The Doctor Who Production Diary: 1983 Previous: 1982 Next: 1984 Jump: Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec January 1 ARPANET adopts the TCP/IP protocol, effectively launching the Internet; the first major Doctor Who-related Internet entity, the Usenet newsgroup net.tv.drwho (later renamed rec.arts.drwho), would be created on December 19th 3 Debut broadcast of Arc Of Infinity episode one on BBC One 3 Because of the shift in the recording dates for Enlightenment, Season Twenty is officially truncated to just twenty-two episodes; “The Return” is postponed to Season Twenty-One where it will become Resurrection Of The Daleks 4 Location filming for “The Return” is cancelled due to industrial action 5 Debut broadcast of Arc Of Infinity episode two on BBC One 5 Location filming for “The Return” is cancelled due to industrial action 5 Robin Squire is commissioned to provide a storyline for “Ghost Planet” 10 Clearance is obtained for the inclusion of scenes from Shada in The Five Doctors 11 Debut broadcast of Arc Of Infinity episode three on BBC One 12 Debut broadcast of Arc Of Infinity episode four on BBC One 16 Recording for The King's Demons takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 1 in White City, London 17 Recording for Enlightenment takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 1 in White City, London 18 Debut broadcast of Snakedance episode one on BBC One 18 Recording for Enlightenment takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 1 in White City, London 19 Debut broadcast of Snakedance episode two on BBC One 25 Debut broadcast of Snakedance episode three on BBC One 26 Debut broadcast of Snakedance episode four on BBC One 27 Philip Martin is commissioned to write the final four episodes of Vengeance On Varos 30 Recording for Enlightenment takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 1 in White City, London 31 Recording for Enlightenment takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 1 in White City, London February 1 Debut broadcast of Mawdryn Undead episode one on BBC One 1 Recording for Enlightenment takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 1 in White City, London 2 Debut broadcast of Mawdryn Undead episode two on BBC One 6 Elisabeth Sladen is contracted for The Five Doctors 8 Having decided to leave Doctor Who, Mark Strickson is contracted for twenty episodes during Season Twenty-One 8 Debut broadcast of Mawdryn Undead episode three on BBC One 9 Debut broadcast of Mawdryn Undead episode four on BBC One 15 Debut broadcast of Terminus episode one on BBC One 16 Debut broadcast of Terminus episode two on BBC One 21 Deborah Watling is contracted for The Five Doctors 21 Wendy Padbury is contracted for The Five Doctors 21 Caroline John is contracted for The Five Doctors 22 Debut broadcast of Terminus episode three on BBC One 23 Debut broadcast of Terminus episode four on BBC One 28 The final episode of the comedy-drama M*A*S*H is watched by more than 100 million people, the largest non-sports audience ever in the United States March 1 Debut broadcast of Enlightenment episode one on BBC One 2 Debut broadcast of Enlightenment episode two on BBC One 4 Other commitments result in Deborah Watling being released from her contract for The Five Doctors 5 Recording for The Five Doctors takes place in Llanforthen, Wales 7 John Nathan-Turner arranges for Frazer Hines to make a cameo appearance in The Five Doctors 7 Recording for The Five Doctors takes place in Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales 8 Debut broadcast of Enlightenment episode three on BBC One 8 Recording for The Five Doctors takes place in Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales 9 Debut broadcast of Enlightenment episode four on BBC One 9 Recording for The Five Doctors takes place in Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales 10 Recording for The Five Doctors takes place in Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales 11 Recording for The Five Doctors takes place in Wales, at Blaenau Ffestiniog and Llanfrothen 13 Recording for The Five Doctors takes place in Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales 14 Recording for The Five Doctors takes place in Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales 15 Debut broadcast of The King's Demons episode one on BBC One 15 Recording for The Five Doctors takes place in Llanbedr, Wales 16 Debut broadcast of The King's Demons episode two on BBC One 17 Recording for The Five Doctors takes place in Denham Green, Buckinghamshire and Uxbridge, London 18 Recording for The Five Doctors takes place at the BBC Television Film Studios in Ealing, London 21 Birth of Bruno Langley (bio), who played Adam Mitchell 23 US President Ronald Reagan proposes the Strategic Defense Initiative -- the missle-intercepting technology subsequently dubbed “Star Wars” 29 Recording for The Five Doctors takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London 29 Peter Grimwade is commissioned to provide a storyline for Planet Of Fire 30 Recording for The Five Doctors takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London 31 Recording for The Five Doctors takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London April 20 Peter Grimwade is commissioned to write Planet Of Fire 21 Birth of Gugu Mbatha-Raw (bio), who played Tish Jones May 6 Robert Holmes is commissioned to provide a storyline for The Caves Of Androzani 11 Glen McCoy is commissioned to provide a storyline for Timelash 31 Birth of Reggie Yates (bio), who played Leo Jones late May With Peter Davison, Janet Fielding and Mark Strickson all indicating their intention to leave Doctor Who, John Nathan-Turner and Eric Saward make plans to write out Kamelion, Tegan and Turlough -- and regenerate the Doctor -- before the end of Season Twenty-One, with a new Doctor and companion in place for its final story; Davison is unhappy that he will not complete three full seasons June 10 Colin Baker is offered the role of the Sixth Doctor 15 Scheduled recording for Warriors Of The Deep at the BBC Television Film Studios in Ealing, London is cancelled due to the reallocation of facilities to cover the General Election 18 Aboard the Challenger, physicist Sally Ride becomes the first American woman in space; she is preceded by two female cosmonauts from the Soviet Union 23 Recording for Warriors Of The Deep takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London; this occurs a week earlier than planned due to the change in schedules provoked by the General Election 24 Glen McCoy is commissioned to write the first episode of Timelash 24 Recording for Warriors Of The Deep takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London 28 Recording for Warriors Of The Deep takes place in Marchwood, Hampshire 29 Recording for Warriors Of The Deep takes place at Shepperton Studios in Shepperton, Surrey 30 Recording for Warriors Of The Deep takes place at Shepperton Studios in Shepperton, Surrey July 4 Recording for Warriors Of The Deep takes place at the BBC Visual Effects Workshop in Acton, London 5 Nicola Bryant is introduced to the press as new companion Peri Brown 5 Recording for Warriors Of The Deep takes place at the BBC Visual Effects Workshop in Acton, London 6 Recording for Warriors Of The Deep takes place at the BBC Visual Effects Workshop in Acton, London 7 Recording for Warriors Of The Deep takes place at the BBC Visual Effects Workshop in Acton, London 12 Peter Ling and Hazel Adair are commissioned to provide a storyline for “Hex” 13 Recording for Warriors Of The Deep takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London 14 Recording for Warriors Of The Deep takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London 15 Recording for Warriors Of The Deep takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London 17 Christopher Bailey is commissioned to write “The Children Of Seth”, a revised version of “May Time” 19 Recording for The Awakening takes place in Dorset, at Tarrant Monkton and Shapwick 19 Anthony Steven delivers a storyline for The Twin Dilemma 20 Recording for The Awakening takes place in Shapwick, Dorset 21 Recording for The Awakening takes place in Martin, Hampshire 22 Recording for The Awakening takes place in Martin, Hampshire 28 A press conference is held to announce that Peter Davison will be leaving Doctor Who during Season Twenty-One 28 Robert Holmes is commissioned write The Caves Of Androzani late Jul Consideration is given to retaining the character of Will Chandler, played by Keith Jayne in The Awakening, as a new companion; John Nathan-Turner and Eric Saward ultimately decide against it August 1 Peter Arne, cast as Mr Range in Frontios, is murdered after returning home from his costume fitting 2 Anthony Steven is commissioned to write the first episode of The Twin Dilemma 4 Recording for The Awakening takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London 5 Recording for The Awakening takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London 6 Recording for The Awakening takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London 9 Nicola Bryant is contracted for twelve episodes starting with Planet Of Fire, with an option for the entirety of Seasons Twenty-Two and Twenty-Three 14 Brian Finch is commissioned to write “Leviathan” 19 The BBC announces that Colin Baker will play the Sixth Doctor 24 Recording for Frontios takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London 24 Anthony Steven is commissioned to write the final three episodes of The Twin Dilemma 25 Recording for Frontios takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London 26 Recording for Frontios takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London September 1 The Soviet Union shoots down a Korean commercial airliner, killing all aboard including a US congressman 7 Recording for Frontios takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London 8 Recording for Frontios takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London 9 Recording for Frontios takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London 11 Recording for Resurrection Of The Daleks takes place in Bermondsey, London 12 Recording for Resurrection Of The Daleks takes place in Bermondsey, London 21 Recording for Resurrection Of The Daleks takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 8 in White City, London 22 Recording for Resurrection Of The Daleks takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 8 in White City, London 23 Recording for Resurrection Of The Daleks takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 8 in White City, London 30 Colin Baker is contracted for the final five episodes of Season Twenty-One, beginning with the last installment of The Caves Of Androzani 30 Pip Baker and Jane Baker are commissioned to provide a storyline for The Mark Of The Rani October 4 Colin Baker is contracted for Season Twenty-Two, with an option for three additional years 5 Recording for Resurrection Of The Daleks takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London 6 Recording for Resurrection Of The Daleks takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London 7 Recording for Resurrection Of The Daleks takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London 14 Recording for Planet Of Fire takes place at Playa del Papagayo, Lanzarote, Spain 15 Recording for Planet Of Fire takes place in Lanzarote, Spain, at Mirador del Rio and Órzola 17 Recording for Planet Of Fire takes place at the Parque Nacional de Timanfaya, Lanzarote, Spain 18 Recording for Planet Of Fire takes place at the Parque Nacional de Timanfaya, Lanzarote, Spain 19 Recording for Planet Of Fire takes place at the Parque Nacional de Timanfaya, Lanzarote, Spain 25 The United States invades Grenada in response to an incursion by Cuban forces 26 Recording for Planet Of Fire takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 1 in White City, London 27 Recording for Planet Of Fire takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 1 in White City, London November 7 Pip Baker and Jane Baker are commissioned to write The Mark Of The Rani 9 Recording for Planet Of Fire takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London 10 Recording for Planet Of Fire takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London 11 Recording for Planet Of Fire takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London 15 Recording for The Caves Of Androzani takes place in Stokeford, Dorset 16 Recording for The Caves Of Androzani takes place in Stokeford, Dorset 17 Recording for The Caves Of Androzani takes place in Stokeford, Dorset 22 Because the BBC's broadcast of the 1984 Winter Olympics will occupy Doctor Who's timeslots when Resurrection Of The Daleks would normally air, it's decided to instead re-edit the serial into two forty-five-minute episodes 23 Debut broadcast of The Five Doctors; this occurs on Public Broadcasting Service stations in the United States, marking the first instance of a Doctor Who episode premiering outside of the United Kingdom 23 Glen McCoy is commissioned to write the remainder of Timelash, which will now be revised from four twenty-five-minute episodes to two forty-five-minute episodes 25 The Five Doctors is broadcast on BBC One for the first time 28 Philip Martin is commissioned to revise Vengeance On Varos from four twenty-five-minute episodes to two forty-five-minute episodes late Nov Patrick Troughton accepts John Nathan-Turner's offer to return to Doctor Who for a story which pairs him with the Sixth Doctor, Colin Baker December 1 Studio recording for The Caves Of Androzani is cancelled due to industrial action 2 Michael Jackson's landmark, cinematic video for his single Thriller debuts on MTV 2 Studio recording for The Caves Of Androzani is cancelled due to industrial action 7 Joan Paget's “A Tree In Eden” is rejected 15 Recording for The Caves Of Androzani takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London 16 Recording for The Caves Of Androzani takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London 17 Recording for The Caves Of Androzani takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London 21 Colin Davis' “The Count Of Vladimir” is rejected 28 Philip Martin proposes “Doomwraiths”, “Space Sargasso” and “Valley Of Shadows” 29 In Syria, the Reverend Jesse Jackson secures the release of a US Navy aviator who had been shot down over Lebanon

	Return To
Main Page		Diary

Previous: 1982

Next: 1984