Sunderland's links to Dr Who as series celebrates 60th anniversary

Wearside has loads of links with Dr Who.

Let's regenerate them as we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the series in November, 2023.

The Doctor is in town

First the stars. Tom Baker was in town for the Santa parade in 1977.

Fellow Dr Sylvester McCoy was at Dame Dorothy Primary in 1990.

Elisabeth Sladen, who played Sarah Jane Smith in the show, came to a Who convention in 2007.

And we had a double dose of Who links in 2010 when Matt Smith and Karen Gillan came to Sunderland University to promote a new episode.

We will exterminate - your garden leaves

Hundreds of children joined them for the viewing but were you among them?

Then there's the fans. Sandra Whitmore had a compost bin in the shape of a Dalek in 2005. It was great at exterminating leaves.

In 2007, people dressed as different doctors for a Who convention on Wearside and here's some Whovians pictured in the same year.

In 2008, the St John's Cubs had some out of this world visitors and in 2009, the Bunny Hill Centre celebrated its 3rd birthday with a Who theme.

Getting animated in Sunderland

That same year, Who fan Liam Powell got our attention with his Tardis bedroom door.

And a Sunderland animator has helped bring lost Doctor Who episodes back to life?

Find out more about that in Curious Sunderland on Shots TV.

Are you a passionate Dr Who fan who has gone to great lengths for the show?

Tell us more by emailing [email protected]