Newspaper and Magazine Cuttings: 1985-1989

The last five years of the 1980's saw a period of increased uncertainty and controversy over the future of the programme.

The new Doctor, Colin Baker had hardly got started in the role when it was announced that the programme would be "rested". It was initially unclear how long this would last and there ensued a period of frantic campaigns by fans and tabloid newspapers to return the programme to production. This period of uncertainty lasted from the 26th of February 1985 until a BBC press release on the 1st of March stated that the series would be back. The programme, however would be in "hiatus" for a period of 18 months.

The series returned to great fanfare which rapidly gave way to severe criticism of the new season. Further storm clouds were gathering and by the end of Season 23, the BBC had decided not to renew Colin Baker's contract. This decision was announced to the public in early December 1986. A new Doctor was chosen, Sylvester McCoy, who saw the series through from 1987 to it's end, as an ongoing BBC production, in 1989.

The programme continued to court controversy for the rest of it's run in the late 80's and was not helped by the fact that it was scheduled opposite the UK's, then, most popular soap opera, ITV's Coronation Street. By the end of 1989 it seemed that the long story of the good Doctor was over but both fans and the BBC underestimated the tremendous ability of the programme to survive and even prosper in the years to come.