DR WHO's mechanical mutt K9 could be out of the dog-house and back on the TV screen later this year.
The BBC's decision to exterminate the tin terrier brought howls of protest from millions of viewers.
But now it has commissioned a new story from his original creators, Dave Martin and Bob Baker, from Somerset.
The time-travelling robot dog was due to disappear at the end of the current series simply because he was too successful.
A BBC spokesman explained : "The producer felt that whenever the Doctor got into an awkward situation, K9 could just charge in and rescue him, and that was leading to sloppy writing."
When the tin wonder dog does make a comeback, he will be playing alongside, a new "Dr Who" team : Tom Baker and Lalla Ward, who married recently, are leaving at the end of this series.
Their places will be taken by Peter Davison, of "All Creatures Great and Small" fame, and actress Janet Field.
Caption: DR WHO'S K9 Role in new series
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