Doctor Who: Tom Baker is back in live action!

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There’s an added treat for those picking up the BBC’s new release of the long-time-incomplete Doctor Who story, Shada. For not only has Tom Baker returned to voice animation, that’s been used to bridge the material for the story that wasn’t recorded. Turn out he’s back in live action, too!

He appears in a newly-shot scene that was recorded in Television Centre in London. Furthermore, the set of the TARDIS from 1979 was used to film the new footage.

Tom Baker said of his return to the role that ““When I was doing Doctor Who it was the realisation of all my childhood fantasies…so I took to it like a duck to water and I still do. Doctor Who was more important than life to me – I used to dread the end of rehearsal…that’s why I can’t stay away from it”.

Shada was one of my favourite Doctor Who stories. I have many fond memories of shooting the location scenes in Cambridge, and it was disappointing not to finish the story in studio. I’m so glad that BBC Worldwide have found a way to bring fans a complete visual version.”

The studio filming was disrupted by a strike at the BBC in 1979, that left the story incomplete. The new restored version is available now from iTunes, and on DVD and Blu-ray from December 4th.