1981 (production)

== January ==
* 8-9 January - Studio filming for Logopolis took place at BBC Television Centre studio 3. (REF: Doctor Who The Handbook: The Fourth Doctor)
* 22-24 January - Studio filming for Logopolis took place at BBC Television Centre studio 6. (REF: Doctor Who The Handbook: The Fourth Doctor)
== April ==
* April - John Nathan-Turner wrote a story outline for the proposed K9 and Company spin-off pilot story.
* 8 April - Castrovalva is commissioned as a script, with a delivery date of 1 June.DWMSE 1
* 13-15 and 28-30 April - Studio filming for Four to Doomsday took place at BBC Television Centre studio 6. (REF: Doctor Who The Handbook: The Fifth Doctor)
== May ==
* May - John Nathan-Turner and Anthony Root composed a "format document" for a planned spin-off series to be entitled K9 and Company.
* 1 May - Pre-filming for The Visitation took place at Ealing Studios. (REF: Doctor Who The Handbook: The Fifth Doctor)
* 5-8 May - Location filming for The Visitation took place at Ealing Studios. (REF: Doctor Who The Handbook: The Fifth Doctor)
* 12 May - Elisabeth Sladen was officially invited to reprise the role of Sarah Jane Smith for the planned K9 and Company spin-off.
* 20-21 May - Studio filming for The Visitation took place at BBC Television Centre studio 3. (REF: Doctor Who The Handbook: The Fifth Doctor)
== June ==
* 3-5 June - Studio filming for The Visitation took place at BBC Television Centre studio 6. (REF: Doctor Who The Handbook: The Fifth Doctor)
== July ==
* 29-31 July - Studio filming for Kinda took place at BBC Television Centre studio 6. (REF: Doctor Who The Handbook: The Fifth Doctor)
== August ==
* 12-14 August - Studio filming for Kinda took place at BBC Television Centre studio 8. (REF: Doctor Who The Handbook: The Fifth Doctor)
== September ==
* 1-4 September - Location filming for Castrovalva took place. (REF: Doctor Who The Handbook: The Fifth Doctor)
* 15-16 September - Studio filming for Castrovalva took place at BBC Television Centre 3. (REF: Doctor Who The Handbook: The Fifth Doctor)
* 29-30 September - Studio filming for Castrovalva took place at BBC Television Centre 6. (REF: Doctor Who The Handbook: The Fifth Doctor)
== October ==
* 1 October - Studio filming for Castrovalva took place at BBC Television Centre 6. (REF: Doctor Who The Handbook: The Fifth Doctor)
* 5-9 October - Location filming for Black Orchid took place. (REF: Doctor Who The Handbook: The Fifth Doctor)
* 14 October - Steve Gallagher met with the Doctor Who production team to discuss his new story breakdown for Terminus. There, producer John Nathan-Turner informed him that the serial would be Nyssa's last. Peter Davison, who played the then-current Fifth Doctor, protested against this decision.
* 20-21 October - Studio filming for Black Orchid took place. (REF: Doctor Who The Handbook: The Fifth Doctor)
* 29 October - Location filming for Earthshock took place. (REF: Doctor Who The Handbook: The Fifth Doctor)
== November ==
* November - Production of the pilot episode of the planned K9 and Company spin-off series, A Girl's Best Friend, took place.
* 10-12 and 24-26 November - Studio filming for Earthshock took place. (REF: Doctor Who The Handbook: The Fifth Doctor)
* 10 November - Studio filming for additional scenes for Kinda took place at BBC Television Centre studio 8. (REF: Doctor Who The Handbook: The Fifth Doctor)
== Footnotes ==