Last updated 09 January 2020


An Adventure In Space And Time

An Adventure In Space And Time



World Premiere: Thu 21 Nov 2013 - 9:02pm GMT [BBC2] (United Kingdom)
First Broadcast: Fri 22 Nov 2013 - 9:00pm EST [BBC America]
Running Time: 83 minutes 6 seconds

2.71 Million (UK)

Appreciation Index: 88 (UK)

Audience Share: 10.8% (UK)
Chart Position: 6 () (UK)

Recorded in Wimbledon Studios

BBC Store


This special one-off drama travels back in time to 1963 to see how 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. Allied with a team of unusual but brilliant people, they went on to create the longest running science fiction series ever made.


Characters hide uncredited
William HartnellDavid Bradley
RegRoss Gurney-RandallInfo
LenRoger MayInfo
Douglas CamfieldSam HoareInfo
ArthurCharlie KempInfo
Sydney NewmanBrian Cox
Harry - Security GuardWilliam Russell
Mervyn PinfieldJeff RawleInfo
Rex TuckerAndrew WoodallInfo
Verity LambertJessica Raine
Jacqueline HillJemma PowellInfo
Heather HartnellLesley Manville
Judith CarneyCara JenkinsInfo
Waris HusseinSacha Dhawan
CyrilToby Hadoke
Delia DerbyshireSarah Winter
William RussellJamie Glover
Carole Ann FordClaudia Grant
Peter BrachackiDavid AnnenInfo
Donald BaverstockMark EdenInfo
Richard MartinIan HallardInfo
Peter HawkinsNicholas Briggs
JoyceCarole Ann FordInfo
AlanReece Pockney
Patrick TroughtonReece ShearsmithInfo
Continuity AnnouncerMark Gatiss (uncredited)
BBC SecurityDavid Green (uncredited)
Passer By / IntervieweeJohn Foreman (confirmed)Info
Sydney's SecretaryHonorah Bourton (confirmed)
Christopher BarryStewart James Barham (confirmed)
Verity's GuestsJames Thorne (uncredited)
Verity's GuestsHarriet Kershaw (uncredited)Info
Verity's GuestsPeter Von Motz (uncredited)
Restaurant CustomerPhilip C. Francis (confirmed)
1st ADLee Moulds (uncredited)
Taxi DriverAnthony Blackman (uncredited)
Production SecretaryPippa Rathborne (confirmed)Info
Production office teamClaire Ashton (uncredited)
Production office teamMark Duffy (uncredited)
Production office teamMatthew Foster (uncredited)
Young BBC DesignerErnest Gromov (confirmed)Info
BBC ElectricianDavid William Bryan (confirmed)Info
TechnicianBrain Fenton (uncredited)
Dishy GuyAlex Clay (uncredited)
WaiterJames Li (uncredited)
WaiterMark Chiu (uncredited)
WaitressRebecca Leung (uncredited)
CustomerPhilip C Francis (uncredited)
Brian HodgsonJoseph Railton (confirmed)Info
Elderly Stage HandRobert Courtney (confirmed)
Stagehand/TechZachery Mason (confirmed)
Young Male PATom Lewein-Levy (uncredited)
BBC PhotographerDerek Webber (uncredited)
Press JournalistDaniel Strange (uncredited)
Press JournalistPeter McInerney (uncredited)
Press PhotographerCharlie Stanton (uncredited)
Press PhotographerTim McDonald (uncredited)
BBC PasserbySimon Corder (uncredited)
BBC PasserbyGyte Eismontiene (uncredited)
Dicky HowettDicky Howett (uncredited)
Camera ManPaul Marshall (uncredited)
Boom OperatorHoward Peryer (uncredited)
CavemanDaniel Pratt (uncredited)
Lee Harvey OswaldKen Garside (uncredited)
BoyKit Connor (uncredited)
DadJohn-Paul Johnson (uncredited)
1960's Vintage MumElaine Andrews (confirmed)
DaleksTom Boney (confirmed)
DaleksJohn Gomez (confirmed)
DaleksBen Champniss (confirmed)
Boy on busEdward French (uncredited)
Boy on busOscar Malcolm (uncredited)
Boy on busWilliam Leney (uncredited)
Boy on busOliver Rowland (confirmed)
TeacherHoward Watson (confirmed)
TeacherKorrina Dunton (confirmed)
Maureen O'BrienAnna-Lisa Drew (confirmed)
MenopteraMark Powell (confirmed)
MenopteraMatthew Sweet (uncredited)
Peter PurvesEdmund C Short (uncredited)Info
Jackie LaneSophie Holt (confirmed)Info
Party GuestAnneke Wills (uncredited)
Party GuestClive Doig (uncredited)
Party GuestRobert Ross (uncredited)
Party GuestJean Marsh (uncredited)
Party GuestMike Pinfield (uncredited)
Party GuestDonald Tosh (uncredited)
Party GuestMichael Ferguson (uncredited)
Party GuestWilliam Heslop (uncredited)
Party GuestSpencer Irwin (uncredited)
Party GuestJames Stirling Gillies (uncredited)
Party GuestBrian Fenton (uncredited)
Party GuestTom Larkin (uncredited)
Party GuestSamuel Lawrence (uncredited)
Party GuestMathew Foster (uncredited)
Party GuestKieran Mortell (uncredited)
Party GuestTom McAdam (uncredited)
Party MenopteraDamien Timmer (uncredited)
Party MenopteraThom Hutchinson (confirmed)Info
Party MonoidMichael Dennis (uncredited)Info
Party DaleksPaul McNamara (uncredited)
Michael CrazeRobin Varley (confirmed)
Anneke WillsEllie Spicer (confirmed)
Film CrewWilliam Heslop (uncredited)
Film CrewSpencer Irwin (uncredited)
Film CrewJames Stirling Gillies (uncredited)
Film CrewBrian Fenton (uncredited)
Film CrewTom Larkin (uncredited)
Film CrewSamuel Lawrence (uncredited)
Film CrewMathew Foster (uncredited)
Film CrewKieran Mortell (uncredited)
Film CrewTom McAdam (uncredited)
The Eleventh DoctorMatt Smith (uncredited)
Dr. WhoWilliam Hartnell (uncredited)Info
Production Team include uncredited
WriterMark Gatiss
ProducerMatt Strevens
DirectorTerry McDonough
First Assistant DirectorSimon Maloney
Second Assistant DirectorTom Alibone
Third Assistant DirectorMatt Jennings
Floor RunnerJames MetcalfInfo
Floor RunnerCalum Carpenter
Floor RunnerJennifer Golding
Production AccountantDavid Robbins
Assistant Production AccountantSimon Wheeler
Production CoordinatorPippa SurenInfo
Production SecretaryCatriona ScottInfo
Script SupervisorSam Donavan
Production RunnerJack Thomas-O'Brien
Art DirectorLucienne Suren
Standby Art DirectorKate Purdy
Graphic DesignerJulian Nix
Art Department AssistantOliver Benson
Prop BuyerStuart Bryce
Assistant Prop BuyerColleen MacLeod
Construction ManagerDan Crandon
Construction ManagerBrian Quin
Camera OperatorIan Adrian
Camera OperatorDaniel Bishop
Focus PullerPeter "Skip" Howard
Clapper LoaderPhoebe Arnstein
Clapper LoaderFelix Pickles
Camera TraineeLouise McMenemy
Camera GripMarc Tempest
Assistant Camera GripDaniel Rees
Casting AssociateAlice Purser
Costume SupervisorBecky Brown
Costume StandbySue Gurley
Costume AssistantEmily Thompson
Costume TraineeMaudie Whitehead
Costume ConstructionChloe Marsden
GafferIan Barwick
Rigging GafferTony Allen
Best BoyMatthew Buchan
ElectricianBruno Martins
ElectricianDave Marriott
ElectricianSteve Blythe
ElectricianMark Packman
ElectricianEamonn Fitzgerald
Generator OperatorRicky Davis
Generator OperatorDan Smith
Make-Up ArtistSharon Colley
Make-Up ArtistClaire Burgess
Make-Up ArtistSophie Roberts
Make-Up ArtistLaura Morse
Unit ManagerEmma Collinson
Unit ManagerTobin Hughs
Prop MasterRobert Judd
Prop ChargehandDave Simons
Standby Prop HandBarney Ward
Standby Prop HandMatt French
Dressing PropTony Bandy
Dressing PropPete Fentem
Dressing PropScott Rogers
Prop MakerPaul McNamara
Boom OpSarah Howe
In Vision Fisher Boom OpHoward Peryer
Sound AssistantPablo López JordánInfo
Standby CarpenterPaul Oakman
Unit MedicNick Martin
Drama Publicist BBCJenni Pain
Post Production SupervisorLiz Pearson
Post Production SupervisorClaire McGrane
Assistant EditorAdam Harvey
Assistant EditorMatt Bate
ColouristAsa Shoul
Online EditorDes Murray
Dubbing MixerNigel Squibbs
Sound DesignerTony Gibson
Dialogue EditorRoger Dobson
Visual EffectsChris Panton
Technical AdvisorDicky Howett
Technical AdvisorPaul Marshall
Technical AdvisorMark Jordan
Technical AdvisorClive Sapsford
ConductorGeoff Alexander
Music EngineerToby Wood
Unit DriverAlan Tribe
Unit DriverTom O'Shea
Unit DriverTerry Collins
Unit DriverLiam Fellows
Casting DirectorAndy Pryor CDG
Production ExecutiveLlyr Morus
Production ExecutiveJulie Scott
Script EditorLindsey Alford
Script EditorRichard Cookson
Location ManagerNick Wade
Sound RecordistSimon Clark
Costume DesignerSuzanne Cave
Make-up DesignerVicki Lang
ComposerEdmund Butt
Film EditorPhilip Kloss
Production DesignerDave Arrowsmith
Director of PhotographyJohn Pardue
Line ProducerMatthew Patnick
Executive ProducerMark Gatiss
Executive ProducerSteven Moffat
Executive ProducerCaroline Skinner