1966

Events

1 - The TARDIS departs Trafalgar Square, where it had arrived during the New Year's Eve celebrations. (DW: The Daleks' Master Plan)

5 - Ben Jackson begins a five month shore posting. (DW: The War Machines)
12 through 20 - From its base in the Post Office Tower in London, WOTAN directs both mind controlled Humans and robot War Machines. (DW: The War Machines)
20 - The Doctor, Polly, Ben Jackson and Jamie McCrimmon get involved with the schemes of the Chameleons at Gatwick Airport. Ben and Polly decide to stay behind in their own tie. (DW: The Faceless Ones). Meanwhile, the Daleks steal the TARDIS (DW: The Evil of the Daleks).

15 - Birth of Peri Brown, companion of the the Doctor in his fifth and sixth incarnations. (DW: Planet of Fire)

01 - "Volcano" First Broadcast (The Daleks' Master Plan Episode 8)
08 - "Golden Death" First Broadcast (The Daleks' Master Plan Episode 9)
15 - "Escape Switch" First Broadcast (The Daleks' Master Plan Episode 10)
22 - "The Abandoned Planet" First Broadcast (The Daleks' Master Plan Episode 11)
29 - "Destruction of Time" First Broadcast (The Daleks' Master Plan Episode 12). Jean Marsh leaves the series as her character, Sara Kingdom, becomes the second companion to die in the line of duty.
30 - Daphne Ashbrook is born in Long Beach, California.

05 - "War of God" First Broadcast (The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve Episode 1)
12 - "The Sea Beggar" First Broadcast (The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve Episode 2)
19 - "Priest of Death" First Broadcast (The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve Episode 3)
26 - "Bell of Doom" First Broadcast (The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve Episode 4). Jackie Lane makes her debut as companion Dodo Chaplet.

07 - "Don't Shoot the Pianist" First Broadcast (The Gunfighters Episode 2)
14 - "Johnny Ringo" First Broadcast (The Gunfighters Episode 3)
21 - "The OK Corral" First Broadcast (The Gunfighters Episode 4). This marks the final time individual episode titles would be used in the original series (the practice would resume in 2005).
28 - The Savages Episode 1 First Broadcast

William Hartnell sends shockwaves through the Doctor Who production team by announcing his intention to leave the series. The producers and writers develop the concept of regeneration to explain the change of lead actor and cast Patrick Troughton as the new Doctor; Hartnell agrees to appear in the first two serials of the new season.

05 - The second feature film, Daleks - Invasion Earth 2150 AD is released in the UK.

8 - Star Trek debuts in America. This influential series would go on to become Doctor Who's chief rival in terms of franchise longevity, although the original series would only run until the spring of 1969.
10 - The Smugglers Episode 1 First Broadcast
17 - The Smugglers Episode 2 First Broadcast
24 - The Smugglers Episode 3 First Broadcast

01 - The Smugglers Episode 4 First Broadcast
08 - The Tenth Planet Episode 1 First Broadcast
08 - Camille Coduri who plays Jackie Tyler in series 1, 2 and (as a one off appearance) 4 of the revived Doctor Who is born in Wandsworth London.
15 - The Tenth Planet Episode 2 First Broadcast
22 - The Tenth Planet Episode 3 First Broadcast
29 - The Tenth Planet Episode 4 First Broadcast, ending in the first regeneration, from William Hartnell to Patrick Troughton