The BBC has announced a raft of programmes to mark the
50th anniversary of the first episode of Doctor Who.
A 75-minute
special episode called The Day Of The Doctor will star the soon-to-leave Matt
Smith and David Tennant.
Smith said:
"Hope you all enjoy. There's lots more coming your way."
Other
highlights include a BBC Two lecture by Professor Brian Cox on the science
behind the hit show and the drama An Adventure In Space and Time, written by
Mark Gatiss.
The one-off
programme stars David Bradley - known to millions for his role as Filch in the
Harry Potter films - as William Hartnell, who played the first Doctor in 1963.
BBC Four will
introduce new audiences to Hartnell, with a re-run of the first ever story. The
four episodes are being shown in a restored format, not previously broadcast in
the UK.
BBC Two's
flagship arts programme The Culture Show is to present Me, You and Doctor Who,
with lifelong fan Matthew Sweet exploring the cultural significance of the
BBC's longest running TV drama.
A 90-minute
documentary on BBC Radio 2 will ask "Who Is The Doctor?" - using
newly-recorded interviews and exclusive archive material to find an answer.
For those less
familiar with the show, Doctor Who: The Ultimate Guide will provide a handy
primer.
Danny Cohen,
BBC director of television, said: "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."
Smith has
already started filming his final scenes as the Doctor, which are due to air in
this year's Christmas episode. His replacement, Scots actor Peter Capaldi, was
announced in August.
Steven Moffat,
lead writer and executive producer on 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."
CBBC will
broadcast a show, 12 Again, bringing together stars to share their memories of
Doctor Who.
They include
the seventh Doctor, Sylvester McCoy, Tommy Knight, who played Luke Smith in The
Sarah Jane Adventures, Warwick Davis, who played Porridge in a Doctor Who
episode and Louise Jameson, who was the fourth Doctor Tom Baker's companion
Leela.
Blue Peter is
launching a competition giving viewers aged between six and 14 the opportunity
to design a new gadget that will become part of the series and Matt Smith will
appear on the Blue Peter sofa to answer viewers' questions.
BBC Three
audiences will be encouraged to get involved and vote in Doctor Who: Monsters
and Villains Weekend.
Source: BBC
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