Doctor Who actor Tom Baker has claimed that he will make his return to the Tardis for the show's 50th anniversary this weekend.

Baker, who played the Doctor from 1974 to 1981, revealed his appearance in the Day of the Doctor fiftieth anniversary episode in a newspaper interview.

The actor had appeared in a teaser trailer, along with the Timelord's other incarnations, for the episode but details about his involvement had been kept under wraps.

Baker told the Huffington Post: "I am in the special. I'm not supposed to tell you that, but I tell you that very willingly and specifically; the BBC told me not to tell anybody but I'm telling you straightaway."

The fiftieth anniversary story will star David Tennant, Matt Smith and John Hurt as the War Doctor and features the return of the Zygons, a creature first introduced in Baker's 1975 story Terror of the Zygons.

Baker's claims come days after the BBC launched a 10 minute prelude episode for the fiftieth called Night of the Doctor, which saw the return of Paul McGann, the Timelord's eighth incarnation.

A BBC spokesperson said: "As with William Hartnell's recent appearance in the last season finale, anything is possible in Doctor Who. But nothing is certain."