We've explored Patrick Troughton's departure, now we fiftieth anniversary celebrate the 1969 announcement of Jon Pertwee as his successor (prior contracted on 21st May of that year, and then kept secret for the role for a month, so as to coincide with the screening of his successor's final episode), showcased to the UK press that Tuesday, June 17th at the BBC's then Cavendish Place, and with some cuddly publicity help from a Yeti.
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| Originally, Pertwee told the press that he would be wearing modern day clothes in his new role, rather than anything Victorian. |
I remember reading (decades ago) of early plans that the new Pertwee era might have started not with the eventual
Spearhead from Space but instead likely with a story from Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln, the Yet/Great Intelligence creators of the Troughton era, set in a creepy Scottish Highlands' Laird's castle, of which Frazer Hines' Jamie was to have been present - a pass over story introduction linked to the return of the Yeti, then written out as the character would become the new responsibilities Clan Laird by conclusion. Though the story ultimately didn't happen, I recall due to legal disputes and production team fallouts, it surely explains why a Yeti, then having made two recent popular appearances as public-recognisable monsters, was about for Pertwee's press call at that time, rather than a Cybermen or a then copyright off-limits Dalek.
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