Seventh Doctor actor, Sylvester McCoy has revealed that he remembers where he was when Doctor Who first aired… though he didn’t actually share where exactly that was.

Reflecting on the series lasting more than 60 years, McCoy recalls:

“I know where I was when it first came out, partly because I know where I was when John F Kennedy was shot, which happened the day before Doctor Who was broadcast. The BBC had to repeat the first episode of Doctor Who the following week because no one had watched it. They were all glued to the news about the Kennedy assassination and Doctor Who got pushed out. But when Doctor Who started, we had no concept it would go on forever and ever and ever.”

Indeed, the BBC repeated An Unearthly Child before its second episode, The Cave of Skulls, largely because

There was a theory going around that the first episode was greatly delayed due to the coverage of JFK’s assassination. And yes, An Unearthly Child was slightly later than planned — but only by just over a minute, thanks for the previous show, Grandstand, overrunning.

Sylvester went on to enthuse about Big Finish:

“I’m still making it and being Doctor Who. They’re still producing audio dramas with the 20th century Doctors and some of the 21st century Doctors. It’s great.”

Sylv has always been a magnificent ambassador for Doctor Who, so it’s wonderful to hear him still excited about the franchise.

A Blu-ray set featuring McCoy’s incarnation of the Doctor, The Collection: Season 25, will be released on 21st October 2024, and is available to pre-order now. If you’ve missed the other Seventh Doctor era sets, you can also buy Season 24 and Season 26.