After sixty years, two previously missing episodes of the classic Doctor Who serial featuring the Daleks have been discovered. In 1965, the nation was completely captivated by these iconic villains – known as “Dalekmania” – with Dalek toys, comics, and even breakfast cereal becoming popular. A film adaptation starring Peter Cushing was released, and the BBC broadcast a new 12-part story, “The Daleks’ Master Plan,” bringing the Daleks back to the television series. Despite their popularity, most of the episodes from this particular adventure were lost until now. Only three episodes were known to still exist.
Great news for fans of Doctor Who! The BBC recently announced the discovery of two previously lost episodes. To reveal them, they invited Peter Purves, who played companion Steven Taylor, to a screening at the Phoenix Cinema in Leicester. His reaction – “My flabber has never been so gasted!” – perfectly captures the excitement of the fanbase. The episodes, titled “The Nightmare Begins” and “Devil’s Planet” (episodes 1 and 3), will be available on BBC iPlayer in the U.K. over Easter, following a special premiere in London on April 4th with Purves as a guest of honor.
Great news for Doctor Who fans! The team at ‘The Film is Fabulous!’ has found two previously lost episodes of the classic serial ‘The Daleks’ Master Plan’: ‘The Nightmare Begins’ (originally aired November 13th, 1965) and ‘Devil’s Planet’ (originally aired November 27th, 1965).
— filmisfabulous (@filmisfabulous) March 13, 2026
The lost episodes were found by the charity Film is Fabulous! (FIF). Despite being considered too violent for international release by censors, technicians made copies for quality control purposes. These copies ended up with a private collector whose extensive film collection – mostly home videos of trains and canals, according to the BBC – was donated to FIF after his passing.
How Did the BBC Lose the Biggest Dalek Story Every Made?
L.P. Hartley famously said the past is like a different country – people did things very differently back then. It’s difficult for us now to realize, but in the 1960s, no one thought episodes of Doctor Who would ever be valuable. Home video didn’t exist yet – no Blu-rays or DVDs – so you could only watch something again if a television channel re-aired it. “The Daleks’ Master Plan” was a huge, 12-part story that even aired on Christmas Day, and it was considered too long and too violent for viewers in other countries. Because of this, it was believed no copies of the story had ever been preserved.
As a big Doctor Who fan, I was really hoping that lost episode wasn’t a copy, and it turns out it wasn’t! That got me thinking – could other supposedly lost episodes also have been copied and ended up with private collectors? There’s a lot of excitement around episode 4, though. Back in 1973, it was actually loaned to the kids’ show Blue Peter for Doctor Who‘s 10th anniversary. They showed some clips, but the tape was never sent back to the BBC. Luckily, it survived the big tape-wiping purge the BBC did in the 70s to save money, but sadly it was presumed lost when it wasn’t returned. Still, there’s a small chance it might actually still exist somewhere!
Although it wasn’t highly regarded when it first aired, “The Daleks’ Master Plan” is now considered a prized find for Doctor Who enthusiasts. It holds the distinction of being the very first Doctor Who Christmas Special, with Episode 7, “The Feast of Steven,” including a Christmas greeting from the Doctor. The storyline was remarkably daring for its time, as it marked the first time companions were killed off – a plot point not revisited until 1982. Notably, the first episode also introduced Nicholas Courtney, who would become famous for his role as Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, initially appearing as galactic spy Bret Vyon.
We can’t see the whole picture just yet, but a significant lost part of Doctor Who history has been found – something many thought would never surface. What’s even more promising is that these copies suggest other missing pieces might still exist with private collectors, giving Doctor Who fans renewed hope.
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2026-03-13 14:40