The Doctor Who Production Diary: 1971

January
2 Debut broadcast of Terror Of The Autons episode one on BBC One Terror Of The Autons
4 Recording for The Claws Of Axos takes place in Lydd, Kent The Claws Of Axos
5 Recording for The Claws Of Axos takes place in Lydd, Kent The Claws Of Axos
6 Recording for The Claws Of Axos takes place in Lydd, Kent The Claws Of Axos
6 Robert Sloman is commissioned to write The Daemons; the scripts will be co-written by Barry Letts and be credited to the pseudonymous “Guy Leopold” The Daemons
7 Recording for The Claws Of Axos takes place in Folkestone, Kent The Claws Of Axos
8 Recording for The Claws Of Axos takes place in Dungeness, Kent The Claws Of Axos
9 Debut broadcast of Terror Of The Autons episode two on BBC One Terror Of The Autons
16 Debut broadcast of Terror Of The Autons episode three on BBC One Terror Of The Autons
22 Recording for The Claws Of Axos takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London The Claws Of Axos
22 Louis Marks is commissioned to provide a storyline for Day Of The Daleks -- although, at this stage, it is known as “The Ghost Hunters” and does not feature the Daleks Day Of The Daleks
23 Debut broadcast of Terror Of The Autons episode four on BBC One Terror Of The Autons
23 Recording for The Claws Of Axos takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London The Claws Of Axos
25 Idi Amin becomes President of Uganda following a military coup
27 Susan Jameson learns that she has been replaced in the role of the villainous Morgan for Colony In Space by Tony Caunter, due to Head of Serials Ronnie Marsh's concerns about fetishistic overtones Colony In Space
30 Debut broadcast of The Mind Of Evil episode one on BBC One The Mind Of Evil

February
5 Recording for The Claws Of Axos takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 4 in White City, London The Claws Of Axos
6 Debut broadcast of The Mind Of Evil episode two on BBC One The Mind Of Evil
6 Recording for The Claws Of Axos takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 4 in White City, London The Claws Of Axos
6 On or around this date, recording for Colony In Space takes place at Caravel Film Studios in Slough, Berkshire and the BBC Television Film Studios in Ealing, London Colony In Space
10 Recording for Colony In Space takes place in Carclaze, Cornwall Colony In Space
11 Recording for Colony In Space takes place in Carclaze, Cornwall Colony In Space
12 Recording for Colony In Space takes place in Carclaze, Cornwall Colony In Space
13 Debut broadcast of The Mind Of Evil episode three on BBC One The Mind Of Evil
15 Britain's currency is decimalised
15 Recording for Colony In Space takes place in Carclaze, Cornwall Colony In Space
16 Recording for Colony In Space takes place in Carclaze, Cornwall Colony In Space
20 Debut broadcast of The Mind Of Evil episode four on BBC One The Mind Of Evil
27 Debut broadcast of The Mind Of Evil episode five on BBC One The Mind Of Evil

March
5 Recording for Colony In Space takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 4 in White City, London Colony In Space
6 Debut broadcast of The Mind Of Evil episode six on BBC One The Mind Of Evil
6 Recording for Colony In Space takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 4 in White City, London Colony In Space
13 Debut broadcast of The Claws Of Axos episode one on BBC One The Claws Of Axos
19 Recording for Colony In Space takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London Colony In Space
20 Debut broadcast of The Claws Of Axos episode two on BBC One The Claws Of Axos
20 Recording for Colony In Space takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London Colony In Space
27 Debut broadcast of The Claws Of Axos episode three on BBC One The Claws Of Axos
29 Malcolm Hulke is commissioned to provide a storyline for The Sea Devils The Sea Devils

April
1 Louis Marks is commissioned to write Day Of The Daleks which, at this stage, is still known as “The Ghost Hunters” and still does not feature the Daleks Day Of The Daleks
2 Recording for Colony In Space takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London Colony In Space
3 Debut broadcast of The Claws Of Axos episode four on BBC One The Claws Of Axos
3 Recording for Colony In Space takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London Colony In Space
10 Debut broadcast of Colony In Space episode one on BBC One Colony In Space
16 Birth of Brian Dooley (bio), writer
17 Debut broadcast of Colony In Space episode two on BBC One Colony In Space
18 Birth of David Tennant (bio), who played the Tenth Doctor and the Fourteenth Doctor
19 The USSR launches the world's first space station, Salyut 1
19 Recording for The Daemons takes place in Wiltshire, at Lambourn and Knighton The Daemons
20 Recording for The Daemons takes place in Aldbourne, Wiltshire The Daemons
21 Recording for The Daemons takes place in Aldbourne, Wiltshire The Daemons
22 Recording for The Daemons takes place in Aldbourne, Wiltshire The Daemons
22 Terry Nation gives his permission for the Daleks to return to Doctor Who after five years Day Of The Daleks
23 Recording for The Daemons takes place in Ramsbury, Wiltshire The Daemons
24 Debut broadcast of Colony In Space episode three on BBC One Colony In Space
24 Recording for The Daemons takes place in Aldbourne, Wiltshire The Daemons
26 Recording for The Daemons takes place in Ramsbury, Wiltshire The Daemons
27 Recording for The Daemons takes place in Ramsbury, Wiltshire The Daemons
28 Recording for The Daemons takes place in Aldbourne, Wiltshire The Daemons
29 Recording for The Daemons takes place in Aldbourne, Wiltshire The Daemons
30 Recording for The Daemons takes place in Aldbourne, Wiltshire The Daemons

May
1 Debut broadcast of Colony In Space episode four on BBC One Colony In Space
6 Robert Holmes is commissioned to provide a storyline for Carnival Of Monsters Carnival Of Monsters
8 Debut broadcast of Colony In Space episode five on BBC One Colony In Space
11 Recording for The Daemons takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 4 in White City, London The Daemons
14 Katy Manning is contracted for at least twenty episodes of Season Nine Jo
Grant
14 Brian Hayles is commissioned to write The Curse Of Peladon The Curse Of Peladon
15 Debut broadcast of Colony In Space episode six on BBC One Colony In Space
18 Jon Pertwee is contracted for Season Nine The Third Doctor
19 Recording for The Daemons takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 4 in White City, London The Daemons
20 Bob Baker and Dave Martin are commissioned to write the first episode of The Mutants The Mutants
22 Debut broadcast of The Daemons episode one on BBC One The Daemons
25 Malcolm Hulke is commissioned to write The Sea Devils The Sea Devils
25 Robert Sloman is commissioned to provide a storyline for “The Daleks In London” The Third Doctor
26 Recording for The Daemons takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 1 in White City, London The Daemons
29 Debut broadcast of The Daemons episode two on BBC One The Daemons

June
early
Jun
With the abandonment of “The Daleks In London”, it is decided to incorporate the Daleks into “The Ghost Hunters”, which ultimately becomes Day Of The Daleks Day Of The Daleks
5 Debut broadcast of The Daemons episode three on BBC One The Daemons
12 Debut broadcast of The Daemons episode four on BBC One The Daemons
19 Debut broadcast of The Daemons episode five on BBC One The Daemons

July

August
4 Bob Baker and Dave Martin are commissioned to write the second episode of The Mutants The Mutants
13 Richard Franklin is contracted for Day Of The Daleks Captain
Mike Yates
19 Godfrey Harrison is commissioned to write a storyline for “Multiface” The Third Doctor
26 Nicholas Courtney is contracted for Day Of The Daleks Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart

September
1 John Levene is contracted for Day Of The Daleks Sergeant
John Benton
3 Bob Baker and Dave Martin are commissioned to write the third episode of The Mutants The Mutants
13 Recording for Day Of The Daleks takes place in Burnham, Buckinghamshire Day Of The Daleks
14 Recording for Day Of The Daleks takes place in Burnham, Buckinghamshire; Brentford, London; and Hayes, London Day Of The Daleks
15 Recording for Day Of The Daleks takes place in Hayes, London Day Of The Daleks
16 Recording for Day Of The Daleks takes place in Brentford, London Day Of The Daleks

October
1 Walt Disney World opens in Orlando, Florida
1 Bob Baker and Dave Martin are commissioned to write the final three episodes of The Mutants The Mutants
4 Recording for Day Of The Daleks takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 4 in White City, London Day Of The Daleks
5 Recording for Day Of The Daleks takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 4 in White City, London Day Of The Daleks
14 The Greenpeace environmental organisation is founded in Vancouver, British Columbia
17 Birth of Patrick Ness (bio), writer and executive producer
18 Recording for Day Of The Daleks takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 8 in White City, London Day Of The Daleks
19 Recording for Day Of The Daleks takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 8 in White City, London Day Of The Daleks
20 Birth of Karl Collins (bio), who played Shaun Temple
21 Recording for The Sea Devils takes place in Portsmouth, Hampshire The Sea Devils
22 Recording for The Sea Devils takes place in Portsmouth, Hampshire The Sea Devils
25 Recording for The Sea Devils takes place in Portsmouth, Hampshire The Sea Devils
26 Recording for The Sea Devils takes place at the No Man's Land Fort in the Solent, off the Isle of Wight The Sea Devils
27 Recording for The Sea Devils takes place at Whitecliff Bay, Isle of Wight The Sea Devils
28 Recording for The Sea Devils takes place on the Isle of Wight, at Bembridge and Priory Bay The Sea Devils
29 Recording for The Sea Devils takes place on the Isle of Wight, at East Cowes and Sandown The Sea Devils

November
13 The Mariner 9 reaches Mars and becomes the first spacecraft to orbit another planet
15 Recording for The Sea Devils takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 8 in White City, London The Sea Devils
16 Recording for The Sea Devils takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 8 in White City, London The Sea Devils
24 Robert Holmes is commissioned to write Carnival Of Monsters Carnival Of Monsters
25 In Washington state, a man who would become popularly known as “DB Cooper” commits the only unsolved airjacking in history
29 Birth of Naoko Mori (bio), who played Toshiko Sato
29 Recording for The Sea Devils takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 8 in White City, London The Sea Devils
30 Recording for The Sea Devils takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 8 in White City, London The Sea Devils

December
13 Recording for The Sea Devils takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 8 in White City, London The Sea Devils
14 Recording for The Sea Devils takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 8 in White City, London The Sea Devils
15 Recording for The Curse Of Peladon takes place at the BBC Television Centre Puppet Theatre in White City, London The Curse Of Peladon
16 War ends between India and Pakistan, resulting in East Pakistan becoming the independent nation of Bangladesh
16 Birth of Ashley Way (bio), director
16 Recording for The Curse Of Peladon takes place at the BBC Television Film Studios in Ealing, London and the BBC Television Centre Puppet Theatre in White City, London The Curse Of Peladon
17 Recording for The Curse Of Peladon takes place at the BBC Television Film Studios in Ealing, London and the BBC Television Centre Puppet Theatre in White City, London The Curse Of Peladon
28 Robert Sloman is commissioned to write The Time Monster as a replacement for “The Daleks In London” The Time Monster