January
9 - The year starts off in an unusual place - Reddit.
On GB, member IceWarrior posts that a Reddit user is claiming to be in possession of three missing episodes, allegedly:
The Tenth Planet, episode 4
The Space Pirates, episode 6.
Other members immediately identify this as a hoax (given that the Reddit user's name is "EffectiveFishing6526").
10 - After claiming down-thread that The Space Pirates is a televisual recording and the other two episodes are film prints, EffectiveFishing6526's post is deleted by an admin. The user had apparently posted in other subreddits as well, and these posts were also deleted.
19 - Regarding the Reddit user, Paul Vanezis drops in to the GB thread to confirm that despite other Redditors encouraging EffectiveFishing6526, Paul has not been contacted in relation to the episodes in question.
February
4 - On GB, Jon Preddle debunks the theory that "The Feast of Steven" (The Dalek's Master Plan:7) may have been telerecorded for overseas sales.
9 - On GB, Hewy asserts that the list Paul Vanezis gave to Russell T Davies and his team was not simply a list of what might possibly be found - and thus the origin of the omnirumour, making the entire phenomenon a spurious one - but a confirmation of what HAD been found - "all recovered and safe".
17 - When asked whether he believes the story of Morris' global search will one day be told, Richard Bignell says he has "no idea", and that he hasn't spoken to Phil in eight years.
March
23 - On PMF, member Bowtiesarecool posts a Twitter link from Film is Fabulous, stating that an announcement of new finds of film and TV will be made soon.
April
20 - On the Missing Believed Wiped Facebook page, Film Is Fabulous post they are assisting with the curation of a large collection of vintage film and television belonging to the late Tim Beddows, founder and former Managing Director of Network Distribution.
25 - Film is Fabulous announce finds of film prints missing from the archive:
Dad’s Army: The Battle of Godfrey’s Cottage (Broadcast: 8th March 1969)
The Likely Lads: Entente Cordiale (Broadcast: 16th December 1964)
The Likely Lads: A Star is Born * (Broadcast: 23rd June 1965)
The Likely Lads: Far Away Places * (Broadcast: 14th July 1965)
Steptoe and Son: My Old Man’s a Tory (Broadcast: 8th November 1965)
The two latter episodes of The Likely Lads already existed but only as a digital copy.
28 - On PMF, Mark Humphries shares a report of an alleged quote from Steve Roberts at the Capitol Convention:
Steve Roberts bowed out of the Restoration Team after the DVDs ended - he couldn’t face doing the Blu-Rays. He said point blank there are other episodes out there, they’re just playing the long game and treating the owners nicely in the hope they’ll let them be used.
May
6 - On GB, member typeforty shares information from a post by Ian Levine on the Doctor Who Missing Episodes Unofficial Facebook Group: that although Ian will proceed with animating many missing stories, The Wheel in Space is not being done "for a very special reason".
8 - On the MBW Facebook page, Film is Fabulous reports that over 400 of the 620 films of the Beddows Collection have been catalogued. Several missing items have come to light and will be announced shortly.
10 - 42 to Doomsday release their podcast dealing with the "hoarder tapes", being curated by Aron Challinger and Prof Jason Bainbridge.
June
3 - On GB, Tim B reports that Film is Fabulous are in the process of curating and cataloguing the collection belonging to the late Terry Burnett (he of the Galaxy Four and Underwater Menace returns; see Origins of the Omnirumour).
4 - FIF later post about this on the MBW Facebook page.
12 - On GB, Simon Burt claims that back in 2014, he heard from "someone at the BBC in London" that Phil Morris' behaviour on social media may have led to further deals for missing episodes being "suspended".
Further, Tim B says he believes that the episodes of The Daleks' Master Plan found in the UK were from the Australian audition prints.
17 - On GB, Scot Ferre confirms that he and others remain operating on the assumption that "episodes were acquired but not released".
22 - Film is Fabulous post a summary of their returns to date.
July
26 - On the MBW Facebook page, FIF announce that a large film collection from a deceased estate (namely the late David Moore) is being curated, with a large amount of known missing material already identified.
In a further update, FIF reveal that:
- The majority of films are 16mm, with a small number of 35mm as well as 8mm and 9.5mm Pathe films
- There is a great many episodes of television, predominantly from the 1950s and 1960s, including items from Rediffusion and, of primary interest to Whovians, the BBC
- Details of the items will be announced once scans of the films have been returned to the copyright holders.
August
15 - FIF post an update on the David Moore film collection, stating that not every 35mm film will be salvageable and sadly this includes "a small number" of episodes of missing television. Permission needs to be sought from the copyright holders before they disclose the names of the episodes.
Their cataloguing of the collection will re-commence on 2 September.
September
14 - When asked on Facebook for an update on the missing episodes, FIF state that they have been extremely busy but an announcement will be forthcoming soon.
15 - On Ian Levine's Facebook Group (ILFG), a member shares an update from FIF: that this Monday and Wednesday, the team will announce which missing episodes they have recovered from deceased estate collections.
20 - On GB, Paul Vanezis gives his summation of the state of both the films and their cans, from the David Moore collection.
21 - On their Facebook page, FIF announce a fundraiser campaign for the restoration of recovered missing episodes of television.
23 - FIF post an update of the progress of the late Terry Burnett's collection.
24 - FIF make an intriguing reply to a post from an enquiry about missing Who (and see September 28).
26 - FIF reach their fundraiser target to restore a missing episode.
28 - On GB, member NrpBazuCd points out a post from FIF's Facebook (see September 24) - in reply to an enquiry about missing Who, FIF says "Let's see what happens in the next few weeks."
30 - On their Facebook, FIF post a lengthy clarification of their purpose and methods in recovering missing episodes, and working with film collectors to preserve precious material. In a comment underneath the post, FIF also clarify that none of the recently discovered missing episodes are Doctor Who.
October
3 - FIF announce a find of a missing episode of 1963 BBC war drama, Moonstrike. Only 3 of its 27 episodes were thought to survive.
4 - FIF make another announcement of a recovered missing 1960s BBC episode - The Third Man: The Man Who Wouldn't Talk. In addition, a 16mm, better quality version of The Third Man: The Man With Two Left Hands, has also been recovered.
7 - On GB, member acb2009 posts a link to another fascinating find - unbroadcast alternative footage of an episode of Thunderbirds, found in a garden shed in Berkshire. The films belonged to a former editor on the program, now deceased. The films were found by his family.
Meanwhile FIF announce the restoration of another missing TV episode - Saber of London: Four Against Three. Also, in the comments below, they state they are liaising with the estates of MORE THAN TWENTY collectors!
11 - On X, FIF announce their fifth case study of their pilot programme - this one will not involve a collector but a former production team member of "several" classic television series.
14 - FIF announce the finding of a missing episode of Play School. This brings the total finds to 15, plus 9 of better quality.
18 - On X, FIF announce that this week they have catalogued a trove of "BBC negatives, prints and magnetic soundtracks" from a private collection. No other details are forthcoming.
23 - On the Type 40 YouTube channel, an interview with Ian Levine is posted in which Ian re-tells the story of how he rescued film prints of Doctor Who, and for the first time (to my knowledge) clarifies his role in the recovery of The Tomb of the Cybermen.
28 - FIF announce two recovered ATV episodes, featuring Sylvester McCoy:
Work: Journey to Work (1978)
Work: Unemployment (1979)
November
5 - FIF announce that they are in contact with seven former industry professionals via an article sent to members of the BBC Pensioners' Association. Further, FIF confirm that two collections, being added to their pilot programme, contain missing, rare and unique BBC films and negatives.