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An Adventure in Space and Time

Dramatised account of how Doctor Who was brought to the screen in 1963 by a young producer frustrated by TV's glass ceiling and an actor unhappy with a career of hard-man roles.

A special one-off drama that travels back to 1963 to see how Doctor Who was first brought to the screen. Actor William Hartnell felt trapped by a succession of hard-man roles. Wannabe producer Verity Lambert was frustrated by the TV industry's glass ceiling. Both of them were to find unlikely hope and unexpected challenges in the form of a Saturday tea-time drama. Allied with a team of unusual but brilliant people, they went on to create the longest running science fiction series ever made.

Followed by William Hartnell: The Original, a five-minute documentary looking at how William Hartnell shaped the Doctor and his legacy. Featuring rare archive footage and new interviews with many who worked with him, including Carole Ann Ford, Peter Purves and Waris Hussein, as well as Matt Smith, Peter Davison and Hartnell's granddaughter Jessica Carney.

Available now

1 hour, 19 minutes

Last on

Fri 1 Dec 202301:35
BBC Four

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Credits

William HartnellDavid Bradley
Verity LambertJessica Raine
Sydney NewmanBrian Cox
Waris HusseinSacha Dhawan
Heather HartnellLesley Manville
William RussellJamie Glover
Jacqueline HillJemma Powell
Carole Ann FordClaudia Grant
Mervyn PinfieldJeff Rawle
Rex TuckerAndrew Woodall
Douglas CamfieldSam Hoare
Judith CarneyCara Jenkins
ArthurCharlie Kemp
LenRoger May
Richard MartinIan Hallard
Delia DerbyshireSarah Winter
Peter BrachackiDavid Annen
Donald BaverstockMark Eden
RegRoss Gurney-Randall
AlanReece Pockney
WriterMark Gatiss
ProducerMatt Strevens
DirectorTerry McDonough

Broadcasts

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