MORE MISSING EPISODES!

In further celebration of the 50^th anniversary of Doctor Who, previously lost episodes of the William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton era have now been rediscovered.

© BBC 2013

Whilst the official number is unspecified, these episodes have now been returned back to the BBC after weeks of speculation.

A press conference is also expected to be held later on this week that will report in full on the findings and inform fans on how they can gain access to the episodes.

Some of the Patrick Troughton episodes, of which haven’t been seen since the 1960s, were originally planned to be available for download from iTunes today, but reports confirm that the mentioned press conference later on this week will announce the postponed dates for the episodes’ availability instead.

© BBC 2013

The total count for lost episodes of Doctor Who during the 1960s is officially 106 out of the 253 that were produced. Their ‘extermination’ came as a result of archive policies during the 1960s and 1970s, but due to further changes, have recently become available once again.

The Radio Times claims: “They are believed to originate from a haul discovered in Africa and have been digitally remastered for sale, although exact details remain sketchy.”

More updates available soon.

THE DOCTORS 101 - START HERE

Ever wondered how many times each Doctor encountered the Daleks? Or which Doctor first encountered the Brigaider? Or, the greatest mystery, just how old is the Doctor?

Wonder no more. We've added a new feature to the blog - The Doctors 101.

http://type40doctors101.blogspot.co.uk/

ANNIVERSARY PICTURES LEAKED

A couple of pictures have been leaked from the upcoming anniversary episode. No past Doctors, alas, but still a little something that will please long-term fans of the show.

This first picture depicts the sign of Coal Hill School, which the Doctor's granddaughter Susan attended in the very first episode of Doctor Who in 1963. It is also the place the Doctor's first two companions, Barbara Wright and Ian Chesterton, worked. Note that the Chairman of the Governors is 'I Chesterton', while the Headmaster is 'W Coburn' - the surname of the author of An Unearthly Child, which launched the series on 23rd November 1963.

And this second picture shows the way to the junkyard at Totter's Lane, the location in which we got our first glimpse of the TARDIS on that foggy evening in November 1963...

Not only are these the fictional locations used for the first episode of Doctor Who, but they also served as the locations for several key scenes twenty-five years later in Remembrance of the Daleks. And now, a further twenty-five years on, the series returns there once again.

DWM CONFIRMS - NO PAST DOCTORS!

Artwork Copyright Paul Hanley

The latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine (issue #460 - on sale tomorrow) confirms that the only Doctor returning for the Fiftieth Anniversary episode is David Tennant. '...The other old Doctors will not be taking part,' the mag reports. It also confirms that, although Christopher Eccleston was approached to return, he turned the offer down. In conjunction with this from Steven Moffat, 'it is important you don't turn it into a fanfest. We can't make this all about looking backwards', it seems long-time fans of the show are in for a major disappointment.

So, is this to be a celebration of FIFTY years or just the last EIGHT? The latter is looking more and more likely...

DOCTOR WHO STAMPS AVAILABLE NOW

Today (March 26) sees the release of the special edition Doctor Who stamps.

All eleven Doctors feature on their own first class stamp with their relevant logo and a title graphic in the background.

The TARDIS is also on its own first class stamp and comes as part of a mini-sheet with four second class stamps, each one with their own Doctor Who monster; Weeping Angel, Dalek, Cyberman and Ood.

The stamps have been created to mark the 50th Anniversary of the show and, with pre-registration for the collection three times higher than any other commeroative set Royal Mail has released, they have already broken a record.

Royal Mail's Andrew Hammond said: "These stamps pay tribute to the brilliant actors that have played the Doctor over the years as well as the adversaries that helped make the show so popular."

See the full collection below: