Why Doctor Who's first episode might not be released on BBC iPlayer for the show's 60th anniversary

The very first Doctor Who serial will not be released for the show's 60th anniversary

Earlier this month, the BBC announced Doctor Who entire catalogue of over 800 episodes would be released on BBC iPlayer, available to for licence-fee payers to watch for free in the UK. The news has caused great excitement among Doctor Who fans, with collectors planning to ditch ITVX and physical media in favour of the new free alternative.

However, the BBC's plans have been met with resistance over recent weeks as the son of Doctor Who's first writer has challenged the corporation over the rights to his father's serial, An Unearthly Child.

Anthony Coburn wrote the first four episodes of Doctor Who in 1963. He was also responsible for establishing the characters and format of the original TV series under close supervision from script editor David Whitaker and other BBC executives. Coburn was commissioned to write a further three serials for the show which were never produced.

60 years later, Coburn's son, Stef Anthony Coburn, is attempting to block the BBC from distributing his father's contribution to the show.

Anthony Coburn: writer of Doctor Who's very first episode

Stef Anthony Coburn has taken to social media to explain his decision to remove the serial from the BBC's catalogue and his anger at the corporation. He claims he previously "cancelled the BBC's license" to distribute his father's Doctor Who episodes. According to Coburn, they have now attempted to "relicense" the episodes, an offer he has declined.

"The BBC behaved abominably towards my late father," Stef Coburn claimed in another social media post, "I do none of this merely for money; but to right past wrongs."

In other social media posts, Coburn claimed his father created not only the TV series Doctor Who, but also the TARDIS. Despite this, Anthony Coburn had no legal claim over the TARDIS or any other part of the show except his own scripts. 

Sydney Newman: One of the people who was in fact responsible for creating Doctor Who.

"As it stands, [the BBC] will never again have the right to distribute Tony's episodes." Stef Anthony Coburn posted, "They only have themselves to blame."

The BBC is yet to comment on Mr. Coburn's allegations and has not confirmed whether Anthony Coburn's episodes will be released on BBC iPlayer. 

Apart from his anger at the BBC, Stef Anthony Coburn uses social media to express his controversial views about vaccinations and LGBTQ+ people as well as sharing prejudiced and offensive posts from other right-wing social media users, including Billie Piper's ex-husband Laurence Fox.

The entire catalogue of Doctor Who episodes in the BBC archives (potentially not including An Unearthly Child!) will be released on BBC iPlayer in the UK on 1st November 2023.