When the world’s most famous doctor landed on Lanzarote

Lanzarote’s otherworldly landscape has long made it a favourite for filmmakers seeking a dramatic, alien backdrop. But for fans of the iconic British series Doctor Who, the island holds a special place in television history as the real-world location for a pivotal chapter in the Time Lord’s adventures.

The universe’s most famous Time Lord last turned up on Lanzarote in 2014, when Peter Capaldi’s Doctor was filmed at the Volcán del Cuervo, among other locations.

But the first Doctor to park the Tardis here was Peter Davison in the 1984 series Planet of Fire. Unusually, an island that so often stands in for alien planets or prehistoric landscapes plays the holiday island of Lanzarote in this sci-fi series, in which the Doctor and his assistant Turlough encounter a holidaying American, Peri Brown, who would go on to become one of the Doctor’s favourite assistants.

The serial captured more than just a sci-fi story; it captured a moment of 1980s Lanzarote. In this clip we see Peri nearly drown off Papagayo, while the Doctor offers to pay for his drink with space creds in Orzola (we think – let us know if you’ve got a better idea).

So, the next time you’re hiking the volcanic trails of Cuervo or gazing out from the northern port of Orzola, remember you might be standing on a classic piece of Doctor Who history.