"Incidentally, a very merry Christmas to all of you at home!"
They've briefly shaken off their enemy pursuers, and, in celebration of the festive spirit with their arrival on modern day 1960's Earth, even an often curmudgeonly and difficult First Doctor can take a break to enjoy a spirited glass of bubbly alongside his companions.
It's Christmas time! Screen captures from the collection of Robert Jewell.
The infamous scene from the improvised, breaking the fourth wall finale to The Feast of Steven (episode 7) of The Daleks' Masterplan, and its so-called 'comedy' episode...
We wish all our readers worldwide a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!, and a prosperous 2024!
One of the original TARDIS Police Telephone Box exterior shell props, as seen in the opening episode of Marco Polo.
A vehicle of immense power and incredible technology, as well as being a place of safety and a unique 'home' of sorts to the wandering exploits and adventures of the original Doctor Who and his 'Granddaughter' Susan, the TARDIS (initials made from the words Time And Relative Dimensions in Space) can go anywhere and in any time, where it would prove itself as one to be one of the greatest, iconic vehicles in the annals of film and television science fiction and space fantasy.
An incredible storytelling device for the series concocted by the imaginative BBC Drama Department's lovably bolshy 'Numero Uno', Sydney Newman, he deliberately wanted 'the ship' to be seen in its exterior form as a small Blue Police Telephone Box, one of many that would be every day recognisable to the viewing populace of the new show back in 1963, and who'd all get an incredible surprise alongside two London schoolteachers one day, when, on a dark and foggy night, investigating one of their mysterious pupils, they'd dare to intrude within it's open doors...
Enjoy this selection of impressive images of the original TARDIS interior...
The original TARDIS control room interior, designed by talented BBC staffer Peter Brachaki, as seen in its full original glory for An Unearthly Child, before many alterations began to the set over the course of the Hartnell era, and beyond.
The huge and distinctive hexagonal canopy would soon disappear from the set due to its bulk as well as the varying diminished-in-size and restricted studio spaces that the control room had to be housed in for filming.
The panel in closer detail.
William Hartnell and Carole Ann Ford rehearsing the TARDIS dematerialisation from London, 1963.
Time travellers old and new, as Jacqueline Hill (playing the character of Lexa) meets Lalla Ward.
Meglos, the second story of Tom Baker's finale season, may be primarily remembered for the series star's double duty as the Doctor and as his cactus-like nemeses Meglos, the last Zolpha Thuran, but let's not forget another key highlight of the love-it-or-hate-it tale, the return of actress Jacqueline Hill to the series since 1965, and in an altogether different role to that of the heroic Earth school teacher Barbara Wright, this time playing the dedicated high priestess Lexa, of the planet Tigella.
Another posed publicity image of Miss Hill with Tom Baker and Edward Underdown.
As always, Miss Hill gave a fine performance, having resumed her acting work after raising a family, and found the way Who was made in 1980 a far different experience than the one she had in her monochrome days, but no less enjoyable, especially working with Tom Baker and Lalla Ward.
BBC Enterprises promotional material for the story.
The first Doctor Who story to fully meld a historical setting with science fiction launches the distinctive final season of Jon Pertwee's beloved era with fun and excitement, bolstered by a great Robert Holmes script that introduces the war mongering Sontaran characters represented here by the intimidating Commander Linx (a great role for Kevin Lindsay to get his teeth into), as well as, all-importantly, the fiery investigative reporter from 1980, Sarah Jane Smirth (as played by the much-missed Elisabeth Sladen) alongside a whole host of memorable supporting characters that could only be found in a script from Holmes, including the brutish co-villain in Irongron (well played by David Daker) in partnership with the clumsy oaf Bloodaxe (John J. Carnery), and the delightfully oddball and partially sighted Professor Reubish (Donald Pelmear), who, amongst other scientists kidnapped from Earth's future by the stranded Linx, ultimately helps the Doctor and Sarah save the day, whilst the capable Hal the Archer (Jeremy Bulloch) delivers the killing arrow blow that puts an end to the Sontaran presence on Earth...
Season Eleven has a special place in my affections as this is when I started to really watch the series as a near four year old, of which the final episode of The Time Warrior is the start of my full memories and the beginnings of my affection for and notice of the series, I didn't know the overall story but the imagery was what stood out to my young self - I clearly remember the Doctor challenging Lynx, the bulbous Sontaran craft, and Linx's final demise.
Newly arrived on Earth, the Sontaran warrior Linx makes his claim on the planet in front of shocked human warriors Irongron and Bloodaxe.
In the future, Sarah Jane Smith meets the Doctor and soon joins him in the past as he goes on the track of kidnapped scientists.
Now arrived in Middle Ages England, Sarah is interrogated by Linx, who discovers she is from the future.
The villainous Irongron (David Daker) discovers 'Women's Lib' from Sarah, whether he wants it or not!
Irongron and Bloodaxe in a posed pocture taken on location.
Sarah aides the Lady Eleanor (June Brown) and Edward of Wessex (Alan Rowe), whose castle is being terrorised by Irongron.
The quirky scientist Professor Rubeish (Donald Pelmear) confers with the Doctor and soon aides him in returning the kidnapped human scientists back to the future.
Hal the Archer kills Linx, of which his alien spacecraft is also soon destroyed.
Being the exciting opener to the season with lots of new faces, a wave of memorable publicity images were taken for the story, both at the BBC, and on location in Peckforton Castle, Cheshire.
Posed publicity image of the main cast meeting the new alien menace.
The Sontaran points his weapon at the Doctor!
The Doctor fights back.
Original costume design by James Acheson.
Costume designs for Irongron and Bloodaxe.
Original Radio Times listings for the four-parter.
The original Target books paperback cover. Art by Jeff Cummins.
The memorable cover to issue 6 of Doctor Who Weekly from November, 1979.
Original first VHS release sleeve photo composite.
First Australian VHS release cover, which debuted before the UK's own release.
The splendid cover art for An Adventure in Time and Space issue 85, by Andrew Martin.
American DVD release cover by Clayton Hickman.
Target Books reprint cover art by Alister Pearson.
A selection of behind the scenes images taken for the BBC and Radio Times heralding the season launcher.
Pertwee and Elisabeth Sladen together!
Sladen in her Middle Ages outfit.
Irongron's brutes happily pose on location.
Fun with guest star Jeremy Bulloch.
Enjoying a spot of archery,
Greetings from Earth!
A break between cliffhanger filming.
Australian actor Kevin Lindsay without his Sontaran mask/
Get the BBC audio adaptation of the Target novel, read by Jeremy Bulloch, here:
A memorable image from Elisabeth Sladen's press launch for Sarah Jane Smith - 1973.
"Sarah had to stick up for herself. She was pretty forceful, especially at first, but then we allowed her to soften and adapt more to the circumstances that she was living in. Sarah wasn't only a feminist; she was feminine - a rather happy, forthright girl, with a lot of intelligence, and plenty of courage, too."
Elisabeth Sladen - Doctor Who Magazine interview - Issue 89
Discovering the joys, adventure and all[-round fascinating Doctor Who, primarily from the age of four years onwards, I had only the vaguest of prior memories of companion Jo Grant as played by the ever-gorgeous Katy Manning. It was to be Elisabeth Sladen as the plucky and lovely Sarah Jane Smith that I would importantly and formatively grow up with, and whom I had a major crush on, during the show's glorious 'Gothic Years' produced by Philip Hinchcliffe, as she and Tom Baker made a genuinely charismatic and wonderful pairing to watch as, every Saturday tea-time evening, they visited weird realms and fought truly scary and diverse alien threats within a series truly at the top of its production game, and which had a superb way of pulling in mass audiences with its conviction and thrills in storytelling. That the Doctor and Sarah, Tom and Elisabeth, had a truly special aura about them, which the general public and fans truly loved, was never without doubt, and the show, during the rest of its late 1970's aura was never quite the same again once Miss Sladen left the programme. We all loved Sarah Jane and Elisabeth Sladen back then and just as much now, if not more so, as she quite rightly became the ultimate companion of the Classic Series within pop culture history.
I was fortunate to have met Elisabeth Sladen on two occasions, once in the mid 1990's (at a Doctor Who - Companions book signing in London's Tottenham Court Road) and later in 2005 (at a Birmingham film/ TV fair), where she was just as marvellous, generous, and gorgeous as I'd hoped she'd be- bright, funny, instinctively razor-sharp, and an incredibly attractive person who clearly enjoyed the legacy that being such a vital part of Who had ultimately brought her. When her sad passing was announced on 19th April, 2011, fans worldwide of all ages were deeply upset - I especially remember weeping hard and long that evening when I received the news...
Gone but never to be forgotten, we hope readers enjoy this special assemblage of images from her stories as Sarah primarily across the Pertwee/Baker eras, as part of this special 60th Anniversary...
Unveiled to the public via the official BBC press photo call at TV Centre, alongside an enthusiastic Jon Pertwee - 26th June, 1973.
Unveiled to the press in her debut adventure costume. Colourised image by Clayton Hickman.
"I remember Barry (Letts) saying to me, 'Come along and meet Lis.' As they were casting for Katy's (Manning) replacement, i instinctively knew that this was the girl that Barry had in mind. Lis was probably the better actress of the two - a very talented lady with tremendous looks and a smashing figure... Anyway, he led me into his office and introduced us. We all stayed for coffee and some general conversation, and little did Lis know that every time her back was turned, I was making thumbs-up signs to Barry, who, when given the opportunity, was frantically returning them to me."
Jon Pertwee - Doctor Who Magazine interview - Issue 113
Monk-eying about with the ever humorous Jon Pertwee on location for Miss Sladen's first filmed adventure, The Time Warrior.
The Doctor must stop the Sontaran warrior Linx (Kevin Lindsay) in this posed publicity image for The Time Warrior.
Back on Earth and allied with UNIT to thwart the perils from the Invasion of the Dinosaurs.
Sarah is terrorised by a flying Pterodactyl in Invasion of the Dinosaurs.
Trapped by the Doctor's dreaded foes in Death to the Daleks!
Investigating the mystery of the Temple of Aggedor in The Monster of Peladon.
Sarah helps the diverse Galactic Federation members in The Monster of Peladon.
Sarah is terrorised by the Ice Lord Azaxyr (Alan Bennion) in a posed publicity image for the story.
Sarah finds herself trapped on the hostile world of Metebelis III - the Planet of the Spiders!
Sarah watches her first regeneration as the dying Doctor Three becomes Doctor Four at UNIT headquarters at the end of Planet of the Spiders.
Tom Baker is announced as the new Doctor at a 1974 BBC photocall, alongside a happy Elisabeth Sladen and Pat Gorman as a Cyberman. Colourised image by Clayton Hickman.
The new TARDIS trio of Baker, Sladen and Ian Marter as Harry Sullivan, alongside the ever faithful Bessie roadster, prove a massive hit with TV audiences.
"My favourite assistant in many ways has to be Elisabeth Sladen, because she was so good to me - she was already there, you see, and I was joining. It was crucial that she and I made the chemistry right for me to be secure. Elisabeth, she's a wonderful girl, but she's also a beautiful actress with great sensitivity...She was marvellous."
Tom Baker - Doctor Who Magazine interview - Issue 179
Having fun with her new Doctor in Tom Baker, during a posed publicity shoot for his premiere story, Robot!
The classic King Kong story gets the Who treatment, with Sarah and the K-1 Robot (Michael Kilgarrif) in Robot!
Examining a dead Wirrn Queen alien in a posed publicity image for the all-time classic The Ark in Space.
Captured by the evil Sontaran Field Major Styre (Kevin Lindsay) in The Sontaran Experiment.
Leading a gutsy prison breakout with the kind muto Sevrin (Stephen Yardley) in Genesis of the Daleks.
Attacked by a lethal Cybermat device on Nerva Beacon in Revenge of the Cybermen.
Sarah is terrorised by a shape-changing Zygon in this great art by Tom Connell, recreating the classic Part One cliffhanger to Terror of the Zygons.
Making a fine companion pairing in their last full story together, in Terror of the Zygons. Both Miss Sladen and Ian Marter remained good friends after the latter left the series by 1975. Colourised image by Clayton Hickman.
Arriving on the hostile jungle world of Zeta Minor during the design-impressive opening episodes to Planet of Evil, the all-time favourite story of Miss Sladen's, primarily due to the perfect acting partnership she shared onscreen with Tom Baker.
The Doctor and Sarah find themselves back in Earth's past as the evil Osiran war lord Sutekh is about to be freed from one of the Pyramids of Mars.
Sarah's previously unrevealed skills as a crack shot rifle user are revealed in this story.
Lovely on set image of Tom Baker and Elisabeth Sladen taken during filming. The pair had become a remarkable onscreen combination loved by audiences of all ages.
An android duplicate of Sarah Jane almost fools the Doctor in a return to Earth so as to fight The Android Invasion.
Look behind you! On the desolate planet of Karn, Sarah, having been temporarily blinded, recovers to the terror of The Brain of Morbius.
The Doctor and Sarah witness the self sacrifice of the witch-like Sisterhood of Karn's leader in the final to The Brain of Morbius.
Ready to protect the world from biological disaster, our heroes encounter the Krynoid in The Seeds of Doom.
Rediscovering the original console room, the TARDIS is soon hi-jacked by a deadly energy force in The Masque of Mandragora.
Arrived in Renaissance Italy, Sarah enjoys the company of Giuliano (Gareth Armstrong) in The Masque of Mandragora.
Back on modern Earth, Sara is ensnared by The Hand of Fear.
Kastrian alien Eldrad (Judith Paris) must live, in The Hand of Fear.
"Till we meet again, Sarah!" The Doctor and Sarah part company in a special good bye scene mostly improvised by Miss Sladen and Tom Baker.
Back at her home in Hillview Road, South Croydon. Or is it?
Though deciding not to come back for Tom Baker's finale story as Sarah. Miss Sladen did agree to be the star of her own one-off special, in K-9 and Company, which aired to ratings success in Xmas 1981.
Reunited with Jon Pertwee during the nostalgic 20th Anniversary tale, The Five Doctors.
The publicity machine for The Five Doctors would prove effective with this great press call featuring Doctors and companions.
The lovely Doctor Who Magazine Holiday Special of 1992 celebrating Sarah Jane Smith and Elisabeth Sladen. Great art by Alister Pearson.
