126 Fun Facts About Doctor Who

On what date did 'An Unearthly Child', the very first episode of Doctor Who, first air on the BBC Television Service?

November 23, 1963 was the date, and the episode went out eighty seconds late because of announcements about the previous day's assassination of John F. Kennedy.

Captain Jack Harkness, played by John Barrowman, went on to lead which Cardiff-based spin-off series?

Torchwood, launched in 2006 and set in Cardiff, followed Captain Jack Harkness leading the Torchwood Three team; Jack had first met the Doctor and Rose during the London Blitz.

Which of these companions was, like the Doctor, a Time Lady able to regenerate?

Romana (Romanadvoratrelundar) was sent by the White Guardian to help the Doctor find the Key to Time, and had two on-screen incarnations played by Mary Tamm and Lalla Ward.

Which First Doctor companion, a space pilot from Earth's future, initially stowed away on the TARDIS?

Steven Taylor, a space pilot from the future, became a companion of the First Doctor after he crash-landed on Mechanus and later stowed away on the TARDIS.

Which Doctor Who companion died trying to stop a Cyberman-controlled freighter hitting prehistoric Earth?

Adric, a brilliant mathematician from the planet Alzarius, was a companion to both the Fourth and Fifth Doctors. He tragically died trying to save Earth from a Cyberman ship.

Who co-wrote the 1979 Doctor Who serial 'City of Death' under the pseudonym David Agnew?

'City of Death' was co-written by Douglas Adams under the pseudonym 'David Agnew' and is considered one of the series' most well-regarded stories.

Which non-human Doctor Who companion, played by Matt Lucas, debuted in the 2015 Christmas special?

Nardole was reassembled by the Doctor after losing his body, and became the first full-time alien companion of the revived series.

Which Fourth Doctor companion was a warrior from the 'savage' Sevateem tribe?

Leela, played by Louise Jameson, was a warrior and huntress from a regressed human tribe. Despite the Doctor's attempts to educate her, she often reverted to her more violent instincts.

Which 25th-century orphan companion of the First Doctor fell in love during the siege of Troy?

Vicki, a 25th-century orphan, stayed behind in Troy in 'The Myth Makers' (1965) after falling for the warrior Troilus; King Priam renamed her Cressida.

Which companion of the Second Doctor, a young astrophysicist with a photographic memory, had her memories wiped by the Time Lords?

Zoe Heriot travelled with the Second Doctor; after 'The War Games' the Time Lords returned her and Jamie to their own times and erased their memories, except of first meeting the Doctor.

Who was the first actor to officially play the titular role in *Doctor Who*?

William Hartnell originated the role of the Doctor in 1963, setting the stage for a long-running science fiction series.

What does the acronym TARDIS stand for?

Time and Relative Dimension in Space is the Doctor's primary mode of transport, famous for being 'bigger on the inside' and often stuck as a 1960s British police box.

Which species is known for its iconic catchphrase, 'Exterminate!'?

The Daleks, a race of xenophobic mutants encased in metal shells, were created by Terry Nation and first appeared in 1963.

Which actor played the Doctor for seven seasons, from 1974 to 1981, longer than anyone else in the role?

Tom Baker's Fourth Doctor, with his long run from 1974 to 1981, became one of the most recognisable incarnations.

Who took over from Peter Capaldi in 2017 as the first woman to play the Doctor?

Jodie Whittaker became the Thirteenth Doctor, regenerating from Peter Capaldi at the end of 'Twice Upon a Time' on 25 December 2017 — the first woman to play the role.

Which incarnation did Rose Tyler first travel with when the show returned in 2005?

Rose Tyler, played by Billie Piper, was the first companion of the revived series, traveling initially with the Ninth Doctor.

In which episode did the terrifying Weeping Angels first appear?

'Blink,' starring Carey Mulligan, is a critically acclaimed episode from the third series of the revived show, famous for its unique monsters.

Which multifunctional tool of the Doctor's, a fixture since the Second Doctor's era, opens most locks but is useless on wood?

The Sonic Screwdriver's powers and look have shifted over the decades since it first appeared in the Second Doctor's era.

What is the home planet of the Doctor's species, the Time Lords?

Gallifrey, a technologically advanced planet, is the ancestral home of the Time Lords, known for their ability to travel through time and space.

Who was the executive producer and lead writer responsible for reviving *Doctor Who* in 2005?

Russell T Davies successfully brought *Doctor Who* back to television in 2005, introducing it to a new generation of viewers and establishing its modern format.

What process lets a dying Time Lord change physical appearance and personality?

Regeneration is a unique biological process for Time Lords, allowing them to renew their body and mind, which has allowed the Doctor Who series to recast its lead actor multiple times.

Kaled scientist Davros built his people into armoured travel machines on which planet?

Skaro's Kaleds and Thals had fought a nuclear war so long that Davros's creations could not even leave their city at first, being dependent on static electricity.

The robot dog K-9 made its debut in which 1977 serial?

K-9 debuted in 'The Invisible Enemy' (1977) as Professor Marius's robot dog, while miniaturised clones of the Doctor and Leela explored the Doctor's own body; the dog stayed aboard until 1981.

Which time-travelling archaeologist, played by Alex Kingston, becomes the Eleventh Doctor's wife?

River Song, played by Alex Kingston, first appeared opposite David Tennant in 'Silence in the Library' (2008); because her timeline runs opposite the Doctor's, that first meeting was her last with him.

Which humanoid species, originating from Earth's twin planet Mondas, evolved into emotionless cyborgs?

The Cybermen are a race of emotionless cyborgs who replace their organic parts with artificial ones, originating from Mondas, Earth's long-lost twin planet.

With which two classic-era incarnations did Sarah Jane Smith primarily travel as a companion?

Sarah Jane Smith, one of the Doctor's most beloved companions, journeyed extensively with both the Third and Fourth Doctors.

Which living-plastic servants of the Nestene Consciousness invaded Earth disguised as shop mannequins?

The Autons, living plastic servants of the Nestene Consciousness, made their debut in the Third Doctor's first story, 'Spearhead from Space'.

What conflict between the Gallifreyans and their oldest enemies apparently destroyed their home world?

The Last Great Time War between the Time Lords and the Daleks ended when the Doctor seemingly destroyed both sides; 'The Day of the Doctor' (2013) later revealed Gallifrey had been hidden instead.

Who was the first actor to portray the Doctor's archenemy, the Master, in the classic series?

Roger Delgado originated the role of the Master in 1971, becoming a memorable and recurring antagonist during Jon Pertwee's era.

Which of the following phrases is commonly associated with the Tenth Doctor?

David Tennant's Tenth Doctor frequently exclaimed 'Allons-y!', a French phrase meaning 'Let's go!', reflecting his energetic personality.

In which 1981 serial did the Fourth Doctor regenerate into the Fifth, played by Peter Davison?

In 'Logopolis' (1981) the Fourth Doctor fell from the Pharos Project radio telescope and regenerated into Peter Davison's Fifth Doctor; Tom Baker later declined to return for 'The Five Doctors'.

What question does the gas-mask child keep asking in Doctor Who's 'The Empty Child' / 'The Doctor Dances'?

The phrase 'Are you my mummy?' became an iconic and unsettling line from the critically acclaimed Christopher Eccleston-era story set during the Blitz.

What microscopic, shadow-dwelling organisms can strip the flesh from bones in an instant?

The Vashta Nerada, whose name means 'the shadows that melt the flesh', are microscopic swarms that appear as living shadows and are native to many planets.

Which Sontaran nurse ends up as butler to Madame Vastra and Jenny Flint in Victorian London?

Strax, a Sontaran serving as a nurse, apparently died at the Battle of Demons Run in 'A Good Man Goes to War' (2011); a webisode shows Vastra and Jenny reviving him before he became their butler.

In the 2012 Christmas special "The Snowmen", the Victorian Clara Oswald works as a barmaid and what else?

In 'The Snowmen' (2012) Clara Oswald is a barmaid at the Rose and Crown and a governess to Captain Latimer's children; Jenna Coleman had already appeared as Oswin Oswald in 'Asylum of the Daleks'.

What was the title of the 50th-anniversary special episode of *Doctor Who*?

'The Day of the Doctor' was a multi-Doctor special that aired on November 23, 2013, celebrating five decades of the show.

What rank did Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, the Doctor's long-standing ally who led UNIT, hold?

The Brigadier, played by Nicholas Courtney, led UNIT and recurred through many classic and some new series episodes.

Which shape-shifting alien species menaced Agatha Christie in a 2008 Tenth Doctor episode?

The Vespiforms are an ancient insectoid species, essentially giant wasps, capable of morphing into other forms, and were the antagonists in the Agatha Christie-themed episode.

In 'Partners in Crime', what were the little white aliens budding off Londoners made of?

The Adipose were body fat: Adipose Industries' diet pill made Londoners' fat bud off overnight as marshmallow-like creatures, animated with the MASSIVE crowd software built for The Lord of the Rings.

What gentle, telepathic species with exposed brains is known for its mournful chants?

The Ood are a highly intelligent, peaceful species that often find themselves enslaved due to their natural telepathic abilities and subservient nature.

Which rhinoceros-headed alien police force is known for its strict adherence to galactic law?

The Judoon are a highly militarized intergalactic police force that enforces strict laws, often appearing on Earth to apprehend fugitives.

The Sontarans are a warrior race known for what reproductive characteristic?

The Sontarans are an entirely cloned race, bred for warfare, which explains their similar appearances and aggressive nature.

What ominous recurring phrase in the revived Doctor Who's first series was linked to Rose Tyler?

The 'Bad Wolf' arc was a mysterious phrase and motif that culminated in Rose Tyler absorbing the TARDIS's energy, becoming the 'Bad Wolf' entity.

Who travelled with the First Doctor in the 1963 debut, 'An Unearthly Child'?

Susan Foreman, the Doctor's granddaughter played by Carole Ann Ford, was a Coal Hill School pupil in 'An Unearthly Child' (1963); she left the TARDIS in 'The Dalek Invasion of Earth' (1964).

The Valeyard, a dark future Doctor, prosecuted the trial of which incarnation?

In 'The Trial of a Time Lord' the prosecutor turned out to be an amalgam of the Doctor's darker sides, from somewhere between his penultimate and final incarnations.

Which incarnation endured 4.5 billion years alone inside a confession dial in the episode 'Heaven Sent'?

The Twelfth Doctor, Peter Capaldi, spent 4.5 billion years in 'Heaven Sent' (2015) punching through a wall harder than diamond across countless repeated lifetimes, escaping only in 'Hell Bent'.

In 'The Timeless Children', which Gallifreyan explorer adopted the future Doctor?

Tecteun, a Shobogan explorer, found the Timeless Child at a boundary portal, raised the child as her own, and spliced its unlimited regeneration into her own people — the future Time Lords.

Which 1972 serial first brought back earlier incarnations of the Doctor to team up against Omega?

The 1972 serial 'The Three Doctors' was the first time three incarnations of the Doctor (First, Second, and Third) appeared together to battle Omega.

Who portrayed the 'Fugitive Doctor', introduced during the Thirteenth Doctor's era?

Jo Martin's portrayal of the Fugitive Doctor, initially disguised as Ruth Clayton, was a significant twist, revealing a hidden past for the Doctor.

What sentient weapon, appearing as Rose Tyler, did the War Doctor intend to use to end the Time War?

The Moment was a sentient weapon of mass destruction from the Time War, capable of ending all things, and it appeared to the War Doctor in the form of Rose Tyler.

Which BBC drama chief created Doctor Who alongside C. E. Webber and Donald Wilson?

Sydney Newman, the BBC's Head of Drama from December 1962, devised Doctor Who in 1963 with Donald Wilson and C. E. Webber as a Saturday-teatime serial with an educational brief.

Who wrote 'An Unearthly Child', the 1963 serial that launched Doctor Who?

Anthony Coburn, an Australian-born BBC staff writer, scripted the four-part 'An Unearthly Child' (1963), whose last three episodes sent the TARDIS crew to a Stone Age tribe seeking fire.

Which actor took over as the Doctor in 1966 when the original star's health declined?

Patrick Troughton took over as the Second Doctor in 'The Power of the Daleks' (1966) after William Hartnell's ill health forced him out; the change was explained on screen as a 'renewal'.

Whose arrival as the Doctor in 1970 coincided with the show's switch to colour?

Jon Pertwee debuted as the Third Doctor in 'Spearhead from Space' (1970), the first serial made in colour; he later recorded the spoken-word single 'Who Is the Doctor' (1972).

In which year did BBC One controller Michael Grade force the show into an 18-month hiatus?

In February 1985 BBC1 controller Michael Grade suspended Doctor Who for 18 months, giving the violence of season 22 as one reason; it returned in September 1986 with 'The Trial of a Time Lord'.

Which actor had to leave the role as a condition of the show being recommissioned in 1986?

Colin Baker was dropped after 'The Trial of a Time Lord' (1986) at Michael Grade's insistence as a condition of recommissioning; Sylvester McCoy replaced him in 1987.

The 1996 Doctor Who television film aired on which US network?

The 1996 TV movie aired on Fox on 14 May 1996, co-produced with Universal and the BBC; it drew 9 million UK viewers but poor US ratings, so no series followed.

Who starred as the Doctor in the 1996 television film?

Paul McGann played the Eighth Doctor in the 1996 TV movie; he returned in the 2013 mini-episode 'The Night of the Doctor', which showed his regeneration into the War Doctor.

Production of the revived series moved in 2005 to which city?

Cardiff: BBC Wales took over production for the 2005 revival under Russell T Davies; the Welsh capital doubled for London in 'Rose', and the purpose-built Roath Lock studios opened there in 2012.

Which episode brought Doctor Who back in 2005 after a 16-year gap?

'Rose', broadcast 26 March 2005, relaunched Doctor Who after the 1989 cancellation and drew 10.81 million viewers on BBC One, introducing Billie Piper's Rose Tyler.

Who played the Doctor for a single series in 2005?

Christopher Eccleston played the Ninth Doctor for the single 2005 series, from 'Rose' to 'The Parting of the Ways', and was succeeded by David Tennant.

Who succeeded Russell T Davies as showrunner in 2010?

Steven Moffat became showrunner in 2010 with Matt Smith's first series, having written 'Blink' and 'The Empty Child' under Russell T Davies.

Who took over as showrunner in 2018 for the Thirteenth Doctor's era?

Chris Chibnall took over as showrunner in 2018 and cast Jodie Whittaker, with whom he had worked on 'Broadchurch', as the Thirteenth Doctor.

How old was Matt Smith when he was cast as the Eleventh Doctor in 2009?

Matt Smith was 26 when cast in January 2009, younger than any previous Doctor; William Hartnell and Peter Capaldi were the oldest at 55.

Which streaming service began distributing Doctor Who outside the UK and Ireland in 2023?

Disney+ began streaming Doctor Who internationally with the 60th-anniversary specials in November 2023 under a 26-episode deal with the BBC, which kept UK and Ireland rights for iPlayer.

At the end of 'The Reality War', the Fifteenth Doctor regenerated into a form played by whom?

Billie Piper appeared as the Fifteenth Doctor's regenerated form at the end of 'The Reality War' (2025); the credits read only 'Introducing Billie Piper', without naming her as the Sixteenth Doctor.

Who became the first actor to play two numbered incarnations of the Doctor?

David Tennant played the Tenth Doctor from 2005 to 2010 and returned as the Fourteenth for the three 60th-anniversary specials broadcast in November and December 2023.

Which veteran actor played the War Doctor in 2013?

John Hurt played the War Doctor, introduced in 'The Name of the Doctor' and central to 'The Day of the Doctor' (2013), slotted retroactively between the Eighth and Ninth incarnations.

Who stood in as the First Doctor in 1983's 'The Five Doctors'?

Richard Hurndall stood in for the late William Hartnell as the First Doctor in 'The Five Doctors' (1983); Hartnell had died in 1975, and David Bradley later took the role in 2017.

Which actor played a human scientist called 'Dr. Who' in two 1960s feature films?

Peter Cushing played a human inventor named Dr. Who in 'Dr. Who and the Daleks' (1965) and 'Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D.' (1966), building his time machine rather than stealing it.

Which is the only classic-era story in which the Doctor travels without a companion?

'The Deadly Assassin' (1976) sent the Fourth Doctor to Gallifrey alone between Sarah Jane's departure and Leela's arrival; it also introduced the Matrix and a decayed, dying Master played by Peter Pratt.

According to the 1976 serial that set the rule, how many times can a Time Lord regenerate?

'The Deadly Assassin' (1976) set the limit at 12 regenerations, giving 13 incarnations; the Time Lords granted the Eleventh Doctor a new cycle in 'The Time of the Doctor' (2013).

Amy Pond travelled with the Eleventh Doctor alongside which husband?

Rory Williams, played by Arthur Darvill, married Amy in 'The Big Bang' (2010) and travelled with the Eleventh Doctor; the pair left in 'The Angels Take Manhattan' (2012).

Who played Amy Pond?

Karen Gillan played Amy Pond from 'The Eleventh Hour' (2010) to 'The Angels Take Manhattan' (2012); she had earlier appeared as a soothsayer in 'The Fires of Pompeii' (2008).

Who was the Doctor's first openly gay companion, introduced in series 10?

Bill Potts, played by Pearl Mackie, joined the Twelfth Doctor in 'The Pilot' (2017) as the first openly gay full-time companion; Capaldi's Doctor was her university tutor.

Game-show host Bradley Walsh played which companion of Jodie Whittaker's Thirteenth Doctor?

Graham O'Brien travelled alongside Ryan Sinclair and Yasmin Khan; comedian John Bishop later joined as Dan Lewis.

Who played Ruby Sunday, the Fifteenth Doctor's first companion?

Millie Gibson played Ruby Sunday, introduced in the 2023 Christmas special 'The Church on Ruby Road'; Varada Sethu's Belinda Chandra followed as companion in the 2025 series.

Which companion did Catherine Tate play?

Donna Noble, played by Catherine Tate, debuted in 'The Runaway Bride' (2006), travelled with the Tenth Doctor through 2008 and returned for the 2023 anniversary specials.

Who played Sarah Jane Smith, later star of her own CBBC spin-off?

Elisabeth Sladen played Sarah Jane Smith from 1973 and headlined 'The Sarah Jane Adventures' on CBBC from 2007; her death in April 2011 left its fifth series incomplete.

The Master was conceived as which literary villain 'to the Doctor's Sherlock Holmes'?

Professor Moriarty: producer Barry Letts and script editor Terrance Dicks devised the Master in 1971 as a Moriarty to the Doctor's Sherlock Holmes, and he appeared in every story of season 8.

Which American actor played the Master in the 1996 television film?

Eric Roberts, the brother of Julia Roberts, played the Master in the 1996 TV movie, possessing the body of a San Francisco paramedic named Bruce.

Which distinguished actor reintroduced the Master in the 2007 episode 'Utopia'?

Derek Jacobi played Professor Yana in 'Utopia' (2007), revealed as the Master hiding in a chameleon-arch fob watch; he regenerated into John Simm before the episode ended.

Who played Missy, the female incarnation of the Master?

Michelle Gomez played Missy from 'Deep Breath' (2014), her identity as the Master revealed in 'Dark Water'; she bowed out in 'The Doctor Falls' (2017), shot by her own previous incarnation.

Who played the Master opposite the Thirteenth Doctor from 2020?

Sacha Dhawan's Master was unmasked as MI6 agent 'O' at the end of 'Spyfall' part one (New Year's Day 2020), and returned through 'The Power of the Doctor' (2022).

Who composed the Doctor Who theme?

Ron Grainer, the Australian-born composer behind the 'Steptoe and Son' theme, wrote the Doctor Who theme in 1963; its electronic realisation so surprised him that he asked, 'Did I really write that?'

Which BBC Radiophonic Workshop pioneer realised the theme by splicing analogue tape?

Delia Derbyshire of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop built the 1963 theme from tape loops of oscillator tones and a plucked string; she received no on-screen credit until 'The Day of the Doctor' in 2013.

'Doctorin' the Tardis' hit UK No. 1 in 1988 for The Timelords, better known as which act?

The KLF — Bill Drummond and Jimmy Cauty — recorded 'Doctorin' the Tardis' as The Timelords, mashing the Doctor Who theme with Gary Glitter's 'Rock and Roll Part 2' and the Sweet's 'Block Buster!'.

Who scored series 11 to 13 (2018-2021) of the revived show?

Segun Akinola scored the Chibnall era (series 11–13, 2018–2021) and rearranged the theme; for 'Demons of the Punjab' (2018) he produced a Punjabi-style version of the closing theme.

Which orchestra began performing Murray Gold's Doctor Who scores with the 2005 Christmas special?

The BBC National Orchestra of Wales first recorded Murray Gold's score for 'The Christmas Invasion' (2005), after the first series had used synthesised orchestration; it also played the Doctor Who Proms.

Who was the most prolific writer of the original series?

Robert Holmes wrote more episodes of the original series than anyone else, including 'The Deadly Assassin', 'The Talons of Weng-Chiang' and 'The Caves of Androzani', and served as script editor from 1974 to 1977.

Which subtitle did series 13's single serialised storyline carry?

Series 13 (2021) was branded 'Doctor Who: Flux', a single six-part serial following the Thirteenth Doctor against the universe-destroying Flux, with production cut short by Covid-19 restrictions.

Nine missing episodes were found in 2013 at a television relay station in which country?

Nigeria: in 2013 Philip Morris found nine Patrick Troughton-era episodes on film at a television relay station in Jos; the prints had been shipped there for overseas broadcast.

Which complete six-part 1968 serial was among the nine episodes recovered in 2013?

'The Enemy of the World' (1967–68), in which Patrick Troughton also played the dictator Salamander, was recovered complete in 2013; 'The Web of Fear' came back from the same find minus its episode 3.

What were the off-screen photographs of lost episodes taken by John Cura called?

Tele-snaps were off-screen photographs that John Cura shot from his television during broadcasts for a fee; fans and the BBC have paired them with surviving audio to reconstruct missing serials.

The First Doctor's regeneration survives only because it was shown on which children's programme?

Blue Peter showed the regeneration clip in 1973, and that excerpt is all that survives of 'The Tenth Planet' part four (1966); the episode was animated for its 2013 DVD release.

Which morality campaigner did Radio Times call the show's most 'implacable foe'?

Mary Whitehouse, of the National Viewers' and Listeners' Association, repeatedly attacked the show's violence, notably the cliffhanger drowning of the Doctor in 'The Deadly Assassin' (1976).

What piece of furniture do frightened British children traditionally hide behind while watching?

The sofa: 'hiding behind the sofa' is the stock British phrase for Doctor Who's scares, and 'Behind the Sofa', a 2012 charity book of celebrity memories of the show, took its title from the habit.

Viewership peaked at 16 million in 1979 thanks to what?

An ITV network strike took the rival channel off air from August to October 1979, and with no competition 'City of Death' part four drew 16.1 million viewers.

Which was the first country outside the UK to screen Doctor Who, in 1964?

New Zealand's NZBC screened Doctor Who from September 1964, the first broadcaster outside the UK to do so; Australia's ABC followed in January 1965.

Which voice actor has provided K9's voice in most of the robot dog's appearances?

David Brierley briefly filled in during season 17.

Terry Nation intended his most famous creations as an allegory of which group?

The Nazis: Terry Nation, who grew up in Cardiff during the Second World War, conceived the Daleks as fascist conformists bent on extermination, an allegory of the Nazis.

The Weeping Angels can only move when unobserved because they are what?

Quantum-locked Angels freeze when observed; they send victims into the past and feed on the potential energy of the lives they would have led.

The Doctor's sonic tool made its first appearance in which 1968 serial?

'Fury from the Deep' (1968), written by Victor Pemberton, introduced the sonic screwdriver — used by the Second Doctor simply to unscrew a gas-pipeline inspection hatch.

After the demise of Mondas, the cyborg foes from Earth's twin planet took which world as home?

Telos: after Mondas was destroyed in 'The Tenth Planet' (1966), the Cybermen were found hibernating in frozen tombs on Telos in 'The Tomb of the Cybermen' (1967).

Who played the Doctor in the 1999 Comic Relief spoof The Curse of Fatal Death?

Rowan Atkinson played the Doctor in 'The Curse of Fatal Death' (Comic Relief 1999), written by Steven Moffat, before regenerating into Richard E. Grant, Jim Broadbent, Hugh Grant and Joanna Lumley in turn.

The 1993 charity special Dimensions in Time crossed over with which soap opera?

'Dimensions in Time' (1993), a Children in Need special, set past Doctors loose in EastEnders' Albert Square and was shot in 3D using the Pulfrich effect, which needed glasses with one dark lens.

Which of these episodes won the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation?

'The Waters of Mars' (2009) won the 2010 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form, one of six such Hugos the revived series collected between 2006 and 2012.

'The Five Doctors' premiered two days before its BBC airing on which US broadcaster?

PBS stations in the United States showed 'The Five Doctors' on 23 November 1983, the show's 20th anniversary, two days ahead of its BBC1 broadcast on 25 November.

Which actor was unveiled on the 2013 live show Doctor Who Live: The Next Doctor?

Peter Capaldi was revealed as the Twelfth Doctor on 'Doctor Who Live: The Next Doctor', broadcast on BBC One on 4 August 2013 and watched by an average of 6.27 million UK viewers.

Big Finish Productions is best known for producing what kind of Doctor Who stories?

Audio plays: Big Finish began releasing licensed full-cast Doctor Who audio dramas in 1999 with 'The Sirens of Time', reuniting Peter Davison, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy.

Who played the Doctor's granddaughter in the 1963 debut serial?

Carole Ann Ford played Susan Foreman, the Doctor's granddaughter, in the 1963 debut; she left in 1964 and returned for 'The Five Doctors' in 1983.

Which villain did the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Doctors defeat together in 'The Giggle'?

The Toymaker, played by Neil Patrick Harris, returned in 'The Giggle' (2023) after first appearing as the Celestial Toymaker opposite William Hartnell in 1966; the two Doctors beat him at catch.

What term describes the Fifteenth Doctor splitting off from the Fourteenth in 'The Giggle'?

Bi-generation: instead of replacing him, the Fourteenth Doctor split into two, with Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth emerging alongside David Tennant's Fourteenth, who retired to live with Donna's family.

In 2008 UNIT's name changed from United Nations Intelligence Taskforce to what?

Unified Intelligence Taskforce: from 'The Sontaran Stratagem' (2008) UNIT's initials no longer referred to the United Nations, which had objected to the use of its name; the organisation had debuted in 'The Invasion' (1968).

Peter Davison wrote, directed and starred in which 50th-anniversary parody?

'The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot' (2013) was Peter Davison's 30-minute comedy about Davison, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy scheming to get into the 50th-anniversary special; Paul McGann also appeared.

The sitcom Community parodied the show as which fictional series?

'Inspector Spacetime' was Community's Doctor Who pastiche, introduced in the 2011 episode 'Biology 101', with Abed and Troy as devotees of a British time traveller in a red phone box.

Who played schoolteacher Ian Chesterton in the original TARDIS crew?

William Russell played Ian Chesterton, the science teacher, from 1963 to 1965 and returned for a cameo in 'The Power of the Doctor' (2022), 57 years after leaving in 'The Chase' (1965).

Who produced Doctor Who throughout the 1980s?

John Nathan-Turner produced every season from 1980 (season 18) to the 1989 cancellation, overseeing four Doctors from Tom Baker to Sylvester McCoy.

Which Australian pop star has guest-starred on the show?

Kylie Minogue played Astrid Peth, a waitress aboard the starship Titanic, in the 2007 Christmas special 'Voyage of the Damned', which drew 13.31 million viewers.

The spin-off miniseries The War Between the Land and the Sea features which aquatic foes?

The Sea Devils, reptilian cousins of the Silurians first seen in 1972, are the foes of the UNIT-centred spin-off 'The War Between the Land and the Sea', starring Russell Tovey and Gugu Mbatha-Raw.

Who was the programme's first producer in 1963?

Verity Lambert, aged 27, produced Doctor Who from 1963 to 1965 as the BBC's youngest and only female drama producer at the time, having been appointed by Sydney Newman.

Who designed the Daleks' famous inhuman look, realising Terry Nation's scripts for the 1963 serial?

Raymond Cusick, a BBC staff designer, gave the Daleks their pepper-pot shape for 'The Daleks' (1963–64) and received only a small bonus; Ridley Scott had been assigned first but was reallocated.

The TARDIS is stuck as a police box because which piece of its technology malfunctioned?

The chameleon circuit should disguise the TARDIS to suit its surroundings but jammed on 1963 London, leaving it a police box; a brief repair in 'Attack of the Cybermen' (1985) produced only a string of unhelpful shapes.

In which London borough does Sarah Jane Smith live in The Sarah Jane Adventures?

Ealing: Sarah Jane's house in the west London borough was the base for the CBBC spin-off, which began with 'Invasion of the Bane' on New Year's Day 2007 and ran five series.

The 2016 spin-off Class, written by Patrick Ness, is set at which recurring Doctor Who location?

Coal Hill Academy — the school where Susan studied and Clara later taught — was Class's setting; its eight episodes ran on BBC Three in 2016, with Peter Capaldi appearing in the opener.

What was the title of the single 1981 episode of the spin-off K-9 and Company?

'A Girl's Best Friend', the sole K-9 and Company episode, aired on 28 December 1981 and had Sarah Jane and K9 — who had never shared the screen before — investigating witchcraft in Moreton Harwood.