The Doctor Who Production Diary: 1986

January
16 Colin Baker is contracted for Season Twenty-Three, with an option for one additional year The Sixth Doctor
20 The United Kingdom and France announce plans to construct a rail tunnel under the English Channel
23 Bonnie Langford is announced as new companion Melanie Bush Melanie Bush
28 On its tenth mission, the space shuttle Challenger disintegrates seventy-three seconds after lift-off, killing all seven astronauts on board including schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe

February
2 Christopher H Bidmead's “Pinacotheca” is abandoned The Sixth Doctor
4 Robert Holmes is commissioned to write The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment Four) The Trial Of 
A Time Lord (Segment Four)
9 Halley's Comet makes its closest approach to the Sun; the next perihelion will come in 2061
10 PJ Hammond is commissioned to write “Paradise Five” The Sixth Doctor
19 The Mir space station is launched into orbit by the USSR
24 Jonathan Powell, the BBC's Head of Drama, delivers a stinging criticism of the scripts for The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment One) The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment
One)
late
Feb
PJ Hammond's “Paradise Five” is abandoned The Sixth Doctor

March
1 After meeting John Nathan-Turner in a lift at BBC Television Centre, Pip and Jane Baker are invited to develop a storyline for The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment Three) The Trial Of 
A Time Lord (Segment Three)
13 Pip and Jane Baker are commissioned to write The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment Three) The Trial Of 
A Time Lord (Segment Three)
16 Birth of Vinay Patel (bio), writer
25 Lynda Bellingham is contracted to play the Inquisitor for Season Twenty-Three The Inquisitor

April
1 Anthony Ainley is contracted for The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment Four) The
Master
2 Having become increasingly frustrated by John Nathan-Turner's decisions as producer, Eric Saward resigns as script editor of Doctor Who; however, he agrees to complete The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment Four) now that Robert Holmes has been hospitalised The Sixth Doctor
8 Recording for The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment One) takes place in Horndean, Hampshire The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment
One)
9 Recording for The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment One) takes place in Horndean, Hampshire The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment
One)
10 Recording for The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment One) takes place in Chalton, Hampshire The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment
One)
11 Recording for The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment One) takes place in Chalton, Hampshire The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment
One)
24 Recording for The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment One) takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment
One)
25 Recording for The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment One) takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment
One)
26 An explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine forces the resettlement of hundreds of thousands of people due to radioactive fallout
27 Birth of Jenna Coleman (bio), who played Clara Oswald

May
10 Recording for The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment One) takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment
One)
11 Recording for The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment One) takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment
One)
12 Recording for The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment One) takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment
One)
mid
May
Eric Saward is infuriated to learn that John Nathan-Turner is considering reneging on their agreement to adhere to Robert Holmes' outline for The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment Four) The Trial Of 
A Time Lord (Segment Four)
24 Death of Robert Holmes (bio), writer and script editor
27 Recording for The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment Two) takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 1 in White City, London The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment
Two)
28 Recording for The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment Two) takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 1 in White City, London The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment
Two)
29 Recording for The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment Two) takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 1 in White City, London The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment
Two)

June
1 Eric Saward withdraws permission for the use of his script for The Trial Of A Time Lord episode fourteen The Trial Of
A Time Lord (Segment Four)
6 Pip and Jane Baker are commissioned to write a new version of The Trial Of A Time Lord episode fourteen The Trial Of
A Time Lord (Segment Four)
11 Recording for The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment Two) takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment
Two)
12 Recording for The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment Two) takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment
Two)
13 Recording for The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment One) takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment
One)
13 Recording for The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment Two) takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment
Two)
15 Recording for The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment Two) takes place in Peacehaven, East Sussex The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment
Two)
16 Recording for The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment Two) takes place in Peacehaven, East Sussex The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment
Two)
23 Recording for The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment Four) takes place in Camber, East Sussex The Trial Of
A Time Lord (Segment Four)
24 Recording for The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment Four) takes place in Camber, East Sussex The Trial Of
A Time Lord (Segment Four)
30 Recording for The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment Four) takes place in Longton, Staffordshire The Trial Of
A Time Lord (Segment Four)

July
1 Recording for The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment Four) takes place in Longton, Staffordshire The Trial Of
A Time Lord (Segment Four)
2 Recording for The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment Four) takes place in Longton, Staffordshire The Trial Of
A Time Lord (Segment Four)
3 Recording for The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment Four) takes place in Longton, Staffordshire The Trial Of
A Time Lord (Segment Four)
16 Recording for The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment Three) takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 1 in White City, London The Trial Of
A Time Lord (Segment Three)
16 Recording for The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment Four) takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 1 in White City, London The Trial Of
A Time Lord (Segment Four)
17 Recording for The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment Four) takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 1 in White City, London The Trial Of
A Time Lord (Segment Four)
20 Nicola Bryant's forthcoming departure from Doctor Who is reported in the press Peri Brown
23 Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, marries Sarah Ferguson at Westminster Abbey
30 Recording for The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment Three) takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London The Trial Of
A Time Lord (Segment Three)
31 Recording for The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment Three) takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London The Trial Of
A Time Lord (Segment Three)

August
1 Recording for The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment Three) takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London The Trial Of
A Time Lord (Segment Three)
12 Recording for The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment Three) takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London The Trial Of
A Time Lord (Segment Three)
13 In an interview published in Starburst magazine, Eric Saward publicly reveals his reasons for quitting as script editor of Doctor Who and harshly criticises John Nathan-Turner The Sixth Doctor
13 Recording for The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment Three) takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London The Trial Of
A Time Lord (Segment Three)
14 Recording for The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment Three) takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London The Trial Of
A Time Lord (Segment Three)
19 The BBC announces that Doctor Who will return for Season Twenty-Four The Seventh Doctor
20 The murder of fourteen coworkers by post office employee Patrick Sherrill in Edmond, Oklahoma inspires the phrase “going postal”

September
6 Debut broadcast of The Trial Of A Time Lord episode one on BBC One; Doctor Who returns to its original 25-minute format The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment
One)
13 Debut broadcast of The Trial Of A Time Lord episode two on BBC One The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment
One)
20 Death of Dennis Spooner (bio), writer and story editor
20 Debut broadcast of The Trial Of A Time Lord episode three on BBC One The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment
One)
27 Debut broadcast of The Trial Of A Time Lord episode four on BBC One The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment
One)

October
4 Debut broadcast of The Trial Of A Time Lord episode five on BBC One The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment
Two)
6 At the invitation of the Controller of Programmes for BBC One, Michael Grade, Sydney Newman submits a proposal to revamp Doctor Who; no further action is taken after a meeting between Newman and Head of Drama Jonathan Powell goes badly The Sixth Doctor
9 Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical The Phantom Of The Opera debuts in the West End; it will later become the longest-running Broadway show of all time
11 Death of John Crockett (bio), director
11 Debut broadcast of The Trial Of A Time Lord episode six on BBC One The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment
Two)
18 Debut broadcast of The Trial Of A Time Lord episode seven on BBC One The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment
Two)
21 Michael Grade, BBC One's Controller of Programmes, and Jonathan Powell, the Head of Drama, offer to move John Nathan-Turner off of Doctor Who on the condition that he agree to inform Colin Baker that he has been fired from his role as the Doctor The Sixth Doctor
25 Debut broadcast of The Trial Of A Time Lord episode eight on BBC One The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment
Two)
28 Death of Ian Marter (bio), who played Harry Sullivan
29 Colin Baker learns that the option on his contract for Season Twenty-Four will not be taken up The Sixth Doctor

November
1 Debut broadcast of The Trial Of A Time Lord episode nine on BBC One The Trial Of 
A Time Lord (Segment Three)
6 Jonathan Powell, the BBC's Head of Drama, offers Colin Baker a contract for a final four-part serial, to culminate in the Doctor's regeneration The Sixth Doctor
8 Debut broadcast of The Trial Of A Time Lord episode ten on BBC One The Trial Of 
A Time Lord (Segment Three)
13 Bonnie Langford is contracted for Season Twenty-Four Melanie Bush
15 Debut broadcast of The Trial Of A Time Lord episode eleven on BBC One The Trial Of 
A Time Lord (Segment Three)
22 Debut broadcast of The Trial Of A Time Lord episode twelve on BBC One The Trial Of 
A Time Lord (Segment Three)
28 Reneging on an earlier promise, BBC Head of Drama Jonathan Powell informs John Nathan-Turner that he will remain producer of Doctor Who for Season Twenty-Four The Seventh Doctor
29 The first press reports emerge that Colin Baker has been fired from Doctor Who The Sixth Doctor
29 Debut broadcast of The Trial Of A Time Lord episode thirteen on BBC One The Trial Of 
A Time Lord (Segment Four)

December
6 Debut broadcast of The Trial Of A Time Lord episode fourteen on BBC One The Trial Of 
A Time Lord (Segment Four)
18 Colin Baker confirms that he will not be returning to Doctor Who for Season Twenty-Four The Sixth Doctor
19 Colin Baker rejects the BBC's offer to return to Doctor Who for a final four-part story at the start of Season Twenty-Four The Sixth Doctor
22 Pip and Jane Baker are commissioned to write Time And The Rani Time And The Rani
25 Birth of Chanya Button (bio), director