The 50th Anniversary: What We Know

A compilation of everything we know about the 50th anniversary special(s) so far. This article will be continually updated as more info emerges over the coming months until broadcast. For Series 7 in 2013 see this post.

LAST UPDATE: 31 May 2013

The 50th Anniversary Special

Written by Steven Moffat. Directed by Nick Hurran.

Airdate

• 23 November 2013

Note: The episode will also be released in selected cinemas. Exact details TBC.

Filming

• Began 2 April 2013. Wrapped 6 May

Note: The episode is being filmed and broadcast in 3D

Cast

• Matt Smith – The Doctor
• David Tennant – The Tenth Doctor
• John Hurt – The (?) Doctor
• Jenna-Louise Coleman – Clara Oswald
• Billie Piper – Rose Tyler
• Jemma Redgrave – Kate Stewart
• Ingrid Oliver – Osgood
• Joanna Page – TBC
• Ken Bones – The General
• Orlando James – Lord Bentham
• Marshall Griffin – TBC
• Philip Buck - TBC

Monsters

• The Zygons

Note: Zygon creator Robert Banks Stewart said we can expect an appearance from both the Daleks and the Cybermen.

The Express claimed that Master will be back, but played by Benedict Cumberbatch. However Cumberbatch and Moffat later denied it. Moffat said that John Simm is still the Master. Omega is another rumoured villain.

Format

• 1×60 minutes (according to this BBC poster). Moffat later denied this.

The format of the anniversary is still to be confirmed by the BBC. Steven Moffat originally said “Why talk in the singular?” Matt Smith also hinted at multiple episodes, but more recent rumours seem to suggest a one-off feature-length outing.

In another interview Moffat said: “I’ve got various plans, but all I can say emphatically is it will be huge. It won’t be just one thing…. We’ll be doing lots of stuff. The plans are quite extensive, and changing all the time. Oh my God, we will hit that year very, very hard indeed.”

Synopsis

Story details are next to non-existent so far. The only hint given was from Matt Smith who teased the word “paintings.”

For filming reports:

• Zygons pic from filming
• Day 1 round-up
• 50th Anniversary Filming (Day 3)
• Kate Stewart Returns
• 50th Anniversary Filming (Day 7)
• 50th Anniversary: On Location at Tower of London
• 50th Anniversary Trafalgar Filming (Day 8)
• 50th Anniversary: On Location at Trafalgar Square
• 50th Anniversary Filming: Back in Cardiff
• 50th Anniversary Filming: Doctors Unite
• The Most Exciting 50th Anniversary Picture Ever*

Will any past Doctors return?

David Tennant is now confirmed. As for the other Doctors:

Chris Eccleston

A BBC statement said: “Chris met with Steven Moffat a couple of times to talk about Steven’s plans for the Doctor Who 50th anniversary episode. After careful thought, Chris decided not to be in the episode. He wishes the team all the best.”

Paul McGann

“The anniversary doesn’t start until November. Whatever it is that they’re planning and they are making, they’ve got time to do it. It’s my feeling [and] this is just a personal thing, once they resolve Chris Eccleston’s participation or non-participation either way, then they’re free to [figure it out]… Being actors anyway, they’ll call us on the Friday and say, ‘You’re starting on a Monday’.”

Sylvester McCoy

“All the fan bases all over the world believe that [everyone should be involved], but not the producers at the BBC.”

Colin Baker

“No [I have not been asked]. As far I know, neither of any of my erstwhile colleagues have been asked either.”

Peter Davison

“I feel no need to turn my back on it, but I don’t feel like it’s the kind of thing they’d do. I’d be very surprised if they tried to do anything involving the old Doctors because it always takes a slight stretch of the imagination anyway to figure out why the previous Doctors look older, but I’m sure that can be done.”

Tom Baker

“I think if they ask me nicely or I can see what they want me to do, I’d consider it. I think the fans have been so good to me, they’d expect me to at least make an appearance.”

What about past companions?

Billie Piper (Rose) is now confirmed. As for the other companions:

Carole Ann Ford will return as Susan Foreman according to a rumour in the Express.

Louise Jameson (Leela): “None of us knows yet what’s going on, just told to keep the days free.”

Sophie Aldred (Ace): “I’d love to. I’d drop everything. I did find out that Russell T Davies had planned for Ace [to appear in] the Sarah Jane Adventures… You never know. I’m waiting for a call.”

Noel Clarke (Mickey): “I’m sure if I was gonna be there, I’d know about it already. If they called me, then I’m sure there’d be a conversation, but I’m not calling them or chasing it.”

John Barrowman (Captain Jack): “Everyone on Twitter tries to make it like it’s my decision, but the bottom line is I was not asked. [The Powers That Be] don’t want to put Jack in it. And I know fans are really upset about it, as was I.”

Freema Agyeman (Martha): “I’m doing two things for the 50th but nothing to do with being in the drama. I got misquoted hideously once saying that there are some rumblings going on about being involved in the 50th in terms of the drama. It’s not. It’s in terms of conventions and interviews and things like that, which we’re all doing stuff to promote the 50th. We have to. It’s the ‘Doctor Who’ family and we want to.”

Karen Gillan (Amy):”Whether Arthur Darvill and I are involved, we’ll have to wait and see.”

An Adventure in Space and Time

Written by Mark Gatiss

Airdate

• November (TBC)

Format

• 1×90 minutes

Synopsis

A special BBC 2 drama has been commissioned to mark the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who. An Adventure In Space And Time will tell the story of the genesis of Doctor Who since its first broadcast on 23 November 1963. Exploring all aspects of the longest running science fiction series to date, the special one-off 90-minute drama will also look at the many personalities involved in bringing the series to life. Written by Mark Gatiss, it is executive produced by current Doctor Who showrunner, Steven Moffat, and Caroline Skinner.

Filming

• February 2013. Wrapped 1 March 2013

Cast

• David Bradley - William Hartnell (the First Doctor)
• Brian Cox - Sydney Newman (BBC head of drama)
• Jessica Raine - Verity Lambert (Doctor Who’s first producer)
• Sacha Dhawan - Waris Hussein (Doctor Who’s first director)
• Lesley Manville - Heather Hartnell (William’s wife)
• Reece Shearsmith – Patrick Troughton (the second Doctor)
• Jeff Rawle - Mervyn Pinfield (Doctor Who’s associate producer)
• Andrew Woodall – Rex Tucker (BBC producer)
• Ian Hallard – Richard Martin (Doctor Who director)
• Jamie Glover - William Russell (companion Ian)
• Jemma Powell - Jacqueline Hill (companion Barbara)
• Claudia Grant - Carole Ann Ford (the Doctor’s granddaughter Susan)
• Sarah Winter - Delia Derbyshire (musician at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop)
• William Russell – (the original Ian Chesterton) as Harry
• Reece Pockney - Alan
• Sophie Holt – Jackie Lane (companion Dodo)

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