Doctor Who classic story to be revived in colour with never-before-seen regeneration

The BBC has announced that it will released a new 'colourised and enhanced' version of the classic Doctor Who story The War Games, which first aired in 1969, later this year

Another classic Doctor Who story is being revived in new colourisation and it will even feature a never-before-seen regeneration, it's been announced by the BBC this week.

The broadcaster has revealed that original episodes from the War Games - a serial which first aired in 1969 - have been "colourised and enhanced" to produce an edited feature-length experience. It will be released next month.

The BBC's announcement on Saturday - marking this year's Doctor Who Day, which is celebrated annually on November 23 - comes almost exactly a year on from the Mirror exclusively reporting that there were plans for the serial to be colourised. It is the second classic story to be colourised, following the Daleks, which was updated just last year to mark the beloved franchise's 60th anniversary.

The War Games, which featured the first appearance of the planet Gallifrey, marked the final story for the Second Doctor (played by the late Patrick Troughton). It followed him and companions Zoe Heriot (Wendy Padbury) and Jamie McCrimmon (Frazer Hines) as they land in a battlefield that appears to be a World War I military zone, though all is not as it seems.

A synopsis teases: "They soon discover that soldiers from different historical periods have been abducted and are being manipulated in a cruel game. As they work to uncover the mystery behind the War Lord and his twisted experiments, the Doctor faces one of his most difficult challenges."

The BBC has announced this weekend that for the first time, these original episodes have been "meticulously colourised and enhanced with updated visual effects edited into a new, 90-minute feature-length experience to appeal to today's modern audience". It adds: "With updated sound and a new score, this newly updated version of The War Games offers both fans and newcomers even more ways to watch the much-loved classic story."

It's been further revealed that the episode will also feature the Second Doctor's never-before-seen regeneration into the Third Doctor (the late Jon Pertwee). There's also recovered footage not seen since the original broadcast.

Showrunner Russell T Davies, 61, said: "From the day I arrived back on Doctor Who, this was the plan. To colourise old stories and bring them back to life. And on Doctor Who Day itself, it's great to announce this, celebrating the show's wonderful heritage with an all-time-classic.

"It looks so vivid and new - and for fans of black-and-white, the story in its original form will stay on BBC iPlayer, so everyone wins! I actually watched this transmit in 1969, at 6 years old, terrified of the Roman soldiers, fascinated by villains with glinting spectacles, and in awe of the Doctor's brand new origin. Now fans old and new can enjoy it all over again."

The newly-colourised the War Games will air on BBC Four and BBC iPlayer on December 23. The original episodes are available in the Whoniverse on the streaming platform.

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