Doctor Who Writer Son Suing the BBC

Stefan Coburn, son of Anthony Coburn, is suing the BBC in order to claim the rights to the TARDIS. Anthony Coburn, who wrote the script for the first Doctor Who story "An Unearthly Child" is claimed to have come up with the idea of the TARDIS says Stefan in the suite.  Documents and general knowledge of the origins of the show state that Sydney Newman and others of the production team came up with using the Police Box as the design for the TARDIS much earlier than when Coburn came on board.

Anthony Coburn died in 1977 but his son is now coming out with this suite, obviously to capitalize on increased awareness of the show during the 50th Anniversary.

Stefan says this -

It is by no means my wish to deprive legions of Doctor Who fans (of whom I was never one) of any aspect of their favourite children's programme. The only ends I wish to accomplish, by whatever lawful means present themselves, involve bringing about the public recognition that should by rights always have been his due, of my father James Anthony Coburn's seminal contribution to Doctor Who, and proper lawful recompense to his surviving estate.

The BBC has made no official comment.

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/who-owns-the-tardis-son-of-man-who-invented-doctor-whos-time-machine-is-challenging-bbc-over-breach-of-copyright-8930947.html