Amidst all the brainwashing, dystopia and fake regenerations of this week’s Doctor Who, you might have missed a small but crucial nod to a recurring feature in the revived version of the sci-fi series.


Not sure what we’re talking about? Well, take a closer look at the TV shop where the Doctor’s (Peter Capaldi) messages about the Monks are being beamed out to an unwitting public. Notice the logo?

Yep, that’s right – it’s Magpie Electricals, the very same shop featured prominently in 2006 episode The Idiot’s Lantern that sold TVs infected with an alien being to Londoners. Clearly, they’ve made a market in evil TV-related business.

Magpie Electricals in 2006 episode The Idiot’s Lantern

And this isn’t the first time the company logo has shown up in Doctor Who since its first appearance, with Magpie becoming a bit of an in-joke among the series’ production staff over the years as they strive to include it on various electrical goods.

Over the years Magpie Electricals logos have appeared on items including the Twelfth Doctor’s guitar amp (above), the Eleventh Doctor’s first Tardis monitor and keyboard, River Song’s scanner, Martha Jones and Wilfred Mott’s TVs, Sarah-Jane Smith’s computer and what appeared to be a franchise shop on the Starship UK in 2010 episode The Beast Below (see, er, below)

Clearly, a bit of involvement with aliens does wonders for a business that has seemingly now lasted for thousands of years, branched out into other products and even travelled to outer space. Inspiring stuff for entrepreneurs everywhere.


Doctor Who continues on BBC1 on Saturday 10th May at 7.15pm