science | February 19, 2026

Why are so many Doctor Who episodes missing?

Why are so many Doctor Who episodes missing?

Many portions of the popular long-running British science-fiction television programme Doctor Who are no longer held by the BBC. Between 1967 and 1978 the BBC routinely deleted archive programmes, for various practical reasons (lack of space, scarcity of materials, a lack of rebroadcast rights).

What episodes of classic Doctor Who are missing?

Where to find the missing Doctor Who episodes

  • Galaxy Four (episodes 1, 2 and 4)
  • The Massacre (episodes 1 – 4)
  • The Tenth Planet (episode 4)
  • The Power of the Daleks (episodes 1 – 6)
  • The Evil of the Daleks (episodes 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7)
  • The Abominable Snowmen (episodes 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6)
  • Fury from the Deep (episodes 1 – 6)

Why Doctor Who was banned from using the Daleks?

Digital Spy reports that one of the reasons behind the decision to write the Daleks out was because they are the legal property of Terry Nation who created them. When Nation died in 1997 the ownership of the Daleks was passed on to his estate.

How many classic Doctor Who episodes are missing?

97
Of the 253 episodes of Doctor Who produced by the BBC between 1963 and 1969, 97 are missing.

How many Dr Who episodes are there in total?

862
Doctor Who/Number of episodes

Where can I watch old seasons of Dr Who?

You can watch the series on Amazon Prime, rent from the library, watch on a TV channel, or simply purchase.

Why was there no Doctor Who in 2009?

The specials were produced in lieu of a full series in 2009, to allow the new production team for the programme to have enough time to prepare for the fifth series in 2010, in light of Russell T. Davies’ decision to step down as showrunner.

How many Doctor Who serials are there?

As of 28 November 2021, 867 episodes of Doctor Who have aired, currently in its thirteenth series. This includes one television movie and multiple specials, and encompasses 297 stories over 39 seasons, starting in 1963. Additionally, four charity specials and two animated serials have also been aired.

How old is the Doctor now 2020?

The “900” discrepancy The discrepancy was finally addressed in the short story Doctor Who and the Time War released in 2020, which explained that in the Last Great Time War the Doctor was aged and de-aged multiple times. Eventually “feeling around one thousand” by the end of the War, he rounded his age down to 900.

What is the latest Doctor Who episode?

Flux: War of the Sontarans
Doctor Who/Latest episode