10 False Doctor Who Facts You Probably Believe

10. A Time Lord Can Regenerate More Than Thirteen Times

Now the first entry on this list is targeted at a very specific audience, fans of the Sarah Jane Adventures. Since 1976's the Deadly Assassin, it has been an established fact that Time Lords regenerate thirteen times. But audiences who grew up with the Sarah Jane Adventures, and maybe got into the main show through this CBBC fan favourite, may think otherwise.

During the Doctor Who/Sarah-Jane Adventures crossover, 'Death of the Doctor' Matt Smiths new Eleventh Doctor was reunited with the titular Sarah-Jane, as well as another 70s companion, Jo Jones (nee Grant). In this two part adventure, when rescuing Sarah-Jane's friends, the Doctor is asked a question by Clyde Langer, who the previous year met the Tenth Doctor, how many times can the Time Lord change his face? Surely he responded with thirteen, right?

No. The Eleventh Doctor responded by telling Clyde he could regenerate five hundred and seven times. To a young fan, that's easy to believe, why wouldn't you trust the Doctor? We've got (at the time) four hundred and ninety-seven incarnations of the Doctor to come.

At the time Russell T Davies even stated "They only said thirteen once or twice". However, those of us who have seen the Eleventh Doctor's era end, with the Time of the Doctor, know that this isn't the case and the rule of thirteen is the standard for Time Lords, with extra cycles being granted. No, we're not opening the Timeless Child can of worms here.