The Doctor Who Production Diary: 1970

January
3 Debut broadcast of Spearhead From Space episode one on BBC One, the first colour episode of Doctor Who Spearhead From Space
5 Caroline John is contracted for two serials beginning with The Ambassadors Of Death, although Barry Letts is unhappy with the character and ultimately decides to replace her for Season Eight Liz
Shaw
5 Recording for The Silurians takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 1 in White City, London The Silurians
9 Don Houghton is commissioned to write Inferno Inferno
10 Debut broadcast of Spearhead From Space episode two on BBC One Spearhead From Space
12 Recording for The Silurians takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 1 in White City, London The Silurians
17 Debut broadcast of Spearhead From Space episode three on BBC One Spearhead From Space
19 Recording for The Silurians takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 8 in White City, London The Silurians
22 After a one-day delay due to mechanical issues, the Boeing 747 -- the world's first jumbo jet -- begins service between London and Los Angeles
23 Recording for The Ambassadors Of Death takes place in Little Marlow, Buckinghamshire The Ambassadors Of Death
24 Debut broadcast of Spearhead From Space episode four on BBC One Spearhead From Space
26 Recording for The Silurians takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 8 in White City, London The Silurians
26 Recording for The Ambassadors Of Death takes place in Southall, London The Ambassadors Of Death
27 Recording for The Ambassadors Of Death takes place in London, at Southall and Acton The Ambassadors Of Death
28 Recording for The Ambassadors Of Death takes place in Acton, London The Ambassadors Of Death
29 Recording for The Ambassadors Of Death takes place in Buckinghamshire, at High Wycombe and Marlow The Ambassadors Of Death
30 Recording for The Ambassadors Of Death takes place in Aldershot, Hampshire The Ambassadors Of Death
31 Debut broadcast of The Silurians episode one on BBC One The Silurians
31 Recording for The Ambassadors Of Death takes place in Aldershot, Hampshire The Ambassadors Of Death

February
2 Recording for The Ambassadors Of Death takes place in Beacon Hill, Hampshire and at the BBC Television Film Studios in Ealing, London The Ambassadors Of Death
3 Recording for The Ambassadors Of Death takes place in Northfleet, Kent and at the BBC Television Film Studios in Ealing, London The Ambassadors Of Death
4 Recording for The Ambassadors Of Death takes place in Northfleet, Kent and at the BBC Television Film Studios in Ealing, London The Ambassadors Of Death
7 Debut broadcast of The Silurians episode two on BBC One The Silurians
10 Birth of Robert Shearman (bio), writer
13 Recording for The Ambassadors Of Death takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London The Ambassadors Of Death
14 Debut broadcast of The Silurians episode three on BBC One The Silurians
20 Recording for The Ambassadors Of Death takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London The Ambassadors Of Death
21 Birth of Shaun Dingwall (bio), who played Pete Tyler
21 Debut broadcast of The Silurians episode four on BBC One The Silurians
23 John Levene is contracted for Inferno Sergeant
John Benton
27 Recording for The Ambassadors Of Death takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London The Ambassadors Of Death
28 Debut broadcast of The Silurians episode five on BBC One The Silurians
late
Feb
The BBC confirms that Doctor Who will return for Season Eight The Third Doctor

March
2 Birth of Alexander Armstrong (bio), who provided the voice of Mr Smith
5 The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons takes effect
6 Recording for The Ambassadors Of Death takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London The Ambassadors Of Death
7 Debut broadcast of The Silurians episode six on BBC One The Silurians
9 Jon Pertwee is contracted for Season Eight The Third Doctor
13 Recording for The Ambassadors Of Death takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London The Ambassadors Of Death
14 Debut broadcast of The Silurians episode seven on BBC One The Silurians
20 Recording for The Ambassadors Of Death takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 4 in White City, London The Ambassadors Of Death
21 Birth of Chris Chibnall (bio), co-producer, writer and executive producer
21 Debut broadcast of The Ambassadors Of Death episode one on BBC One The Ambassadors Of Death
23 Roger Delgado is contracted to play the Master, the Doctor's new Time Lord arch-nemesis, in Season Eight The
Master
27 Recording for The Ambassadors Of Death takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 1 in White City, London The Ambassadors Of Death
28 Debut broadcast of The Ambassadors Of Death episode two on BBC One The Ambassadors Of Death
31 Recording for Inferno takes place in Hoo, Kent Inferno

April
1 Recording for Inferno takes place in Hoo, Kent Inferno
2 Recording for Inferno takes place in Hoo, Kent Inferno
3 Recording for Inferno takes place in Hoo, Kent Inferno
4 Debut broadcast of The Ambassadors Of Death episode three on BBC One The Ambassadors Of Death
6 Recording for Inferno takes place at the BBC Television Film Studios in Ealing, London Inferno
6 “The Gift” is rejected, but Bob Baker and Dave Martin are immediately commissioned for a heavily revised storyline, which becomes The Claws Of Axos The Claws Of Axos
7 Recording for Inferno takes place at the BBC Television Film Studios in Ealing, London Inferno
8 Nicholas Courtney is contracted for Season Eight Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart
8 Recording for Inferno takes place at the BBC Television Film Studios in Ealing, London Inferno
11 Debut broadcast of The Ambassadors Of Death episode four on BBC One The Ambassadors Of Death
13 An oxygen tank explodes aboard Apollo 13 while it is en route to the Moon; the craft is able to return to Earth four days later
18 Debut broadcast of The Ambassadors Of Death episode five on BBC One The Ambassadors Of Death
22 The first Earth Day is celebrated
24 Recording for Inferno takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London Inferno
25 Debut broadcast of The Ambassadors Of Death episode six on BBC One The Ambassadors Of Death
27 Director Douglas Camfield collapses during rehearsals for Inferno as a result of stress and a heart condition; Barry Letts assumes his duties for the remainder of the serial's production Inferno
28 Robert Holmes is commissioned to provide a storyline for Terror Of The Autons Terror Of The Autons

May
2 Debut broadcast of The Ambassadors Of Death episode seven on BBC One The Ambassadors Of Death
4 In Ohio, four Kent State students are killed by National Guardsmen at a protest against the previous week's incursion by American troops into Cambodia
7 Recording for Inferno takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London Inferno
8 Recording for Inferno takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London Inferno
9 Debut broadcast of Inferno episode one on BBC One Inferno
16 Debut broadcast of Inferno episode two on BBC One Inferno
21 Recording for Inferno takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London Inferno
22 Recording for Inferno takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London Inferno
23 Debut broadcast of Inferno episode three on BBC One Inferno
29 Recording for Inferno takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London Inferno
30 Debut broadcast of Inferno episode four on BBC One Inferno

June
6 Debut broadcast of Inferno episode five on BBC One Inferno
12 Robert Holmes is commissioned to write Terror Of The Autons Terror Of The Autons
13 Debut broadcast of Inferno episode six on BBC One Inferno
18 Edward Heath's Conservatives defy expectations and defeat Prime Minister Harold Wilson's Labour party in a General Election
20 Debut broadcast of Inferno episode seven on BBC One Inferno
22 John Levene is contracted for eighteen episodes of Season Eight Sergeant
John Benton
24 Charlotte and Dennis Plimmer are commissioned to write “The Cerebroids” The Third Doctor
29 Don Houghton is commissioned to provide a storyline for The Mind Of Evil The Mind Of Evil
29 Malcolm Hulke is commissioned to provide a storyline for Colony In Space Colony In Space
29 Charlotte and Dennis Plimmer's “The Cerebroids” is abandoned The Third Doctor

July
1 After Ian Marter refuses the role of Captain Yates due to other commitments, Richard Franklin is contracted to play the character in Season Eight Captain 
Mike Yates
3 Katy Manning is contracted to play new companion Jo Grant in at least twenty episodes of Season Eight Jo 
Grant
5 Birth of Toby Whithouse (bio), writer and actor
10 Birth of John Simm (bio), the eighth actor to play the Master
21 In Egypt, the Aswan High Dam is completed after ten years of construction

August
6 Don Houghton is commissioned to write The Mind Of Evil The Mind Of Evil

September
1 Malcolm Hulke is commissioned to provide a revised storyline for Colony In Space Colony In Space
11 Bob Baker and Dave Martin are commissioned to write the first episode of The Claws Of Axos The Claws Of Axos
15 Malcolm Hulke is commissioned to write Colony In Space Colony In Space
17 Recording for Terror Of The Autons takes place in Chalfont St Peter, Buckinghamshire; Chalfont St Giles, Buckinghamshire; and Hammersmith, London Terror Of The Autons
18 Recording for Terror Of The Autons takes place in Leyton, London Terror Of The Autons
21 Recording for Terror Of The Autons takes place in Dunstable, Bedfordshire Terror Of The Autons
22 Recording for Terror Of The Autons takes place in Caddington, Bedfordshire Terror Of The Autons
23 Recording for Terror Of The Autons takes place in Bedfordshire, at Caddington and Dunstable Terror Of The Autons
24 A photocall is held to introduce Katy Manning as new companion Jo Grant Jo 
Grant

October
9 Recording for Terror Of The Autons takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 8 in White City, London Terror Of The Autons
10 Recording for Terror Of The Autons takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 8 in White City, London Terror Of The Autons
16 Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau effectively declares martial law following political kidnappings committed by the militant Front de Libération du Québec
18 Bob Baker and Dave Martin are commissioned to write the second episode of The Claws Of Axos The Claws Of Axos
19 Bill Strutton is commissioned to write a storyline for “The Mega” The Third Doctor
23 Recording for Terror Of The Autons takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London Terror Of The Autons
24 Recording for Terror Of The Autons takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London Terror Of The Autons
26 Recording for The Mind Of Evil takes place in Dover, Kent The Mind Of Evil
27 Recording for The Mind Of Evil takes place in Dover, Kent The Mind Of Evil
28 Recording for The Mind Of Evil takes place in Kent, at Dover and Whitfield The Mind Of Evil
29 Recording for The Mind Of Evil takes place in Manston, Kent The Mind Of Evil
29 Bob Baker and Dave Martin are commissioned to write the final two episodes of The Claws Of Axos The Claws Of Axos
30 Recording for The Mind Of Evil takes place in Kent, at Dover and Pineham The Mind Of Evil
31 Recording for The Mind Of Evil takes place in Dover, Kent The Mind Of Evil

November
2 Recording for The Mind Of Evil takes place in Kensington, London The Mind Of Evil
3 Recording for The Mind Of Evil takes place in Kensington, London The Mind Of Evil
4 Recording for The Mind Of Evil takes place in Kensington, London The Mind Of Evil
9 Ian Stuart Black is commissioned to provide a storyline for “The Space War” The Third Doctor
21 Recording for The Mind Of Evil takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London The Mind Of Evil
22 Recording for The Mind Of Evil takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London The Mind Of Evil

December
4 Recording for The Mind Of Evil takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London The Mind Of Evil
5 Recording for The Mind Of Evil takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London The Mind Of Evil
17 Robert Sloman is commissioned to provide a storyline for The Daemons; it will be co-written with Barry Letts The Daemons
18 Recording for The Mind Of Evil takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London The Mind Of Evil
19 Recording for The Mind Of Evil takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London The Mind Of Evil
22 Recording for The Claws Of Axos takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 7 in White City, London The Claws Of Axos
30 Birth of Saul Metzstein (bio), director