Are they hanging onto that for later? I'm starting to believe that the BBC really have their hands on a haul.

Deborah, along with Frazer Hines, will be helping the BBC to launch the newly found Dr.Who episodes this Thurs (10/10/13), betwwen 3.30pm and 7.00pm approx.

Well, that was quite monumentally exciting. A little piece of Who history, in multiple ways.

There is, I’m afraid, an embargo on any information till 00.01 BST tomorrow morning – so you’ll have to come back then for the actual facts. But there are, of course, some things I can say.

First off, in case there were any doubters, what we have back really has been worth the wait. Having seen… well, I’ll tell you what I actually did see later… some of what is available, I can tell you that the quality is surprisingly good – and possibly better than actually would have been had at the time of broadcast, for the majority of people viewing at home considering the quality of receiver available.

Secondly, the scripts hold up remarkably well. There is a naivity to them compared with modern TV drama – but to be honest, that is probably in the eye of the beholder more than anything else. Ways of writing, of making drama, change with the audience rather than in spite of it, which means our modern sensibilities suit the modern show more (Tony notwithstanding of course) – so it’s fair to say that the naivity I saw was more my problem than the show’s. However, despite that, the ride is a thrilling one.

Thirdly, the panel members were delightful, even allowing me to photo their feet. Their indulgence of that sort of fetish should not go uncommented.



But there is one important thing to say: it was confirmed to me that the rampant speculation and personal attackes that has been going on in some quarters of fandom has made the acquisition more difficult. (OS was not mentioned as an offender, I am pleased to say, even after I told them who I was; although it would be disingenuous to pretend we weren't part of the speculation rollercoaster.) I asked how, and was told even discussing that would create difficulties. The story can be told, but not yet.

Some will undoubtedly say that this is prissy smugness and a desire to hold onto power from big fish in small ponds: on balance, I genuinely don’t believe that’s the case. I think we need to take that request at face value, back off a little, and enjoy and celbrate what we get. Cos it is bloody marvellous.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have landed. But for the moment, please remain seated until the captain has switched of the 'fasten seatbelts' sign...

But there is one important thing to say: it was confirmed to me that the rampant speculation and personal attackes that has been going on in some quarters of fandom has made the acquisition more difficult.

Well, I didn't sign anything, so: let joy be unbounded, the BBC have just held a press conference to announce that the missing five Enemy of the Worlds and four episodes of Web of Fear have been discovered. And there may be more on the way.

Nicholas: Wow. I'm 'As seen on social media'. OK. To clarify here, I'm not some massively in the loop source who was at the press conference. Plenty of people who were there have twittered and generally spread the word. I'm am not putting the word out, simply relaying the word that's out. Perhaps they're all joking.

Sean: Say it again: I'm not an authority, I am not a first hand source, I wasn't there, I am not telling you something I was told in confidence. I'm not 'confirming' anything, or in a position to confirm anything. Please don't cite me as some sort of 'source' for this, or imagine I've escaped with the Promethean fire or something like that. As we all know, there was a scheduled press conference, full of journalists with smartphones. Within about a picosecond, people there were online telling people who weren't, in various levels of public fora, what had been announced. I am one of the people who read what they said, that's all.

The stories, The Enemy Of The World (1967) and The Web Of Fear (1968) and both starring Patrick Troughton as the second Doctor, have now been remastered by BBC Worldwide, the corporation’s commercial arm.

Phillip Morris, the director of Television International Enterprises Archive, unearthed the programmes by looking up the records of overseas shipments of tapes made by the BBC.

Mr Morris said: ‘‘I remember wiping the dust off the masking tape on the canisters and my heart missed a beat as I saw the words Doctor Who. When I read the story code, I realised I’d found something pretty special.’’ Only one episode of The Enemy Of The World - which featured Deborah Watling as companion Victoria and Frazer Hines, later to find fame in Emmerdale as Jamie - had remained in the archives, so the addition of programmes one, two, four, five and six have completed the story.

Fiona Eastwood, director of consumer products, BBC Worldwide, said: ‘‘We are thrilled with the recent discovery of The Web Of Fear and The Enemy Of The World and we’re very happy to be launching re-mastered versions of these treasured episodes to fans as we celebrate the 50th year of Doctor Who.’’ The BBC still had the first [episode] in the Web Of Fear story, and the new finds mean only number three is missing. The tale introduced Nicholas Courtney as Lethbridge-Stewart, who began with the rank of Colonel but later became Brigadier.

The missing episode has been recreated using 37 still images which were available and the original audio which survived.