Parallel universe (Deadline)

In one meta-fictional parallel universe, the adventures of the Doctor only existed as a fictional series called Doctor Who. However, alterations to the timeline caused the series to never air past its pilot episode. (PROSE: All Our Christmases, AUDIO: Deadline)

Original timeline
In the original timeline, Sydney Newman asked Martin Bannister to write the script for the first episode of Doctor Who. (AUDIO: Deadline) The show became a huge success, and as a result of the popularity of time travel, the Bureau of Time Travel was created in the future. The Bureau permitted the use of time travel as a means to correct several production mistakes made in the series. The first change made was preventing the hand of one of the production team from being caught on camera while they were holding down a cushion on the villain's throne during "a really good episode". The alteration of the series' history escalated until a few lines were added to the first episode concerning the main character's background. This final change was too much, and caused the show to fail after its first episode. (PROSE: All Our Christmases)

Altered timeline
In the new history, the show did not last long. According to one account, viewers thought it took itself too seriously, and the show was cancelled after a few years. (PROSE: All Our Christmases) According to another account, the show was never even broadcast. (AUDIO: Deadline) Regardless, Juliet Bravo replaced Doctor Who in history. (PROSE: All Our Christmases, AUDIO: Deadline) Without the show to inspire actual time travel, the Bureau of Time Travel was never established.

For a while, Richard, one of the time travellers who changed history, remembered the previous history. The First Doctor visited Richard and listened to him tell the story of how the show was erased from history. After their encounter, Richard soon assimilated into his place in the new history and happily returned to his job writing for the Juliet Bravo magazine. (PROSE: All Our Christmases)

In his later life, Martin Bannister lamented that Doctor Who never became a success. He was interviewed for his work on Juliet Bravo, but nobody was interested in Doctor Who. Martin had demented visions of characters and settings from Doctor Who (including Susan, Ian, and Barbara), which culminated in his suicide. (AUDIO: Deadline)