About this episode

This episode explores the 1981 television pilot K-9 and Company, a unique entry in the Doctor Who universe.

In this episode, we explore the 1981 television pilot K-9 and Company, a unique and historic entry in the Doctor Who universe. Produced as a proposed Doctor Who spin-off, K-9 and Company stars the legendary Elisabeth Sladen as investigative journalist Sarah Jane Smith alongside the robotic dog K9, voiced by John Leeson. While both were iconic former companions of the Fourth Doctor in Doctor Who, they had never appeared together on screen until the K-9 and Company pilot episode, titled A Girl’s Best Friend. Broadcast on BBC1 as a Doctor Who related Christmas special on 28 December 1981, K-9 and Company remains a vital piece of the Doctor Who franchise history despite not being commissioned for a full series. The existence of K-9 and Company was largely due to Doctor Who producer John Nathan-Turner, who wanted to bring Elisabeth Sladen back to the Doctor Who family. His initial 1980 plan for the actress would have seen Sarah Jane Smith travel in the TARDIS during the Doctor Who transition from Tom Baker to Peter Davison. However, Sladen wanted a role that evolved beyond her previous Doctor Who narrative. Simultaneously, the Doctor Who production team was struggling with the…

People in this episode

Hosts: Ross, Jon, James

Topics covered

• Doctor Who
• K-9 and Company
• television history
• British horror
• spin-offs

Keywords

• K-9 and Company
• Doctor Who
• Elisabeth Sladen
• John Nathan-Turner
• 1981 pilot

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: BBC

Books & works: K-9 and Company, Doctor Who

More episodes of General Witchfinders: The British Horror Podcast

• 69: General Witchfinders LIVE: Folk Horror, M.R. James & Nigel Kneale · May 8, 2026 · 1h 17m
• 67: Frankenstein Created Woman (1967) – Hammer Horror – Dir. Terence Fisher – Peter Cushing, Susan Denberg & Thorley Walters · March 2, 2026 · 1h 38m
• 66: The Asphyx (aka Spirit of the Dead) (aka The Horror of Death) (1972) – Glendale Film – Dir. Peter Newbrook – Robert Stephens, Robert Powell & Jane Lapotaire – Freddie Young Shot · February 6, 2026 · 1h 33m
• 65a: The Ice House (1978) – BBC – Dir. Derek Lister, Writer John Bowen – John Stride, Elizabeth Romilly & Ewan Hooper – BBC Ghost Story for Christmas · December 23, 2025 · 1h 20m
• 64: Psychomania (aka The Death Wheelers) (1973) – Benmar Productions – Dir. Don Sharp – Beryl Reid, George Sanders & Nicky Henson · December 12, 2025 · 2h 15m
• 63 (Part 2): Flash Gordon (1980) – Starling Productions – Dir. Mike Hodges – Sam J. Jones, Melody Anderson & Max von Sydow · November 8, 2025 · 1h 22m

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the General Witchfinders: The British Horror Podcast podcast page.