An Adventure in Space and Time

Of all the programmes dedicated to the fiftieth anniversary of the first episode of Dr Who, my favourite by far was the dramatised documentary An Adventure in Space and Time. David Bradley was excellent as William Hartnell who set the tone for every reincarnation of the Doctor. Mark Gatiss and the production team created a wonderful feel of TV in 1963. But the outstanding character was the young, novice, female producer Verity Lambert played beautifully  by Call the Midwife's Jessica Raine. Although initially created by the Canadian BBC Head of Drama Sydney Newman (he needed something for the slot between the end of Grandstand and the start of Juke Box Jury) it was the passion of Lambert that ensured that the programme got more than the four episodes with which the hierarchy were determined to limit the run. The rest, as they say, is history.