This week’s episode of BBC sci-fi series Doctor Who will have a section of dialogue removed as a mark of respect to victims of Monday night’s terrorist attack in Manchester, RadioTimes.com understands.


The excerpt in question from upcoming story The Pyramid at the End of the World made passing references to terrorism as part of a more general discussion of threats to Earth, but the BBC has decided that as a matter of sensitivity it should be removed.

The rest of the episode will remain unchanged and will air in its scheduled BBC1 slot of 7:45pm on Saturday 27th May.

“Following the tragic events in Manchester, we have made a small edit to this week’s episode of Doctor Who,” a BBC spokesperson told RadioTimes.com.

This is not the first time the BBC has been moved to alter an episode of Doctor Who due to real-life tragedy, with the Corporation previously re-editing 2014 story Robot of Sherwood when elements of the story echoed real-life atrocities committed by Islamic State.

The Manchester attack has resulted in numerous changes to the TV schedules this week. On Tuesday, Jimmy McGovern’s new northern drama Broken was replaced on BBC1 by an episode of Blue Planet, while Channel 4 drama Ackley Bridge has been edited to remove a hoax bomb plot storyline. And due to the suspension of general election campaigning, Andrew Neil’s interviews with party leaders Theresa May, Paul Nuttall and Tim Farron have also been postponed.


Doctor Who is on BBC1 on Saturday at 7:45pm