Shada, the legendary, Douglas Adams-scripted 1980 Doctor Who story that was abandoned halfway through its production and never finished, has now been completed.

But there’s a twist. In fact, there are two.

Given that it has been three decades since the cameras last rolled on the story, the actors involved would never have been able to convincingly play the same age, so Shada has been completed via animation, using only their voices.

The other twist is that this hasn’t been paid for by the BBC, nor even their commercial arm 2|entertain (responsible for the Doctor Who DVD releases). The animation has been privately funded by record producer and fan Ian Levine, and as things stand, the wider public might never get to see it.

Which isn’t Levine’s intention, of course; now that Shada has been finished, he’s hopeful an agreement can be reached with 2|entertain and the story released into the public domain.

… And watch this space for a report, ‘Doctor Who and the Shada Man’, detailing the history of the story and arguing the pros and cons of Ian Levine’s efforts to complete it.

What do you think? Should Shada be shared with the world at large, or should this ‘grand folly’ be forgotten about? Share your thoughts in the Comments or via Twitter: @Starburst_Mag