Season 43 (Doctor Who)

Season 43 aired between 23 September 2006 and 11 November 2006. It contained eight ninety-minute episodes as with the previous two seasons. It was the first season with Paul Cornell as Script Editor, and the third and final for Tony Redston as producer and Anthony Head as The Doctor, as well as the 'Gallifrey Arc'.

Setting up the final rounds
The season carried on the story arcs of Season 42, the final (as it was from broadcast) episodes of Leftover and the spin-off that was broadcast earlier in 2006, Rebel Zero which was about the reappearance of the Master and the events that took place between episodes five and seven of the previous season whilst The Doctor was in the Matrix.

Departing so soon
Behind the scenes, however, it was announced after production had wrapped up for Season 43 as Tony Redston and Anthony Head were to step down as producer and Doctor respectively in the second feature film, Doctor Who: Revelation which was to be released for February 2007.

Russell T Davies, script editor since Season 39 also stepped down from his role to be replaced by Paul Cornell, who had recently written for Leftover and Rebel Zero. He continued to be a part of the show by being a 'creative consultant' along with previous writer and director of the show, Nicholas Meyer.

Approved by Auntie
The arc and Gallifrey in this season with the previous two seasons had started to convince the BBC to plan ahead with new ideas involving some of the current characters but the plans would not progress further until mid-2007, after the release of Doctor Who: Revelation with the departure of Redston and Head.

Other changes
The title sequence had been changed again from Season 42, as the music had been rearranged by returning composer, John Debney and the logo had been created into 3D. Although fans liked the new arrangement, many felt it lacked the main elements of the theme tune which are only clearly heard at the end of the opening arrangement but moreover in the first part of the closing arrangement. It is the second arrangement of the theme not to include the middle eight.

Regular

 * The Doctor - Anthony Head
 * The Rogue - Derek Jacobi, Timothy Dalton
 * The Rani - Siobhan Redmond
 * Leela - Louise Jameson
 * Ace McShane - Sophie Aldred
 * The Master - Geoffrey Bayldon
 * Francs - Will Patton

Recurring
To be added.

Guest
To be added.

Home Media
To be added.