate.
2008: Hugo Award
In 2008, the Doctor Who episode "Blink" won the Short Form of the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation.
2008: "Journey's End"
In 2008, the episode "Journey's End" was released and was longer than an hour.
2008: Idea of casting a woman as the Doctor suggested
In 2008, the idea of casting a woman as the Doctor had been suggested by the show's writers, including by Davies.
2008: Second series of The Sarah Jane Adventures
In 2008, the second series of The Sarah Jane Adventures aired, featuring the return of Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart.
2008: Second series of Torchwood aired
In 2008, the second series of Torchwood aired, with Freema Agyeman reprising her role as Martha Jones for three episodes.
2008: Soundtracks released for Series 3 and 4
Since 2005 six soundtracks have been released. The second and third featured music from the third and fourth series respectively.
March 2009: "The Next Doctor" broadcast on Space
In March 2009, the Canadian cable network Space (now known as CTV Sci-Fi Channel) broadcast "The Next Doctor" special and all subsequent series and specials.
July 2009: Broadcast of Torchwood: Children of Earth
From 6 to 10 July 2009, the third series of Torchwood, a five-part story called Children of Earth, was broadcast.
August 2009: Series broadcast with Japanese dubbing
Beginning on 2 August 2009, upon the launch of Disney XD in Japan, Doctor Who has been broadcast with Japanese dubbing.
2009: Series moved to Space
In 2009 the series moved to the Canadian cable channel Space.
2009: David Tennant appears in The Sarah Jane Adventures
In 2009, David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor made a crossover appearance in The Sarah Jane Adventures.
2009: Greatest show of the 2000s
In 2009, Doctor Who was voted the 3rd greatest show of the 2000s by Channel 4, behind Top Gear and The Apprentice.
2009: Davies leaves the production team
In 2009, Russell T Davies left the Doctor Who production team.
2009: High Ratings
In 2009, according to an article in the Daily Telegraph, the revival of Doctor Who had consistently received high ratings, both in number of viewers and as measured by the Appreciation Index.
2009: Dreamland aired on BBC Red Button
In 2009, the animated serial Dreamland aired in six parts on the BBC Red Button service and the official Doctor Who website.
2009: K9 television series begins
In 2009, the television series K9, a spin-off of Doctor Who, began airing.
2009: "Planet of the Dead" filmed in 1080i
Starting with the 2009 special "Planet of the Dead", the Doctor Who series was filmed in 1080i for HDTV and broadcast simultaneously on BBC One and BBC HD.
October 2010: Soundtrack released as a two-disc special edition
On 4 October 2010, the fourth Doctor Who soundtrack was released as a two-disc special edition, containing music from the 2008–2010 specials.
November 2010: Series 5 soundtrack released
On 8 November 2010, the soundtrack for Series 5 of Doctor Who was released.
2010: National Television Award
In 2010, Doctor Who received the last of five consecutive awards at the National Television Awards during Russell T Davies' tenure as executive producer.
2010: Matt Smith appears in The Sarah Jane Adventures
In 2010, Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor appeared in the fourth season of The Sarah Jane Adventures, alongside Katy Manning as Jo Grant.
2010: Gold returns
In 2010, Murray Gold returned as composer for the series, and was responsible for a new version of the theme which was reported to have had a hostile reception from some viewers.
2010: Additional special released
In 2010, an additional Doctor Who special ranging from 60 to 75 minutes in duration was released.
2010: Mind Award nomination
In 2010, the episode "Vincent and the Doctor" was shortlisted for a Mind Award at the Mind Mental Health Media Awards for its "touching" portrayal of Vincent van Gogh.
2010: "The Eleventh Hour"
In 2010, the episode "The Eleventh Hour" was released and was longer than an hour.
2010: K9 television series ends
In 2010, the television series K9, a spin-off of Doctor Who, ended its run.
January 2011: Mankind version of Doctor Who theme released
In January 2011, the Mankind disco version of the Doctor Who theme was released as a digital download on the album Gallifrey And Beyond.
February 2011: "A Christmas Carol" soundtrack released
In February 2011, a soundtrack was released for the 2010 Christmas special "A Christmas Carol" by Silva Screen Records.
December 2011: Series 6 soundtrack released
In December 2011, the soundtrack for Series 6 of Doctor Who was released by Silva Screen Records.
2011: David Yates announces Doctor Who film project
In 2011, David Yates announced he had started work with the BBC on a Doctor Who film, a project estimated to take three or more years to complete.
2011: Matt Smith BAFTA Nomination
In 2011, Matt Smith became the first Doctor to be nominated for a BAFTA Television Award for Best Actor.
2011: Spike Scream Award
In 2011, Matt Smith won Best Science Fiction Actor in the Spike Scream Awards.
2011: Mini-episode released
In 2011, a two-part mini-episode of Doctor Who was produced for the Comic Relief.
2011: Doctor Who voted scariest TV show of all time
In 2011, an online vote at Digital Spy deemed Doctor Who the "scariest TV show of all time".
2011: End of The Sarah Jane Adventures and Torchwood
In 2011, both "The Sarah Jane Adventures" and "Torchwood" ended.
2011: Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures end
In 2011, both Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures, spin-offs of Doctor Who, ended their runs.
2011: "Space" and "Time" mini-episodes for Comic Relief
In 2011, the mini-episodes "Space" and "Time" were produced for Comic Relief, and a segment was filmed for Children in Need where the Doctor attempted to auction off his clothing.
2011: Theme Tune charts in Hall of Fame
In 2011, the theme tune charted at number 228 of radio station Classic FM's Hall of Fame.
2011: Final series of The Sarah Jane Adventures
In autumn 2011, the final, three-story fifth series of The Sarah Jane Adventures was transmitted, which was uncompleted due to Elisabeth Sladen's death earlier in 2011.
2012: Fear and thrill as core of the series
A 2012 article highlighted the childhood juxtaposition of fear and thrill as central to many people's relationship with Doctor Who.
2012: Fourth Doctor joins Big Finish
In 2012, Tom Baker's Fourth Doctor began appearing for Big Finish Productions.
2012: Revised version debuts
In 2012, a revised version of Gold's 2010 arrangement had its debut over the opening titles of the Christmas special "The Snowmen".
2012: Hugo Award, National Television Awards
In 2012, the Doctor Who episode "The Doctor's Wife" won the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation. In the same year, Matt Smith won Best Actor and Karen Gillan won Best Actress in the National Television awards.
2012: "The Great Detective" mini-episode
In 2012, the mini-episode "The Great Detective" was featured during Children in Need.
March 2013: Tennant and Piper return
In March 2013, it was announced that David Tennant and Billie Piper would be returning for the 50th-anniversary special, "The Day of the Doctor", and that the episode would have a limited cinematic release worldwide.
May 2013: The Reign of Terror episodes animated
In May 2013, the missing episodes of The Reign of Terror were animated by animation company Theta-Sigma, in collaboration with Big Finish, and became available for purchase through Amazon.com.
August 2013: Doctor Who Live: The Next Doctor
On 4 August 2013, a live programme titled Doctor Who Live: The Next Doctor was broadcast on BBC One, during which the actor who was going to play the Twelfth Doctor was revealed. The live show was watched by an average of 6.27 million in the UK, and was also simulcast in the United States, Canada and Australia.
October 2013: Missing episodes found in Nigeria
On 10 October 2013, the BBC announced that films of eleven Doctor Who episodes, including nine missing episodes, had been found in a Nigerian television relay station in Jos.
November 2013: Doctor Who: Legacy release
In November 2013, Doctor Who: Legacy, a match-3 game, was released for iOS, Android, Amazon App Store and Facebook. The game has been constantly updated since its release and features all the Doctors as playable characters as well as over 100 companions.
November 2013: 50th Anniversary Special
In November 2013, a further revision of the arrangement was made for the 50th-anniversary special "The Day of the Doctor".
November 2013: "The Day of the Doctor" broadcast
As of November 2013, the modern series has been broadcast in more than 50 countries. The 50th anniversary episode, "The Day of the Doctor", was broadcast in 94 countries and screened to more than half a million people in cinemas, achieving a world record.
2013: Delia Derbyshire receives on-screen credit
In 2013, Delia Derbyshire received an on-screen credit for her arrangement of the Doctor Who theme music in the 50th-anniversary story "The Day of the Doctor".
2013: John Hurt guest-starred as the War Doctor
In 2013, John Hurt guest-starred as a hitherto unknown incarnation of the Doctor known as the War Doctor in the run-up to the show's 50th-anniversary special "The Day of the Doctor".
2013: Matt Smith leaves the role of the Doctor
In 2013, Matt Smith decided to leave the role of the Doctor, which was the 50th anniversary year of Doctor Who. He was then replaced by Peter Capaldi.
2013: Sixth-best sci-fi show
In 2013, TV Guide ranked Doctor Who as the sixth-best sci-fi show.
2013: 50th-anniversary boxed set of audio CDs released
In 2013, a 50th-anniversary boxed set of audio CDs was released featuring music and sound effects from Doctor Who's 50-year history.
2013: Additional special released
In 2013, an additional Doctor Who special ranging from 60 to 75 minutes in duration was released.
2013: Destiny of the Doctor series released
In 2013, as part of Doctor Who's 50th-anniversary celebrations, Big Finish produced the Destiny of the Doctor series, audiobooks featuring Doctors from the revived show.
2013: Weekly screenings of revived episodes begin
In 2013, the ABC began weekly screenings of all available revived Doctor Who episodes for the show's 50th anniversary.
2013: 50th Anniversary Stamp
In 2013, the Daleks received another stamp as part of the 50th anniversary.
2013: The Name of the Doctor and The Day of the Doctor
In 2013, the Eleventh Doctor met the War Doctor in "The Name of the Doctor", and David Tennant's Tenth Doctor appeared alongside Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor and John Hurt as the War Doctor in "The Day of the Doctor".
2013: Institutional Peabody Award
In 2013, the Peabody Awards honoured Doctor Who with an Institutional Peabody "for evolving with technology and the times like nothing else in the known television universe."
2013: New regeneration cycle
In 2013, the episode "The Time of the Doctor" depicted the Doctor acquiring a new cycle of regenerations, starting from the Twelfth Doctor, due to the Eleventh Doctor being the product of the Doctor's twelfth regeneration from his original set.
2014: Missy is revealed
In 2014, it was revealed that the Master had become a female incarnation or "Time Lady", going by the name of "Missy" played by Michelle Gomez.
2014: Doctor Who-themed Paddington Bear statue
In 2014, the Twelfth Doctor Peter Capaldi designed a Doctor Who-themed Paddington Bear statue, auctioned to raise funds for the NSPCC.
November 2015: Lego Dimensions release
In November 2015, Lego Dimensions was released, featuring Doctor Who as one of the "Level Packs" in the game. The pack contains the Twelfth Doctor, who can reincarnate into the others, K9, the TARDIS and a Victorian London adventure level area.
January 2016: Moffat announces his departure
In January 2016, Steven Moffat announced that he would step down as showrunner after the 2017 finale of Doctor Who.
January 2016: Class picked up by BBC America
On 8 January 2016, Class was picked up by BBC America and by BBC One a day later.
May 2016: Tenth Doctor audio adventures released
In May 2016, the Tenth Doctor, David Tennant, appeared alongside Catherine Tate in a collection of three audio adventures.
September 2016: Blu-ray release of the 1996 TV film Doctor Who
In September 2016, the 1996 TV film Doctor Who was released on Blu-ray.
October 2016: Class aired on BBC Three
On 22 October 2016, Class, a spin-off series, first aired online on BBC Three as a series of eight 45-minute episodes.
2016: Doctor Who: The 50th Anniversary Collection Four LP Box Set released
In 2016, Doctor Who: The 50th Anniversary Collection Four LP Box Set was released by New York City-based Spacelab9, pressing 1,000 copies on "Metallic Silver" vinyl, dubbed the "Cyberman Edition".
2016: Michelle Gomez BAFTA Nomination
In 2016, Michelle Gomez became the first woman to receive a BAFTA nomination for the series, getting a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her work as Missy.
2016: The Return of Doctor Mysterio"
In 2016, the Christmas special "The Return of Doctor Mysterio" was a finalist for the 2017 Hugo Awards.
2016: Class television series begins
In 2016, the television series Class, a spin-off of Doctor Who, began airing.
June 2017: Deal between BBC Worldwide and SMG Pictures
In June 2017, it was announced that due to the terms of a deal between BBC Worldwide and SMG Pictures in China, the company has first right of refusal on the purchase for the Chinese market of future series of the programme until and including Series 15.
September 2017: Cancellation of Class
On 7 September 2017, BBC Three controller Damian Kavanagh confirmed that the series Class had officially been cancelled.
2017: Revived series on Prime Television
From 2005 to 2017, the new revived series of Doctor Who aired on Prime Television in New Zealand.
2017: Murray Gold composes incidental music until 2017
From the 2005 revival to the 2017 Christmas episode "Twice Upon a Time", all incidental music for the series was composed by Murray Gold and Ben Foster.
2017: Hugo Awards finalist
In 2017, Doctor Who episode "The Return of Doctor Mysterio" was a finalist for the Hugo Awards.
2017: Jodie Whittaker cast as the Thirteenth Doctor
In 2017, Jodie Whittaker took over the role as the Thirteenth Doctor at the end of the 2017 Christmas special and is the first woman to be cast as the character.
2017: Moffat's final series and Chibnall's succession
In 2017, Steven Moffat produced his final series of Doctor Who, after which Chris Chibnall was set to replace him as showrunner in 2018.
2017: Classic series available on BritBox and Pluto TV
In 2017, over 600 episodes of the classic Doctor Who series became available to stream on BritBox and Pluto TV.
2017: The Doctor Falls and Twice Upon a Time
In 2017, the First Doctor (portrayed by David Bradley) returned alongside Peter Capaldi in "The Doctor Falls" and "Twice Upon a Time".
May 2018: Doctor Who: Battle of Time soft-launched
On 30 May 2018, Doctor Who: Battle of Time, a digital collectible card game developed by Bandai Namco Entertainment, was soft-launched in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Thailand for iOS and Android.
June 2018: Segun Akinola announced as series 11 composer
On 26 June 2018, producer Chris Chibnall announced that Segun Akinola would provide the musical score for series 11, with a more subtle approach than Gold's work. He remained composer throughout Chibnall's tenure.
August 2018: Doctor Who Infinity release
On 7 August 2018, Doctor Who Infinity was released on Steam. It was nominated for "Best Start-up" at The Independent Game Developers' Association Awards 2018.
2018: Chris Chibnall becomes showrunner
In 2018, Chris Chibnall took over as showrunner for Doctor Who, succeeding Steven Moffat.
2018: Doctor Who aired on TVNZ 2
In 2018, Doctor Who aired on Fridays on TVNZ 2, and on TVNZ On Demand on the same episode as the UK.
October 2019: 40 years of continuous publication
On 11 October 2019, Doctor Who Magazine (DWM) celebrated 40 years of continuous publication, recognised by Guinness World Records as the longest-running TV tie-in magazine.
2019: Science Fiction Hall of Fame induction
In 2019, Doctor Who was inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame based in Seattle, Washington.
August 2020: New series of audios with Christopher Eccleston announced
In August 2020, Big Finish announced a new series of Doctor Who audios, beginning release in May 2021, featuring Christopher Eccleston reprising his role as the Ninth Doctor.
2020: Revival series available on HBO Max
From 2020, the revival series of Doctor Who, along with the spin-offs Sarah Jane Adventures and Torchwood, became available for streaming on HBO Max.
2020: The Monthly Adventures to end
In 2020, Big Finish revealed that The Monthly Adventures would come to an end in favor of individual box sets.
2020: Fugitive of the Judoon and The Timeless Children
In 2020, Jodie Whittaker's Thirteenth Doctor met Jo Martin's incarnation of the Doctor, known as the Fugitive Doctor, in "Fugitive of the Judoon". They interacted again in the episode "The Timeless Children" later that year.
2020: Jo Martin's Fugitive Doctor
In 2020, the show introduced another such unknown past Doctor with Jo Martin's recurring portrayal of the Fugitive Doctor, beginning with "Fugitive of the Judoon".
2020: Cybermen ability to regenerate
In the 2020 series, the Cybermen aligned themselves with The Master and were given the ability to regenerate.
2020: The Master played by Sacha Dhawan
In the 2020 twelfth series, the Master returned with Sacha Dhawan in the role.
March 2021: Classic Doctor Who series to be released on Blu-ray
In March 2021, it was announced that the classic Doctor Who series would be released on Blu-ray, starting with seasons 12 and 19.
May 2021: New audio series featuring Christopher Eccleston begins
In May 2021, Big Finish began releasing a new series of Doctor Who audios featuring Christopher Eccleston reprising his role as the Ninth Doctor.
2021: Doctor Who moved to TVNZ 1
In 2021, Doctor Who moved to TVNZ 1 in New Zealand.
2021: Once, Upon Time
In 2021, the Thirteenth Doctor and the Fugitive Doctor interacted in "Once, Upon Time".
October 2022: Whittaker regenerates into Tennant
On 23 October 2022, Jodie Whittaker regenerated into a form portrayed by David Tennant, who was confirmed to be the Fourteenth Doctor. In the same year, Ncuti Gatwa was revealed to be portraying the Fifteenth Doctor, making him the first black actor to headline the series.
2022: Doctor Who: Redacted podcast began airing
In 2022, BBC Sounds began airing Doctor Who: Redacted, a podcast written by Juno Dawson and starring Charlie Craggs and Jodie Whittaker.
2022: Whittaker and Chibnall depart after specials
In 2022, Jodie Whittaker and Chris Chibnall both departed from Doctor Who after a series of specials.
2022: TVNZ lost the rights
In 2022, TVNZ lost the rights to Doctor Who altogether.
2022: The Power of the Doctor
In 2022, in her final episode, "The Power of the Doctor", Jodie Whittaker interacts with manifestations of the Doctor's First (Bradley), Fifth (Davison), Sixth (Colin Baker), Seventh (McCoy), and Eighth (McGann) incarnations.
January 2023: Confirmation of future Doctor Who spin-offs
On 27 January 2023, Russell T Davies confirmed that future Doctor Who spin-offs were in the works.
2023: Murray Gold rehired
In 2023, Davies rehired Murray Gold to work on the series for the 60th anniversary episodes and continuing into the Fifteenth Doctor's tenure.
2023: Doctor Who released on Disney+
Starting with the 60th-anniversary specials in 2023, Doctor Who has been released on Disney+ outside the United Kingdom and Ireland.
July 2024: Announcement of spin-off The War Between the Land and the Sea
At San Diego Comic-Con in July 2024, Russell T Davies confirmed a new spin-off series, The War Between the Land and the Sea, was in development.
2024: Murray Gold makes a cameo
In 2024, Murray Gold made a cameo in the episode "The Devil's Chord".
2024: Ncuti Gatwa leads as the Fifteenth Doctor
In 2024, Ncuti Gatwa took over the lead role in Doctor Who, becoming the Fifteenth Doctor. Gatwa is the first black actor to headline the series.
2024: Richard E. Grant appeared as a hologram of a past Doctor
In 2024, Richard E. Grant appeared as a hologram of a past Doctor in "Rogue".
2024: Tales of the TARDIS continues
In 2024, Tales of the TARDIS, a spin-off of Doctor Who, continues to air.
2024: Previous series available on +SBT
Starting from 2024, the previous 13 series of Doctor Who will be available at the upcoming streaming service +SBT in Brazil.
Mentioned in this timeline
PlayStation is a video game brand owned by Sony Interactive...
Home Box Office HBO is a flagship American pay television...
Nigeria officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria is a West...
Lego is a line of plastic construction toys created by...
Facebook is a social media and networking service created in...
New Zealand is an island country located in the southwestern...
Trending
52 minutes ago Lamar Stevens and Marvin Bagley to start Sunday's game, team announces.
52 minutes ago Alex Bowman Scores Pole at Bristol, Suffers Engine Failure During NASCAR Cup
53 minutes ago Sergio Garcia splits with manager after 20 years, wife Angela confirms the news.
2 hours ago Gary Player's Masters Monologue: Young Girlfriend, Arby's Bashing, and Hardest Quote
2 hours ago Chris Paul Achieves Historic NBA Feat: Starting All 82 Games in Year 20
2 hours ago Donovan Clingan's Skill Could Make Him the Future Center for the Blazers
Popular
Doug Ford is a Canadian politician and businessman currently serving...
Peter Navarro is an American economist and author known for...
Justin Trudeau served as the rd Prime Minister of Canada...
The Real ID Act of is a US federal law...
Donald John Trump is an American politician media personality and...
Michael Jordan also known as MJ is a celebrated American...