Missing Episodes FOUND!... but are there more?

[Matthew T]

On the missing episodes forum:

Greg H a regular contributor says:
Pretty much! What on earth is up with all of this nonsense? In the unlikely event anything has come back we will hear about it in due course and endlessly squabbling and speculating will not cause *insert favourite lost serial* to rematerialise.
I despair at fandom sometimes.

Paul Vanezis:

And let this be the final, sensible remark on the matter. The only way this will be resolved is if the BBC decide to make a statement. They won't be doing that here, so if anyone wants to speculate about this ridiculous situation, you can do it elsewhere.

Thread is then locked and moved to moderators forum.

Ian Levine on Twitter:

I have just seen "three tons" of evidence that tells me it's all true. Saying no more. Apart from I now believe it again.

Dare we dream?

[Matthew T]

More from Ian:

I've just been given proof that backs up the entire story,from 2011. So yes I now really believe he has found 90 missing episodes

This can't be true...CAN IT?!

[Alex]

Here's a few more tweets from the man.

I@realjackbowman Oh for F**KS sake. I didn't leak it. It's already BEEN leaked all over the net. I refused to believe it but now I have proof

Ohh I knew I'd have to come back and answer this. The 3 tons proof is from 2011.But he's been back TEN TIMES since then and found more stuff

Final word for tonight. If someone confided in me I would never be discussing this. But they lied + I found the proof so under no obligation

@Timelord81r Right now I'm holding on to the proof + not leaking it publicly. But I assure you I have proof of 3 tons of film cans arriving

I am so f**king speechless, I have no idea how I am going to sleep tonight. I was utterly wrong, but I was lied to, yes barefaced lied to.

Blimey, if it turns out to be a hoax now he's going to look all a bit silly. And I did wonder if someone had hacked his account or not, until it got all a bit sweary!

I'm still in "I'll believe it when I see it" mode though. It's safer that way.

[Anthony Williams]

If this is all true, and virtually everything has been found...

...can someone please lose The Space Pirates again?

[Rob McCow]

Time will tell my dear, it always does.

Also, the sands of time will wash all of those video tapes clean.

I hope they're being stored at the right temperature!

[Perry Vale]

More from Ian:



This can't be true...CAN IT?!

Depends what he means by proof. If he's physically seen 3 tons of material, yes, if he's basing it on this link I'd be very doubtful....

http://www.searates.com/es/contact/info/274803

(click on the 'Carrying' tab...)

[Philipnet]

This is the on-again off-again thread!

[Dino]

Ok... now I believe!

[SiHart]

But what has happened to them since they arrived in 2011?

[Si Hunt]

The guy obviously spent a lot of money collecting them. He's going to want re-imbursing (which might conflict with the BBC's long-held, but never put-to-the-test stance that they wouldn't pay for missing episodes), the films would have to be cataloged. I agree it seems like a long time, but there were apparently 8000 cans.

What's more worrying is that the negotiations (I've heard they are "delicate") are still ongoing between our Hero and the BBC to return them back. I have an idea of how far along they are and there's a way to go. Still, as long as some idiot doesn't blow the whole thing open by revealing his name on a blog.

Si.

[SiHart]

His name was revealed on the DVD of The Reign of Terror, as he's on the commentary for pt 5!

[Si Hunt]

But not in connection with this recovery.

Si.

[SiHart]

True, but you can't blame us for putting two and two together, can you?

[SiHart]

And another update: http://www.bleedingcool.com/2013/06/...ee-tons-worth/

[Si Hunt]

I can, but only because I care. A great number of people have known about this for close on two years. Paul Vanezis stated a week or so ago that the negotiations to get these back in the archives would be hurt by speculation, and urged people not to comment. Threads on message boards were closed down. Yet after all this, this guy decides it's in the public interest to publish Phil Morris' name and company details. Well, good for him. Well done. Phil's company website is out there, I was looking at it yesterday. How long before fans start bombarding its contact address with e-mails? This could hurt discussions. These episodes are NOT back yet. Yet Ian Levine is jubilent. He's merrily tweeting away and everything he says is picked up by this Bleeding Cool moron and used to stoke up more frenzied excitement and discussion. Why can't everyone just keep quiet until the deal is done?

And no, I don't know why message board discussion would hurt it either, although see what I said above about the e-mailing... but I'm just petrified this is all going to fall down around us before everything has been returned. We just need to be patient a little longer.

Si.

[Antony Cox]

This ia all an interesting development...

But I thought that Phillip Morris was working on behalf of the BBC in searching Africa for missing episoeds, so if the Sea Rate website is to be belived, isn't it HE who now has possession of them, not some 3rd party?

[Si Hunt]

He is the Third Party. He's friendly with the RT, but he's still independent, and I'm sure the BBC won't have given him cash up front to fund working in Africa for ten years or however long it's taken. So I guess now he has to cover his costs, and they have to persuade him to return whatever he's found.

Si.

[Antony Cox]

I see... hmm...

In which case now I understand the need for the rabid ones to quieten down a bit!

I had assumed he was a fan, though? If this is the case then on one hand it seems uncharitable not to just return the episodes (or at least just ask for a contribution to expenses..?), but on the other hand it must have cost a fortune for him to have travelled around Africa for the last however many years researching so unless he's independantly wealthy, it seems uncgaritable for us or the BBC to expect him to just hand them over, particularly as the potential DVD sales would I'm sure easily recoup whatever he would need to be paid...

[Si Hunt]

Exactly. Possibly.

On the upside, we've witnessed evidence of a good relationship there previously. He's been on a DVD commentary, obviously, and seems like an amiable fellow (What? Go and dig it out then! Reign:5). The RT spoke in a good way about him at Gallifrey (And seemed very happy and quietly confident; now we know why). He's reportedly a very down-to-earth, salt-of-the-earth type who "knows how to grease the wheels".

However, who knows what's changed now? Having come across the equivalent of the Doctor Who Golden Goose, a cash cow which the BBC could harvest millions of pounds out of, might do odd things to a bloke. Especially if, and you wouldn't put it past them would you?, they expect him to hand them over and have some red-tape rule about not paying for them. Who knows?

One encouraging sign is that his company's service is to locate missing material and return it to the original broadcaster. That's what he does. He isn't some DAT Tape Player supplier who got lucky and found himself with a bit of a bonus. So you'd hope there are procedures in place, he'd be expecting (and wanting) to bring them home and that some sort of normal procedures are merely being followed.

It does seem to be taking a while though.

Si.

[Philipnet]

And another update: http://www.bleedingcool.com/2013/06/...ee-tons-worth/

/Exasperated sigh

Can someone shoot this rumor dead, please?

[Si Hunt]

I'd rather have it alive and kicking myself.

Si.

[Antony Cox]

Indeed. It seems allegedly possibly potentialy more than just a mere rumour now...

[Si Hunt]

Update: Mr Bleeding Cool is badgering the BBC Head of Brands:

http://www.bleedingcool.com/2013/06/...medium=twitter

That'll help.

Si.

[Jon Masters]

"OK DW fans. Every time someone starts a rumuor or Internet thread about what we may or may not have recovered, we will pick a film can at random and burn it"

[Si Hunt]

http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-...1960s---or-not

Awful, awful article which embodies the problem with fans getting involved. Ooh, ooh why? When? What does that mean? Let's contact Phil Morris!

No, no, no! Leave it to the experts!

Si.