Lost Doctor Who Dalek episodes return after 60 years

TL;DR

Two long-lost episodes from the 1965 Doctor Who story The Daleks’ Master Plan are now available on BBC iPlayer after over 60 years.
Episodes one (The Nightmare Begins) and three (Devil’s Planet) were found among a private film collection and join five other recovered parts of the 12-part serial.
The discovery preserves rare archive footage from William Hartnell's era, delighting fans despite production limitations of the time.

The story at a glance

Two episodes missing since 1965 from The Daleks’ Master Plan, the longest story in Doctor Who history, have been recovered and added to BBC iPlayer from Good Friday. The find comes from the efforts of charity Film is Fabulous!, aided by comedian Toby Hadoke, with actor Peter Purves surprised by a screening of his younger self. It's reported now as the episodes go online, amid ongoing searches for other 1960s missing episodes.

Key points

Episodes first and third of the 12-part The Daleks’ Master Plan aired in November 1965, starring William Hartnell as the first Doctor and Peter Purves as companion Steven Taylor.
Previously unseen since broadcast, they were rediscovered in a collection of 6,000 film reels from a deceased collector focused on transport films.
Film is Fabulous! secured the reels via a deal with the collector's chosen charity; Hadoke helped identify them as rare Doctor Who material returned to the BBC.
Toby Hadoke tricked Purves into a Leicester screening, where the 87-year-old watched his 1965 performance and called it "rather good" and "excellent".
The story, directed by Douglas Camfield and designed by Raymond Cusick (Dalek creator), is praised by Hadoke as standing up well, with strong Hartnell acting.
BBC wiped many 1960s episodes to reuse costly tapes; survivors often come from overseas film copies, though this story was rejected by Australian broadcasters for violence.

Details and context

The Daleks’ Master Plan remains the show's longest single narrative at 12 episodes, each about 25 minutes—unprecedented even then. Most 1960s Doctor Who is missing due to BBC policy of overwriting videotapes, as repeats cost high Equity fees and home video was distant. Overseas sales created film prints that fans later recovered, like 2013's finds from Nigeria.

Hadoke warns against judging old episodes harshly by modern standards, urging appreciation of efforts like Hartnell's close-up work and even his wig's "performance". Five of the 12 parts were already known; seven stay lost, with Hadoke dreaming of 1966's The Power of the Daleks.

The episodes stream free on iPlayer from 6am April 3 at filmisfabulous.org.uk.

Key quotes

Peter Purves: “my flabber was gasted, and I was speechless for half an hour… I then just felt very happy to see this rather good episode for the first time ever. It was excellent.”
Toby Hadoke: “I’m a Doctor Who fan so I see body horror where other people see sticky tape... I think they really stand up.”

Why it matters

Recoveries like this fill gaps in Doctor Who's 63-year archive, vital for cultural heritage and study of early TV sci-fi. Fans gain authentic access to Hartnell-era Dalek adventures, while newcomers can sample roots of the franchise on iPlayer. Watch for more finds from collectors' estates, though Hadoke cautions the last big recovery was 13 years ago.

Lost *Doctor Who* Dalek episodes return after 60 years