Fury of the fans forces re-think over Dr Who
- Publication: Daily Express
- Date: 1985-03-02
- Author: James Murray
- Page: 3
- Language: English
'Broke' BBC bows to pressure as £1/2m goes on new U.S. series
FURIOUS fans of Dr Who have forced the BBC into a major re-think over the long-running TV sci-fi series.
In an unprecedented move yesterday, BBC boss Bill Cotton telephoned the Dr Who Appreciation Society and told them the programme will definitely be back in Autumn 1986
The TV giant bowed to pressure after a storm of pretest greeted the decision to shelve the show to save money. Many fans feared the series would never return after 18 months off the screens.
News of the reprieve came on the same day the BBC announced it was spending £500,000 on an American series it hadn't even seen.
The decision to buy the six-part Kane and Abel from the U.S. came just three days after the Dr Who announcement.
Shelving the 22-year-old show was seen by many as a ruse by the BBC to force an increase in TV licence fees.
Mr Cotton acknowledged the viewers' protests last night.
"We appreciate the passionate support of the fans," he said.
"I am confident the programme has a great future on BBC 1."
But there will be a major change in the programme's format when it does return.
The present 45-minute shows are to be cut to 25 minutes.
The Kane and Abel series is being made by Embassy Films, the U.S. production company once headed by Michael Grade who is now controller of BBC 1.
Mr Grade, the man who ordered Doctor Who to be delayed to save money for other projects, has a credit as executive producer on the Kane and Abel aerial. But he has no financial involvement in the Embassy production.
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- APA 6th ed.: Murray, James (1985-03-02). Fury of the fans forces re-think over Dr Who. Daily Express p. 3.
- MLA 7th ed.: Murray, James. "Fury of the fans forces re-think over Dr Who." Daily Express [add city] 1985-03-02, 3. Print.
- Chicago 15th ed.: Murray, James. "Fury of the fans forces re-think over Dr Who." Daily Express, edition, sec., 1985-03-02
- Turabian: Murray, James. "Fury of the fans forces re-think over Dr Who." Daily Express, 1985-03-02, section, 3 edition.
- Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=Fury of the fans forces re-think over Dr Who | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Fury_of_the_fans_forces_re-think_over_Dr_Who | work=Daily Express | pages=3 | date=1985-03-02 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=15 April 2025 }}</ref>
- Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=Fury of the fans forces re-think over Dr Who | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Fury_of_the_fans_forces_re-think_over_Dr_Who | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=15 April 2025}}</ref>
