THE FIVE DOCTORS | 1985 VHS & Betamax Cuts | Doctor Who

"Great chunks of my past, detaching themselves like melting icebergs..."

The Five Doctors, the much loved and much released 20th anniversary #DoctorWho special, originally appeared on home video in the UK on VHS and Betamax formats during September 1985.

Subsequent releases on VHS, Laserdisc, DVD and Blu-ray were all complete - and sometimes even longer than broadcast - but for reasons unknown, in 1985 BBC Enterprises used a slightly shortened version which appears to have originally aired in the US. The video above details all six cuts accounting for approximately 97 seconds of missing material.

CUTS

0:44 The Fourth Doctor & Romana take a punt - 41 seconds
1:08 Gloved frustration / Sarah Jane goes for the bus - 9 seconds
1:25 Grandfather & granddaughter, pursued by a Dalek - 13 seconds
1:47 Two nerds and a computer / Out for a little drive - 14 seconds
2:10 Man eats pineapple / Out for a little stroll - 10 seconds
2:29 Nice establishing shot, shame really - 10 seconds

SOURCES

1. 1985 VHS, edited compilation, no restoration (BBCV2020) - out of print
2. 2008 DVD, complete & restored (BBCDVD3483) - currently available

Thanks to @TeamEndo on Twitter for their assistance with this video.

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Researched and compiled by Pip Madeley.
Follow me on Twitter - twitter.com/pipmadeley
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DISCLAIMER: The footage in this video is the copyright of the BBC and I do not claim ownership. Limited clips have been used in accordance with fair dealing as allowed by UK law for the purposes of review, research and education. Let's face it, The Five Doctors will always be available to buy so just go and do that. The Blu-ray's nice, I hear.