March 12, 2026
Two episodes thought to be lost forever from an incomplete First Doctor serial will be added to BBC iPlayer's Whoniverse collection.
Doctor Who fans are in for a treat this Easter, as two ‘missing’ episodes of Doctor Who from the 1960’s will be made available for viewers on BBC iPlayer.
The episodes, thought to be lost forever, were found by Film is Fabulous! – a charitable trust run by film collectors, cinema lovers and vintage television enthusiasts. They approached BBC Archives after finding them in a private collection. BBC Archives has worked to restore the original 16mm telerecordings – meaning viewers will be able to watch them in the best possible condition on BBC iPlayer.
The two episodes; The Nightmare Begins and Devil’s Planet were from the third series entitled The Daleks’ Master Plan. Written by Terry Nation, the series starred William Hartnell as the Doctor and Peter Purves as Steven Taylor. It also featured Nicholas Courtney as Bret Vyon, Adrienne Hill as Katarina, and Kevin Stoney as Mavic Chen.
Noreen Adams, Director of BBC Archives said: “We’re thrilled to have worked with the team at Film is Fabulous! to bring these lost Doctor Who episodes to viewers on BBC iPlayer this Easter. BBC Archives has been working to restore the original recordings and update these to broadcast quality, ensuring fans can enjoy a little extra treat with their Easter Eggs this April.”
These two episodes add to a raft of Doctor Who programming which forms The Whoniverse on BBC iPlayer.
