Doctor Who revamps classic black and white episodes for 60th anniversary

Earlier in 2022, it was reported that a loss in funding would mean that no further animated Doctor Who projects would be commissioned – though RadioTimes.com understood that future productions could go ahead if BBC Studios secured another partner.

The two stories that will be getting the animation treatment are William Hartnell’s penultimate story The Smugglers, and Patrick Troughton’s third adventure, The Underwater Menace. Both four-part stories were originally transmitted by the BBC before film prints were sold overseas and the original tapes were destroyed.

RadioTimes.com has contacted BBC and BBC Studios for comment.

Episodes 2 and 3 of The Underwater Menace have been recovered, but only brief clips from The Smugglers story exist.

Speaking at a BFI Southbank screening last year for what was understood to be the final release of the Doctor Who animations, with a version of 1967 story The Abominable Snowmen, the project's co-director Gary Russell said it was "a shame" that no further reconstructions were planned.

He said: "From Big Finish's point of view, this is it for us – I'm just very glad that we went out on one of the best Doctor Who stories of all time and we got the chance to animate that."

So, it looks like the new year is already off to a great start with news of more animations coming to screens soon - and it's just one part of the 60th anniversary celebrations in store for the beloved sci-fi series – The Mirror also claims that surviving black-and-white episodes of Doctor Who will be restored and colourised, for broadcast in 2023.

Whovians were recently treated to a sneak peek of the anticipated anniversary episodes in a new teaser, which gave us all another look at David Tennant's highly-anticipated return, as well as Catherine Tate's Donna Noble.

Neil Patrick Harris also featured in an enigmatic way, as well as Heartstopper's Yasmin Finney as Rose, which prompted a slew of new questions about the format and plot of the upcoming special.

While the release date for the new animated specials is set to be revealed, it's understood that they will be released in keeping with the anniversary. So, November 2023 it (likely) is.

Doctor Who is available to stream on BBC iPlayer with episodes of the classic series also available on BritBox – you can sign up for a 7-day free trial here.

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