The anniversary of Doctor Who, which began with the first episode of An Unearthly Child on 23 November 1963, has been commemorated on several occasions.
The Three Doctors (Radio Times 30 December 1972–5 January 1973)
In more recent years, anniversaries for other important events in Doctor Who history have been commemorated.
1973
- The 10th anniversary of Doctor Who was commemorated with:
- TV: The Three Doctors, which was broadcast across four episodes from 30 December 1972 to 20 January 1973.
- PROSE: We are the Daleks!, a Dalek origin story written by Terry Nation and included the Radio Times Doctor Who Special (1973).
- Blue Peter had a 10th anniversary feature that included clips of First and Second Doctor story that are now missing episodes.
1978
- The 15th anniversary of Doctor Who took place on 23 November 1978, five days after the broadcast of part four of The Stones of Blood which, incidentally, was also the one-hundredth televised Doctor Who story. To commemorate this, Anthony Read asked David Fisher to write a new scene (expanded by Darrol Blake) featuring Romana and K9 surprising the Fourth Doctor with a birthday cake (and a new identical scarf), celebrating his seven hundred fifty-first birthday. However, producer Graham Williams vetoed this idea as being too self-indulgent and the scene was never shot. Blake had already ordered a cake, and this was eaten by the cast and crew.
- The 22 November 1978 episode of Nationwide marked the 15th anniversary with Frank Bough interviewing Tom Baker, Mary Tamm, and Carole Ann Ford.
1983
The Five Doctors (Radio Times 19–25 November 1983)
- The 20th anniversary of Doctor Who was commemorated with:
- TV: The Five Doctors on 23 November 1983.
- Blue Peter had a 20th anniversary feature where Peter Davison and Richard Hurndall appeared in character as the Fifth Doctor and First Doctor.
- PROSE: Birth of a Renegade, a short story included the Radio Times Doctor Who 20th Anniversary Special.
- The DWMS Winter 1983/84
1984
- The 21st anniversary of Doctor Who was commemorated with the Doctor Who Annual 1985 (published in 1984).
1988
- The 25th anniversary of Doctor Who was commemorated with:
- Season 25:
- TV: Remembrance of the Daleks, the Seventh Doctor returns to Coal Hill School in 1963 and fight Daleks.
- TV: The Happiness Patrol
- TV: Silver Nemesis, the official 25th anniversary story with the first episode premiering on 23 November 1988. The title is a reference to a 25th anniversary being known as a silver anniversary. The orbit of the Nemesis brings it close to Earth every 25 years, incluing the years 1963 and 1988.
- TV: The Greatest Show in the Galaxy, the Psychic Circus and Whizz Kid are stand-ins for Doctor Who and its obsessive fanbase.
- COMIC: Planet of the Dead, a story that — in a subversion of previous anniversary stories — featured the Seventh Doctor and imposters of the first six Doctors in DWM 141-142.
- PROSE: Scream of the Silent, a short story where the Seventh Doctor sees a reflection of his first incarnation in the DWMS 25th Anniversary Special
- PROSE: Star Books reprints: The Myth Makers and The Gunfighters; The Dalek Invasion of Earth and The Crusaders; and The Dominators and The Krotons.
- REF: 25 Glorious Years
- Season 25:
- Commemorative merchandise included:
- Doctor Who 25 Years of a Time Lord – The Calendar 1988
- The Doctor Who 25th Anniversary Album
1989
- The 10th anniversary of Doctor Who Magazine, beginning in 1979, was commemorated with the release of the DWMS Tenth Anniversary Special in 1989.
1993
- The 30th anniversary of Doctor Who was commemorated with:
- NOTVALID: Dimensions in Time, a charity special that saw the return of the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Doctor as well as a number of companions. The two parts of which were broadcast on 26 and 27 November 1993.
- A 30th anniversary special titled The Dark Dimension starring the Fourth Doctor and featuring the Third, Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Doctor was planned but but was ultimately scrapped.
- COMIC: Time & Time Again, a story featuring all seven Doctors in DWM 207
- PROSE: The Power of the Daleks and The Evil of the Daleks, the title page shows the official 30th Anniversary Logo.
- AUDIO: The Paradise of Death, a Third Doctor radio drama. The cassette tape release included the 30th anniversay logo.
- PROSE: Lucifer Rising, Birthright, Iceberg, Blood Heat, The Dimension Riders, The Left-Handed Hummingbird, Conundrum, and No Future included the 30th anniversay logo on the back cover.
- White Darkness and Shadowmind neglected to include the logo.
- The Doctor Who Yearbook 1994 (published in 1993) included the 30th anniversary logo and the following stories:
- COMIC: A Religious Experience, featuring the First and Seventh Doctor
- PROSE: Loop the Loup, featuring the Second Doctor
- PROSE: Reconnaissance, featuring the Third Doctor
- COMIC: Rest and Re-Creation, featuring the Fourth Doctor
- PROSE: The Changeling Years, featuring the Fourth Doctor
- PROSE: Perfect Day, featuring the Fifth Doctor
- PROSE: The More Things Change, featuring the Sixth Doctor
- PROSE: Pulling Strings, featuring the Seventh Doctor
- DOC: 30 Years in the TARDIS
- REF: Timeframe: The Illustrated History
- NOTVALID: Dimensions in Time, a charity special that saw the return of the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Doctor as well as a number of companions. The two parts of which were broadcast on 26 and 27 November 1993.
- Commemorative merchandise included:
- The 30th Anniversary Calendar, which featured original artwork of stories from all seven Doctors
- 30th anniversary art cards
- DWMS Winter 1993
- DWM 196 to DWM 208 included the 30th anniversary logo
- The Radio Times issue for 20-26 November 1993, promoting Dimensions in Time
- 30 Years at the Radiophonic Workshop
- Terror of the Autons to The Two Doctors on VHS
1994
- The 31st anniversary of Doctor Who was commemorated with the broadcast of the documentary Visions: For Fans, By Fans - Doctor Who's 31st Anniversary Celebration on PBS.
1998
- The 35th anniversary of Doctor Who was commemorated with the release of:
- PROSE: The Infinity Doctors, a novel set in a parallel universe featuring a parallel version of the Doctor.
- A novel titled Mentor was also planned for the 35th anniversary, but it ultimately was scrapped.
- COMIC: Happy Deathday, a story featuring all eight Doctors as characters in a video game in DWM 272.
- The original Doctor Who website in 1998.
- PROSE: The Infinity Doctors, a novel set in a parallel universe featuring a parallel version of the Doctor.
- Commemorative merchandise included:
- Doctor Who 35th Anniversary Special Edition: The Official 1998 Calendar
1999
- The 20th anniversary of Doctor Who Magazine was commemorated with the release of TV Action! in DWM 283.
2001
- The 38th anniversary of Doctor Who was commemorated with the launch of TARDIS Cam on the Doctor Who website.
- The 10th anniversary of the Virgin New Adventures was commemorated with the release of The Last Word in DWM 305.
- The 10th anniversary of BBV Productions was commemorated with the release of Do You Have a Licence to Save this Planet?.
2003
- The 40th anniversary of Doctor Who was commemorated with the release of:
- AUDIO: Classic Villains Trilogy
- AUDIO: Omega, a Fifth Doctor story
- AUDIO: Davros, a Sixth Doctor story
- AUDIO: Master, a Seventh Doctor story
- AUDIO: Zagreus, a Big Finish story starring Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann as well as archival audio of Jon Pertwee and numerous companion actors in new roles.
- AUDIO: Doctor Who Unbound, a Big Finish series of "what if" Doctor Who stories set in parallel universes
- AUDIO: Living Legend, an Eighth Doctor story released with DWM 337.
- WC: Shada, an animated webcast of the unfinished serial Shada rewritten to feature the Eighth Doctor.
- WC: Scream of the Shalka, an animated webcast featuring the Ninth Doctor voiced by Richard E Grant. It was broadcast two weeks before the anniversary date on 12 November until three weeks following the anniversary date on 18 December 2003
- COMIC: The Land of Happy Endings, a tribute to TV Comic artist Neville Main in DWM 337. It featured the Eighth Doctor, John, and Gillian.
- PROSE: Deadly Reunion, a Third Doctor novel written by Barry Letts and Terrance Dicks that also expanded on the Brigadier's early life.
- PROSE: The Eye of the Tyger, an Eighth Doctor novella published on 20 November 2003. A special 40th anniversary edition was limited to 40 copies autographed by Paul McAuley, Neil Gaiman, Jim Burns Walter Howarth, Andrew Skilleter and Fred Gambino, and Paul McGann.
- The broadcast of Doctor Who @40 on 22 and 23 November.
- DOC: The Story of Doctor Who, a 60 minute documentary broadcast on 30 December.
- AUDIO: Classic Villains Trilogy
- Commemorative merchandise included:
- The Radio Times Exclusive 40th Birthday Special which has four connecting covers featuring an original photoshoot with Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, and Sylvester McCoy.
- The Seeds of Death to The Three Doctors on DVD. The Region 4 covers included the 40th anniversary logo.
- DWMSE 6 40th Anniversary
- 40th anniversary trading cards by Strickly Ink
2004
- The 25th anniversary of Doctor Who Magazine was commemorated with the release of DWM 350.
2006
- The 40th anniversary of the Cybermen was commemorated with their reintroduction in TV: Rise of the Cybermen / The Age of Steel; in particular parallel Jackie Tyler's birthday party being her 40th.
2008
- The 45th anniversary of Doctor Who was commemorated with the release with the release of:
- AUDIO: Forty-Five, a Big Finish anthology featuring the Seventh Doctor
- COMIC: The Forgotten, an IDW comic story featuring all ten Doctors.
- Top Trumps Collectors Edition: 45 Years of Time Travel
2009
- The 30th anniversary of Doctor Who Magazine was commemorated with the release of DWM 414.
2010
- The 30th anniversary of Beep the Meep's debut in Doctor Who and the Star Beast was commemorated with Who on Earth is... Beep the Meep, a parodical short story in DWM 419.
2012
- The 20th anniversary of Bernice Summerfield's debut in the novel Love and War was commemorated with a Big Finish adaptation of the story and Many Happy Returns
2013
- The 50th anniversary of Doctor Who was commemorated with the broadcast of The Day of the Doctor, which was simultaneously screened in cinemas worldwide on 23 November 2013.
- Other productions included:
- TV: The Night of the Doctor, a mini-episode featuring the return of Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor.
- TV: The Last Day, a mini-episode
- TV: An Adventure in Space and Time, a docudrama about the creation of Doctor Who and William Hartnell's era as the First Doctor.
- TV: The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot, mockumentary about Peter Davison, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy attempting get into the 50th anniversary special. Paul McGann and David Tennant have cameos, as do numerous other actors and staff involved with the show.
- DOC: The Doctors Revisited, a series of documentaries about all eleven Doctors
- DOC: The Ultimate Guide, a documentary about the show. It included the short episode The History of the Doctor.
- PROSE: The 50th Anniversary Collection, eleven reprinted novels for all eleven Doctors
- PROSE: 11 Doctors, 11 Stories, a series of short stories featuring all eleven Doctors
- COMIC: Prisoners of Time, a 12-issue IDW series featuring the all eleven Doctors
- COMIC: Dead Man's Hand, an IDW sequel to The Forgotten featuring the the Eleventh Doctor and Matrix projections of all his previous incarnations.
- COMIC: The Girl Who Loved Doctor Who, an IDW one-shot released in the 2013 Doctor Who Special
- COMIC: The Birthday Boy, an IDW one-short exlusive to the 50th Anniversary Blu-ray Special in the Complete Series 1-7 Limited Edition Blu-ray Giftset
- COMIC: Hunters of the Burning Stone, a DWM comic story featuring the Eleventh Doctor reuniting with Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright in DWM 456-461
- COMIC: John Smith and the Common Men, a DWM comic story featuring the Eleventh Doctor in DWM 467.
- COMIC: Time Trick, a DWA story featuring the First and Eleventh Doctor.
- AUDIO: The Beginning, a First Doctor story
- AUDIO: The Dying Light, a Second Doctor story
- AUDIO: Luna Romana, a Fourth Doctor story
- AUDIO: 1963 trilogy
- AUDIO: 1963: Fanfare for the Common Men, a Fifth Doctor story
- AUDIO: 1963: The Assassination Games, a Sixth Doctor story
- AUDIO: 1963: The Space Race, a Seventh Doctor story
- AUDIO: The Light at the End, a Big Finish audio story featuring the Fourth Doctor, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Doctor.
- AUDIO: Destiny of the Doctor, an 11-part AudioGO and Big Finish series featuring all eleven Doctors.
- Commemorative merchandise included:
- 50th Anniversary Collector's Edition
- The Official 50th Anniversary Annual
- Doctor Who Magazine 467
- DWMSE 38: The Year of the Doctor ― The Official Guide to Doctor Who's 50th Anniversary
- REF: Doctor Who 50 Years
- REF: The Vault: Treasures from the First 50 Years
- Doctor Who: The Essential Guide
- Doctor Who - The 50th Anniversary Collection
- The Radio Times 50th Anniversary Issue, featuring 12 covers for the eleven Doctors and the War Doctor
- The 15th anniversary of Iris Wildthyme was commemorated with the anthology Iris: Fifteen.
2014
- The 15th anniversary of the Big Finish producing Doctor Who audios since 1999 was commemorated with The Worlds of Doctor Who.
2015
- The 10th anniversary of the BBC Wales:
- The launch of Doctor Who: The Ninth Doctor by Titan Comics.[1]
- Doctor Who Magazine 485, which had four covers for the Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh and Twelfth Doctor.
2016
- The 50th anniversary of the Cybermen's debut in The Tenth Planet (1966) was commemorated with Supremacy of the Cybermen, a Titan Comics story.
- The 50th anniversary The Power of the Daleks was commemorated with the animated reconstruction of the serial released on 5 November 2016.
- The 20th anniversary of the Doctor Who TV movie was commemorated with DWM 497.
- The 10th anniversary of Torchwood was commemorated with The Torchwood Archive, a special release from Big Finish.
2017
- The 40th anniversary of Henry Gordon Jago and George Litefoot's debut in The Talons of Weng-Chiang was commemorated with The Jago & Litefoot Revival from Big Finish, featuring the Tenth and Eleventh Doctor.
- The 20th anniversary of Faction Paradox's debut in Alien Bodies was commemorated with the publication of Spinning Jenny. The first 100 physical copies sold included a commemorative stamp.
2018
- The 50th anniversary of the Brigadier's debut in The Invasion was commemorated with The Laughing Gnome series of novels from Candy Jar Books.[2]
- The 20th anniversary of Bernice Summerfield's first Big Finish audio story Oh No It Isn't! was commemorated with The Story So Far and Treasury.
2019
- The 40th anniversary of Doctor Who Magazine was commemorated with the release of DWM 544.
- The 20th anniversary of the Big Finish producing Doctor Who audios since 1999 was commemorated with:
- AUDIO: The Legacy of Time, an anthology featuring the First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, and Tenth Doctor
- AUDIO: The Home Guard
- AUDIO: Daughter of the Gods, emulated a "5th anniversary of Doctor Who" from 1968. (BFX: Daughter of the Gods, VOR 128)
- AUDIO: The Comic Strip Adaptations: Volume One
- AUDIO: The Seventh Doctor: The New Adventures: Volume One
- The 10th anniversary of Obverse Books was commemorated with the Obverse Sextet.
2020
- The 50th anniversary of The Eleventh Hour was commemorated with the webcast The Raggedy Doctor by Amelia Pond during Doctor Who: Lockdown!.
2021
- The 50th anniversary of the Master's debut in Terror of the Autons (1971) was commemorated with:
- AUDIO: Masterful, a Big Finish story released in 2021.
- COMIC: Missy: The Master Plan, a Titan Comics story released in 2021.
- The 25th anniversary of the Doctor Who TV movie was commemorated with Empire of the Wolf, a Titan Comics story released in 2021.
- The 15 anniversary of Torchwood was going to be commemorated with Absent Friends until it was cancelled in the wake of misconduct allegations againt John Barrowman.
2022
- The 100th anniversary of the BBC on 18 October 2022 was commemorated with The Power of the Doctor, a Centenary Special that aired on 23 October 2022.
- The 50th anniversary of The Monster of Peladon was commemorated with the release of Peladon by Big Finish.
- The 40th anniversary of Peter Davison's 1982 debut as the Fifth Doctor was commemorated with the release of Forty by Big Finish.