Exclusive: Explosive Battle Ensues as BBC's First Doctor Who Episodes Remain in Lockdown

Summary

The BBC has been blocked from releasing the first Doctor Who story by the son of writer Anthony Coburn due to disputes over the show's rights.

The exclusion of the four episodes that make up An Unearthly Child from the Doctor Who library on BBC iPlayer is a significant setback for preserving and making the show's classic era easily accessible.

Stef Anthony Coburn argues that the BBC showed disrespect towards his father's contributions and infringed upon the trademark of the episodes without obtaining permission, which consequently resulted in a deterioration of his father's health. He holds the BBC accountable for denying viewers the opportunity to watch these episodes.

The son of writer Anthony Coburn has blocked the BBC from releasing the first Doctor Who story. This follows a fierce disagreement over the broadcast rights. An Unearthly Child, directed by Waris Hussein, marked the show's debut. It introduced William Hartnell's First Doctor, along with his granddaughter Susan (Carole Ann Ford), and schoolteachers Ian Chesterton (William Russell) and Barbara Wright (Jacqueline Hill) as they traveled from 1960s London to the earliest days of humanity. Although it was broadcast on November 23, 1963, the episode was overlooked due to the coverage of US President John F. Kennedy's assassination. However, it has since gained recognition for its influential role in pop culture.

For the upcoming 60th anniversary, the BBC iPlayer's expanded Doctor Who library will include almost every story. However, RadioTimes.com has been informed by the BBC that all four episodes of An Unearthly Child will be excluded due to the ongoing disputes over the show's rights.

This extensive iPlayer back catalog will house more than 800 hours of Doctor Who material, creating the largest collection of Doctor Who programming to date. However, please note that the first four episodes will not be included as we do not possess the full rights to them. This decision stems from the involvement of Coburn's son, Stef Anthony Coburn, who expressed on Twitter that the broadcaster's proposal to re-license the four episodes failed to meet his requirements.

An Unearthly Child Streaming Removal Is A Blow To Doctor Who's Battle Over The Preservation & Accessibility Of Its Classic Era

According to him, the re-licensing offer from the BBC was measly, and despite a counter-offer, it appears that they have not come to a mutual agreement. Coburn delved deeper into the problems related to the rights, ultimately placing the blame on the BBC.

The recent disagreement between Coburn and the BBC is just the latest in a series of conflicts arising from his father's contributions to Doctor Who. In a previous incident, Coburn's son contested the corporation's claim that his father came up with the name for the TARDIS, resulting in the possibility of a legal dispute over the trademark in 2013. However, this legal action never materialized. In addition to these disputes, Coburn has expressed his dissatisfaction with reports about the production of Doctor Who season 14. On Twitter, he made discriminatory comments regarding the casting of Ncuti Gatwa and Jinkx Monsoon, while also promoting far-right conspiracy theories.

Unfortunately, due to the complexities of TV production at the time, there are ownership rights disputes surrounding certain aspects of Doctor Who. Amongst these disputes, Coburn's actions are particularly unfortunate for a number of reasons. The absence of An Unearthly Child from the BBC iPlayer's library means that viewers will miss out on the opportunity to revisit the show's origins, especially with the approaching 60th anniversary of Doctor Who. Additionally, the episode was set to receive new accessibility options, which would have allowed even more people to enjoy the story. Therefore, Coburn has, for now, prevented his father's legacy from reaching new audiences.

With the dedicated efforts made to preserve and recreate lost classic Doctor Who stories, the recent decision by Coburn will undoubtedly be a devastating blow to viewers. Despite its initially rough reception, Coburn's father's work alongside creators Verity Lambert and Sydney Newman, Hussein, and the cast had long been regarded as a vital piece of the franchise's history. While potential discussions and disputes may potentially alter the current situation, the removal of An Unearthly Child from distribution at this time will undeniably diminish the excitement surrounding the show's milestone celebrations.

Coburn Further Explains The Rights Dispute

He asserted that his father's contributions to the series were deeply undervalued and disrespected by the BBC, suggesting that this mistreatment had a detrimental impact on his father's health.

He accused the BBC of unlawfully utilizing the episode's trademark without obtaining consent or providing any form of compensation to his father. Furthermore, he contends that these actions potentially resulted in his father's demise.

He later argues that the BBC is to blame for their "unreasonable" offer. In addition, he mentioned that "The Tribe of Gum" will not be accessible on iPlayer.

Coburn concluded his explanation by reiterating that the BBC did not offer a fair agreement for the rights. He insists that the BBC "will NEVER AGAIN have the right to distribute Tony's episodes" and holds them accountable for the inability of viewers to watch the acclaimed episode.

Source: RadioTimes.com, Stef Anthony Coburn/Twitter