Doctor Who was a TV favourite for three decades

The survey of 12,000 viewers found that 31% of them wanted to see the cult sci-fi BBC series revived.

Viewers also voted for long-running comedy series Last of the Summer Wine to be taken off air.

The poll found that EastEnders character Ian Beale - played by Adam Woodyat - was the most loathed character on British TV.

The survey of viewers and radio listeners was held to mark the 80th birthday of Radio Times in its edition published on Tuesday.

Doctor Who beat Blackadder and Fawlty Towers as the programme viewers most wanted to see revived.

It disappeared from TV screens in 1989, although it did return for a one-off movie in 1996 starring Paul McGann in the title role.

Along with Last of the Summer Wine, other choices to be retired were Heartbeat, The Bill and Radio 4's The Archers, Britain's longest-running soap.

EastEnders' Ian Beale also drew a quarter of the vote when viewers were asked which TV character would make the worst boss in the world - more than Ricky Gervais' David Brent in The Office.

And the BBC's Kate Adie was voted viewers' favourite news correspondent, while ITN's Trevor McDonald was most trusted news presenter.