1961

April

 * 12 - Yuri Gagarin of the Soviet Union became the first human to travel into space, at least officially. (BFA: Thin Ice)

Unknown dates

 * UNIT's predecessor, Great Britain's Intrusion Countermeasures Group, was formed. Its leader, Group Captain Ian Gilmore, began training his men. (MA: Who Killed Kennedy)
 * Peter Tracey was born. (KAC: A Girl's Best Friend)
 * Allison Williams and Julian St. Stephen started dating. (CM: Artificial Intelligence)

Alternative timeline

 * In an alternative timeline in which Nazi Germany won World War II as a result of the Seventh Doctor and Ace accidentally leaving laser technology in Colditz Castle in October 1944, the Führer Adolf Hitler died at the age of 71 or 72. Prior to his death, he had stockpiled a large number of alien artefacts including the TARDIS but had kept them contained because he had feared the implications of intelligence superior to humans. (BFA: Klein's Story)

January

 * 7 - The Avengers debuted on British television. The series was devised by Sydney Newman, who next went on to create Doctor Who. During its run (which would last until 1969), the series played host to many guest actors who also appeared on Doctor Who, and many Doctor Who scriptwriters also wrote for The Avengers, including Terrance Dicks and Malcolm Hulke.
 * 12 - Sean Blowers (Zed in DW: Dragonfire) was born.

February

 * 19 - Susan Baker was born.

April

 * 3 - Edward Highmore (Malkon in DW: Planet of Fire) was born.
 * 23 - Art Wetherell (comic penciller of Time Bomb!, War World and Technical Hitch) was born.
 * 25 - Cyril Nri was born in Nigeria.

May

 * 17 - Corey Johnson, who played Henry van Statten in DW: Dalek, was born in America.
 * 20 - Owen Teale was born.

June

 * 27 - Meera Syal was born.

September

 * 7 - Jamie Bradley was born.

October

 * 3 - A for Andromeda debuted on the BBC. This seven-part science fiction serial was considered a prime inspiration for the BBC considering the development of an ongoing serialised science fiction series which eventually became Doctor Who.
 * 26 - Sakuntala Ramanee (Shreela Govindia in DW: Survival) was born.
 * 31 - Moya Brady (Bridget Sinclair in DW: Love & Monsters) was born.

November

 * 18 - Steven Moffat, writer and Doctor Who executive producer and head writer, was born in Paisley, Scotland.
 * 28 - Martin Clunes (Lon in DW: Snakedance) was born.

December

 * 6 - Robin Aspland (a member of The Lorells in DW: Delta and the Bannermen) was born.
 * 12 - Sarah Sutton, who played companion Nyssa, was born.
 * 19 - Matthew Waterhouse, who played companion Adric, was born at Hertford, England, UK.

Unknown dates

 * David J. Howe was born.