Wednesday, 3 December 2025

Date With History: 1926

Ninety-nine years ago today, crime
novelist Agatha Christie and her
husband, Colonel Archibald Christie
quarrelled at their home, Styles, in
Sunningdale, Berkshire. 
Archie then left to see his mistress,
Nancy Neele, at Godalming. Later
that same evening, Agatha informed
her secretary by letter that she had
left for Yorkshire, and she sub-
sequently disappeared - her car was
found abandoned at Silent Pool, near Guildford.
 Despite the ensuing public outcry and
a massive and costly manhunt, the
writer was only identified on Tuesday
December 14th, as a guest at the
Swan Hydropathic Hotel, 230 miles
away in Harrogate.
 She had registered as Mrs. Teresa
Neele, and she never spoke of her disappearance ever again. Agatha was then diagnosed with fugue/amnesia,
but many contemporary commentators believed she had staged a publicity
stunt, and those missing eleven days remain a mystery worthy of one of her
books. The author's disappearance was dramatised in the 1979 film, Agatha
- Vanessa Redgrave and Timothy Dalton depicted the Christies, and in the
Doctor Who story, The Unicorn and the Wasp (2008), Fenella Woolgar
portrayed the Queen of Crime. In the TV drama, A Life in Pictures (2004)
Agatha's psychiatrist concluded that her fugue state was genuine - an
opinion reinforced by Lucy Worsley in Destination Unknown (2022).
The Christies divorced in 1928, and Agatha married the archaeologist
Max Mallowan two years later. 

Doctor Who On This Day #337

1928 - Director Gerald Blake born
in London
1965 - The Keys of MarinusEpisode
 5: Sentence of Death and The Dalek
Invasion of EarthEpisodes 1 and 2
all repeated on ABC
 1966 - The Power of the Daleks, Part 
5 first screened on BBC1
1974 The Time Monster, Episode 3 and Planet
of the DaleksEpisode both repeated on ABC 
1977 - The Sun Makers, Part 2 first
screened on BBC1
1981 - RobotPart 1 repeated on KQED
Plus; and Logopolis, Part 4 repeated on
BBC2
1982 The Sun Makers, Part 3
repeated on KQED Plus
1983 The Keeper of Traken, Part
repeated on KQED Plus
1984 - Snakedance Omnibus first
screened on WTTW 11
1985 The Deadly Assassin, Part 2 repeated
on KQED Plus
1986 - The Edge of Destruction, Episode
2 repeated on KQED Plus; and Planet of
the Spiders, Part 1 repeated on TV1
1987 The Seeds of Doom, Part 2 repeated
on KQED Plus
1988 Paradise Towers, Part 2 repeated
on KQED Plus
1989 Frontier in Space Omnibus repeated
 on KQED Plus; and Time and the Rani, Part
3 first screened on RTL TV
1991 Full Circle, Part 1 repeated on ABC; and Revelation
 of the DaleksPart (of 4) both repeated on KQED Plus
1992 The Sensorites, Episode 4: Kidnap repeated on UK Gold
1993 - Planet of the Daleks, Episode 4 repeated and I Was That
Monster first screened, both on BBC1; and Death to the Daleks,
Part 2 repeated on UK Gold
1994 Black Orchid Omnibus repeated on KQED Plus
1995 The Face of Evil Omnibus repeated on UK Gold
1996 The Tomb of the Cybermen, Episode
repeated on UKTV
1997 - The Dalek Invasion of Earth, Episode 1: World's End
 first screened on Space; and The Creature from the Pit, Part
repeated on UKTV (Aus)
1998 - The Dalek Invasion of Earth, Episode
2: The Daleks repeated on Space; and Destiny
of the Daleks, Part 1 repeated on UKTV (Aus)
1999 - Planet of Giants, Episode 3: Crisis repeated on Space;
 and Inferno, Episodes 1 and 2 both first screened on TG4
2000 Spearhead from Space Omnibus repeated on KERA;
The Sea DevilsEpisode 4 repeated on Prime; Carnival of
the Monsters Omnibus repeated on UK Gold; The Masque
of Mandragora, Parts 1 and 2 both repeated on KUED;
The Face of Evil, Parts 1 and 2 both repeated on KBTC;
The Sun MakersParts 2 to 4 all repeated on Twin Cities
PTV; The Pirate Planet Omnibus repeated on Lakeshore
PTV; Kinda, Part 4 repeated on BBC Prime; Earthshock,
Parts 1 and 2 both repeated on MiND; Time and the
Rani, Part 2 repeated on WUSF; and Remembrance of
the Daleks Omnibus repeated on KBTC, MPT, WQED
and WCET
200Colony in Space, Episodes 4 to 6 all repeated on KQED
 Plus; and Vengeance on Varos, Part 2 repeated on UKTV (Aus)
2002 - The Sontaran Experiment, Part 1 repeated on BBC Kids
2003 The Web Planet, Episode 3: Escape to Danger repeated
on ABC; and The Creature from the PitParts 1 and 2 both 
repeated on BBC Kids (Can)
2005 Delta and the Bannermen Omnibus and Dalek both
repeated on UK Gold; The End of the World first screened on
één; Aliens of London repeated on Jimmy; The Long Game
and Father's Day both repeated and The Empty Child and
The Doctor Dances both first screened, all on France 4
2006 The Silurians Omnibus and School Reunion
both repeated on UK Gold; Terror of the Zygons,
Parts 3 and 4 both repeated on WCET; The End
of the World repeated on BBC America; Boom
Town repeated on UKTV (Aus) and Jimmy; and
 The Parting of the Ways first screened on YLE TV2
2008 Four to Doomsday, Parts 2 and 3 both
first screened on MTV3 SciFi and TV4; The Christmas 
Invasion repeated on France 4; and The Sound of 
Drums and Doctor Who Confidential: The Saxon
Mystery both repeated on BBC3
2009 The End of the World repeated on Syfy
(Spa); The Christmas Invasion repeated on Syfy
(FRG); and The Sontaran Stratagem repeated
 on BBC3
2010 Rose repeated on Space; and
The Unicorn and the Wasp and Silence
in the Library both repeated on BBC3
2011 Silence in the Library repeated on Space;
The Eleventh Hour repeated on UKTV (Aus); and
 A Good Man Goes to War repeated on Syfy (Spa)
2012 Dalek repeated on BBC America; and
Doctor Who Confidential Cutdown: Look
Who's Talking repeated on UKTV (Aus)
2013 Full Circle, Parts 3 and 4 both repeated on Syfy (Aus); The 
Empty Child repeated on France 4; The Impossible Planet repeated
on EBRU; Fear Her repeated on Watch; The Family of Blood repeated
on UKTV (Aus); Last of the Time Lords repeated on BBC America;
The Time of Angels and The Angels Take Manhattan both repeated
on Syfy (Port); The Doctor's Wife repeated on BBC Entertainment
LA; The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe repeated on 
BBC Nordic; and The Day of the Doctor first screened on KBS2
2014 - 100,000 BC, Episodes 1 and 2 both repeated on Horror;
Invasion of the Dinosaurs, Parts 5 and 6 both first screened on Retro
TV; The Awakening, Parts 1 and 2 both repeated on Syfy (Aus);
Forest of the Dead repeated on Watch; Turn Left repeated on UKTV
(NZ); The Big Bang and A Christmas Carol both repeated on BBC 
America; and The Curse of the Black Spot repeated on Syfy (Ben)
2015 Genesis of the Daleks, Parts 5 and 6 both repeated on Horror;
The Deadly Assassin, Part 3, Black Orchid, Part 1 and Planet of the 
Ood all repeated on Syfy (Aus); The Poison Sky and Doctor Who 
Confidential: Sontar-Ha! both repeated on UNC-MX; The Stolen Earth 
repeated on TV Cultura; Amy's Choice repeated on BBC Entertainment
AP; The Doctor's Wife and The Rebel Flesh both repeated on BBC
America; The Power of Three and The Angels Take Manhattan 
both repeated on BBC Nordic HD and BBC Polska HD; Cold War 
repeated on Syfy (Port); Listen repeated on RAI4; Mummy on the 
Orient Express repeated on WTTW Prime and Karusel; and The Magician's Apprentice and The Witch's Familiar both first screened
on Fox (FRG)
2016 The Face of Evil, Parts 2 and 3 and The Curse of Fenric, Parts 
3 and all repeated on Retro TV; Utopia, The Sound of Drums, Last 
of the Time Lords, Voyage of the DamnedPartners in Crime and 
Doctor Who Extra: Robot of Sherwood all repeated on BBC Polska HD; 
The Unicorn and the Wasp, Silence in the LibraryForest of the Dead 
and Midnight all repeated on Syfy (Aus); The Time of Angels and 
Flesh and Stone both repeated on Syfy (LA); The Doctor's 
Wife, The Rebel Flesh, The Almost People and A Good Man Goes 
to War all repeated on BBC Entertainment AP; Asylum of the
DaleksDinosaurs on a Spaceship, A Town Called Mercy, The Power 
of Three and The Angels Take Manhattan all repeated on Syfy (LA) 
and Syfy (Bra); The Bells of Saint John repeated on The Zone and 
Syfy (LA); In the Forest of the Night and Dark Water both
 repeated on BBC Entertainment EU; Class, Episode 6
 first screened on TLC TV and Episode 8 released on
BBC3 and first screened on BBC First (ME) and BBC
First (Sing); and Hive of HorrorPart 2 repeated on
Radio 4 Extra
2017 - The Ambassadors of Death, Episodes 6 and 7 both
repeated on KBTC; The Android InvasionParts 2 and 3
and The Deadly Assassin Omnibus all repeated on Retro
TV; The Invisible Enemy Omnibus repeated on Iowa PTV;
The Ribos Operation Omnibus repeated on WFWA; The
Armageddon Factor, Part 4 repeated on KPTS; Earthshock
Part 4 repeated on Jones! too; The Awakening Omnibus
repeated on PBS North; Father's Day and Planet of the Ood
both repeated on Syfy (Aus); The Empty Child repeated on 
ABC; New EarthTooth and Claw and School Reunion all repeated 
on W; Fear Her repeated on The Box; A Christmas Carol and The 
Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe both repeated on RAI4; Night 
TerrorsThe Girl Who Waited and The God Complex all repeated 
on One ARD; Death in Heaven repeated on BBC Entertainment 
EU; The Girl Who Died repeated on BBC First (ME); The Return
 of Doctor Mysterio repeated on Fox (FRG); The Lie of the Land, 
Empress of Mars, The Eaters of LightWorld Enough and Time
and The Doctor Falls all repeated on Sony SciFi; and Behind 
the Lens: The Time of the Doctor repeated on BBC Polska HD
2018 - The King's Demons Omnibus repeated on WETA-UK;
The Empty Child and Silence in the Library both repeated on
ABC; The Day of the Doctor repeated on BBC America; Rosa
first screened on BBC Polska HD; and It Takes You Away first
screened on BBC America, ABC and Space
2019 - Script Editor Donald Tosh died in Essex, aged
 85; Daleks in ManhattanEvolution of the Daleks and
The Lazarus Experiment all repeated on One ARD;
Voyage of the Damned repeated on BBC America; and 
The Time of the Doctor repeated on BBC Polska HD
2020 - Writer Philip Martin died in Britain, aged 82;
The RescueEpisode 2: Desperate Measures and
The RomansEpisode 1: The Slave Traders both
repeated on Retro TV; Utopia repeated on ABC
ME; A Christmas Carol repeated on NRJ12; The
Witchfinders repeated on BBC Polska HD; and
Daleks!Episode 4: The Deadly Ally released on
YouTube
2021 The War Games, Episode 10
repeated on ONS; The Green Death,
Episodes 3 and 4 both repeated on Retro
TV; Hide repeated on BBC First Turkey;
The Time of the Doctor repeated on ABC2;
and Once, Upon Time first screened on BBC
Polska HD
2022 Victory of the Daleks repeated on
ABC2; and Oxygen and Extremis both
repeated on Fox SciFi
2023 The Monster of PeladonParts 5 and
both repeated on KBTC; Wild Blue Yonder
repeated on BBC3; and Doctor Who:
UnleashedEpisode 2 repeated on BBC
Scotland and BBC3
2024 The Pilot repeated on ABC Family
and ABC Entertains
2025 - Inferno Omnibus and Colony
in SpaceEpisode 6 all repeated on
 U&Eden