September 09, 2013
Starring Matt Smith, David Tennant, Jenna Coleman with Billie Piper and John Hurt, the Doctor Who 50th anniversary special will be titled The Day of the Doctor, and has been confirmed as feature length, with 75 minutes of adventure.
Matt Smith, who plays the Doctor, said: “The Day of the Doctor is nearly here! Hope you all enjoy. There’s lots more coming your way, as the countdown to the 50th begins now.”
BBC Two will broadcast a number of new commissions, focusing on telling the story behind the show. The previously announced An Adventure in Space and Time, will tell the story of the genesis of Doctor Who and the many personalities involved. Written by Mark Gatiss the drama stars David Bradley, Brian Cox, Jessica Raine and Sacha Dhawan.
For one night only, Professor Brian Cox will take an audience of celebrity guests and members of the public on a journey into the wonderful universe of the Doctor, from the lecture hall of the Royal Institution of Great Britain. Drawing on the latest theories as well as 200 years of scientific discoveries and the genius of Einstein, Brian tries to answer the classic questions raised by the Doctor.
In an hour-long special, BBC Two’s flagship arts programme The Culture Show presents Me, You and Doctor Who with lifelong fan Matthew Sweet exploring the cultural significance of the BBC’s longest running TV drama, arguing that it’s one of the most important cultural artefacts of modern Britain.
Steven Moffat, lead writer and executive producer, Doctor Who said: "50 years has turned Doctor Who from a television show into a cultural landmark. Personally I can't wait to see what it becomes after a hundred."
BBC Four will introduce audiences to the First Doctor, William Hartnell, with a special re-run of the first ever story – An Unearthly Child. The four episodes are being shown in a restored format, not previously broadcast in the UK.
CBBC presents 12 Again bringing together CBBC’s super fan Chris Johnson, impressionist Jon Culshaw, Tommy Knight (Luke Smith), Warwick Davis (Porridge), Neve McIntosh (Madame Vastra), Dan Starkey (Strax), Louise Jameson (Leela) and the Seventh Doctor; Sylvester McCoy, to share their memories of watching TV’s top Time Lord when they were young. While Blue Peter will launch an exciting new competition giving viewers aged between six and fourteen the opportunity to design a new gadget that will become part of the iconic science fiction series.
BBC Three will be home to several exciting entertainment commissions. Audiences will be encouraged to get involved and vote in Doctor Who: Monsters and Villains Weekend, as we countdown to the top Doctor Who monster. For those less familiar with the show, Doctor Who: The Ultimate Guide will introduce fans and viewers to a wealth of archive material and act as a guide to all things Who. A further exciting commission to be announced later this year will see the celebrations finish with a bang.
Danny Cohen, Director BBC Television said: “Doctor Who is a titan of British television and I’m incredibly proud to have it on the BBC. It's an astonishing achievement for a drama to reach its 50th Anniversary. I'd like to thank every person - on both sides of the camera - who has been involved with its creative journey over so many years.”
BBC Radio 2 will ask Who Is The Doctor? in a 90 minute documentary featuring newly recorded interviews and exclusive archive material. The programme will look at the lasting appeal of Doctor Who and ask how much of its continued success can be attributed to its basic formula. In The Blagger’s Guide to Doctor Who, David Quantick will give the iconic Doctor the Blagger’s treatment. Radio 1 will look at the of music inspired by the Doctor and his journeys through space and time with a 60 minute documentary.
Meanwhile Radio 4 Extra travels back to 1963 with a three hour special programme, Who Made Who?, to look at the world that inspired the television series. Finally, Graham Norton will be broadcasting his weekly Radio 2 show live (Saturday 23 November, 10am) from the Doctor Who Celebration in London. In a special three-hour show, Graham will take a ride in the TARDIS and will also be chatting with some of the series’ stars and fans.
