BBC producing drama on the birth of Doctor Who

The BBC have commissioned Mark Gatiss to write a special one-off drama telling the genesis of Doctor Who for the show's 50th anniversary, the broadcaster has confirmed.

The 90-minute BBC Two drama - titled An Adventure In Space And Time - will explore the people who brought the iconic series to BBC One in 1963.

Mark Gatiss said: "This is the story of how an unlikely set of brilliant people created a true television original. And how an actor - William Hartnell - stereotyped in hard-man roles became a hero to millions of children. I've wanted to tell this story for more years than I can remember! To make it happen for Doctor Who's 50th birthday is quite simply a dream come true."

Steven Moffat, Executive Producer, said: “The story of Doctor Who is the story of television - so it's fitting in the anniversary year that we make our most important journey back in time to see how the TARDIS was launched.”

An Adventure In Space And Time was commissioned by Ben Stephenson Controller, Drama, and Janice Hadlow, Controller of BBC Two. It is executive produced by Steven Moffat and Caroline Skinner.

The casting and transmission schedules will be confirmed in 2013.

(Source: BBC Media Centre)