According to Nicola Methven and Mark Jefferies of The Mirror, an announcement that the missing 1966 Doctor Who serial, The Celestial Toymaker, is to be animated will coincide with with The Toymaker character’s imminent return to television.

The Celestial Toymaker was the seventh serial of Season 3 of Doctor Who. It introduced The Toymaker, a powerful being portrayed by Michael Gough who ensnares sentient beings in seemingly childish games rigged in his favour — with his captives’ freedom at stake.

Only the fourth episode of the four-part story, The Final Test, exists in the BBC Archives as an incomplete 16mm black and white film telerecording. All original videotape masters 1960s Doctor Who episodes were wiped and reused. However, thanks to filmed copies of the masters recovered from various sources, many episodes have been recovered.

The Mirror’s source said, “For many fans, The Celestial Toymaker is one of the greatest Doctor Who stories ever.”

Neil Patrick Harris is cast as The Toymaker in the Doctor Who 60th anniversary special The Giggle, which will air some time late this year between November and Christmas, to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the first transmission of the programme on November 23, 1963.

Doctor Who will return in November 2023 with three 60th anniversary specials starring David Tennant as the Fourteenth Doctor and Catherine Tate as companion Donna Noble titled The Star Beast, Wild Blue Yonder and The Giggle.