Steven Moffat has unveiled the original script for Doctor Who's iconic instalment Blink, which saw the introduction of the terrifying Weeping Angels.

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The writer released the document following a fan tweet-along to the episode on Halloween, although he encountered some difficulty retrieving it as it was saved in an outdated file format.

After several failed attempts, it was writing duo Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran who were able to gain access to the fabled script, which has numerous similarities to the finished product but some notable differences.

Moffat said in a statement: "A few things before you read. I hated the last scene so much that the morning after I emailed the script - before I’d even heard a note - I wrote a new ending and hurriedly sent it in. No one has seen this version in years, and hardly anyone saw it at the time. Forgotten history, I suppose. The road not taken."

The episode was originally to be titled Sally Sparrow and The Weeping Angel, with fewer mentions of the word "blink" than featured in the final draft.

Moffat continues: "The proper title hadn’t arrived yet, so no one says 'don’t blink!' Weird, really, looking back. When I changed the title, it was Russell [T Davies] who suggested I hit the word “blink” over and over again, like a cheesy old trailer. As you know, I ran with note for all I was worth - and what a brilliant note it was."

In addition, the original ending to the episode included a more uncertain future for Sally and Larry, as it was implied that Sally could potentially end up with another woman.

"Mind you, Russell always rather liked this ending - because, in his words, 'it was a bit more lesbian,'" Moffat recalled.

The full script is now available to read here.

The Weeping Angels were recently voted the scariest Doctor Who monster of all time in a poll by RadioTimes.com, beating out stiff competition from the likes of the Daleks, The Cybermen and the Gas Mask Zombies.

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Doctor Who is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Check out what else is on with our TV Guide, or take a look at our new TV shows 2020 page to find out what's airing this autumn and beyond.

Authors

David Craig
David CraigSenior Drama Writer

David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.

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