We’re so thrilled to have unveiled a stellar programme of talks, panels and performances to celebrate Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary.

According to the Doctor’s non-linear concept of time and space an anniversary would be relatively meaningless but not so to his myriad fans who will be ensuring that the galaxy’s most infamous Timelord will be celebrated in style at this year’s festival.

No stranger to the Gallifreyan explorer, Cheshire’s Jodrell Bank Observatory is rightly renowned in Whovian lore having provided the backdrop to the fourth Doctor’s transition to the fifth (when Tom Baker handed the role over to Peter Davison in 1982) with the iconic Lovell Telescope becoming the Pharos Project Radio Telescope from which the fourth Doctor fell, triggering his regeneration.

Almost as important as the TARDIS to the legend of the Doctor is the unforgettable theme tune – a ground-breaking work of electronica par excellence created by Delia Derbyshire in 1963 – and bluedot is proud to present very special guests the Radiophonic Workshop with their brand new live show Dawn of the Doctors. Spines will be tingled!

As self-confessed Who superfans, the bluedot team are excited to present a series of talks and panels curated by writer, actor and renowned Doctor Who expert Toby Hadoke whose notable works include the West End hit Moths Ate my Doctor Who Scarf and BBC Radio 4 Extra’s The Seventh Dimension.

For Anticipointment, Toby will be in conversation with Robin Ince, the co-host of Radio 4’s award-winning Infinite Monkey Cage for a fascinating and hilarious deep-dive into life as a Whovian.

Toby will also be hosting Why Do We Love This Silly Programme So Much with Dr Tom Attah, from Leeds Arts University, Jodrell Bank astrophysicist Dr Emma Alexander, and comedian and Doctor Who actor Bethany Black. Toby’s final panel is Doctor Who Made Me featuring prolific TV scriptwriter and producer Stephen Gallagher, who wrote the Doctor Who stories Warrior’s Gate and Terminus, and actor and writer Dan Starkey who has played the fan- favourite Strax the Sontaran character in numerous episodes.

The electronic music charity and archive Delia Derbyshire Day is also presenting Conversations in Space, Time, Science and Music: Doctor Who at 60, a fascinating programme of panels leading with The Making of the Original Doctor Who Theme featuring Dick Mills who was Delia’s tape assistant during the production of the original theme and Mark Ayers of the Radiophonic Workshop Band. Further panels include Reversing the Polarity of the Timey Wimey Flow: The Changing Portrayal of the Scientist in Doctor Who with David Butler, Jen Gupta and Simon Guerrier and Doctor Who and the Current Crisis; The Role of Drama in Imagining Futures with Sashwati Mira Sengupta.