The Tenth Planet episode four to be animated for DVD release

THE TENTH PLANET – the Doctor Who story that marked the close of the William Hartnell era – is to have its missing fourth episode animated for DVD release, BBC Worldwide has confirmed.

Broadcast in October 1966, The Tenth Planet was the first story to feature iconic foes the Cybermen, the first to introduce the concept of regeneration and the last to feature the First Doctor as the series’s lead. The final installment of the story, episode four, has been missing from the BBC Archives since the mid-1970s and is possible the most sought-after of the lost Doctor Who episodes because of its historical importance to the show.

The missing episode four will be animated by Australia-based Planet 55 Studios, which used its patent Thetamation process to recreate the lost episodes 4 and 5 of Hartnell adventure The Reign of Terror for its DVD release last month.

Doctor Who range producer Dan Hall said: “It’s a real thrill to be bringing such an iconic Doctor Who episode back to life. Without the events established in The Tenth Planet episode 4, there would be no Doctor Who as we know it!”

The Tenth Planet DVD is set to be released in late 2013 and is expected to also include a reconstruction of the missing episode using existing telesnaps which featured on the VHS release in 2000.

A selection of stills from the new animation work-in-progress can be seen via a gallery on BBC Worldwide’s official Doctor Who 50th Anniversary website.

There is also a showreel available to watch on the Planet 55 website featuring a scene of the First Doctor stalked in the snow, inspired by The Tenth Planet.

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Will There Be More Official Missing Who Animations?

An animated resurrection may be in store for some of the missing adventures of Doctor Who.

One hundred and eight episodes of the much cherished sci-fi show are currently missing from the BBC archives. The black and white episodes, dating from 1963-9 and featuring William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton as the peripatetic Time Lord, were junked in the early 1970s – deemed to be of no further commercial interest.

But though the visuals may be long gone, the soundtracks have survived thanks to the efforts of fans making home recordings at the time.

Publishing company 2|entertain has previously released a Doctor Who DVD (Troughton’s 1968 Cyberman story The Invasion) featuring animations of (missing) episodes one and four, produced by Cosgrove Hall. But further releases seemed unlikely due to a major funding short-fall.

The Invasion

However, fans’ hopes of seeing further animated episodes have been given a boost thanks to comments made by Dan Hall, Commissioning Editor for the 2|entertain Doctor Who DVD range, over at Doctor Who Online.

Though promising nothing concrete, he reveals that there are plans for two further animated stories to be released.

He told Doctor Who Online: ‘Contrary to rumour, two further animated stories are in development. Two of the core production team have been working on these projects for several months now.

‘Solving this financial shortfall has been worked on these past 24 months. Low-cost animations that fall below standard are not an option, artistically or commercially. BBC Audiobooks provide brilliant linking narrations that fire the most active imaginations. Therefore, if animations are to be commissioned, they must be of a quality that does the brand proud.

‘The commissions are by no means guaranteed, but the stories have been decided and negotiations are underway.’

Wiped will keep readers posted on any further announcements.