30 Years in the TARDIS

30 Years in the TARDIS was a television documentary which aired in 1993 as part of the thirtieth anniversary celebration of Doctor Who. Originally intended to be much longer, the broadcast version was noticeably truncated due to time restrictions.

Publisher's summary
Following the first episode of the first-ever adventure (An Unearthly Child) on 23 November 1963, Doctor Who became to many viewers the most consistently imaginative, inspiring and good-humoured series on British television. The seven Doctors and their various assistants are fondly remembered, and their relative merits hotly debated by generations of fans. This special documentary, made by a lifelong fan of the series, brings together Doctors Jon Pertwee, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy with assistants Nicola Bryant (Peri), Frazer Hines (Jamie), Elisabeth Sladen (Sarah Jane) and Debbie Watling (Victoria) to recall three decades of time travel, endearingly cheap special effects and monsters such as Cybermen, Sea Devils, Zygons, Yetis, Autons and the most evil aliens of all: Daleks. Classic clips, interviews, behind-the-scenes anecdotes and even Doctor Who "bloopers" feature in this special birthday tribute.

Main subject
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Additional topics covered
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People interviewed
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= More than 30 Years in the TARDIS =

An extended cut version was released on BBC Video in 1994, where it was retitled More than 30 Years in the TARDIS and restored many interviews that had to be cut for the BBC broadcast.

Publisher's summary
An extended version of a documentary first show in November 1993 as part of the 30th anniversary celebration of everybody's favourite science-fiction series, Doctor Who. Including contributions from Doctors Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy, plus a whole gang of their companions, More than 30 Years in the TARDIS was a fitting tribute to a series that had ended in 1989. With many stunning recreations of classic scenes, this special documentary contains rare footage, deleted scenes and classic monsters as you've never seen them before...

Main subject
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The documentary featured appearances by the surviving Doctor actors, including Jon Pertwee, and numerous companions. Nicholas Courtney hosted the documentary, partially in character as the Brigadier. The documentary also included a section on the 1960s Peter Cushing films. Towards the end several notable scenes occur:


 * A demonstration of how modern-day (for 1993) special effects could be applied to Doctor Who as the camera follows a boy into the TARDIS from outside, with the effects seamlessly moving from location to studio interior. Carole Ann Ford, possibly in character as an adult Susan Foreman, awaits him inside. Such a scene does not take place in Doctor Who proper until the 2012 Christmas special The Snowmen.
 * The same boy takes part in a rather sinister, cliffhanger-like sequence in which Elisabeth Sladen appears to be taken over by an alien influence. This is followed by Courtney being driven away in a limousine — driven by an Auton.
 * Following the closing credits of the VHS release, BBC controller Alan Yentob is captured on video being evasive when asked by an interviewer about rumours of a new Doctor Who production being imminent. This is followed by a multi-layered vision sequence featuring multiple Daleks achieved through real Daleks, models and animated images. Such a high concentration of Daleks appearing on screen would not be achieved until many years later in such stories as The Parting of the Ways and Asylum of the Daleks.

Additional topics covered
to be added

People interviewed
In order of credited appearance.


 * Barry Letts - Doctor Who Producer 1969-74
 * Terrance Dicks - Doctor Who Script Editor 1968-74 / Writer
 * Philip Hinchcliffe - Doctor Who Producer 1974-77
 * Colin Baker - The Sixth Doctor 1984-86
 * Verity Lambert - First Doctor Who Producer 1963-65
 * Jessica Carney - (actress) William Hartnell's Granddaughter
 * Carole Ann Ford - Susan Foreman 1963-64
 * - Doctor Who Fan / actress
 * Deborah Watling - Victoria Waterfield 1967-68
 * Frazer Hines - Jamie McCrimmon 1966-69
 * Tom Baker - The Fourth Doctor Whose Doctor Who 3 April 1977 (archive footage)
 * - Fashion Editor,
 * Eric Saward - Doctor Who Script Editor 1981-86 / Writer
 * Jon Pertwee - The Third Doctor 1970-74
 * Ian Levine - Doctor Who Fan / Record Producer
 * Terry Nation - Dalek Creator (Writer) (archive footage)
 * Raymond Cusick - Dalek Creator (Designer)
 * Ben Aaronovitch - Doctor Who Scriptwriter
 * Roberta Tovey - Susan
 * Jennie Linden - Barbara
 * Sophie Aldred - Ace 1987-89
 * Bernard Wilkie - Visual Effects Designer Pebble Mill at One 21 December 1973 (archive footage)
 * - Design Consultant
 * Mike Gatting - Doctor Who fan / Cricketer
 * - TV Producer
 * - Gerry's son
 * Nicola Bryant - Peri Brown 1984-86
 * Nicholas Courtney - The Brigadier 1968-89
 * Elisabeth Sladen - Sarah-Jane Smith 1973-76
 * - Doctor Who fan / Politician
 * John Nathan-Turner - Doctor Who Producer 1979-89
 * Mary Whitehouse - Founder Nat. Viewers and Listeners Assoc.
 * Douglas Adams - Author Doctor Who Script Editor 1978-79
 * Mat Irvine - Visual Effects Designer
 * Sylvester McCoy - The Seventh Doctor 1987-89
 * Gary Russell - Editor Doctor Who Magazine Marvel Comics UK Ltd.
 * Alan Yentob - Controller BBC 1

Home video releases
It was released as the extended More than 30 Years in the TARDIS on its own in VHS in 1994. It was included in the 2013 DVD release of the box set called The Legacy Collection.