0:00:01 > 0:00:04ANNOUNCER: 'This is the BBC.'
0:00:04 > 0:00:07WOMAN: 'We're back in the birthplace of a television phenomenon.'
0:00:08 > 0:00:11It feels like only yesterday that I was working at TV Centre
0:00:11 > 0:00:13on Doctor Who.
0:00:13 > 0:00:15And what a role!
0:00:15 > 0:00:16The Doctor's granddaughter.
0:00:16 > 0:00:17'The original.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21'When I walked through those doors 50 years ago, it would've been hard
0:00:21 > 0:00:24'to believe that the show would still be going strong now.
0:00:24 > 0:00:26'And to celebrate its anniversary, we're back,
0:00:26 > 0:00:29'filming An Adventure In Space And Time -
0:00:29 > 0:00:32'a drama about the show's remarkable beginnings. And it's something
0:00:32 > 0:00:36'writer Mark Gatiss has wanted to get off the ground for some time.'
0:00:36 > 0:00:38MARK: I still can't quite believe it
0:00:38 > 0:00:40because I first sort of pitched this idea about 13 years ago.
0:00:40 > 0:00:46And then I tried very strongly to get it made for the 40th anniversary.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48I'm delighted it's all come together for the 50th.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51It has a sort of roundness to it
0:00:51 > 0:00:52- which is very appealing. - ALL: Cheers!
0:00:52 > 0:00:55CAROLE ANN: 'Mark was to kick-start An Adventure In Space And Time,
0:00:55 > 0:00:58'but it was a certain man I met in 1963
0:00:58 > 0:01:01'that was to get the ball rolling for Doctor Who itself.'
0:01:01 > 0:01:04We find ourselves now in Sydney Newman's office
0:01:04 > 0:01:06on the seventh floor of TV Centre.
0:01:06 > 0:01:07Not the real one,
0:01:07 > 0:01:11and I think probably a bit more swish than Sydney's office actually was.
0:01:11 > 0:01:13One day, all this will be mine.
0:01:13 > 0:01:14HE CHUCKLES
0:01:15 > 0:01:16CAROLE ANN: 'Sydney Newman was the man
0:01:16 > 0:01:19'who brought together a dream team to put the show on the road.
0:01:19 > 0:01:21'And what a character!'
0:01:21 > 0:01:25I'd first worked at the BBC in 1965. I was 19.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28I met Sydney, very briefly, in the club.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30Cos you could always tell Sydney in the club
0:01:30 > 0:01:33because he was a very brightly coloured kind of personality
0:01:33 > 0:01:34and literally wore cravats.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36He wore waistcoats. He was very different.
0:01:36 > 0:01:40'I think Sydney really thought of himself as a movie mogul.'
0:01:40 > 0:01:41And...action!
0:01:41 > 0:01:45Fun. Fun. Have you heard of fun, Mervyn?
0:01:45 > 0:01:48CAROLE ANN: 'And Sydney was making some ground-breaking appointments -
0:01:48 > 0:01:51'the BBC's very first female drama producer.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54'Verity Lambert.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57'And the world she was entering was a bit of a challenge.'
0:01:57 > 0:01:58There's a line in the script where Verity says,
0:01:58 > 0:02:01"It's a sea of fag smoke, tweed and sweaty men,"
0:02:01 > 0:02:03'which it clearly was.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06'And it was quite hard to penetrate, as a woman,
0:02:06 > 0:02:09'because no woman had ever done that before.'
0:02:09 > 0:02:12- Can I help you? - I think you're in my office.
0:02:12 > 0:02:14To research the role, I...
0:02:14 > 0:02:17'did YouTube her to see if there was any footage.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20'She was very composed, very classy,'
0:02:20 > 0:02:21very warm,
0:02:21 > 0:02:24'but you could see a real steel there.'
0:02:24 > 0:02:26Not old enough for the Doctor, surely?
0:02:26 > 0:02:29CAROLE ANN: 'So, does Jessica feel she's anything like Verity herself?'
0:02:29 > 0:02:33That would be very flattering, if anyone compared me to Verity Lambert.
0:02:33 > 0:02:35That would be very nice.
0:02:37 > 0:02:41CAROLE ANN: 'And despite opposition, Verity Lambert was to fight very hard
0:02:41 > 0:02:46'to have a distinguished, older actor play the role of the first Doctor.
0:02:46 > 0:02:47'William Hartnell.'
0:02:47 > 0:02:53I just think he was one of the great character actors of British cinema.
0:02:53 > 0:02:54Settle, please.
0:02:54 > 0:02:59'I think he felt rather typecast as authority figures, sergeant majors
0:02:59 > 0:03:02'or petty crooks. Doctor Who kind of released'
0:03:02 > 0:03:05a kind of playfulness in him.
0:03:05 > 0:03:10I think he felt that he was actually born to play the Doctor.
0:03:10 > 0:03:14But he had very strong opinions about the way it should be done
0:03:14 > 0:03:17and wouldn't take any kind of advice. Quite often,
0:03:17 > 0:03:21because I was the smallest person, everybody around me was
0:03:21 > 0:03:23taking the light from me, and he'd point this out.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26So he looked after me. He was lovely.
0:03:26 > 0:03:27Cut.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30He was always giving you little tips,
0:03:30 > 0:03:32like, "Don't make the gesture like that," he said.
0:03:32 > 0:03:34"It'll be out of the camera.
0:03:34 > 0:03:36"Make it here, you see?"
0:03:36 > 0:03:42The whole thing about Bill was that he was so unpredictable.
0:03:42 > 0:03:46There was this mystery about him. I miss that. I mean,
0:03:46 > 0:03:49he remains the best Doctor Who for me...
0:03:49 > 0:03:52quite naturally.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55I can't imagine how I would've reacted
0:03:55 > 0:03:57if someone had told me 50 years ago
0:03:57 > 0:04:01'that I'd be playing Doctor Who.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03'It's been one of those great jobs'
0:04:03 > 0:04:06and, er, an experience I'll always remember.
0:04:09 > 0:04:13It wasn't just the Doctor or my own character that was new in 1963.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16I remember when I met another addition to the cast.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18And 50 years on,
0:04:18 > 0:04:22London is in for a bit of a treat as they're wheeled out yet again.
0:04:24 > 0:04:28Today, we are recreating the famous Dalek invasion of Earth shot
0:04:28 > 0:04:31of the Daleks parading across Westminster Bridge.
0:04:31 > 0:04:36- This is a really iconic moment. - And...action, Daleks!
0:04:36 > 0:04:38CAROLE ANN: 'Who would have thought that an egg whisk and a plunger
0:04:38 > 0:04:41'would have made such an impact?
0:04:41 > 0:04:44'But these design classics still have one big flaw.'
0:04:44 > 0:04:48We've put in a bit where he's sort of veering off towards the kerb.
0:04:48 > 0:04:49It was difficult then,
0:04:49 > 0:04:51it's still difficult to manoeuvre the bloody things.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54MARK CHUCKLES
0:04:54 > 0:04:56It gives you an old-fashioned kind of thrill.
0:04:56 > 0:04:58SIRENS WAIL
0:04:59 > 0:05:04Doctor Who was started by a talented bunch of originals -
0:05:04 > 0:05:09the flamboyant Sydney Newman and the remarkable Verity Lambert.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11And they were joined by an Asian director,
0:05:11 > 0:05:15the charismatic and ambitious Waris Hussein.
0:05:15 > 0:05:16What is this?
0:05:16 > 0:05:18What are we going to do with this?
0:05:18 > 0:05:21Well, I play Waris Hussein, who was the first ever
0:05:21 > 0:05:23'director of Doctor Who.'
0:05:23 > 0:05:24It's crazy.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27Cavemen and disappearing bloody police boxes...
0:05:27 > 0:05:28'As soon as I got the part,'
0:05:28 > 0:05:30I got in touch with Waris straightaway.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33'And our first meeting, actually, we were a bit kind of'
0:05:33 > 0:05:35weird with each other.
0:05:35 > 0:05:36'He's looking at me going,
0:05:36 > 0:05:39"You're watching everything I'm doing, aren't you?"
0:05:39 > 0:05:41But, yeah, we hit it off straightaway.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43WARIS: 'I said, "Look, play him as someone'
0:05:43 > 0:05:46"who's anxious to get things right as a director,"
0:05:46 > 0:05:48'because that's what I wanted in those days.'
0:05:48 > 0:05:49It'll never work.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53"Play it with a great deal of 'What do I do with this?'
0:05:53 > 0:05:55"Terrified because I don't know how to cope."
0:05:55 > 0:05:57When do we start?
0:05:57 > 0:06:01CAROLE ANN: 'It was quite a scary prospect for Sacha, playing Waris,
0:06:01 > 0:06:03'especially whilst the man himself was watching closely.'
0:06:03 > 0:06:07At the read through, I think that's when I was most nervous.
0:06:07 > 0:06:09'He was hearing himself for the first time and he was sitting'
0:06:10 > 0:06:11right behind me.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14'I was like, "Oh, this is scary." He started welling up'
0:06:14 > 0:06:16and getting quite moved by it.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19So I hope that was in a good way, not in a bad way.
0:06:19 > 0:06:21'But, yeah, I think he seemed happy.'
0:06:21 > 0:06:25WARIS: 'I've never been played by anybody before. I'm looking forward'
0:06:25 > 0:06:29to seeing myself portrayed when I do see the film.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32MARK: The whole thing's been a labour of love for everybody.
0:06:32 > 0:06:34Planet Vortis we did yesterday from The Web Planet.
0:06:34 > 0:06:36It was conjured out of virtually nothing -
0:06:36 > 0:06:38sand, and polystyrene rocks
0:06:38 > 0:06:42and painted hardboard, and it looks absolutely beautiful.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44Incredible, the attention to detail across the board.
0:06:44 > 0:06:46CAROLE ANN: 'Mark is right about the attention to detail.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50'I was lucky enough to visit the set during filming, which I found to be
0:06:50 > 0:06:52'very emotional.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54'What really brought a lump to my throat is when'
0:06:54 > 0:06:56we saw David Bradley
0:06:56 > 0:06:57'playing Bill.
0:06:57 > 0:07:02'They were showing that Bill occasionally forgot his lines.'
0:07:02 > 0:07:06- We have no gloves...drugs. - And, er...
0:07:07 > 0:07:10..It was, it was difficult to watch it.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13'He certainly gets the essence of Bill beautifully.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17'It was clear from my visit that filming TV has changed a bit over
0:07:17 > 0:07:18'over the years,
0:07:18 > 0:07:23'and time-travelling back to 1963 was quite enjoyable for the cast.'
0:07:23 > 0:07:27I think my favourite stuff is actually re-enacting the episode,
0:07:27 > 0:07:29um, because she has
0:07:29 > 0:07:31'some cracking lines and it's really fun to do.'
0:07:31 > 0:07:33What are you doing here?
0:07:33 > 0:07:35JAMIE GLOVER: 'The world of television in 1963
0:07:35 > 0:07:36'seems a million miles away'
0:07:36 > 0:07:38from the television that we work in now.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40BELL RINGS OK. Into position, everyone.
0:07:41 > 0:07:42'They would rehearse it for a week
0:07:42 > 0:07:44'and then they'd shoot the episode, and they'd shoot'
0:07:44 > 0:07:46like a half-an-hour episode in an hour-and-a-half.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49'When you go back and look at some of the earlier episodes, it's a bit
0:07:49 > 0:07:50'bumpy in places.'
0:07:50 > 0:07:52Move the bloody camera.
0:07:52 > 0:07:54Often, one actor's blocking the other,
0:07:54 > 0:07:56or someone stumbles on their line.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59Is that your excuse for this unwarrantable...
0:07:59 > 0:08:01unwarranted intrusion?
0:08:01 > 0:08:03You can see them sort off ploughing through.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05I know this is absurd but...
0:08:05 > 0:08:07CREAKING The doors!
0:08:07 > 0:08:09'There's a kind of live, exciting quality.'
0:08:09 > 0:08:13That's something that, for good and bad, we've lost nowadays.
0:08:13 > 0:08:14CAROLE ANN: 'But the cast and crew
0:08:14 > 0:08:16'were keen to get some of that live feel into the drama,
0:08:16 > 0:08:19'and were more than happy to record
0:08:19 > 0:08:21'some additional dialogue... 1963 style.'
0:08:21 > 0:08:23Sorry about that.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26I tried to make the thing work but it come off in me 'and.
0:08:26 > 0:08:30- Punishment rations all round! - I only asked.
0:08:30 > 0:08:31Gold!
0:08:32 > 0:08:35CAROLE ANN: 'An Adventure In Space And Time is packed full of
0:08:36 > 0:08:37'references to Doctor Who's long history,
0:08:37 > 0:08:41'and Mark was keen to cast as many cameos as possible
0:08:41 > 0:08:44'from those connected to the show.'
0:08:44 > 0:08:46We are at Verity Lambert's leaving party in 1965,
0:08:46 > 0:08:48and we're very privileged to have
0:08:48 > 0:08:52'with us lots of faces from the programme, from the time.
0:08:52 > 0:08:53AMERICAN ACCENT: This is a great party.
0:08:53 > 0:08:57'And the party continued with cameos from William Russell,
0:08:57 > 0:09:00'who played one of the Doctor's first companions, and Mark Eden,
0:09:01 > 0:09:04'who stepped into Marco Polo's shoes in the very first series.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08'And someone couldn't resist stepping into the shoes of the Doctor
0:09:08 > 0:09:10'for his own cameo.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13'Here's a little treat you won't have seen in the show itself.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15'Another regeneration.
0:09:15 > 0:09:17'Hope you enjoy.'
0:09:22 > 0:09:24MARK: I don't know what it is about Doctor Who,
0:09:24 > 0:09:25partly childhood nostalgia.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28It's partly the fact that it instantly connects with
0:09:28 > 0:09:32a very happy time for me and for hundreds of thousands of people.
0:09:32 > 0:09:36CAROLE ANN: 'The Doctor has delighted audiences now for half a century,
0:09:36 > 0:09:40'and I'm sure we all hope that his adventure in space and time
0:09:40 > 0:09:43'will continue for quite a while longer.'
0:09:43 > 0:09:46Well, like a great wine, you've survived a very long time.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48Doctor Who, happy birthday.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53I wish Doctor Who a very happy anniversary.
0:09:53 > 0:09:57Here's to another 50 years of Daleks and weeping angels.
0:09:57 > 0:09:58And who knows?
0:09:58 > 0:10:01Maybe some people watching this will be watching in 50 years' time
0:10:01 > 0:10:03to celebrate its 100th birthday.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05I hope you're going when I have grandchildren.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07And may you continue to travel
0:10:07 > 0:10:10through time and space for the next 100 years.
0:10:10 > 0:10:15Yeah, happy 50th anniversary. And here's to many more years to come.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19I feel more like a dad than a director about this
0:10:19 > 0:10:21because I was at the birth of this show.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24And that makes me very proud.
0:10:24 > 0:10:28I just want to say happy anniversary, Doctor Who.
0:10:29 > 0:10:33May I say...on behalf of all the Doctor Whos...
0:10:34 > 0:10:36..happy anniversary. Happy 50th.