Doctor Who icon Peter Purves reveals frustration and relief as lost episodes found: “My flabber has never been so gasted”

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As a lifelong Doctor Who fan, I was thrilled to hear the news! Peter Purves, a true icon from the show’s early days, has shared his excitement about the amazing rediscovery of two episodes thought lost for over 60 years. It’s fantastic to think these pieces of television history have been found after all this time, and it’s clear Purves is absolutely delighted.

Recently discovered, these classic episodes feature William Hartnell, the original Doctor, and actor Purves. They were found within a disorganized collection of old films donated by a fan and represent the first and third installments of Doctor Who’s third season.

The story began with the first episode, “The Nightmare Begins,” which first aired in November 1965. Two weeks later, the third episode, “Devil’s Planet,” followed. Both were part of a 12-episode story called “The Daleks’ Master Plan,” known for its dark and intense tone, and written by Terry Nation, the person who created the Daleks.

A BBC engineer found the second episode, “Day of Armageddon,” back in 2004. This means all three episodes from the beginning of this story have now been found. The BBC has announced that these restored episodes will be available on BBC iPlayer this Easter.

The episodes feature William Hartnell alongside actors Jacqueline Purves as Steven Taylor, Nicholas Courtney as Bret Vyon, Adrienne Hill as Katarina, and Kevin Stoney as Mavic Chen.

To celebrate the discovery, the Phoenix Cinema in Leicester invited Purves to watch the two recovered episodes, initially telling him something else to get him there. Purves was completely astonished, saying he’d never been so surprised in his life.

After the screening, Purves said he was stunned and lost for words. He admitted he didn’t even recall seeing the programs when they originally aired, though he remembered the stories themselves. Seeing the footage now felt strange, as the images didn’t seem familiar to him.

After being injured in Troy while working with the Mythmakers, I was in such a daze that I don’t recall the very first event – and unfortunately, that record is now lost.

The actor had previously told Doctor Who Magazine he’d lost hope of ever finding the missing episodes, making this discovery a particularly touching moment for him.

It’s really frustrating as a fan, but as of today, a whopping 95 episodes from the show’s first six seasons are still lost. Apparently, the BBC wiped or recorded over the original tapes back in the 60s and 70s, just to save money and space – it’s a huge loss for everyone who loves the show.

Both Purves and Doctor Who expert Toby Hadoke, who initially brought the actor to Leicester for the event, believe that finding these lost episodes will definitely get fans excited about the show’s older seasons again.

Purves noted that this was the fourth time the Daleks had appeared, which is particularly exciting for fans. Doctor Who has a large and dedicated fanbase who especially enjoy the show’s classic era.

I’m so happy these two great episodes have been found! It’s really upsetting to me that so many of my episodes are still lost.

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The episodes were found thanks to Film is Fabulous! (FIF), a charity that works to save old, privately owned film collections in the UK. This is the first time missing episodes of Doctor Who have been discovered since 2013.

According to Justin Smith, a film and television historian at De Montfort University and chair of trustees at FIF, these restored episodes are highlights from a somewhat disorganized and neglected collection, particularly when compared to the condition of the ‘Doctor Who’ episodes.

The collector knew the value of his films, but the story of how he got them is now forgotten. Unfortunately, many of the films were damaged by water, and the metal containers they were stored in had rusted.

These two stories are significant because the BBC didn’t sell the twelve-part serial, ‘The Daleks’ Master Plan,’ to international broadcasters. It was considered too violent for foreign audiences and was therefore only shown in the UK when it first aired.

On April 4th, the team at FIF is hosting a special screening of the two newly restored Doctor Who episodes, and welcoming guest of honour, Purves. Fans can watch the episodes that same day on BBC iPlayer when they become available to stream in full.

Doctor Who will return at Christmas and is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

Authors

Nicola AustinFreelance Writer

Okay, so I’m a total film and TV nerd – sci-fi, fantasy, animation, you name it, I’m probably obsessed. I actually write about it for a living, contributing to places like Empire, Digital Spy, and a bunch of other cool publications. And honestly? I will always defend ‘The Mummy’ from 1999. It’s a 90s masterpiece, period.

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2026-03-13 23:05