Doctor Who Vs. Wycliffe, Series 1

HTV (Harlech Television until

2004, and now ITV Cymru/

Wales and ITV West Country)

produced this police proced-

ural drama based on the crime

novels of William John Burley

 (1914-2002).

Between 1968 and 2000, the

writer created twenty-two

traditional whodunnits - all set

in his native Cornwall, they

featured detective Charles

Wycliffe -  portrayed here by

Jack Shepherd (pictured

centre). The programme was filmed in the historic county (with a

production office based in Truro), and the cast included Jimmy Yuill

(right, as DI Kersey), and Helen Masters (left, DI Lane).

The Cambridge Companion to Crime Fiction (2003) notes that Wycliffe

was just one of a group of 1990's crime dramas that contrasted older

detectives with their younger colleagues who are not only better

equipped with newer techniques, but are more politically correct (see

Inspector Morse, A Touch of Frost, Vera). Regionally based series like

Wycliffe were the opposite of socially realist fare like Cracker, Prime

Suspect, Whitechapel and Luther.

Following a pilot episode, the show endured for five series from 1994

 to 1998, and won an RTS award for best TV theme. In 2006, ITV's

Super Sleuths strand examined the legacy of Wycliffe and his literary

peers.

All seven mysteries here were adapted from Burley's books, whilst

all later stories were original screenplays. A repeat run of the first

season concluded on ITV3 today - it featured a total of thirty-three

Doctor Who cast and crew connections:

The Cycle of Death (UK TX: August 7 1993/Published 1990)

• [John] Pennant Roberts was also director of The Face of Evil, The Sun Makers, The Pirate Planet, The Five Doctors, Warriors of the Deep, Timelash and (the VHS release of) Shada
• Siri O'Neal (Christine) voiced Colonel Emily Chaudhry for Big Finish's UNIT (2004/5), and Ruth for Full Fathom Five (2003)
• [Eve Lucinda] Lucy Fleming (Helen) voiced Lady Catherine Waverly for Manhunt (2013), Alice Donelly for UNIT: Invocation (2017), and Veronica Holmes for The Auton Infinity (2022)
• Carla Mendonca (DS Lane) voiced Waltraud Raither for Better Watch Out, Imp for Fairytale of Salzburg (both 2018), Evangeline Horton for The House on the Edge of Chaos (2019), and Mildred Harbin/Miss Price for The Ministry of Death (2026)
• John [Edward] Cater (Glynn) was Professor Krimpton in The War Machines 
• Tim Munro (Sergeant Fox) was Ainu in The Creature from the Pit, and Sigurd in Terminus
• Herbert [Thomas Morgan] Rees (Dr. Rees) was the Chief Engineer in Fury from the Deep, Captain Ransom in The War Games, and John Stevenson in The Seeds of Doom 
• April Walker (Florence) was originally cast as Sarah Jane Smith in 1973, and even attended rehearsals for The Time Warrior
• John Robinson was also the grip on ninety-six adventures (from Rose to The Husbands of River Song) and Torchwood
• Steve Slocombe was also the electrician on sixty-five stories (from Army of Ghosts to Death in Heaven)

The Four Jacks (UK TX: July 24 1994/Published 1985)

• Bill [Francis] Nighy (Cleeve) was Dr. Black in Vincent and the Doctor
• Nicholas Gecks (Surgeon) was Albert Dumfries in The Sound of Drums
• Georgine Anderson (Barbara) was May Cassini in Gridlock
• Pandora [Beatrice Ormsby Gore] Colin (Millie) voiced Fash for Prisoner of the Sun (2011)
• series script supervisor Elaine Matthews held that post on The Girl Who Waited and The God Complex too

The Dead Flautist (UK TX: July 31/Published 1991)

• Kenneth [Murray] Watson (Carter) was Craddock in Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 AD, and Bill Duggan in The Wheel in Space
• Mary Wimbush (Mrs. Christopher) was Aunt Lavinia Smith in K9 and Company
• [Michael Thomas] Jeremy Clyde (Bottrell) voiced George Sinclair for Absent Friends (2016), Lord Braye for Planet of the Drashigs (2019), and Tony Clare for Stranded (2020-22)
• David [James] Bamber (Bottrell) was Captain Quell in Mummy on the Orient Express, and voiced Emperor Constantine for The Council of Nicaea (2005), and Colonel Ulrik/Whitmore for The Four Doctors (2010)
• Dee Sadler (WPC) was Flowerchild in The Greatest Show in the Galaxy and reprised in 2024 for AUK Studios' Children of the Circus, then voiced Madeline Burns/Zeran Zee for The Broken Man (2026)

The Scapegoat (UK TX: August 7/Published 1978)

• Susan Penhaligon (Mariah) was Lakis in The Time Monster, then voiced Shayla for Primeval (2001), Dorka/Mummy Voc for Circuit Breaker (2020), Florence Harding for A Ghost of Alchemy, Mrs. Bevell for The Colour of Terror (both 2023), Sage for False Down, and the Keeper for All Over (both 2026)
• series make-up designer Barbara Southcott also worked on ninety-one instalments (from The Runaway Bride to The Doctor Falls), and Music of the Spheres

The Tangled Web (UK TX: August 14/Published 1988)

• Robert Demeger (Clemo) was the Preacher in The Shakespeare Code
• Eric [Cecil] Deacon (Innes) was Mykros in Timelash
• Richenda Carey (Jane) voiced Alexis Linfoot for Plague of the Daleks (2009), Gliss for Prisoner of the Sun, Sister Frances Beckett for The Cloisters of Terror (2015), Mother Finsey for The Transcendence of Ephros (2016) and The Last Day, Professor Blavatsky for The Wreck of the World (2017), Lady Crozion for Kingdom of Lies (2018), Darial for The Bekdel Test, and Admiral for Concealed Weapon (both 2019)

The Last Rites (UK TX: August 21/Published 1992)

• Jeff Rawle (Jordan) was Plantagenet in Frontios, Lionel Harding in The Sarah Jane Adventures: Mona Lisa's Revenge, and depicted Mervyn Pinfield in An Adventure in Space and Time - he then voiced Toby Brokesmith for Chapel of Night (2017), Chad Caramel for The Tyrants of Logic (2018), and Captain Miles Rozann for Here Lies Drax (2022)
• [Peter] Nigel Terry (Vinter) was General Cobb in The Doctor's Daughter
• Ellie Haddington (Katherine) was Professor Docherty in Last of the Time Lords
• Julia Deakin (Stephanie) voiced Harriet Griffin for Terror Firma (2005), and Old Anita for Burrowed Time (2019)
• Geoffrey Leesley (Glynn) voiced Paramount Minister Mortun for Arrangements for War (2004), and Harold for AudioGo's The Broken Crown (2011)

The Pea Green Boat (UK TX: August 28/Published 1975)

• Barry Jackson (Greaves) was Ascaris in The Romans, Jeff Garvey in Mission to the Unknown, and Drax in The Armageddon Factor
• David Westhead (Tremaine) was Kempe in The Shakespeare Code
• Brigit Forsyth (Ella) was Ruth Maxtible in The Evil of the Daleks

Doctor Who On This Day #173

 

1918 - Writer David Ellis born Derrick

Francis Kerkham in Salford

1965 - Press screening of Dr. Who and

the Daleks held at Studio One, Oxford

Street, London

1968 - The Evil of the Daleks, Episode

3 repeated on BBC1

1969 - The Ark, Episode 4: The Bomb, The Celestial
Toymaker, Episode 1 and The Savages, Episode 3
repeated and The War Machines, Episode 3 first 
screened, all on TV1; and The Wheel in Space,

Episode 6 repeated on ABC

1973 - Day of the Daleks, Episode 3 and The Sea

Devils, Episodes 3 and 6 both repeated and The

Mutants, Episode 1 first screened, all on ABC

1978 - Death to the Daleks, Parts

2 and 4 both repeated on ABC

1979 - Robot, Part 3 first screened on DR1
1981 - The Talons of Weng-Chiang, Parts

1 to 3 all repeated on WTTW 11

1982 - The Horns of Nimon, Part 4 repeated

on KQED Plus

1983 - The Claws of Axos, Episodes 2 and

3 both repeated on ABC; Planet of Evil,

Part 1 first screened on KSPS; and The

Masque of Mandragora, Part 2 repeated

on KQED Plus

1984 - Underworld, Part 3 repeated on KQED

Plus; and The Caves of Androzani, Part 4 first

screened on ABC

1985 - The Ambassadors of Death,

Episode 4 repeated on KQED Plus

1986 - Planet of the Spiders Omnibus

both repeated on KQED Plus

1987 - Planet of the Spiders, Parts 1 to

 3 all repeated on WTTW 11; and The

Android Invasion, Part 1 first screened

on Super Channel (UK)

1988 - Revenge of the Cybermen, Part

3 repeated on Super Channel; Full Circle,

 Part 4 repeated on TV2; and Black Orchid,

Part 2 repeated on KQED Plus

1989 - Terror of the Zygons, Part 2 repeated on KQED
Plus; The Seeds of Doom, Part 4 repeated on ABC; and
Frontios, Part 3 first screened on TV2

1990 - Terror of the Vervoids, Part

12 repeated on KQED Plus

1991 - The Krotons, Episode 2 repeated on TV2;

and Full Circle, Part 2 and The Ultimate Foe

Omnibus both repeated on KQED Plus

1993 - The Time Warrior, Part 2 repeated on UK

Gold; and Attack of the Cybermen, Part 4 (of 4)

repeated on ABC

1994 - Four to Doomsday, Part 1 repeated on UK Gold
1995 - The Three Doctors, Episode 2 repeated on UK Gold
1997 - Robot, Part 1 repeated on ZTV;

and The Invisible Enemy Omnibus repeated

on UK Gold

1998 - The Web Planet, Episode 2: The Zarbi repeated

on Space; Time Flight Omnibus both repeated on KQED

Plus; and Paradise Towers, Part 2 repeated on UKTV (Aus)

1999 - The Ambassadors of Death, Episode 7 repeated

on Space; and Warriors' Gate, Part 4 repeated on UKTV

(Aus)

2000 - Planet of Giants, Episode 3: Crisis

repeated on Prime; and The Silurians,

Episode 2 repeated on UKTV (Aus)

2001 - The Armageddon Factor, Parts

3 and 4 both repeated on NHPTV; and

The Creature from the Pit, Part 2 repeated

on UKTV (Aus)

2002 - Terror of the Zygons, Part 3 first screened on

Tele 5; Planet of Evil Omnibus repeated on KERA; The

Hand of Fear Omnibus and The Invasion of Time, Part

1 both repeated on BBC Kids (Can); The Face of Evil

Omnibus repeated on UK Gold; The Awakening Omnibus

repeated on Colrado PTV; and The Greatest Show in the

Galaxy, Parts 1 and 2 repeated on BBC Prime
2003 - Robot, Part 4 repeated on WCNY; The Seeds

 of Doom, Part 2 repeated on WSKG and Parts 3 and

 4 both repeated on Iowa PTV; The Face of Evil

Omnibus repeated on UK Gold; The Stones of

Blood Omnibus repeated on BBC Kids (Can);

The Creature from the Pit, Part 3 repeated on 

WILL; The Keeper of Traken, Parts 1 repeated on MiND and Part 2 repeated 

on MiND and KUED; The Two Doctors, Parts 5 and 6 (of 6) both repeated 

on WCET; The Mark of the Rani Omnibus repeated on MPT; Time and the 

Rani, Part 2 repeated on NHPTV; Remembrance of the Daleks, Parts 3 and 

4 both repeated on Colorado PTV; Ghost Light, Part 3 and The Curse of 

Fenric, Part 1 both repeated on KBTC; and Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 

AD screened on Channel 4

2004 - The Daemons, Episode 3 repeated on ABC
2005 - The Leisure Hive, Part 1 repeated on ABC
2006 - The End of the World repeated on People+

Arts (Spa); and Totally Doctor Who (1.11) first

broadcast on BBC1

2007 - The Doctor Dances first screened on S Oregon

 PB; Boom Town first screened on Oregon PB and

WUCF; Bad Wolf first screened on WUCF; The Parting

of the Ways first screened on WCET; Doctor Who

Confidential: Unsung Heroes and Violent Death first

screened on Oregon PB; and Totally Doctor Who (2.11)

first broadcast on BBC1 and repeated on CBBC

2008 - The Horns of Nimon, Parts 3 and

4 both repeated on WCET; The Doctor

 Dances and Doctor Who Confidential: The

 Weird Science of Doctor Who both repeated

on NHPTV; School Reunion first screened

 on ProSieben and WTVP; The Girl in the

Fireplace and Doctor Who Confidential:

 From Script to Screen both first screened

on KERA; The Idiot's Lantern first screened

on WXXI and WTTW 11 and repeated on

WGVU; The Impossible Planet and Doctor

Who Confidential: You've Got the Look both

 repeated on KQED Plus; The Satan Pit first

screened on Ozarks PTV; Army of Ghosts

first screened on Idaho PTV; Turn Left repeated

 on BBC3; and Doctor Who Confidential: The

Writer's Tale first screened on WTTW 11 and

repeated on WGVU

2009 - The Impossible Planet and Doctor Who

Confidential: You've Got the Look both repeated

 on WTTW 11; and The Runaway Bride repeated

on Syfy (US)

2010 - Director Pennant Roberts died in Cardiff, aged 69;
The Long Game repeated on Syfy (Rus); The Parting of the
Ways first screened on Space; School Reunion repeated on
 Syfy (FRG); The Impossible Planet repeated on Syfy (Spa);
Love & Monsters repeated on AXN SciFi; Army of Ghosts

and Doctor Who Confidential Cutdown: Welcome to 
Torchwood both repeated on UKTV (Aus); and Doctor Who
Confidential: You've Got the Look repeated on WTTW 11

2011 - Terminus, Parts 1 and 2 both repeated on MTV3 
SciFi, TV2 and TV4; and World War Three repeated on
BBC America

2012 - Rise of the Cybermen repeated on BBC

America; The Family of Blood and Doctor Who

 Confidential Cutdown: Bad Blood both repeated

on ABC2; and The Pandorica Opens and The Big

Bang both repeated on BBC3

2013 - Father's Day repeated on EBRU; Amy's

Choice and The Hungry Earth both repeated

on BBC Nordic HD and BBC Polska HD; Day

of the Moon repeated on BBC Nordic; Asylum

of the Daleks, Dinosaurs on a Spaceship,

A Town Called Mercy, The Snowmen, The

 Bells of Saint John, The Rings of Akhaten

and Cold War all repeated on France 4;

The Power of Three first screened on DR3;

Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS repeated

on Syfy (Ben); Doctor Who Confidential: The

Valiant Quest repeated on BBC Entertainment

EU; Doctor Who Confidential Cutdown: Breaking

 the Silence repeated on UKTV (Aus); and The

Weakest Link Doctor Who Special repeated on

BBC Polska

2014 - Terror of the Zygons, Part 2 repeated

on KPTS; Planet of Evil, Part 4 and The Caves

of Androzani, Parts 2 and 3 all repeated on

Syfy (Aus); The Brain of Morbius Omnibus

repeated on Horror; The Pirate 

Planet, Parts 3 and 4 both repeated on KBTC; The Long Game and Father's 

Day both repeated on KCPT; The Empty Child and The Doctor Dances both 

repeated on TV3 (Spain); The Christmas Invasion repeated on KNCT; The 

Shakespeare Code, Gridlock, Daleks in Manhattan and Evolution of the 

Daleks all repeated on KCPT2; The Poison Sky and The Doctor's Daughter 

both repeated on RAI4; Turn Left repeated on WPT Flagship; Victory of 

the Daleks repeated on KLRU; The Time of Angels, Flesh and Stone, 

Amy's Choice and The Hungry Earth all repeated on Fox (FRG); The 

Vampires of Venice repeated on OETA and Fox; Night

Terrors and Closing Time both repeated on BBC

Entertainment LA; The Girl Who Waited and
The God Complex both repeated on BBC Entertainment LA and
France 4; The Wedding of River Song repeated on MPB and Syfy 

(Ben); Asylum of the Daleks repeated on Syfy (Ben); The Angels Take 

Manhattan repeated on LPB; The Snowmen repeated on Idaho PTV; The 

Rings of Akhaten repeated on KUED and Iowa PTV; Hide repeated on WILL; 

The Day of the Doctor repeated on Really Scary TV; Doctor Who Confidential: 

After Effects and Best of the Doctor both repeated on BBC Entertainment 

EU; and Best of the Christmas Specials repeated on BBC Entertainment

ME
2015 - The Time Warrior, Parts 3 and 4 both repeated on
Horror; The Keeper of Traken, Part 3, Gridlock and Daleks in 
Manhattan all repeated 

on Syfy (Aus); New Earth repeated on Disney XD (US); The Runaway 

Bride first screened on FX (Ind); The Unicorn and the Wasp and Silence 

in the Library both repeated on EBRU; The Next Doctor repeated on TV 

Cultura; The Eleventh Hour repeated on ABC2; The Lodger repeated on 

BBC Entertainment AP; The Angels Take Manhattan repeated on WPT;
 Nightmare in Silver repeated on BBC NordicHD and BBC

Polska HD; and Flatline repeated on BBC Entertainment LA HD

2016 - 100,000 BC, Episodes 2 and 3 both repeated on
Retro TV; The End of the World repeated on Syfy (Aus);
The Unicorn and the Wasp repeated on Watch;

Midnight and Turn Left both repeated on BBC

Polska HD; The Lodger repeated on Syfy (Aus) and

Syfy (LA); The Rebel Flesh repeated on TV Cultura;

Dinosaurs on a Spaceship repeated on Einsfestival; 

The Power of Three repeated on Space; The Bells of Saint John repeated 

on Syfy (Spa); The Rings of Akhaten repeated on ABC2; Listen repeated 

on BBC Entertainment AP; In The Forest of the Night repeated on
BBC First (ME) and YLE TV2; The Husbands of River Song repeated 
on Syfy (Bra); and Dr. Who and the Daleks screened on Moviemix (UK)

2017 - The Space Museum, Episodes 3 and 4 both repeated
 on Retro TV; The Hand of Fear, Part 4 repeated on The Zone; 
The Empty Child repeated on Syfy (Aus); The Idiot's Lantern, 
The Impossible Planet, The Satan Pit, Love & Monsters,

Fear Her and Army of Ghosts all repeated on BBC

America; 42 and Human Nature both repeated on
 RAI4; The Crimson Horror repeated on FX (Ind); Listen

and Time Heist both repeated on Syfy (Bra); and

Death in Heaven and Last Christmas both repeated

on Syfy (LA)

2018 - Inferno, Episodes 4 and 5 both repeated on Retro
TV; Revenge of the Cybermen, Terror of the Zygons and
Pyramids of Mars Omnibuses all streamed on Twitch TV; 
The Keeper of Traken, Parts 3 and 4 and Kinda, Part 1 all 
repeated on Jones! too; The Shakespeare Code repeated

 on BBC Polska HD; Victory of the Daleks repeated

on The Box; Last Christmas, Part 1 (of 2) repeated

on Star World Premiere; and Sepulchre, Episode 2
repeated on Radio 4 Extra
2019 - The Seeds of Death, Episodes 3 to 6 and The
Time Warrior, Parts 3 and 4 all repeated on Retro TV;
The Doctor's Wife, The Rebel Flesh and The Almost People
all repeated on BBC Polska HD; Into the Dalek, Robot of
Sherwood, Listen and Time Heist all repeated on Sony
SciFi; The Lie of the Land and Empress of Mars both
repeated on BBC Entertainment EU; The Eaters of Light 
and World Enough and Time both repeated on Fox

(FRG); and The Curse of Davros, Episode 1 first

broadcast on Radio 4 Extra
2020 - The Impossible Astronaut

repeated on BBC Turkey; and The

Witchfinders repeated on BBC Polska

HD

2021 - Arc of Infinity, Parts 1 and 2 both

 repeated on Retro TV; The Girl Who

 Waited repeated on BBC Polska HD; and

The Woman Who Lived repeated on ABC2

2022 - The Time Meddler, Episodes

3 and 4 both repeated on Retro TV;

and The God Complex repeated on

ABC2

2024 - Empire of Death streamed on BBC

iPlayer and Disney+ and first screeend on

BBC1; and Doctor Who: Unleashed, Episodes

8 and 9 both first screened on BBC3

2025 - The Mutants Omnibus repeated

on U&Eden; and World Enough and Time

repeated on ABC Entertains

2026 - The Masque of Mandragora,

Part 4 and The Deadly Assassin,

Parts 1 to 3 all repeated on Retro TV