Two previously lost Doctor Who episodes to be released on Good Friday

Two recently found 1960s episodes of Doctor Who, which were previously thought to have been lost, will be released on Good Friday.

The Nightmare Begins and Devil’s Planet, from part of the third series titled The Daleks’ Master Plan, written by Terry Nation and starring first Doctor William Hartnell, will be available on the BBC iPlayer from April 3 at 6am.

A clip released from one of the episodes, The Nightmare Begins, shows the Doctor attempting to get to a city in a jungle, before being held at gunpoint.

It comes after the episodes were discovered by Leicester-based charitable trust Film Is Fabulous! (FIF).

The trust – comprising film collectors and cinema fans – approached the BBC Archives, which restored the rediscovered 16mm telerecordings.

The episodes also star Peter Purves as the Doctor’s companion Steven Taylor, Nicholas Courtney, who went on to later star as Brigadier Alistair Lethbridge Stewart in the sci-fi series, as Bret Vyon, Adrienne Hill as Katarina, and Kevin Stoney as Mavic Chen.

Hartnell played the first incarnation of The Doctor from 1963 until 1966, before being replaced by Patrick Troughton.

Speaking after the announcement of the episodes’ discovery, BBC Archives director Noreen Adams said: “We’re thrilled to have worked with the team at Film Is Fabulous! to bring these lost Doctor Who episodes to viewers on BBC iPlayer this Easter.

“BBC Archives has been working to restore the original recordings and update these to broadcast quality, ensuring fans can enjoy a little extra treat with their Easter eggs this April.”

The original series aired on television from 1963 to 1989, before being rebooted in 2005.

The most recent season, starring Ncuti Gatwa as the 15th Doctor, aired in 2025.

During the finale of Gatwa’s second season, he regenerated and appeared to be replaced by Billie Piper who played Rose Tyler, the Doctor’s first companion when the series was rebooted in 2005.

The finale also saw Jodie Whittaker, the 13th doctor, make a guest appearance while Gatwa’s Doctor appeared to be travelling through alternate universes.

The credit at the end of the programme said: “Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor. Jodie Whittaker as the Doctor. And introducing Billie Piper.”