The True Story Behind Doctor Who's Abandoned Anniversary Movie

6. Pre-Production Begins, Casting Does Not

Classic Doctor Who
BBC Studios

Establishing a production office in June 1993, BBC Enterprises had won the bid to produce the special with a tender of £75k. BBC TV were concerned that the budget was too low, and that Enterprises had no experience in producing original drama. Despite this, design work continued on the monsters, updating the Dalek's extermination effects with 3D "bolts". Test shooting began, costumes and sets for the special were being designed, the Pertwee era variation of the theme tune was decided upon, and a new title sequence concept was drawn up.

Kevin Davies, who would later direct the fondly remembered anniversary documentary More Than 30 Years In The TARDIS, was put in charge of realising the concept of incorporating all five Doctors' faces into the old-fashioned "howl-around" intro. The only problem was, no-one had contacted the five Doctors.

In an interview with TV Zone, 5th Doctor actor Peter Davison said that:

"...they never returned my agent’s calls when this project was floating around. I was then sent a script later on saying, ‘We hope you like the script, we look forward to working with you,’ and still no one had contacted my agent."

It would only get worse from there...

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Citizen of the Universe, Film Programmer, Writer, Podcaster, Doctor Who fan and a gentleman to boot. As passionate about Chinese social-realist epics as I am about dumb popcorn movies.