The BBC has
officially announced the multitude of programmes that have been lined up to celebrate Doctor Who's 50th Anniversary. Amongst the announcement of various tributes has been the latest major reveal about the Anniversary Special itself: The episode is titled "The Day Of The Doctor" and will run for seventy-five minutes. As well as "The Day Of The Doctor", the BBC will also broadcast the programme's first story "An Unearthly Child" on BBC4 in a previously unbroadcast and restored format, Mark Gatiss's docudrama "An Adventure In Space And Time" starring David Bradley as William Hartnell, a BBC2 lecture by Professor Brian Cox (who guest starred as himself in last year's The Power Of Three) about the science of Doctor Who, several broadcasts on BBC3 that have yet to be confirmed, and "Me, You, And Doctor Who", a special edition of BBC2 arts programme The Culture Show presented by regular presenter and lifelong fan Matthew Sweet. Away from television, Doctor Who will also be a celebrated by a 90 minute documentary on Radio 2 called "Who Is The Doctor?" and "Doctor Who: The Ultimate Guide", which, as the title suggests, will be a guide to the programme to set audiences up for the Anniversary Special. What medium this guide will be released in is unconfirmed but it will most likely be broadcast on BBC3, or as an online or Red Button exclusive given how much live airtime on BBC1 and BBC2 is already being given over to Doctor Who. The BBC promised us something very special for the 50th Anniversary and so far they're certainly delivering. Thanks to this cascade of new information, the baited breath we've all been looking forward to the 50th Anniversary with is now definitely a lot bigger. Certainly for the tribute programmes but most of all for The Day Of The Doctor. Seventy-four days to go, BBC. Make it a good one.