Classic Doctor Who lost episodes found at last after 60 years – and they will be available to watch in mere weeks

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Great news for Doctor Who lovers! Two episodes of the classic sci-fi series, previously thought lost, have been discovered in the collection of a fan who recently passed away.

As a classic TV fan, I was thrilled to hear about this discovery! Film is Fabulous!, a wonderful group of film buffs and vintage TV collectors, managed to recover two lost episodes featuring William Hartnell as the very first Doctor. It’s a real win for preservation and a treat for those of us who love this era of Doctor Who.

Film is Fabulous! works to save important, but at-risk, film collections in the UK when their owners – often private collectors or people who used to work in the film industry – are no longer able to care for them. Since 2023, the team has successfully preserved many of these collections.

Two previously lost episodes of the show have been discovered: “The Nightmare Begins,” which aired on November 13, 1965, and “Devil’s Planet,” which aired on November 27, 1965. The family of the person who found them has requested to remain anonymous.

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These two episodes come from ‘The Daleks’ Master Plan,’ a story in the third season written by Terry Nation. The cast included Peter Purves as Steven Taylor, Nicholas Courtney as Bret Vyon, Adrienne Hill as Katarina, and Kevin Stoney as Mavic Chen.

Finding these lost recordings brings the total number of missing episodes down to 95, and importantly, we now have the first three parts of a twelve-part story that was previously completely lost.

These two episodes will be shown at a special event on Saturday, April 4th. More information will be available soon.

Film is Fabulous! is working with the BBC Archives to restore original 16mm recordings, so viewers will soon be able to enjoy them in the best quality possible on BBC iPlayer.

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I was so excited when I read the story synopsis for ‘The Nightmare Begins’! Apparently, the TARDIS brings the Doctor and his friend Steven to the planet Kembel. Poor Steven gets hurt, so the Doctor goes looking for help. But things quickly turn dangerous because it turns out the Daleks are there too! Even worse, they’re teaming up with this powerful being called Mavic Chen, and together they’re plotting to take over Earth! It sounds like a real adventure!

The Doctor and his friends have managed to escape the planet Kembel with a crucial taranium core, taking off in Mavic Chen’s spaceship. But the Daleks are right behind them, chasing them to Desperus, a dangerous prison planet full of peril.

Doctor Who will return to BBC One and BBC iPlayer this Christmas.

As a total TV buff, I just have to tell you – seriously, add Doctor Who to your watchlist on the TopMob ‘What to Watch’ app! It’s a great way to stay up-to-date with everything happening in TV, and they give you daily recommendations and cool features. You can download the app now – trust me, you won’t regret it!

Authors

James HibbsDrama Writer

James Hibbs writes about TV dramas for TopMob, covering shows on streaming services and traditional channels. Before becoming a writer, he worked in public relations, first at a business-to-business agency and then at Fremantle, a global TV production company. He has a bachelor’s degree in English and Theatre Studies and a Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.

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2026-03-13 14:04