Doctor Who became a British institution almost from the first episode, broadcast in 1963. It went on to become the country's longest-running science fiction TV series. There were seven different Doctors; scores of actors played the Doctors' companions. Doctor Who had its ups and downs, but the late 1980s - the tenure of Sylvester McCoy as the seventh and last Doctor (so far) - saw the series flower creatively even as the audience figures continued gently to decline. There was a new Doctor; a new script editor; new writers with big new ideas. There were new techniques in special effects - and Mike Tucker was part of the visual effects team on the series from 1985. And in 1987 the final TV companion arrived: Sophie Aldred played the rebellious, moody, streetwise and lionhearted teenager Ace, who rapidly became one of the all-time favourite Doctor's companions among the legions of fans. Mike and Sophie have collaborated to produce the ultimate insiders' guide to the last great era of Doctor Who, packed with hundreds of never-before-seen photographs from their private collections.
