50th Anniversary BBC Programmes for Thursday

Today sees the broadcast of several of the BBC’s special programmes celebrating the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who. Here’s what’s coming up.

Doctor Who: Blue Peter Special

21 November 2013 at 5.30pm on CBBC

CBBC is celebrating 50 years of Doctor Who with the launch of an exciting new Blue Peter Doctor Who competition and two live Blue Peter specials; a must see for all young Doctor Who fans.

In an exclusive competition, Blue Peter viewers aged between six and 15 will be asked to design new sonic devices for Sontaran Commander Strax, Madame Vastra and Jenny Flint. Their gadgets will feature in the iconic science fiction series. The winner will get the unique opportunity to see their gadget in action on the set of Doctor Who.

On Thursday 21 November and Saturday 23 November, Barney, Lindsey and Radzi will be joined by aliens and monsters in the studio and the audience will be able to design their very own alien live on air.

Blue Peter viewers will have their questions answered by Matt Smith; they will be able to get ready for the 50th anniversary show by making their very own cushion (to hide behind); and we’ll help them to host a Doctor Who party by showing them how to make Dalek cupcakes.

An Adventure in Space and Time

21 November at 9pm on BBC2

This special one-off drama travels back in time to 1963 to see how the beloved Doctor Who was first brought to the screen.

Actor William Hartnell felt trapped by a succession of hard-man roles. Wannabe producer Verity Lambert was frustrated by the TV industry’s glass ceiling. Both of them were to find unlikely hope and unexpected challenges in the form of a Saturday tea-time drama, time travel and monsters!

Allied with a team of brilliant people, they went on to create the longest-running science fiction series ever, now celebrating its 50th anniversary.

William Hartnell: The Original

21 November at 10.25pm on BBC2

A brief programme that reveals what happened to Hartnell after he left Doctor Who.

The five-minute documentary features rare archive footage and brand new interviews with many who worked with him, including Carole Ann Ford, Peter Purves and Waris Hussein as well as Matt Smith, Peter Davison and Hartnell’s granddaughter, Jessica Carney.

It’s a revealing and affectionate portrait of a much-loved actor and forms the perfect accompaniment to An Adventure in Space and Time.

An Unearthly Child (Restored)

21 November from 10.30pm on BBC4

BBC Four will introduce audiences to the first Doctor, William Hartnell, with a special re-run of the first-ever story, which marked the start of 50 years of history. The four episodes are being shown in a restored format, not previously broadcast in the UK.

Two teachers investigating the strange behaviour of a pupil find themselves in a junk yard, where they meet her grandfather and force their way inside a police box – with frightening results.