4 January

 was notable for a number of highly varied events on Earth and its parallels:


 * 2600 - Bernice Summerfield arrived on the planet Kasagrad and took rooms at "Piccolini's". (PROSE: The Doomsday Manuscript)
 * 1979 - Phil Tyson was born at 3:50 PM. The Vandosians believed that Shogalath had reincarnated in his body. (COMIC: Mr Nobody)

Behind the scenes

 * 1912 - Actor Jack Le White was born.
 * 1930 - Actor Iain Cuthbertson was born.
 * 1938 - Actor Jim Norton was born.
 * 1958 - Musician Adrian Reid was born.
 * 1964 - "The Escape" was first broadcast.
 * 1969 - Episode two of The Krotons was first broadcast on BBC1.
 * 1970 - Writer Shayne Armstrong was born.
 * 1975 - Part two of Robot was first broadcast on BBC1.
 * 1975 - Part five of TV Comic story The Wanderers was first released.
 * 1982 - Part one of Castrovalva was first broadcast on BBC1, beginning Doctor Who's nineteenth season.
 * 1983 - Part two of Arc of Infinity was first broadcast on BBC1.
 * 1985 - Actress Lenora Crichlow was born.
 * 1989 - Part four of The Greatest Show in the Galaxy was first broadcast on BBC1, ending Doctor Who's twenty-fifth season.
 * 1999 - BBC Eighth Doctor Adventures story The Face-Eater and Past Doctor Adventures story Salvation were first released by BBC Books.
 * 2010 - Recording continued for Big Finish audio story Cobwebs at The Moat Studios.
 * 2012 - Actor Harry Fowler died.