The Doctor Who Production Diary: 1978
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January
5 Ted Lewis is commissioned to provide a storyline for “Shield Of Zarak” The Fourth Doctor
7 Debut broadcast of Underworld episode one on BBC One Underworld
10 David Fisher is commissioned to write The Stones Of Blood The Stones Of Blood
14 Debut broadcast of Underworld episode two on BBC One Underworld
21 Death of Geoffrey Orme (bio), writer
21 Debut broadcast of Underworld episode three on BBC One Underworld
27 Bob Baker and Dave Martin are commissioned to write The Armageddon Factor The Armageddon Factor
28 Debut broadcast of Underworld episode four on BBC One Underworld

February
1 Movie director Roman Polanski flees to France to avoid sentencing on charges of underaged sex
4 Debut broadcast of The Invasion Of Time episode one on BBC One The Invasion Of Time
11 Debut broadcast of The Invasion Of Time episode two on BBC One The Invasion Of Time
14 John Leeson is contracted for The Ribos Operation K·9
17 A photocall is held to introduce Mary Tamm as new companion Romana The First Romana
18 Debut broadcast of The Invasion Of Time episode three on BBC One The Invasion Of Time
24 Ted Lewis is commissioned to write “Shield Of Zarak” The Fourth Doctor
25 Debut broadcast of The Invasion Of Time episode four on BBC One The Invasion Of Time

March
4 Debut broadcast of The Invasion Of Time episode five on BBC One The Invasion Of Time
8 Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy debuts on BBC Radio 4
11 Debut broadcast of The Invasion Of Time episode six on BBC One The Invasion Of Time
14 Douglas Adams' The Pirate Planet is condemned by Head of Serials Graeme MacDonald, but Anthony Read and director Pennant Roberts successfully argue that there is no time to replace it The Pirate Planet
20 Mary Tamm is contracted for The Ribos Operation and The Pirate Planet The First Romana

April
9 Recording for The Ribos Operation takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 4 in White City, London The Ribos Operation
10 Recording for The Ribos Operation takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 4 in White City, London The Ribos Operation
11 Recording for The Ribos Operation takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 4 in White City, London The Ribos Operation
mid
Apr		 Tom Baker suffers a deep cut on his lip while playing with a dog owned by Paul Seed, who is portraying the Graff Vynda-K in The Ribos Operation; although concealed by make-up, the resulting scar is visible on-screen in this story and The Pirate Planet The Ribos Operation
17 John Leeson is contracted for The Pirate Planet K·9
23 Recording for The Ribos Operation takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 4 in White City, London The Ribos Operation
24 Recording for The Ribos Operation takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 4 in White City, London The Ribos Operation
25 Recording for The Ribos Operation takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 4 in White City, London The Ribos Operation
28 The Afghan Civil War begins when President Daoud Khan is killed during a coup by communist supporters

May
1 Recording for The Pirate Planet takes place in Berkeley, Gloucestershire The Pirate Planet
2 Recording for The Pirate Planet takes place in Wales, at Coity Mountain, Ebbw Vale, and probably Blaenavon The Pirate Planet
3 Recording for The Pirate Planet takes place at Clydach Gorge, Wales The Pirate Planet
4 Recording for The Pirate Planet takes place in Abercraf, Wales The Pirate Planet
5 Recording for The Pirate Planet takes place in Wales, at Clydach Gorge and probably Llanfoist The Pirate Planet
15 John Leeson is contracted for The Stones Of Blood K·9
18 Mary Tamm is contracted to play Romana in the final four serials of Season Sixteen, beginning with The Stones Of Blood The First Romana
22 Recording for The Pirate Planet takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London The Pirate Planet
23 Recording for The Pirate Planet takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London The Pirate Planet
25 Ted Kaczynski, known as the “Unabomber”, commits his first attack by sending a bomb to an engineering professor at Northwestern University
26 David Fisher is commissioned to write The Androids Of Tara The Androids Of Tara
26 Robert Holmes is commissioned to write The Power Of Kroll The Power Of Kroll

June
3 Recording for The Pirate Planet takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London The Pirate Planet
4 Recording for The Pirate Planet takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London The Pirate Planet
5 Recording for The Pirate Planet takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London The Pirate Planet
12 Recording for The Stones Of Blood takes place in Little Compton, Warwickshire The Stones Of Blood
13 Recording for The Stones Of Blood takes place in Little Rollright, Oxfordshire The Stones Of Blood
14 Recording for The Stones Of Blood takes place in Little Rollright, Oxfordshire The Stones Of Blood
15 Recording for The Stones Of Blood takes place in Little Rollright, Oxfordshire The Stones Of Blood
30 Death of David Ellis (bio), writer

July
3 Recording for The Stones Of Blood takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London The Stones Of Blood
4 Recording for The Stones Of Blood takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London The Stones Of Blood
16 Recording for The Stones Of Blood takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London The Stones Of Blood
17 Recording for The Stones Of Blood takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London The Stones Of Blood
18 Recording for The Stones Of Blood takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London The Stones Of Blood
24 Recording for The Androids Of Tara takes place in Leeds, Kent The Androids Of Tara
25 The world's first test tube baby, Louise Brown, is born in England
25 Recording for The Androids Of Tara takes place in Leeds, Kent The Androids Of Tara
26 Birth of Eve Myles (bio), who played Gwen Cooper
26 Recording for The Androids Of Tara takes place in Leeds, Kent The Androids Of Tara
27 Recording for The Androids Of Tara takes place in Leeds, Kent The Androids Of Tara
28 Recording for The Androids Of Tara takes place in Leeds, Kent The Androids Of Tara

August
14 Recording for The Androids Of Tara takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London The Androids Of Tara
15 Recording for The Androids Of Tara takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London The Androids Of Tara
22 It is agreed that, since K·9 does not appear in The Power Of Kroll, John Leeson can play the on-screen role of Dugeen instead The Power Of Kroll
28 Recording for The Androids Of Tara takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 1 in White City, London The Androids Of Tara
29 Recording for The Androids Of Tara takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 1 in White City, London The Androids Of Tara

September
2 Debut broadcast of The Ribos Operation episode one on BBC One The Ribos Operation
9 Debut broadcast of The Ribos Operation episode two on BBC One The Ribos Operation
16 Debut broadcast of The Ribos Operation episode three on BBC One The Ribos Operation
17 Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat sign the Camp David Accords as a potential framework for peace in the Middle East
18 Recording for The Power Of Kroll takes place in Snape, Suffolk The Power Of Kroll
19 Recording for The Power Of Kroll takes place in Iken, Suffolk The Power Of Kroll
20 Recording for The Power Of Kroll takes place in Snape, Suffolk The Power Of Kroll
21 Recording for The Power Of Kroll takes place in Suffolk, at Snape and Iken The Power Of Kroll
22 Recording for The Power Of Kroll takes place in Iken, Suffolk The Power Of Kroll
23 Debut broadcast of The Ribos Operation episode four on BBC One The Ribos Operation
25 Recording for The Power Of Kroll takes place in Iken, Suffolk The Power Of Kroll
26 Recording for The Power Of Kroll takes place in Iken, Suffolk The Power Of Kroll
27 Recording for The Power Of Kroll takes place in Iken, Suffolk The Power Of Kroll
28 Recording for The Power Of Kroll takes place in Iken, Suffolk The Power Of Kroll
30 Debut broadcast of The Pirate Planet episode one on BBC One The Pirate Planet

October
early
Oct		 Tom Baker threatens to leave Doctor Who if he is not given more creative control; Head of Serials Graeme MacDonald advises Graham Williams to fire his lead actor The Fourth Doctor
7 Debut broadcast of The Pirate Planet episode two on BBC One The Pirate Planet
9 Recording for The Power Of Kroll takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London The Power Of Kroll
10 Recording for The Power Of Kroll takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London The Power Of Kroll
11 Recording for The Power Of Kroll takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 6 in White City, London The Power Of Kroll
14 Debut broadcast of The Pirate Planet episode three on BBC One The Pirate Planet
mid
Oct		 Douglas Adams, who will script edit Doctor Who's seventeenth season, begins trailing Anthony Read The Fourth Doctor
16 Cardinal Karol Wojtyla becomes Pope John Paul II, marking the first time since 1523 that the pope has not been Italian
19 Recording for The Power Of Kroll takes place at Bray Studios in Water Oakley, Berkshire The Power Of Kroll
20 Recording for The Power Of Kroll takes place at Bray Studios in Water Oakley, Berkshire The Power Of Kroll
21 Debut broadcast of The Pirate Planet episode four on BBC One The Pirate Planet
27 Recording for The Armageddon Factor takes place at the BBC Television Film Studios in Ealing, London The Armageddon Factor
28 Debut broadcast of The Stones Of Blood episode one on BBC One The Stones Of Blood
30 Death of Brian Hayles (bio), writer
late
Oct		 Tom Baker agrees to rescind his resignation from Doctor Who pending further discussions The Fourth Doctor
late
Oct		 John Lloyd is commissioned to write “The Doomsday Contract” The Fourth Doctor

November
4 Debut broadcast of The Stones Of Blood episode two on BBC One The Stones Of Blood
5 Recording for The Armageddon Factor takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London The Armageddon Factor
6 Recording for The Armageddon Factor takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London The Armageddon Factor
7 Recording for The Armageddon Factor takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London The Armageddon Factor
11 Debut broadcast of The Stones Of Blood episode three on BBC One The Stones Of Blood
16 David Fisher is commissioned to write The Creature From The Pit The Creature From The Pit
18 In Guyana, cult leader Jim Jones leads a mass suicide that results in the deaths of almost one thousand followers
18 Debut broadcast of The Stones Of Blood episode four on BBC One The Stones Of Blood
20 Recording for The Armageddon Factor takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London The Armageddon Factor
21 Recording for The Armageddon Factor takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London The Armageddon Factor
22 Recording for The Armageddon Factor takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London The Armageddon Factor
25 Debut broadcast of The Androids Of Tara episode one on BBC One The Androids Of Tara

December
2 Debut broadcast of The Androids Of Tara episode two on BBC One The Androids Of Tara
3 Recording for The Armageddon Factor takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London The Armageddon Factor
4 Recording for The Armageddon Factor takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London The Armageddon Factor
5 Recording for The Armageddon Factor takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 3 in White City, London The Armageddon Factor
9 Debut broadcast of The Androids Of Tara episode three on BBC One The Androids Of Tara
12 Alistair Beaton and Sarah Dunant are commissioned to write “Child Prodigy” The Fourth Doctor
15 Tom Baker is tendered a contract for Season Seventeen, but he refuses to sign it and renews his threat to resign from Doctor Who when Graham Williams sets a January 4th deadline; Williams, in turn, promises to quit if the BBC concedes to Baker's demands The Fourth Doctor
16 Debut broadcast of The Androids Of Tara episode four on BBC One The Androids Of Tara
20 Terry Nation is commissioned to write Destiny Of The Daleks Destiny Of The Daleks
23 Debut broadcast of The Power Of Kroll episode one on BBC One The Power Of Kroll
30 Debut broadcast of The Power Of Kroll episode two on BBC One The Power Of Kroll

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