Last updated 12 November 2023


The Classic Years



World Premiere: Sat 18 Nov 2023 - 1:00am GMT [BBC Radio 2] (United Kingdom)
Running Time: 57 minutes





Britain has changed immeasurably over the last 60 years, but ever since Radio 2 launched in 1967, it has existed in the same timeline as… The Doctor.

In part one of this two-part documentary, Jo Whiley takes a trip through the Whoniverse to discover the amazing stories behind the rise and fall of a British institution.

Along the way, she'll hear how the changing attitudes of Britain have been reflected through the Tardis in a tale that features Dalekmania, Dad’s Army, Mary Whitehouse, Ridley Scott, The Cybermen, Hans Zimmer, The Beatles and the JFK assassination as the Doctor and his companions are thrown into a world of sexism, racial tension and intrigue.

We’ll also hear new and archive interviews from Doctors and companions past and present, including Peter Capaldi, Patrick Troughton, William Hartnell, Tom Baker, Jon Pertwee, Sophie Aldred, Bonnie Langford, Peter Davison, Sylvester McCoy, Louise Jameson and showrunner Russell T Davies.