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The Doctor Who Production Diary: 1983
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| 1 |
ARPANET adopts the TCP/IP protocol,
effectively launching the Internet; the first major Doctor
Who-related Internet entity, the Usenet newsgroup
net.tv.drwho (later renamed rec.arts.drwho), would be
created on December 19th |
| 3 |
Debut broadcast of Arc Of Infinity episode one on
BBC One |
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 |
| 3 |
Because of the shift in the recording
dates for Enlightenment, Season
Twenty is officially truncated to just twenty-two episodes; “The Return” is postponed to
Season Twenty-One where it will become Resurrection Of The
Daleks |
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| 4 |
Location filming for “The Return” is cancelled due
to industrial action |
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| 5 |
Debut broadcast of Arc Of Infinity episode two on
BBC One |
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| 5 |
Location filming for “The Return” is cancelled due
to industrial action |
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| 5 |
Robin Squire is commissioned to provide
a storyline for “Ghost
Planet” |
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 |
| 10 |
Clearance is obtained for the inclusion
of scenes from Shada in The Five Doctors |
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 |
| 11 |
Debut broadcast of Arc Of Infinity episode three
on BBC One |
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| 12 |
Debut broadcast of Arc Of Infinity episode four
on BBC One |
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| 16 |
Recording for The King's Demons takes place at
BBC Television Centre Studio 1 in White City, London |
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| 17 |
Recording for Enlightenment takes place at BBC
Television Centre Studio 1 in White City, London |
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| 18 |
Debut broadcast of Snakedance episode one on BBC One |
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| 18 |
Recording for Enlightenment takes place at BBC
Television Centre Studio 1 in White City, London |
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| 19 |
Debut broadcast of Snakedance episode two on BBC One |
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| 25 |
Debut broadcast of Snakedance episode three on
BBC One |
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| 26 |
Debut broadcast of Snakedance episode four on
BBC One |
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| 27 |
Philip Martin is commissioned to write
the final four episodes of Vengeance On
Varos |
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 |
| 30 |
Recording for Enlightenment takes place at BBC
Television Centre Studio 1 in White City, London |
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| 31 |
Recording for Enlightenment takes place at BBC
Television Centre Studio 1 in White City, London |
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| 1 |
Debut broadcast of Mawdryn Undead episode one on
BBC One |
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 |
| 1 |
Recording for Enlightenment takes place at BBC
Television Centre Studio 1 in White City, London |
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| 2 |
Debut broadcast of Mawdryn Undead episode two on
BBC One |
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| 6 |
Elisabeth Sladen is contracted for The Five Doctors |
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 |
| 8 |
Having decided to leave Doctor
Who, Mark Strickson is contracted for twenty episodes during Season
Twenty-One |
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| 8 |
Debut broadcast of Mawdryn Undead episode three
on BBC One |
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| 9 |
Debut broadcast of Mawdryn Undead episode four on
BBC One |
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| 15 |
Debut broadcast of Terminus episode one on BBC One |
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| 16 |
Debut broadcast of Terminus episode two on BBC One |
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| 21 |
Deborah Watling is contracted for The Five Doctors |
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 |
| 21 |
Wendy Padbury is contracted for The Five Doctors |
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| 21 |
Caroline John is contracted for The Five Doctors |
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| 22 |
Debut broadcast of Terminus episode three on BBC One |
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| 23 |
Debut broadcast of Terminus episode four on BBC One |
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| 28 |
The final episode of the comedy-drama
M*A*S*H is watched by more than 100 million people, the largest
non-sports audience ever in the United States |
| 1 |
Debut broadcast of Enlightenment episode one on
BBC One |
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| 2 |
Debut broadcast of Enlightenment episode two on
BBC One |
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| 4 |
Other commitments result in Deborah
Watling being released from her contract for The Five Doctors |
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| 5 |
Recording for The Five Doctors takes place in
Llanforthen, Wales |
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| 7 |
John Nathan-Turner arranges for Frazer
Hines to make a cameo appearance in The
Five Doctors |
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 |
| 7 |
Recording for The Five Doctors takes place in
Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales |
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| 8 |
Debut broadcast of Enlightenment episode three on
BBC One |
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| 8 |
Recording for The Five Doctors takes place in
Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales |
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| 9 |
Debut broadcast of Enlightenment episode four on
BBC One |
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| 9 |
Recording for The Five Doctors takes place in
Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales |
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| 10 |
Recording for The Five Doctors takes place in
Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales |
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| 11 |
Recording for The Five Doctors takes place in
Wales, at Blaenau Ffestiniog and Llanfrothen |
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| 13 |
Recording for The Five Doctors takes place in
Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales |
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| 14 |
Recording for The Five Doctors takes place in
Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales |
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| 15 |
Debut broadcast of The King's Demons episode one
on BBC One |
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| 15 |
Recording for The Five Doctors takes place in
Llanbedr, Wales |
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| 16 |
Debut broadcast of The King's Demons episode two
on BBC One |
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| 17 |
Recording for The Five Doctors takes place in
Denham Green, Buckinghamshire and Uxbridge, London |
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| 18 |
Recording for The Five Doctors takes place at the
BBC Television Film Studios in Ealing, London |
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| 21 |
Birth of Bruno Langley (bio), who played Adam
Mitchell |
| 23 |
US President Ronald Reagan proposes the
Strategic Defense Initiative -- the missle-intercepting technology
subsequently dubbed “Star Wars” |
| 29 |
Recording for The Five Doctors takes place at BBC
Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London |
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| 29 |
Peter Grimwade is commissioned to
provide a storyline for Planet Of
Fire |
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 |
| 30 |
Recording for The Five Doctors takes place at BBC
Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London |
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| 31 |
Recording for The Five Doctors takes place at BBC
Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London |
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| 20 |
Peter Grimwade is commissioned to write
Planet Of Fire |
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| 21 |
Birth of Gugu Mbatha-Raw (bio), who played Tish Jones |
| 6 |
Robert Holmes is commissioned to provide
a storyline for The Caves Of
Androzani |
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| 11 |
Glen McCoy is commissioned to provide a
storyline for Timelash |
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| 31 |
Birth of Reggie Yates (bio), who played Leo Jones |
late
May |
With Peter Davison, Janet Fielding and
Mark Strickson all indicating their intention to leave Doctor
Who, John Nathan-Turner and Eric Saward make plans to write out
Kamelion, Tegan and Turlough -- and regenerate the Doctor -- before the
end of Season Twenty-One, with a new Doctor and companion in place for
its final story; Davison is unhappy that he will not complete three full
seasons |
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| 10 |
Colin Baker is offered the role of the
Sixth Doctor |
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| 15 |
Scheduled recording for Warriors Of The Deep at the BBC
Television Film Studios in Ealing, London is cancelled due to the
reallocation of facilities to cover the General Election |
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| 18 |
Aboard the Challenger, physicist
Sally Ride becomes the first American woman in space; she is preceded by
two female cosmonauts from the Soviet Union |
| 23 |
Recording for Warriors Of The Deep takes place at
BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London; this occurs a week
earlier than planned due to the change in schedules provoked by the
General Election |
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| 24 |
Glen McCoy is commissioned to write the
first episode of Timelash |
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| 24 |
Recording for Warriors Of The Deep takes place at
BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London |
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| 28 |
Recording for Warriors Of The Deep takes place in
Marchwood, Hampshire |
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| 29 |
Recording for Warriors Of The Deep takes place at
Shepperton Studios in Shepperton, Surrey |
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| 30 |
Recording for Warriors Of The Deep takes place at
Shepperton Studios in Shepperton, Surrey |
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| 4 |
Recording for Warriors Of The Deep takes place at
the BBC Visual Effects Workshop in Acton, London |
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| 5 |
Nicola Bryant is introduced to the press
as new companion Peri Brown |
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 |
| 5 |
Recording for Warriors Of The Deep takes place at
the BBC Visual Effects Workshop in Acton, London |
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| 6 |
Recording for Warriors Of The Deep takes place at
the BBC Visual Effects Workshop in Acton, London |
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| 7 |
Recording for Warriors Of The Deep takes place at
the BBC Visual Effects Workshop in Acton, London |
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| 12 |
Peter Ling and Hazel Adair are
commissioned to provide a storyline for “Hex” |
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| 13 |
Recording for Warriors Of The Deep takes place at
BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London |
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| 14 |
Recording for Warriors Of The Deep takes place at
BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London |
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| 15 |
Recording for Warriors Of The Deep takes place at
BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London |
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| 17 |
Christopher Bailey is commissioned to
write “The Children Of
Seth”, a revised version of “May Time” |
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| 19 |
Recording for The Awakening takes place in
Dorset, at Tarrant Monkton and Shapwick |
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| 19 |
Anthony Steven delivers a storyline for
The Twin Dilemma |
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| 20 |
Recording for The Awakening takes place in
Shapwick, Dorset |
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| 21 |
Recording for The Awakening takes place in
Martin, Hampshire |
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| 22 |
Recording for The Awakening takes place in
Martin, Hampshire |
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| 28 |
A press conference is held to announce
that Peter Davison will be leaving Doctor Who during Season
Twenty-One |
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| 28 |
Robert Holmes is commissioned write The Caves Of Androzani |
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late
Jul |
Consideration is given to retaining the
character of Will Chandler, played by Keith Jayne in The Awakening, as a new companion;
John Nathan-Turner and Eric Saward ultimately decide against it |
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| 1 |
Peter Arne, cast as Mr Range in Frontios, is murdered after
returning home from his costume fitting |
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 |
| 2 |
Anthony Steven is commissioned to write
the first episode of The Twin
Dilemma |
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| 4 |
Recording for The Awakening takes place at BBC
Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London |
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| 5 |
Recording for The Awakening takes place at BBC
Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London |
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| 6 |
Recording for The Awakening takes place at BBC
Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London |
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| 9 |
Nicola Bryant is contracted for twelve
episodes starting with Planet Of
Fire, with an option for the entirety of Seasons Twenty-Two and
Twenty-Three |
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| 14 |
Brian Finch is commissioned to write “Leviathan” |
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| 19 |
The BBC announces that Colin Baker will
play the Sixth Doctor |
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| 24 |
Recording for Frontios takes place at BBC
Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London |
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| 24 |
Anthony Steven is commissioned to write
the final three episodes of The Twin
Dilemma |
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| 25 |
Recording for Frontios takes place at BBC
Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London |
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| 26 |
Recording for Frontios takes place at BBC
Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London |
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| 1 |
The Soviet Union shoots down a Korean
commercial airliner, killing all aboard including a US congressman |
| 7 |
Recording for Frontios takes place at BBC
Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London |
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| 8 |
Recording for Frontios takes place at BBC
Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London |
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| 9 |
Recording for Frontios takes place at BBC
Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London |
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| 11 |
Recording for Resurrection Of The Daleks takes
place in Bermondsey, London |
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| 12 |
Recording for Resurrection Of The Daleks takes
place in Bermondsey, London |
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| 21 |
Recording for Resurrection Of The Daleks takes
place at BBC Television Centre Studio 8 in White City, London |
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| 22 |
Recording for Resurrection Of The Daleks takes
place at BBC Television Centre Studio 8 in White City, London |
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| 23 |
Recording for Resurrection Of The Daleks takes
place at BBC Television Centre Studio 8 in White City, London |
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| 30 |
Colin Baker is contracted for the final
five episodes of Season Twenty-One, beginning with the last installment
of The Caves Of Androzani |
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| 30 |
Pip Baker and Jane Baker are
commissioned to provide a storyline for The Mark Of The Rani |
|
 |
| 4 |
Colin Baker is contracted for Season
Twenty-Two, with an option for three additional years |
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| 5 |
Recording for Resurrection Of The Daleks takes
place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London |
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| 6 |
Recording for Resurrection Of The Daleks takes
place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London |
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| 7 |
Recording for Resurrection Of The Daleks takes
place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London |
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| 14 |
Recording for Planet Of Fire takes place at Playa
del Papagayo, Lanzarote, Spain |
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| 15 |
Recording for Planet Of Fire takes place in
Lanzarote, Spain, at Mirador del Rio and Órzola |
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| 17 |
Recording for Planet Of Fire takes place at the
Parque Nacional de Timanfaya, Lanzarote, Spain |
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| 18 |
Recording for Planet Of Fire takes place at the
Parque Nacional de Timanfaya, Lanzarote, Spain |
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| 19 |
Recording for Planet Of Fire takes place at the
Parque Nacional de Timanfaya, Lanzarote, Spain |
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| 25 |
The United States invades Grenada in
response to an incursion by Cuban forces |
| 26 |
Recording for Planet Of Fire takes place at BBC
Television Centre Studio 1 in White City, London |
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| 27 |
Recording for Planet Of Fire takes place at BBC
Television Centre Studio 1 in White City, London |
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| 7 |
Pip Baker and Jane Baker are commissioned
to write The Mark Of The
Rani |
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| 9 |
Recording for Planet Of Fire takes place at BBC
Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London |
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| 10 |
Recording for Planet Of Fire takes place at BBC
Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London |
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| 11 |
Recording for Planet Of Fire takes place at BBC
Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London |
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| 15 |
Recording for The Caves Of Androzani takes place
in Stokeford, Dorset |
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| 16 |
Recording for The Caves Of Androzani takes place
in Stokeford, Dorset |
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| 17 |
Recording for The Caves Of Androzani takes place
in Stokeford, Dorset |
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| 22 |
Because the BBC's broadcast of the 1984
Winter Olympics will occupy Doctor Who's timeslots when Resurrection Of The Daleks would
normally air, it's decided to instead re-edit the serial into two
forty-five-minute episodes |
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| 23 |
Debut broadcast of The Five Doctors; this occurs on
Public Broadcasting Service stations in the United States, marking the
first instance of a Doctor Who episode premiering outside of the
United Kingdom |
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| 23 |
Glen McCoy is commissioned to write the
remainder of Timelash, which
will now be revised from four twenty-five-minute episodes to two
forty-five-minute episodes |
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| 25 |
The Five
Doctors is broadcast on BBC One for the first time |
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| 28 |
Philip Martin is commissioned to revise
Vengeance On Varos from four
twenty-five-minute episodes to two forty-five-minute episodes |
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late
Nov |
Patrick Troughton accepts John
Nathan-Turner's offer to return to Doctor Who for a story which
pairs him with the Sixth Doctor, Colin Baker |
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