Doctor Who

Sue MacGregor reunites five people who played key roles in the early years of a TV landmark, Doctor Who.

Fifty years on, some of those who crammed nervously into the BBC's Lime Grove Studios in 1963 recount the triumphs and disasters that ushered in the longest running sci-fi series in the world.

When Canadian TV executive Sydney Newman was drafted into revitalise the BBC Drama department in the early 1960's. His idea for an ageing time-traveller who would illuminate both human history and Alien civilisations struggled to be successfully realised.

After a number of other directors refused to work on the project, a 24-year-old Waris Hussein took the job. The only Indian-born director within the BBC at that time, he felt the stern gaze of the 'old order' upon his work.

The first serial was being recorded on the day US President Kennedy was assassinated and the first episode was transmitted the next day, despite concerns that the show might be postponed.

Doctor Who was played by the British actor William Hartnell. His sharp, sometimes grumpy demeanour came out of his increasing difficulty in learning the scripts, but the audience immediately took him to their hearts and the series had nearly six million viewers by Christmas.

Joining Sue MacGregor is:

* Waris Hussein, who directed the first episode
* Carole Ann Ford - the Doctor's granddaughter and companion Susan
* William Russell - the Doctor's right hand man Ian Chesterton
* Jeremy Young - the Doctor's first enemy - Caveman Kal
* TV presenter Peter Purves who, as companion Steven Taylor, played opposite William Hartnell in over 40 episodes.

Producer: Peter Curran
Series Producer: David Prest

A Whistledown Production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in March 2013.