14 Doctor Who Urban Legends That Are Actually True

By Dan Butler /

6. Medieval Mishaps

BBC

Fans are often hearing about writers whose attempts to contribute to Doctor Who were destined to go down like a lead balloon and this is one of the more regrettable examples. Comedian, actor, writer, presenter and activist (you name it and he€™s probably done it) Stephen Fry is one of many notable names whose efforts to lend their creativity to the timey-wimey proceedings were ultimately in vein. In his case it was for an episode that was originally slated to form part of NuWho€™s second series - David Tennant€™s first in role as the Tenth Doctor - back in 2006. The programme€™s then head writer Russell T Davies eventually decided, however, that the adventure Fry had envisioned was far too ambitious for the constraints of the show€™s current budget to handle. By the time Fry got around to making the necessary changes, the role of the Doctor€™s coveted companion was no longer inhabited by Billie Piper and he just didn€™t have the time to redraft the story for the show€™s new co-star Martha Jones. According to speculation, though, the episode in question would€™ve been set in the 1920s while other conflicting reports suggest that it would€™ve been loosely based on a medieval poem about Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. This is Doctor Who, of course, so it could€™ve easily been both. A tantalising case of what could€™ve been.

Advertisement