BBC Worldwide has confirmed that the 1970 Doctor Who story, The Ambassadors of Death, will be released on DVD in full colour.

The seven part story was made originally made in colour as part of the first Jon Pertwee season, but the only master tape to remain in the BBC Archive is that of Episode One. The rest of the story was only kept as 16mm black and white film.

A second generation colour copy does exist as an off air recording from WNED Channel 17 in Buffalo, New York and this was used to restore episodes five and six to colour for the 2002 Video release. At the time it was not possible to restore the remainder of the story.

With the advances in technology over the last decade, it is now possible to restore colour to the complete story. It was hoped to release the story last year, paired with the 1977 story The Sun Makers, however problems with restoration process caused the release to be postponed in order to allow the restoration team more time to achieve the best results on the story.

It is expected that the DVD will be released later this year.

Planet of Giants:

The British Board of Film Classification has passed the special features for the forthcoming DVD release of the final complete William Hartnell story to be released, Planet of Giants:

00:28:01:16 DOCTOR WHO - CRISIS
00:24:31:18 DOCTOR WHO - THE URGE TO LIVE
00:08:27:11 REDISCOVERING THE URGE TO LIVE
00:15:17:10 SUDDENLY SUSAN
00:13:58:23 THE LAMBERT TAPES - THE DOCTOR
00:03:20:22 PLANET OF GIANTS - PHOTO GALLERY

As previously reported, the release will feature a recreation of the original four-part story based on the original scripts and featuring newly recorded dialogue and animation. The commentary by Clive Doig, Brian Hodgson, Sonia Markham and David Tilley was also passed on 6th June.

A clean version of the cover art by Lee Binding for the DVD has been published via the Tea-Lady Design Facebook page.

Future Release Updates:

Lee Binding has reported that an announcement about The Ambassadors Of Death will be made in the next week or so. The graphic designer recently completed the DVD cover, saying: "Ambassadors sleeve submitted to @classicdw. No Liz Shaw on the front, sadly. No decent pics. Rest: kinda classy, which is nice. « I'm sure the usual #doctorwho ming-mongs will complain anyway. 'It's not GREEN. Ambassadors is a GREEN story!' *rolls eyes* «" Meanwhile, an image of the colourisation process for the story undertaken by Richard Russell was shared on Twitter by Stuart Humphryes (aka @Babelcolour), who himself is working on episode one of The Mind of Evil.

Brian Hodgson recently mentioned that he had recorded a commentary for the incomplete Patrick Troughton adventure The Moonbase. It is currently unknown if this is for a Revisitations makeover of the 2004 Lost In Time collection of existing, isolated episodes, or if it will form part of a special release of the story with an animated reconstruction of the missing episodes one and three. The Special Sound Designer also mentioned a commentary for Fury From The Deep, though this seems more likely to be for The Underwater Menace, of which episode two was recovered last year - again, the context of such a release is currently unknown.

Behind The Scenes:

Producer Chris Chapman tantalised the Twitter community this week with updates on extras being made for the series: "Heading back to London after a day of exciting Doctor Who stuff - storyboard complete! « About to start the edit proper on Secret Project 5 (our 31st Who doco) - this one's a bit mad, a bit Louis Theroux and a bit golf-y.. « SP5 is presented by Toby Hadoke and is intended for the same DVD release as SP6 (which hits the edit next week)! «"

Finally, a small event in the history of the range was marked on 29th May, reported by the BBC's Classic Series Twitter feed: "Many thanks to Ed Stradling for all his hard work, as he delivers his final documentary. Hope to persuade him back for the odd special!"

The Ambassadors of Death:

The British Board of Film Classification have passed the special features for the forthcoming DVD release of the Jon Pertwee adventure The Ambassadors of Death:.

00:01:27:01 (DOCTOR WHO - THE AMBASSADORS OF DEATH) (TRAILER)
00:13:05:07 TOMORROW'S TIMES - THE THIRD DOCTOR
00:04:24:15 THE AMBASSADORS OF DEATH - PHOTO GALLERY
00:25:49:16 MARS PROBE 7: MAKING THE AMBASSADORS OF DEATH

The DVD has yet to be formally scheduled, though it is believed to be due in Autumn this year.

Special Editions:

The BBFC have also passed features due to appear on September's special edition of Vengeance on Varos (tape 1 and 2):

00:01:07:01 (NEWS) (TELEVISION NEWS CLIP)
00:15:07:11 (SATURDAY SUPERSTORE) (TELEVISION CLIP)
00:05:41:15 BBC BREAKFAST TIME (TELEVISION CLIP)
00:01:37:07 (ACID BATH SCENE) (ALTERNATE MUSIC TRACK)
00:29:37:17 NICE OR NASTY? - THE MAKING OF VENGEANCE ON VAROS
00:07:29:11 THE IDIOT'S LANTERN (FEATURETTE)
00:12:54:03 TOMORROW'S TIMES - THE SIXTH DOCTOR (FEATURETTE)
00:07:31:05 (FRENCH AND SAUNDERS) (TELEVISION CLIP)
00:17:42:04 (EXTENDED & DELETED SCENES)
00:06:38:08 VENGEANCE ON VAROS - PHOTO GALLERY

Speaking at the Utopia convention, Steve Roberts confirmed that another story to get the special edition treatment will be Jon Pertwee's adventure Inferno; the episodes are to be 're-coloured' using the black and white film prints and the NTSC reverse standard conversions recordings to create a better quality image to the original 2006 release. The project will also include a 'secret project' alongside the range's commentary moderator and presenter Toby Hadoke. The DVD is expected to be released in 2013.

Actor John Levene also reported that he had recently recorded a documentary which, though unconfirmed, could feature on this DVD.

BBC Worldwide have released details about the forthcoming stories on DVD due out over the summer:

10th September: Vengeance on Varos - Special Edition:

The new edition of Doctor Who Magazine has revealed details of the special features on the re-release of Vengeance on Varos, starring Colin Baker as the Doctor with Nicola Bryant as Peri. Originally released on DVD in 2001, this special edition features additional material to complement the earlier version:

• 5.1 mix of the soundtrack
• mono audio track featuring raw studio sound during the recording of the episode
• isolated music score, both original and 5.1 mix
• Nice Or Nasty, a feature on the production of the story, which includes contributions from Nabil Shaban (Sil), Sheila Reid (Etta), Philip Martin (writer), Eric Saward (script editor), and Jonathan Gibbs (composer)
• The Idiot's Lantern, on how Doctor Who has used television
• Tomorrow's Times, with Sarah Sutton presenting media coverage of the Sixth Doctor
• excerpt from Saturday Superstore
• French and Saunders, unused sketch filmed on The Trial Of a Time Lord trial set (originally released with The Curse of Fatal Death on VHS)
• BBC News reporting on the casting of Colin Baker
• Breakfast Time, with Frank Bough interviewing Colin Baker
• The "acid bath" scene from episode two with alternative music

Future History ...

The number of unreleased adventures is diminishing rapidly, with three of the above stories drawing eras to a close - at least for complete serials; here are the remaining adventures of the Doctor to be seen on DVD:

• The First Doctor: The Reign Of Terror - to be released with animated episodes 4+5, currently expected for release in late 2012
• The First Doctor: Galaxy 4: Air Lock - recently recovered episode alongside The Underwater Menace to feature on a forthcoming release. Dan Hall told DWM: "There's one release that hasn't been announced yet which will provide a home for one of them. And there's a potential release that will provide a home for the other one as well. People aren't going to see them out on DVD in 2012, though. But they are on our schedule."
• The First Doctor: The Tenth Planet - missing episode four, current release status unannounced
• The Second Doctor: The Underwater Menace: Episode 2 - see Galaxy 4 above
• The Second Doctor: The Ice Warriors - missing episodes 2+3, current release status unannounced. Michael Troughton reported at GallifreyOne in February that he had recorded a commentary on the life of his father for the story
• The Third Doctor: The Ambassadors of Death - originally to be released with The Sunmakers, but delayed due to colour recovery issues for episodes 2-7. Current release status unannounced
• The Third Doctor: The Mind of Evil - originally mooted to be released with Terror of the Autons, but dropped due to colour recovery issues for episodes 1-6. In February Steve Roberts reported to Radio Free Skaro that episode one (which does not have a print containing the chromadot information used for the colour recovery process) will be colourised by Babelcolour, using motion-estimation techniques to aid the process
• The Fourth Doctor: Terror of the Zygons, currently expected for release in 2013
• The Fourth Doctor: Shada - existing footage to form part of the provisionally entitled Legacy Boxed Set alongside documentary More Than Thirty Years In The TARDIS

For other "missing" stories, the existing isolated episodes from the Hartnell and Troughton years were released in the Lost In Time boxed set back in 2004.

DVD range producer Dan Hall has also indicated that further special edition DVDs are possible in the future.

The British Board of Film Classification have passed the special features that will appear on the forthcoming DVD release of the final complete Patrick Troughton adventure, The Krotons:

00:52:20:21 SECOND TIME AROUND - THE TROUGHTON YEARS
00:17:25:02 DOCTOR WHO STORIES - FRAZER HINES (PT 1)
00:07:16:08 THE DOCTOR'S STRANGE LOVE: THE KROTONS
00:05:24:24 THE KROTONS - PHOTO GALLERY

The commentary for the episode was cleared by the BBFC on 5th April, and includes cast members Philip Madoc (Eelek), Gilbert Wynne (Thara), Richard Ireson (Axus), with production represented by Bobi Bartlett (costumes), Sylvia James (make-up), David Tilley (assisant floor manager), and Brian Hodgson (special sound), plus moderation by Toby Hadoke - you can also read about commentary production in an interview with Hadoke and producer John Kelly via SFX.

A clean version of the cover art by Lee Binding for the DVD has been published via the Tea-Lady Design Facebook page (where the artwork of many of the recent releases can also be viewed).


The DVD is expected to be released in the UK on 9th July and in North America on 10th July.

The cover and content details for the forthcoming UK DVD release of Death To The Daleks have been finalised.


The British Board of Film Classification classified the features on 30th March, revealing that a textless version of the title sequence will be included as an Easter egg:

26:44:24  BENEATH THE CITY OF THE EXXILONS - MAKING DEATH TO THE DALEKS
23:33:11  STUDIO RECORDING - 4 DECEMBER 1973
05:49:04  PHOTO GALLERY
01:26:05  (EASTER EGG) (TEXTLESS TITLE SEQUENCE)
07:47:22  ON THE SET OF DR WHO AND THE DALEKS

Feature Previews:

BBC Worldwide has released a number of clips from the recently released stories Nightmare of Eden and The Daemons on its Classic Doctor Who YouTube channel:

THE DAEMONS

• The Daemons on location - The BBC is shooting classic Doctor Who series 'The Daemons' in Aldbourne in 1971, in this rare clip of archive film.
• Aldbourne - Doctor Who cast members including Katy Manning and Damaris Hayman discuss their experience of filming The Daemons in Aldbourne in the classic 1971 series.
• A great working relationship - Often cited as one of the best of the Third Doctor's storylines, The Daemons owes much of its success to the great working relationship between producer Barry Letts and script editor Terrance Dicks. In this DVD extra, cast and crew explain the friendship.
• A stormy night's sky - Boasting some impressive location filming, the village of Aldbourne was the perfect setting for The Daemons. As the crew reveals, however, attempting a stormy night scene can be quite problematic on a calm night. Journey behind the scenes to find out how the crew managed to ratchet up the atmosphere.
• Exit Lines - Actors Richard Franklin and Katy Manning reveal the influence the cast had on the script, and how open Barry Letts was to adding extra dimensions to the characters.

NIGHTMARE OF EDEN

• Alan Bromly - Crew members recount their experiences of director Alan Bromly and his old-school techniques.
• Drug-smuggling storyline - Bob Baker reveals how his research of drug abuse for the production of BBC police drama series Target, which featured Katy Manning in the role of a drug addict, was to prove invaluable to the writing of the drug-smuggling storyline of Nightmare of Eden. (Target was created by Graham Williams, produced by Philip Hinchcliffe, and written by Baker and Dave Martin, with David Wickes. The theme music was by Dudley Simpson.)
  

Looking ahead:

• The Krotons: Ed Stradling commented on Twitter: "here's an image from my recent feature for The Krotons DVD. It's another long one!«"
• The Mind of Evil - Steve Roberts spoke to Radio Free Skaro, during which he indicated that all of the episodes for this story should be released in colour. Episode One (which does not have a print containing the chromadot information used for the recent colour recovery process) will be colourised by Babelcolour, using motion-estimation techniques to aid the process.

Speaking at the GallifreyOne convention in Los Angeles, Patrick Troughton's son Michael said that he had recently recorded a commentary on the life of his father to be included as a feature for The Ice Warriors. There are no details as yet over whether the incomplete story will be an individual DVD release or form part of a boxed set.

On the subject of incomplete stories, Nicholas Pegg reported on Twitter that he was "into the final furlong of the Shada DVD production subtitles, and still unearthing previously unknown trivia bombshells!«" Earlier he said: "Researching the full facts and events of the Shada cancellation for the DVD info text. It's awfully sad. They so nearly made it!«"

Ed Stradling has made the following appeal: "if any Doctor Who fans out there know the whereabouts of any of the original models from Terror of the Zygons, could you let me know? Thanks«"

Talking about the forthcoming The Face of Evil (out 5th March), Chris Chapman said on Twitter: 'Into the Wild' features an exclusive chat with the child voice of Xoanon, then-schoolboy Anthony Frieze! Yes, I can tell you are excited!« It also features Louise Jameson, Philip Hinchcliffe, Austin Ruddy, Mat Irvine and an archive interview with Pennant Roberts.« But the big star of the doco is Mat Irvine's AMAZING Tom Baker mountain face!«"

Chapman also discussed the documentary The Show Must Go On, to be included on the DVD of The Greatest Show in the Galaxy: "The guest line-up (Aldred, Wareing, Reddington, Laskey, Tucker, Cartmel and JNT archive) now has an added cameo from the Bus Conductor Robot!« Worth saying that the doco and commentary feature an almost completely different line-up of guests - virtually no crossover!« Doco is clocking in just over 30mins, which I think is our longest yet.« It includes the words 'doormat', 'rat-bucket' and 'I was a bit too male for that'« ... Fiddling on with our doco - one last scan through the 'studio' footage... looking for things that went wrong!« ... Just added a bit of swearing - will have to bleep that one out!«" Today, he added: "We're just finishing our Greatest Show doco - which is a great chance to say how flippin' brilliant Who was at that time!«".

The latest edition of Nothing at the End of the Lane reports that some 90 seconds of behind-the-scenes footage had been captured on 8mm film during the recording of Robot on location at Wood Norton Hall by an extra in the story, Roger Squires; the material may appear on a future DVD release.

DVD range producer Dan Hall updated Doctor Who Magazine on the status of the recently rediscovered episodes of Galaxy 4 and The Underwater Menace: "There's one release that hasn't been announced yet which will provide a home for one of them. And there's a potential release that will provide a home for the other one as well. People aren't going to see them out on DVD in 2012, though. But they are on our schedule."

Hall also indicated that other special editions might be on the way: "I'm hoping that Vengeance on Varos will be the first of our single Revisitations imprint. So we'll see how Varos does and I've certainly got my sights on some future titles. (on choosing the titles) It's a mixture of things. I'll sit down with the Restoration Team and say 'What do you think could look a lot better now than it did on its first release?' Another consideration is looking at the extras that are on the existing DVD, and seeing if there's really basic stuff missing. I'm very proud of the idea that the DVDs form a kind of encyclopaedia."

In the run-up to its release next week, BBC Worldwide have provided a number of preview clips on their Classic Doctor Who YouTube channel for the Revisitations 3 boxed set, reflecting some of the features available on the stories contained within.

The Tomb of the Cybermen

In the first clip, cast and crew share their memories of seeing the Cybermen, and the work that went into creating them:

Actor Michael Kilgarriff discusses what it feels like to be inside a large and looming costume:

In the next clip, second Doctor companions Frazer Hines and Deborah Watling reflect some of their challenges and the more light-hearted moments during the production of the story:

The Robots of Death

In this clip, the origin of the look and feel for the story's setting and characters is revealed:

Pamela Salem and Louise Jameson share their memories of working with the director on the story:

The Three Doctors

In this clip, Terrance Dicks and Barry Letts discuss how they tackled bringing the original Doctor, William Hartnell, into the 10th Anniversary Special:

In this clip, Terrance and Barry alongside Stephen Thorne (Omega) chat about the acting styles of Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee:

Finally, Caroline John, Katy Manning and Louise Jameson give their thanks to Doctor Who for helping to kickstart their careers:

Eagle-eyed readers will notice a subtle change in the covers of DVD releases from the spring, as the old 2|Entertain identity is finally retired.

The company was created in 2004 with the merger of the BBC Video and Video Collection International, with a 60% stake held by BBC Worldwide and the remaining 40% by the Woolworths Group. With the collapse of the latter in 2008 BBC Worldwide eventually acquired the whole of 2|Entertain in 2010, and as of this year has fully integrated the company into its Consumer Products division, which is responsible for the company's DVDs, download business and licensed product brands.

With regard to Doctor Who, BBC Worldwide told us:

The BBC and 2|Entertain have given further details about the forthcoming DVD releases of The Dæmons, Nightmare of Eden, and the Ace Adventures box set comprising Dragonfire and The Happiness Patrol.

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A reminder to our readers that the Revisitations 3 DVD box set, comprising special remastered, repackaged and reappraised editions of The Tomb of the Cybermen, The Three Doctors, and The Robots of Death is released on 13th February 2012 and is available for pre-order. The special features for each story are as follows: