The BBC yesterday wished it could go back in time after leaving out one Doctor during Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary celebrations.
Fans of the long-running science fiction series criticized the company after a BBC Breakfast report marking six decades of the show left out Paul McGann, the man who played the Eighth Doctor.
The Liverpudlian actor, also famous for his role in cult film Withnail and I, starred in the 1996 television film which started with his recovery from previous incumbent, Sylvester McCoy.
Yesterday’s BBC Breakfast report by entertainment correspondent Lizo Mzimba talked about the ‘long succession of doctors’.
It showed a montage of archival clips of the previous actors who played the character.
Oops! The BBC wished it could go back in time yesterday after Paul McGann failed to attend Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary celebrations
William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker and McCoy all played the Time Lord before McGann.
Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant, Matt Smith, Peter Capaldi and Jodie Whittaker have since picked up the Doctor’s Sonic Screwdriver.
The BBC also showed a photo of Ncuti Gatwa, the actor who will take on the role of the 15th Doctor from Christmas.
But one viewer complained: ‘BBC Breakfast, you better let Lizo know that his Doctor Who report leaves Paul McGann out of the edit. I am calm, but some Whovians may be furious.”
He also said: ‘I have just informed BBC Breakfast that their editing in a report is omitting McGann.’
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One added: ‘Maybe a mistake (hope it was anyway) but I couldn’t help but notice the absence of Paul McGann during your Doctor Who segment this morning. Especially when editing previous actors playing the role.”
The 1996 Doctor Who film, starring McGann, was co-produced by the BBC and Universal Studios and broadcast on the Fox Broadcasting Network in the US.
Throwback: The Liverpudlian actor, also famous for his role in the cult film Withnail and I, starred in the 1996 TV film, which failed to spark a relaunch as hoped by bosses
But while it did well on the BBC, it never evolved into the hoped-for relaunch of the series after disappointing ratings in America.
Doctor Who only returned to British screens in 2005 with Eccleston as the time-traveling protagonist led by showrunner Russell T Davies, who has returned this year to direct three special ’60th’ episodes, the first of which airs tomorrow (Saturday). November 25), with Tennant returning.
McGann reprized his role as the Eighth Doctor in 2013 as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations in a mini-episode called The Night of the Doctor.
It was recently reported that McGann will reprise his role as Doctor Who as part of the upcoming 60th anniversary spin-off shows.
BBC Breakfast also interviewed the director of the very first Doctor Who episode, Waris Hussein.
The BBC was contacted for comment.