The episode that introduced Ace as the Doctor’s companion is going to have a special big-screen outing in June.

In the serial, the criminal Kane (Edward Peel) has been exiled to the planet Svartos, where he remained for three thousand years. He seeks to find the power source for his prison ship, which has since become a trading colony called Iceworld, so he can use it to return to his home planet.

This closing story from Season 24 saw fans wave farewell to Bonnie Langford as Mel and introduced them to Sophie Aldred as Ace, the new companion to Sylvester McCoy’s Doctor.

It also features what is widely said to be one of the worst cliffhangers in the long Doctor Who tradition of bad cliffhangers at the end of Episode One.

There’s a very in-depth magazine article about the making of the serial.

The screening of Doctor Who: Dragonfire (BBC, 1987) is to herald the forthcoming Blu-ray release of Doctor Who: The Collection – Season 24.

Although unconfirmed at the moment, the BFI screening is likely to include special guests, and will take place on 12th June.

The full reopening film programme will be on the BFI’s website from Monday 26th April, with members booking opening on Monday 3rd May, and pubic booking Thursday 6th May.