46 Years of Doctor Who!

Today, Monday 23rd November 2009, is the 46th anniversary of the greatest show in the world, Doctor Who!

At 5.15pm on Saturday 23rd November 1963, the first ever episode of the show, An Unearthly Child was transmitted. The series began with the Doctor, along with his granddaughter Susan, teachers Ian and Barbra transported of to 100,000 BC by a 1950s Police Box from a present-day London junkyard.

The series enjoyed massive success with eight actors in the lead role played by William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy. The series went on for 26 years until it was axed in 1989 by the BBC. A TV movie was made in 1996 starring Paul McGann as the eighth Doctor. It was hoped that the Movie would eventually lead to a full series but it would be another 9 years until Doctor Who returned...

Doctor Who was brought back by Russell T Davies in March 2005 for a 13 part series with Christopher Eccleston in the lead role and Billie Piper as his companion, Rose Tyler. Eccleston stayed in the role until the end of the 2005 series, which ended in June.

Actor David Tennant was announced as his replacement and his first episode was the 2005 Christmas Special, The Christmas Invasion. Since then, he has starred in three series, 5 specials, and two episodes of The Sarah Jane Adventures.

Tennant has won numerous awards for his role as the Doctor and in October 2008, he announced at the National Television Awards that he will be leaving the show after 4 specials which will see Doctor Who through 2009. Tennant was also recently voted as best Doctor in Doctor Who Magazine's 'Mighty 200' poll. Many companions have also played a massive part in the new series, these include: Rose Tyler (Billie Piper), Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman), Donna Noble (Catherine Tate).

We've now seen two of those specials, Planet of the Dead and The Waters of Mars, Tennant will bow out in a massive two-part story, The End of Time, at Christmas. For many Doctor Who fans, including myself, David Tennant will always be their favourite Doctor and it looks set to be one emotional Christmas!

Following the specials, David Tennant will be replaced by actor Matt Smith, who will play the Doctor for a fifth or 31st, 13 part series of Doctor Who in 2010, accompanied by his companion, Amy Pond played by Karen Gillan. Steven Moffat will also replace Russell T Davies as head writer and executive producer.

Over the next year, Doctor Who will undergo a massive changes, and ones that are vital to the show's future success. Because without change, Doctor Who would have not survived for over 46 years and have become the world's greatest and longest running sci-fi show...
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