The
Doctor Who missing episodes are the portions of the long-running British
science-fiction television programme
Doctor Who no longer held by the
BBC. Between 1967 and 1978 the BBC routinely
deleted archive programmes, for various practical reasons (lack of space, scarcity of materials, a lack of rebroadcast rights). As a result of the cull, 97 of 253 episodes from the programme's first six years are currently missing, primarily from seasons 3-5 – leaving 26 serials incomplete. Many more were considered lost until recovered from various sources, mostly overseas broadcasters.