New Zealand gets in the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary celebrations

New Zealand gets in the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary celebrations

It's a big weekend for fans of UK sci fi series, Doctor Who.

The show celebrates its 50th anniversary on Saturday November 23rd (Sunday November 24th in NZ).

And Prime and UKTV are ensuring that Whovians don't miss out on the global celebrations which are taking place.

Here are details of what UKTV are upto

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who, UKTV will be premiering a special one-off drama, An Adventure In Space And Time, on Saturday 23 November at 5.50pm.

The drama, written by Mark Gatiss and executive produced by Gatiss alongside Steven Moffat and Caroline Skinner, travels back in time to 1963 to see how the beloved Doctor Who was first brought to the screen. Actor William Hartnell felt trapped by a succession of hard-man roles. Wannabe producer Verity Lambert was frustrated by the TV industry’s glass ceiling. Both of them were to find unlikely hope and unexpected challenges in the form of a Saturday tea-time drama, time travel and monsters! Working with a team of brilliant people, they went on to create the longest-running, science-fiction series ever. A television legend began when the very first episode of Doctor Who was broadcast in the UK on November 23rd 1963, and 50 years later An Adventure In Space And Time brings to life the story of the show’s creation. Starring David Bradley (William Hartnell) as the very first Doctor, Jessica Raine (Verity Lambert), Sacha Dhawan (Waris Hussein), Lesley Manville (Heather Hartnell) and Brian Cox (Sydney Newman). On Sunday November the 24th, the celebrations begin in earnest on Prime TV: 09:00 AM THE DAY OF THE DOCTOR The Doctors embark on their greatest adventure across space and time in this special 50th Anniversary premiere screening. 06:00 PM DOCTOR WHO EXPLAINED Everything you really need to know about the Doctor - past, present and future. Join key cast and crew in this all inclusive guide as they celebrate the rich tapestry that is Doctor Who. {Brand new documentary} 08:30 PM THE DAY OF THE DOCTOR Join the Doctors as they embark on their greatest adventure across space and time in this 50th Anniversary Special. {Repeat of the special that screened at 9am} 10:15 PM DOCTOR WHO IN THE U.S. We uncover the Doctor's special relationship with the US, from Daleks on the streets of New York to robot gunslingers in the Wild West. {Brand new documentary} Doctor Who Specials will also be playing: Sundays at 6.30pm from November 17 Elsewhere on the channel during November, UKTV will be screening four one-off specials. The Science of Doctor Who (PG) Marvel at the real life science behind the biggest concepts and most iconic ideas in the incredible Doctor Who universe. The Women of Doctor Who (PG) Behind every great time lord there’s a great woman. Whether they’re busting Daleks or the Doctor’s ego, the women of Doctor Who prove that you don’t need testosterone to save the universe. The Timey Wimey Stuff of Doctor Who (PG) When the Doctor’s around, tomorrow is yesterday, yesterday is tomorrow and 18th century France is in your fireplace. Confused yet? Watch the Timey Wimey of Doctor Who. You’ve already seen it in the future. The Destinations of Doctor Who (PG) When you travel in a time machine, you never know where you’ll end up. The year 5 billion, the Starship UK or Gallifrey. Leave the beach towel at home and  take a trip to the end of the earth - literally.

With just days to go until the Day Of The Doctor screens as part of the 50th Doctor Who celebrations, there's a real treat just been unleashed.

The Night Of The Doctor mini episode's been put out by the BBC to get the celebrations underway.

To say more would spoil it, but enjoy it below.


It's coming soon - and it's almost time to celebrate the Day of The Doctor.

BBC sci-fi series Doctor Who hits its 50th anniversary this very month on November 23rd and there are global celebrations planned.

But it's also a massive month - one of the biggest ever - for Doctor Who releases on the small screen.

BBC and Roadshow Home Entertainment have got a huge slate of Doctor Who releases planned for the celebrations - and it's great to see the show is being taken seriously over here.

First up though, there are three volumes of Doctor Who: Revisited out on November 6th:

A special 50th anniversary DVD series
The first volume in this restrospective series showcases Doctor Who's first four doctors - William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker, spanning from 1963-1981.

The Doctors Revisited includes a half hour profile and a classic story for each Doctor introduced by Steven Moffat (the current Lead Writer & Executive Producer). Each classic story is available to view as a widescreen, feature-length version or in its episodic, original format.

Featuring The Aztecs (William Hartnell), The Tomb of the Cybermen (Patrick Troughton) Spearhead from
Space (Jon Pertwee) and Pyramid of Mars Tom Baker.
RELEASED: 6 NOVEMBER * RRP: $39.99 * DISCS: 4 *

DOCTOR WHO REVISITED VOLUME 2
The years 1981-1996 saw four new actors portray the Doctor, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester
McCoy and Paul McGann, the focus of the second volume in The Doctors Revisited. Featuring 30 minute
restrospectives per Doctor, a Steven Moffat introduction.. Each classic story is available to view as a
widescreen, feature-length version or in its episodic, original format.

Featuring the stories: Earthshock (Peter Davison), Vengeance on Varos (Colin Baker), Remembrance of the Daleks (Sylvester McCoy), and Doctor Who: The Movie (Paul McGann).

Then 2 weeks later, in the year that Doctor Who celebrates its 50th anniversary, the very first regeneration story gets a release too - The Tenth Planet.

DOCTOR WHO: THE TENTH PLANET
• Contains a newly animated fourth episode (the original is currently missing from the BBC Archives)
• The very first regeneration story

The TARDIS lands at the South Pole in 1986. The arrival coincides with the appearance of Earth’s forgotten twin planet Mondas along with visitors from that world – the emotionless Cybermen. It’s up
to the Doctor (William Hartnell) and his friends to stop the creatures before they convert Earth’s population into similar cyber creations – but the encounter will have a devastating effect on the Doctor...

Special Features: • Commentary • Frozen Out Making Of • Episode 4 Reconstruction • William Hartnell
Interview • Doctor Who Stories – Anneke Wills • The Golden Age • Boys! Boys! Boys! Peter Purves, Frazer Hines and Mark Strickson reminisce about their time as companions • Companion Piece • Blue Peter Tenth anniversary retrospective on Doctor Who’s history • Radio Times Listings • English Subtitles • Photo
Gallery • Digitally Remastered Picture and Sound Quality •

Perhaps the biggest release this month though, comes from the recent haul of 11 recovered previously missing episodes - and is a global day and date release - The Enemy of The World.

The Enemy of the World, is the fourth six-part tale of the original fifth series which first broadcast in the
UK December 1967. Alongside Patrick Troughton, who plays both the Time Lord, and his antagonist
(Ramon Salamander) are his companions Frazer Hines (Jamie) and Deborah Watling (Victoria). Episodes 1,  2, 4, 5 and 6 had been missing from the BBC archives, until now. All episodes have been re-mastered.

27 Doctor Who stories still remain missing or have incomplete episodes, after a number were lost as a
result of BBC Archive space-saving measures.

RELEASED: 27 NOVEMBER * RRP: $TBA * DISCS: TBA

Don't forget also, you can see the Doctor Who 50th anniversary special, The Day of The Doctor in cinemas on November the 24th - check your local cinemas for details.