Alex Skerratt

Jackie Lane, who played the First Doctor's companion Dodo Chaplet, has died at the age of 79. To Doctor Who fans, Jackie Lane was something of an enigma. Her stint on the show in 1966 was brief; her first appearance was tucked onto the end of 'The Massacre,' when her character burst into the TARDIS on Wimbledon Common believing it to be a real police box. Suddenly she was … [Read more...] about Remembering Jackie Lane, who played Dodo Chaplet

Over the years the Doctor's friends (and their enemies) have gotten confused about the Time Lord's true identity. Are they really the Doctor, or Doctor Who, or Theta Sigma? And what does all this mean for Doctor Who canon? It's a bit of a rollercoaster, so brace yourselves - you may want to find something to hang onto! When Doctor Who canon began in 1963, the "rules" about … [Read more...] about Doctor Who canon: What is the Doctor’s real name?

The second Doctor Who regeneration came at a time when the programme's future was uncertain. What finally persuaded Patrick Troughton to hang up his recorder? In 1969, Doctor Who wasn't flying high in the ratings. That's not to say it was unpopular, as it had a hardcore band of five or six million viewers who would always tune in to see the Time Lord's latest adventures. … [Read more...] about The story behind the second Doctor Who regeneration

'The Web of Fear' is a classic Doctor Who story from 1966, and sees the Second Doctor's rematch with the fearsome Yeti - in the London underground. As Doctor Who sequels go, 'The Web of Fear' arrived pretty quickly. 'The Abominable Snowmen' had aired only a few weeks before, and featured the Second Doctor and his companions battling the Yeti (or, more specifically, the … [Read more...] about Classic Doctor Who: The making of The Web of Fear

Graham Norton Doctor Who appearances have been occurring since 2005 - all of them unplanned. But how did one of the BBC's most popular presenters keep appearing in its flagship SF show? The first of the Graham Norton Doctor Who appearances can be traced back to the very first 'revival' episode in 2005. 'Rose' saw the Time Lord's return to TV after a nine year absence, and … [Read more...] about The Graham Norton Doctor Who appearances that shouldn’t have happened