Doctor Who Tales of the TARDIS: spin-off series release date, cast with Colin Baker - what is the Whoniverse?

Ahead of Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary next month, the BBC has announced the launch of the Whoniverse with a brand new series reuniting former cast members from both the classic series and New Who.

Tales of the TARDIS is Executive Produced by Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies, among others, and also written by Davies, as well as Phil Ford and Pete McTighe.

The series will follow earlier incarnations of the Doctor and their former companions as they reunite to reminisce on their travels in time and space from the dawn of human history to distant alien worlds.

On every planet they visit and in every age they encounter, the time travellers find danger, monsters, danger, and adventure.

The six-part series will feature entirely new scenes interwoven with classic episodes to create original feature-length omnibus episodes.

Who is in the cast of Tales of the TARDIS?

• Peter Davison as The Fifth Doctor
• Colin Baker as The Sixth Doctor
• Sylvester McCoy as The Seventh Doctor
• Maureen O’Brien as Vicki Pallister (First Doctor’s companion)
• Peter Purves as Steven Taylor (First Doctor’s companion)
• Frazer Hines as Jamie McCrimmon (Second Doctor’s companion)
• Wendy Padbury as Zoe Heriot (Second Doctor’s companion) 
• Katy Manning as Jo Grant (Third Doctor’s companion)
• Janet Fielding as Tegan Jovanka (Fourth and Fifth Doctor’s companion)
• Nicola Bryant as Peri Brown (Fifth and Sixth Doctor’s companion)
• Sophie Aldred as Ace (Seventh Doctor’s companion)
• Daniel Anthony as Clyde Langer (Sarah Jane’s companion in The Sarah Jane Adventures)

What is the release date of Tales of the TARDIS?

Tales of the TARDIS will launch on BBC iPlayer on Wednesday 1 November, marking the launch of The Whoniverse.

What is the Whoniverse?

The Whoniverse previously referred to the universe in which Doctor Who is set. However, the BBC has now announced that The Whoniverse is the collective name for all Doctor Who episodes and spin-offs.

The Whoniverse will officially launch on 1 November when Tales of the TARDIS is released. Other shows in The Whoniverse include classic Doctor Who, the rebooted series which launched in 2005, Torchwood, The Sarah Jane Adventures, and Class.

More than 800 episodes of classic Doctor Who - almost all of the surviving episodes - will be released on iPlayer on 1 November. The first four episode story, An Unearthly Child, will not be on the platform due to a rights issue.