The Doctor Who Production Diary: 1985

January
5 Debut broadcast of Attack Of The Cybermen episode one on BBC One; Doctor Who returns to Saturdays but has now adopted a 45-minute format Attack Of The Cybermen
7 Recording for Revelation Of The Daleks takes place in Hampshire, at Buriton and Horndean Revelation Of The Daleks
8 Recording for Revelation Of The Daleks takes place in Horndean, Hampshire Revelation Of The Daleks
9 Recording for Revelation Of The Daleks takes place in Portsmouth, Hampshire Revelation Of The Daleks
10 Recording for Revelation Of The Daleks takes place in West Sussex, at Halnaker and Tangmere Revelation Of The Daleks
12 Debut broadcast of Attack Of The Cybermen episode two on BBC One Attack Of The Cybermen
17 Recording for Revelation Of The Daleks takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 1 in White City, London Revelation Of The Daleks
18 Recording for Revelation Of The Daleks takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 1 in White City, London Revelation Of The Daleks
19 Debut broadcast of Vengeance On Varos episode one on BBC One Vengeance On Varos
26 Debut broadcast of Vengeance On Varos episode two on BBC One Vengeance On Varos
30 Recording for Timelash takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 8 in White City, London Timelash
30 Recording for Revelation Of The Daleks takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 8 in White City, London Revelation Of The Daleks
31 Recording for Revelation Of The Daleks takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 8 in White City, London Revelation Of The Daleks

February
1 Recording for Revelation Of The Daleks takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 8 in White City, London Revelation Of The Daleks
2 Debut broadcast of The Mark Of The Rani episode one on BBC One The Mark Of The Rani
5 Michael Feeney Callan is commissioned to write “The Children Of January” The Sixth Doctor
6 Robert Holmes is commissioned to write all three episodes of “Yellow Fever And How To Cure It” The Sixth Doctor
9 Debut broadcast of The Mark Of The Rani episode two on BBC One The Mark Of The Rani
16 Debut broadcast of The Two Doctors episode one on BBC One The Two Doctors
19 The soap opera EastEnders debuts on BBC One
21 John Nathan-Turner and Eric Saward are alerted to rumours that Doctor Who has been cancelled The Sixth Doctor
23 Debut broadcast of The Two Doctors episode two on BBC One The Two Doctors
25 Jonathan Powell, the BBC's Head of Series and Serials, informs John Nathan-Turner that the start of production on Season Twenty-Three has been deferred from Spring 1985 to Spring 1986 The Sixth Doctor
27 The British press leaks the news that Doctor Who has been put on hiatus by the BBC The Sixth Doctor

March
1 The BBC announces that Doctor Who will return to television in September 1986, and will revert to twenty-five-minute episodes The Sixth Doctor
2 Debut broadcast of The Two Doctors episode three on BBC One The Two Doctors
9 Debut broadcast of Timelash episode one on BBC One The Timelash
11 Mikhail Gorbachev becomes the Soviet Union's head of state
11 Pip and Jane Baker are commissioned to write “Gallifrey” The Sixth Doctor
16 Debut broadcast of Timelash episode two on BBC One The Timelash
23 Debut broadcast of Revelation Of The Daleks episode one on BBC One Revelation Of The Daleks
30 Debut broadcast of Revelation Of The Daleks episode two on BBC One Revelation Of The Daleks

April
6 Rumours begin to circulate that Season Twenty-Three will consist of fewer than the anticipated twenty-six episodes The Sixth Doctor
23 Coca-Cola changes its formula in North America, resulting in a market backlash which forces the reintroduction of the original recipe (initially branded “Coca-Cola Classic”) within three months

May
16 British scientists announce the discovery of a hole in the ozone layer over the Antarctic
late
May
With Season Twenty-Three having been truncated to just fourteen twenty-five-minute episodes, the production team obtains approval for a season-long story arc in which the Doctor is put on trial by the Time Lords The Sixth Doctor

June
24 Death of Valentine Dyall (bio), who played the Black Guardian

July
5 A character outline for new companion Melanie Bush is distributed Melanie Bush
5 A character outline for the Inquisitor is distributed The Inquisitor
5 A character outline for the Valeyard is distributed The Valeyard
9 The intended writers for the new Season Twenty-Three are assembled; it's decided that the “past” segment and the conclusion will be written by Robert Holmes, the “present” segment will be written by Philip Martin, and two “future” segments will be written by David Halliwell and Jack Trevor Story The Sixth Doctor
13 Star-studded Live Aid benefit concerts are held in London and Philadelphia, raising millions in support of Ethiopian famine relief
16 Terence Dudley offers to replace John Nathan-Turner as producer of Doctor Who The Sixth Doctor
26 Jack Trevor Story is commissioned to write “The Second Coming”, which will be linked to David Halliwell's “Attack From The Mind” The Sixth Doctor

August
25 Teenager Samantha Smith, who had gained international attention when she accepted an offer from General Secretary Yuri Andropov to visit the Soviet Union in 1983, is killed in a plane crash

September
1 The wreck of the RMS Titanic, which sank after being struck by an iceberg in 1912, is located in the North Atlantic 600 kilometres off the coast of Newfoundland
2 Robert Holmes is commissioned to write The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment One) The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment 
One)
13 Staff clearance is sought for Philip Martin to write The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment Two) The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment 
Two)

October
18 David Halliwell's “Attack From The Mind” is abandoned; development of its counterpart, Jack Trevor Story's “The Second Coming”, has also ceased The Sixth Doctor
29 Christopher H Bidmead is commissioned to write “Pinacotheca” The Sixth Doctor

November
18 Bill Watterson's daily comic strip Calvin And Hobbes is first published
28 Nicola Bryant is contracted for the first eight episodes of Season Twenty-Three, after which Peri will be written out of Doctor Who Peri Brown

December
15 Birth of Jamie Magnus Stone (bio), director
18 After months of rumours, the BBC publicly confirms that Season Twenty-Three will run to only fourteen episodes The Sixth Doctor
late
Dec
Bonnie Langford is contracted to play Melanie Bush in the final eight episodes of Season Twenty-Three, with an option for two additional seasons Melanie Bush