Doctor Who fans will be able to watch the second Time Lord’s “never-before-seen” regeneration into the third Doctor in a new colourised version of an episode from 1969, the BBC has said.
Originally airing as part of the War Games story arc in 1969, the episode marked the transition between Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee playing the Doctor in the sci-fi television favourite.
For the first time, the pivotal scenes have been colourised and enhanced with visual effects for a 90-minute feature-length programme which will air on December 23 on BBC Four and BBC iPlayer.
“The episode will also feature the second Doctor’s never-before-seen regeneration into the third Doctor”, the BBC revealed.
The new version will also include updated sound, a new score and recovered footage not seen since the original broadcast.
The original War Games episodes saw Troughton and his companions Zoe and Jamie, played by Wendy Padbury and Frazer Hines, land in a battlefield that appeared to be a military zone in the First World War.
However, they soon discover that soldiers from different historical periods have been abducted and are being manipulated in a cruel game.
From the day I arrived back on Doctor Who, this was the plan. To colourise old stories and bring them back to life
As they work to uncover the mystery behind the War Lord and his twisted experiments, the Doctor faces one of his most difficult challenges.
Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies said: “From the day I arrived back on Doctor Who, this was the plan. To colourise old stories and bring them back to life.
“And on Doctor Who Day itself, it’s great to announce this, celebrating the show’s wonderful heritage with an all-time-classic.
“It looks so vivid and new – and for fans of black and white, the story in its original form will stay on BBC iPlayer, so everyone wins.”
The screenwriter recalled first watching the episode in 1969 at age six and shared his excitement that fans old and new can “enjoy it all over again”.
Davies was responsible for Doctor Who’s revival in 2005 but left the series in 2009. He returned as showrunner in 2023 to coincide with the 60th anniversary.
It marks the second time a classic Doctor Who story has been colourised, following The Daleks in 2023 which was updated to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the franchise.
The announcement comes on Doctor Who Day, which marks the broadcast of the first episode 61 years ago on November 23 1963.
To celebrate, fans were treated to a host of Doctor Who content including messages from Ncuti Gatwa, the latest actor to play the Doctor, and Bridgerton and Derry Girls actress Nicola Coughlan, who will appear in this year’s Christmas special.
The War Games will air on December 23 on BBC Four and BBC iPlayer and the original episodes are available in The Whoniverse on BBC iPlayer.
