14 Doctor Who Urban Legends That Are Actually True
2. The Axe Factor
One of the most notable events in Doctor Who history is its axe back in 1989. Nobody knows quite for sure why it was taken off the air but its ever decreasing viewing figures at the time, as a result of dwindling public interest, was probably the main contributing factor. Fans have since been searching for somebody - anybody - to blame for the untimely demise of their favourite show (and its subsequent 16 year hiatus) and usually the finger is pointed in the direction of Michael Grade who was serving as the Controller of BBC One at the time of the Doctors controversial cancellation. Or was he? While Grade made no secret of the fact he hated everything that Doctor Who stood for (he has retrospectively described it as outdated and a little show for a few pointy head fans), the suggestion that he was solely responsible for its untimely demise isnt entirely true. Although he had previously suspended it in 1986, and subsequently dismissed Colin Baker from the title role, it was actually Jonathan Powell who indefinitely pulled the plug on the Doctors adventures. In fact, Grade had moved on to his new position as Controller of Channel 4 by the time the series was shelved so he wasnt directly involved in the decision to kill it off for good. Its probably much easier to blame him, though, just because of what hes said about it. Nobody calls our beloved Time Lord pathetic and gets away with it