In 1966, due to the actor's health problems, the decision was made to replace Hartnell as the Doctor but continue the series. The story editor of Doctor Who (1963), Gerry Davis, came up with a unique idea: since the Doctor is an alien, he can transform into another man when he dies, thereby renewing himself. Hartnell reportedly approved of the casting of the versatile character actor Patrick Troughton to succeed him, a decision by Innes Lloyd, the then producer of the series. However, his former co-star Peter Purves stated in an interview that Hartnell would almost certainly have felt very hurt that anybody felt he could be replaced in the series because he had become so attached to the part that he had originated.
