Missing Doctor Who episodes are coming to BBC iPlayer after being unearthed and restored

Two previously lost episodes of the classic sci-fi show Doctor Who are coming to BBC iPlayer. The series, which has been a part of British television since the 1960s, has had some episodes disappear over time due to issues with keeping old recordings safe.

Good news for fans: two episodes from the Daleks’ Master Plan series, originally aired in the third season, have been found! The episodes were located in a private collection by the charity Film is Fabulous!

Two classic Doctor Who stories, ‘Nightmare Begins’ and ‘Devil’s Planet’, originally made during William Hartnell’s time as the Doctor and written by Terry Nation, have been restored and will be available to stream on BBC iPlayer’s Whoniverse this Easter.

Noreen Adams, Director of BBC Archives, expressed excitement about collaborating with Film is Fabulous! to make these previously unavailable Doctor Who episodes available to BBC iPlayer viewers this Easter.

This April, BBC Archives is making sure fans have an even better Easter by restoring and improving the quality of classic recordings.

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Disney will no longer be a part of the Doctor Who series. They were previously co-producing episodes, but that agreement has ended.

Despite recent reports, the BBC remains dedicated to the show, planning a new special for this Christmas. Billie Piper will be joining the cast after Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor transforms into her character as he leaves the series.

Doctor Who director Peter Hoar recently shared his thoughts on Disney’s involvement with the show, acknowledging that things didn’t go as planned during the most recent seasons.

He acknowledged the talent of the show’s performers, telling Deadline that while everyone involved was skilled, something still didn’t quite work out.

Looking back, there were many things that could have been done differently, but simply spending more money wouldn’t have made the show better. Luckily, that’s not a concern now, as funds are limited for everyone.

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Doctor Who is broadcast on BBC One in the UK and on Disney+ internationally. Fans in the UK can also stream classic episodes on BBC iPlayer.

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2026-03-13 15:50