2006’s ‘Fear Her’ has been revoiced, removing the disgraced broadcaster Huw Edwards.
Updated 16/02/25: As the Tenth Doctor would doubtless say… “I’m Sorry, I’m So Sorry.”
For reasons as yet unexplained, ‘Fear Her’ is temporarily unavailable again, with the iPlayer link diverting to an episode listing on the main BBC website instead.
We’ll keep you posted.
Original article (of 14/02/25)…
As part of the Whoniverse, launched for the show’s 60th anniversary, much of Doctor Who‘s classic run joined all the post-2005 series on BBC iPlayer.
However, despite the corporation’s laudable aspirations, not quite all of Doctor Who is currently available to stream. There are 97 missing episodes, some replaced by animation, and a few stories caught up in rights issues.
Additionally, one post-2005 story has been unavailable since August 2024 due to real world issues.
‘Fear Her’ returns
Back in 2006, choosing the futuristic setting of the 2012 London Olympics, there’s no way the show’s production could anticipate a serious scandal involving a BBC broadcaster.
The now disgraced Huw Edwards voiced a number of sequences in series 2’s ‘Fear Her’, in his role as a BBC commentator, adding that same level of verisimilitude which often sees familiar television and pop culture figures cameo in the show.
Now, ‘Fear Her’ is back and actress Becky Wright takes on the commentator’s role. According to the Radio Times, the changes have a minimal effect on the story.
The episode also now bares a disclaimer saying: “This programme has been edited since broadcast. There are a number of reasons why a programme may have been edited including legal, contractual or technical issues.”
You can watch the new version of ‘Fear Her’ on BBC iPlayer.
Other Doctor Who stories missing from BBC iPlayer
Due to an ongoing rights issue, the classic series’ opening tale ‘An Unearthly Child’, is not available to stream.
Also currently unavailable are two Tom Baker stories penned by writer Robert Banks Stewart, ‘Terror of the Zygons’ and ‘The Seeds of Doom’. However, the two were previously on the iPlayer, so hopefully they can return at some point. In the meantime, all these stories remain available to purchase on home formats.
We’ll keep you posted.