Douglas Adams and the exterminated Doctor Who adventure

2026-09-13 | original

read original get Doctor Who Shada DVD/Blu-ray Set → more articles

Why This Matters

This is a nostalgic look at an unfinished 1979 Doctor Who story, 'Shada', written by Douglas Adams and filmed in Cambridge, revisited through a new BBC Sounds documentary. It matters to fans and the industry as it highlights the enduring cultural legacy of Doctor Who and the behind-the-scenes challenges of classic television production, while also spotlighting Adams' early creative contributions before Hitchhiker's Guide fame.

Key Takeaways

The 1979 Doctor Who story 'Shada', written by Douglas Adams, was filmed in Cambridge but never fully completed.
A new BBC Sounds documentary, 'Doctor Who: Lost in Cambridge', explores the production's history and challenges.
Anecdotes from local witnesses, like a college porter's son, reveal behind-the-scenes struggles, including Tom Baker's difficulties learning to punt.

Worth a Look

Doctor Who Shada DVD/Blu-ray Set — Relive the unfinished 1979 Cambridge shoot with this special release of Shada, completed using animation and narration to fill in the missing scenes. It's a fascinating piece of Doctor Who history, penned by Douglas Adams himself, perfect for fans curious about this legendary lost adventure.

See Doctor Who Shada DVD/Blu-ray Set on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.

For more than six decades, Doctor Who has taken viewers across time and space.

But hidden within the show's history are unfinished episodes recorded in Cambridge.

In 1979, production teams arrived in the university city following a storyline called 'Shada', written by local author Douglas Adams - featuring Tom Baker as the fourth Doctor.

However, not everything went smoothly during the shoot.

Speaking on a new BBC Sounds documentary Doctor Who: Lost in Cambridge, Marcus Hearn said his father, who was a porter at Clare College, saw first-hand some of the challenges the crew and Baker faced while filming.

The Doctor Who Magazine editor said: "Tom Baker had been struggling to learn how to punt and he kept falling into the Cam.

"It was my dad's job to provide him with blankets and brandy, and to basically try to calm him down because apparently he was in a very bad mood."

Explore topics: doctor who douglas adams tom baker shada bbc sounds