This title will be released on June 29, 2009
Order this from Amazon.
Thursday 30 April 2009
Doctor Who Adventures Issue 113
In this week’s Doctor Who Adventures magazine…
Sontar-ha! There are Sontarans on the loose
Doctor Who Adventures looks at last year’s Sontaran invasion, with a monster who’s who and story guide to the exciting episodes. We also look at the Sontaran warship – a very impressive and magnificent spaceship!
This week’s magazine comes with a Sontaran spaceship game, badges, and stickers.
What else?
Posters: The Tenth Doctor, Cybermen, Sontarans and Daleks!
Make: You’ll find a Tritovore mask and we show you how to make some alien hands.
News: Wilf’s back … but where’s Donna?
Blast from the Past: Sarah Jane travels in the TARDIS for the first time and the Doctor meets a Sontaran. Yikes!
Puzzles and competitions: Fun things to work out and win.
Comic strip: All is not well when the Doctor and Heather go sightseeing.
Subscription offer: Subscribe today and get an amazing Doctor Who book!
Doctor Who Adventures, issue 113, priced £2.10, is out Thursday 30 April 2009.
Wednesday 29 April 2009
Hugo Award Nominations 2009
www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho
Doctor Who has received two nominations for this year's Hugo Awards in the 'Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form' category. The Hugo Awards are held every year for the best science fiction or fantasy of the previous year and winners will be announced this summer.
The nominations go to...
Doctor Who - Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead (written by Steven Moffat and directed by Euros Lyn) and,
Doctor Who - Turn Left (written by Russell T. Davies and directed by Graeme Harper).
Steven Moffat has won in this category for the last three years, for Series 3 episode 'Blink', Series 2 episode 'The Girl in the Fireplace' and Series 1 episodes The Empty Child and The Doctor Dances.
Hannah Murray NOT new companion
Doctor Who OnlineHannah Murray denies Doctor Who companion rumours.
BBC Entertainment reporter, and self-confessed Doctor Who fan; Lizo Mzimba, recently spoke to Skins star; Hannah Murray regarding the recent rumours that she has been cast as the 11th Doctor's companion.
According to Murray, "it was something I could never consider cos I'm doing a degree at the moment". She then added that the new companion was "definitely not" her.
Tuesday 28 April 2009
New Torchwood: Children of Earth Teaser
Watch the new 10 second Torchwood: Children of Earth teaser.
This teaser preview for Torchwood: Children of Earth will be broadcast from today in Australia as Series 2 comes to a close there.
Torchwood: Children of Earth will be broadcast over 5 nights this summer on BBC One.
www.bbc.co.uk/torchwood
Monday 27 April 2009
Sunday 26 April 2009
Torchwood: Children of Earth To Air In June
Den Of Geek
Captain Jack & Co. are back in little over a month. We find out when and where you can see "Torchwood: Children of Earth" first.
Published on Apr 25, 2009
After months of speculation, the third series of the Doctor Who spin-off show, Torchwood, is to be broadcast on BBC1 in June.
The British Film Institute are hosting a preview of the first episode on Friday, 12th June at the National Film Theatre in London. This would suggest that Torchwood: Children of Earth will start broadcasting on 15th June. As previously announced by the BBC, the five-part series will be aired over five consecutive nights though it would appear that this format will not be observed when it is screened on BBC America.
The event at the NFT also includes a Q&A with guests from the cast and creative team. The BFi have also supplied a synopsis for the first installment (those avoiding spoilers may want to look away now):
1965: Twelve children are gathered on a deserted moor, before being surrounded by a harsh, bright light .... and then they are gone!
Today: all over Earth, children stop moving. Stop playing, stop laughing. Then, as one, they begin to speak with the same voice, announcing the imminent arrival of a new alien threat. "We are coming...". As the British government closes ranks, it issues a death warrant against Captain Jack and Torchwood...
John Barrowman in My Family
BBC Press Office
My Family
Thursday 7 May
8.00-8.30pm BBC ONE
Ben is stunned to discover that successful celebrity dentist, Jeremy Livingston, has dedicated his new book to him, especially because he hasn't got a clue who Jeremy is, as the comedy continues.
Meanwhile, Susan is stranded in an Albanian airport where a handsome stranger comes to her rescue when her bag is stolen. She is instantly smitten with The Doctor, a dashing American, who is heading off on an adventure around the world. The pair connect and he soon asks Susan to join him on his travels. But, could Susan really turn her back on Ben for a lifetime of romance, and could The Doctor really be all that he seems?
As Ben searches through some old memorabilia to jog his memory, he finally realises Jeremy was an old college mate whose work he always copied.
Jeremy invites Ben out for dinner to reminisce about the old days, but Ben's just in it for the free meal. It soon transpires Jeremy is actually jealous of Ben's mundane, fame-free life and is fed up with his celebrity lifestyle. Encouraged by Ben, and after a few too many drinks, Jeremy hastily dumps his book publisher, £1million dental floss contract and his glamorous, trophy wife.
The next day, Jeremy is feeling worse for wear and needs Ben to remind him of the previous night's events. He is horrified when Ben tells him what happened and leads Ben into a tricky situation that has disaster written all over it.
Ben is played by Robert Lindsay, Jeremy Livingston by David Haig, Susan by Zoë Wanamaker and The Doctor by John Barrowman.
Saturday 25 April 2009
DOCTOR WHO: A COLD DAY IN HELL!
Doctor Who Magazine Facebook
The latest Graphic Novel from the DWM team, featuring the following Seventh Doctor comic strips:
A Cold Day in Hell!
Redemption!
The Crossroads of Time
Claws of the Klathi!
Culture Shock!
Keepsake
Planet of the Dead
Echoes of the Mogor!
Time and Tide
Follow that TARDIS!
Invaders from Gantac!
Friday 24 April 2009
Thursday 23 April 2009
Planet of the Dead on iTunes
Outpost Gallifrey
UK residents can now buy the latest Doctor Who special, "Planet of the Dead", at Apple's iTunes store. The programme can be purchased in either high definition or standard definition here.
All other new series episodes and many classic series serials are also available at the UK iTunes store. The US iTunes store has several classic stories and new series episodes through "Journey's End".
"Planet of the Dead" is scheduled to be released on Region 2 DVD on June 29, 2009.
Gillian Anderson being lined up for Doctor Who appearance
Telegraph
Gillian Anderson, the X-Files star, is being lined up to appear in a forthcoming episode of Dr Who, it has been reported.
The 40-year-old, best known for her role as FBI Special Agent Dana Scully in the sci-fi drama, is expected to be cast opposite the new Doctor Matt Smith.
Doctor Who's makers want the London-based actress to appear in a one-off special episode as a deadly enemy of the Time Lord.
The American star would play the part of the renegade Time Lady The Rani, a glamorous but evil scientific genius previously played in the series by Kate O'Mara in the 80s.
An insider told the Daily Express newspaper: "Gillian obviously has a massive sci-fi following and it's felt that it would be a major coup to have her appear in Doctor Who.
"The team behind the show are keen for the next Doctor to have lots of new enemies and Gillian would be a glamorous and impressive addition to the list.
"The Rani would be a perfect role for her as the character used to be regarded as one of the Doctor's most deadly opponents."
Anderson is currently preparing to star alongside former Doctor Who Christopher Eccleston next month in a production of A Doll's House at the Donmar Warehouse in London's West End.
Torchwood Magazine Issue 15 Cover and Details
Titan Magazines
Torchwood magazine returns with 100 pages of essential features and interviews to give you your fix from the Hub in the build up to Children of Earth. In the latest 100-page issue we talk to the irrepressible John Barrowman and other members of the cast and crew, bring you brand new Torchwood stories, look back at series one with our comprehensive episode guide, and much more.
Features
Children of Earth: Exclusive Coverage
Torchwood magazine takes you behind the scenes of Children of Earth in the latest issue with an exclusive report from the set in the final week of shooting. We also bring you a photo preview of each of the five days of the new series, with a commentary by writer and executive producer Russell T Davies. Plus, Torchwood script editor Brian Minchin tells us why Children of Earth is going to be epic, and one of the show’s new faces for the new series, Rik Makarem (who plays one Dr Rupesh Patanjali) reveals all about his Torchwood experience.
A new Comic Strip saga begins
An old enemy checks in at the start of ‘Broken’, a brand-new comic strip story by Gary Russell, with artwork by Adrian Salmon, featuring in the latest issue of Torchwood magazine. Imagery from the comic strip features in an image gallery on our Facebook page – click here to check it out.
Revisited: Greeks Bearing Gifts
Torchwood magazine takes a detailed look back at Greeks Bearing Gifts – the series one favourite that saw Toshiko receive an alien pendant that enabled her to read minds – with devastating effects! Plus, we interview the actress who played Mary, the mysterious woman who seduced Tosh in a bar and gave her the trinket. Daniela Denby-Ashe, star of My Family and Eastenders, talks about bringing together Mary’s many sides – lover, fighter, victim, killer –in one perfect package.
Wednesday 22 April 2009
Planet of the Dead - Final Rating
Outpost Gallifrey
Final figures released by BARB give Planet of the Dead an official rating of 9.54 million viewers, making it the 5th most watched programme of the week.
Planet of the Dead is one of only eight episodes in the programme's long history to make the top five.
An additional 200,000 viewers watched the programme in High Definition on BBC HD as a simulcast with BBC1. This is the highest figure ever achieved by BBC HD.
The Sunday repeat on BBC3 was watched by 0.91 million viewers.
Lights, Camera, Action!
SarahJane.TV
Well, here we go again as filming begins on the third season of The Sarah Jane Adventures today! There's been numerous rumours of what happens during this run of stories, but truth be told nobody has known anything for sure. Now all that changes! Remember last year when fans spotted Nicholas Courtney on set? Or the Gorgon set reports from series one? Who knows what fans will spot during this year's round of filming...
SARAH-JANE.tv doesn't have the best reputation as far as set reporting goes. It's hard because we don't have access to Cardiff, so rely solely upon what we read online. Even then it's a little unfair of us to just cut and paste set reports from the likes of the Doctor Who Forum (for example) because they're by other people and we have no right to just steal their writings.
However, as long term readers of the site might know, it means that the blog falls behind on the latest goings on during filming (luckily we catch up again afterwards! :P ) so to stop that from happening, I'm asking you the reader to send in any location reports that you might have directly to the site via this email address.
Help us to spoil you!
Good luck to the cast and crew over the next four months as they embark on what may potentially be their last round of adventures with Miss Sarah Jane Smith!
***
Apparently a Cardiff based production team set up base at Toys 'R Us yesterday evening. They're there for either Doctor Who (likely) or the SJA (even more likely).
That comes direct from the Doctor Who set report team over on twitter.
Tuesday 21 April 2009
Trader jailed for selling fake Doctor Who toys
This is South Wales
A TRADER is doing time after being caught selling fake Doctor Who toys.
Malik Aftab Hussain was jailed for 10 months for his dealing at the annual Neath Fair — which included selling counterfeit and unsafe toys.
He was also ordered to pay more than £34,000 under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
When he appeared before Neath magistrates last year, 33-year-old Hussain, of Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, pleaded guilty to 29 offences contravening the Trade Marks Act 1994 and the Consumer Protection Act 1987. The case was transferred to Swansea Crown Court because magistrates felt they had insufficient sentencing powers.
Trading standards officers on patrol at the 2007 Neath Fair became suspicious of the Doctor Who and other toys Hussain was selling when they noticed spelling mistakes and incorrect labels on the packaging.
Monday 20 April 2009
Doctor Who theme wins sci-fi vote
BBC News
The distinctive music to Doctor Who has been named the best television sci-fi theme tune in an online vote.
It finished ahead of Red Dwarf, The X Files and Buffy The Vampire Slayer, according to website Total Sci-Fi.
The music, which has remained with the programme throughout its history in various forms, was composed and arranged back in 1963.
Total Sci-Fi editor Matt McAllister called it "instantly recognisable to fans just by its opening bars".
Refusal
He added that it manages to convey the "outlandish quality of the show".
The music was composed by Australian Ron Grainer and arranged by Delia Derbyshire at the BBC's Radiophonic Workshop.
Delia Derbyshire arranged the iconic theme tune
The distinctive sound was created by combining a tape loop of a struck piano string with the sound of test oscillators and filters among a whole host of techniques.
It has gone through a number of changes since the 1960s, and the current version which has been used since Doctor Who was revived in 2005 was arranged by Murray Gold.
Star Trek came in at number five in the poll, followed by Thunderbirds, The Twilight Zone, Battlestar Galactica, Quantum Leap and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
Ms Derbyshire, who along with Mr Grainer was initially refused a credit for the music, died in 2001.
The BBC had wanted to keep the members of their Radiophonic Workshop team anonymous.
Doctor Who Adventures 111
Would you be allowed in the TARDIS?
In the latest issue of Doctor Who Adventures magazine, find out if you’ve got what it takes to travel with the Doctor in the TARDIS. DWA looks at some of the people the Doctor hasn’t allowed to be full-time travellers in his amazing time machine…
There’s also a guide to Planet of the Dead that’s full of essential information about this action-packed story.
The issue comes with a set of exclusive Dalek stationery, which includes a pencil case, notepad, pencil and rubber.
Get yours today!
What else?
Posters: The Supreme Dalek, a Tritovore and a vicious Cybershade.
Who’s where?: Loads of aliens have joined the Doctor and Christina on the bus!
Monster quiz: Find out how well you know your monsters.
Tales from the TARDIS: The Slitheen attack!
Terror through time: The Daleks.
Puzzles and competitions: Loads of things to do and win, including the new Cybermen DVD box set.
Comic strip: The TARDIS arrives on a boat in 1918…
Subscription offer: Subscribe today and get an amazing Doctor Who book!
Doctor Who Adventures, issue 111, priced £2.10, is out now. Essential reading for young fans of monsters and time travel.
Sunday 19 April 2009
Matt Smith 'eager' to work with Barrowman
Digital Spy
Matt Smith has revealed that he is keen to appear alongside John Barrowman on the next series of Doctor Who.
The show's new lead actor recently told Barrowman that he is a huge fan of his alter-ego Captain Jack, who has already teamed up with Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant's Doctors.
In an interview with Radio 2's Steve Wright In The Afternoon, Barrowman confirmed: "I like him. I was doing publicity at the BBC and he was also coming in to do stuff himself.
"We sat down and had a conversation, he seems like a really nice guy and he's really up for it. I think he'll do really, really well.
"He said: 'One thing John, I'd really love it if Captain Jack and my Doctor cross paths'. I said: 'Well, we have to leave that up to the writers'. Who knows?"
Smith will take over from Tennant in the fifth series of the BBC One sci-fi show, which airs in 2010.
BBC iPlayer goes high definition
BBC News
The BBC's iPlayer is to start offering high definition (HD) streams and downloads of some programmes.
It will mean improved picture quality on streams to web browsers.
For many users, it will be their first chance to view HD television, with Doctor Who, Kerwhizz, and Dragons' Den all slated for HD release.
The next three Doctor Who specials will all be in HD on the iPlayer
Read the rest here
Who is knocking up The Doctor?
Digital Spy
"It is returning, it is returning through the dark ... he will knock four times." The psychic lady on the 200 bus said these darkly prophetic words to The Doctor during the conclusion of 'Planet Of The Dead', whipping up the tension ahead of David Tennant's impending departure. But who exactly wants to get in touch with The Doctor? We look at some of the possible characters who might be flexing their knuckles (or tentacles) in advance of the knocking...
Read the rest here.
Saturday 18 April 2009
Friday 17 April 2009
John Barrowman talks 'Torchwood', 'Who'
Digital Spy
With Torchwood: Children Of Earth finally due to arrive on our screens in the not-too-distant future, the time was right for a catch-up with John Barrowman. So many questions: What can we expect from this new-format series three? Will there be a fourth series? And will he return to Doctor Who to wave off David Tennant? Struggling to contain our excitement and with our spoiler-scoops fully primed, we shared a pizza with the big man to find out more.
What can you tell us about the third series of Torchwood?
"I can tell you that Jack and the team find themselves in a completely different environment to what they're used to. Jack's past comes back to haunt him and the present team. It all sort of backfires on him and he has to clean up the mess that he and the government make."
Is it a literal mess? We've heard rumours of an explosion...
"It becomes a literal mess - that's all I'll say! If you've heard rumours of an explosion... well, it becomes a mess."
What do you make of the new format?
"It's a series of five episodes spread over a week. Personally, if it comes back for series four, I'd like to do more episodes. But we had to do something that created an impact when we moved to BBC One. It's like we're always under a test and I wish at some point they'd go 'you're fine! Stay where you are!' and that's what I'm looking forward to. But again, it depends on the audience."
How do you think fans will react?
"I think the audience will really like it. And if you've never seen Torchwood, now is the time to watch it. It's a one-off and you can just jump right in to it. It helps to know a bit of background, but you'll figure it out. Most people already know who Jack is, but for a non-Torchwood fan, you can definitely jump right in."
Is a fourth series something you'd be interested in?
"Absolutely!"
And has it been discussed?
"We've talked about the future, but we're concentrating on series three right now. We're yet to find out about [series four], but I'd love to."
Can we expect to see you back in Doctor Who to bid farewell to David Tennant?
"Jack will always return to the Tardis if the Doctor's in need – to help save the planet or conquer an alien race trying to invade. That's all I can say! You know how secretive we are about all of that. Personally, as John, I would love to go back. If I'm asked, I'll be there in a second."
Do you approve of Matt Smith?
"It doesn't matter if I approve! But the audience will like him, I'm sure. He's an interesting looking guy and from my point of view, he's handsome! I think he's going to bring his own flavour and his own verve to it."
Have you met him?
"I have - I was doing some radio publicity for the show and he was brought into the press office to meet everybody and he made a beeline for me. We talked a little bit and he's a nice guy - he's really excited about it. After he left, I felt like I'd cheated on David! But in the world of Who, we're used to the Doctor regenerating and that's what happens."
Torchwood: Children Of Earth airs on BBC One later this Spring. John's new entertainment series Tonight's The Night begins this Saturday on BBC One
Barrowman bigs up new Dr Who
Radio 1
Torchwood star John Barrowman has been giving his verdict on the new Dr Who, as well as talking about his latest entertainment show Tonight's The Night.
You starred as Captain Jack Harkness in Doctor Who. How do you think Matt Smith will get on as the new doctor?
I was doing some radio publicity for this show and he was brought into the press office. He came over to me and we sat down and talked a little bit.
He's a nice guy. He's really excited about it. I think he's going to bring his own kind of flavour to it.
In the world of Who we're used to the doctor re-generating. That's what happens. The public go: 'We're going to miss him'.
But then they go right with the next guy. It's the series that's iconic.
Is Jack likely to make an appearance?
Jack will always return to the Tardis if the doctor is in need to help save the planet or conquer an alien race trying to invade. That's all I can say. You know how secretive we are.
Are there any similarities between your series Tonight's The Night and Simon Cowell's reality shows?
At the end of the show, there's no prize, there's no big contract. It's completely on the night you get your dream and that's it.
Simon's shows are about creating new stars, so we're completely different. We are entertainment, which is the only thing we have in common, which is a good thing.
What if the talent is really good?
Barrowman says he gets very emotional on Tonight's The Night
If they turn out to be overwhelmingly good, that's great for us, that's what this show is about.
We're not looking for a star out of this.
If someone does see an act or performer who is really good and wants to then make them a star, we're great to be the ones to have helped them to that position. But we're not there to make them a star.
How do you help contestants shake off their nerves?
I always make a point of going over to them and speaking to them and telling them to have fun and enjoy their big night. It's their moment, their big night. I don't get nervous for them, I'm excited for them.
I get emotional on their behalf because the thought of somebody getting a dream that they could not buy, they could not get otherwise, to see their reaction, it's overwhelming.
You can be cynical but you cannot deny that it's emotional when you see it happen.
How ambitious are you?
I've always grown up with the ethic that my parents gave me that work creates work and the more that you're working the more work will come to you.
I do have ambition, I do have goals, but in general as they come along they get fulfilled, I don't go out and seek it.
You're not going to see me in four months going over to Hollywood and giving up over here and trying to make it in films.
But if someone comes to me and says: 'We'd like you to do a film' I'll go over and do a film and then I'll come back to my home.
John Barrowman was speaking to Newsbeat's entertainment reporter Sarah Jane Griffiths.
Doctor dominates Bafta Cymru list
David Tennant and Michelle Ryan in the most recent Doctor Who episode
BBC News
Doctor Who has received nine nominations in the Bafta Cymru awards, which will be held in Cardiff in May.
The hit sci-fi BBC drama, which won six awards in 2008, tops the list again, including as best TV drama and Russell T Davies in the screenwriter category.
The film Edge Of Love is nominated twice, including Matthew Rhys as best actor in the Dylan Thomas bio-pic.
Eve Myles is on the best actress shortlist for Belonging, as the final episode airs on BBC1 Wales on Thursday.
She was nominated for Torchwood last year, and it again receives two nominations, for best design and best costume.
The other Doctor Who stable-mate The Sarah-Jane Adventures is nominated for best children's programme.
Amazon with Bruce Parry is up for six awards, including best presenter for Parry himself, with the documentary series tracing the river and its people and the pressures they face from changing environment, big business to the drugs trade.
There is a best documentary nomination for the tribute to Ray Gravell - A Wonderful Life.
Clare Hudson, head of English programmes for BBC Wales, said she was thrilled with 33 nominations.
"I'm delighted that BBC Wales programming will be represented at Bafta Cymru in so many different areas, showing the strength and quality of our output across all genres in both English and Welsh."
Welsh language programmes and films make up 59% of all shortlisted nominations.
The film Martha, Jac a Sianco, shot in Ceredigion for S4C and based on Caryl Lewis' book about farming life, is in the running for eight awards, including best actor for Ifan Huw Dafydd and best actress nominee Sharon Morgan.
BAFTA Cymru director Lisa Nesbit said 2009 was a "landmark year".
"Nominations across all categories have shown an 18% increase in 2009 from 2008 and it is demonstrative that Welsh talent and productions are flourishing now more than ever," she said.
The ceremony at the Wales Millennium Centre on 17 May will be hosted by presenter Gethin Jones.
Thursday 16 April 2009
Welsh Bafta nominations
Outpost Gallifrey
Bafta Cymru, the Welsh division of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, has announced the nominees for the 18th Annual BAFTA Cymru Film, Television and Interactive Media Awards. Doctor Who has been nominated in nine categories, Torchwood in two, and The Sarah Jane Adventures in one.
The nominations include:
Best Drama Series/Serial for Television: Doctor Who
Best Interactive: bbc.co.uk/doctorwho
Best Director Of Photography: Drama: Rory Taylor, "Silence in the Library"
Best Sound: Doctor Who sound team, "Midnight"
Best Editor: Phillip Kloss, "Midnight"
Best Make-up: Barbara Southcott, "The Next Doctor"
Best Screenwriter: Russell T Davies, "Midnight"
Best Original Music Soundtrack: Murray Gold, "Midnight"
Best Director: Film/Drama: Euros Lyn, "Silence in the Library"
Best Design: Edward Thomas, "Adrift" (Torchwood)
Best Costume: Ray Holman, "From Out of the Rain" (Torchwood)
Best Children's Programme: The Sarah Jane Adventures
A full list of nominees (PDF) can be found on the Bafta Cymru website. The winners of the Bafta Cymru Awards will be announced on Sunday, 17 May in a ceremony at the Wales Millennium Centre.
Bafta Cymru, the Welsh division of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, has announced the nominees for the 18th Annual BAFTA Cymru Film, Television and Interactive Media Awards. Doctor Who has been nominated in nine categories, Torchwood in two, and The Sarah Jane Adventures in one.
The nominations include:
Best Drama Series/Serial for Television: Doctor Who
Best Interactive: bbc.co.uk/doctorwho
Best Director Of Photography: Drama: Rory Taylor, "Silence in the Library"
Best Sound: Doctor Who sound team, "Midnight"
Best Editor: Phillip Kloss, "Midnight"
Best Make-up: Barbara Southcott, "The Next Doctor"
Best Screenwriter: Russell T Davies, "Midnight"
Best Original Music Soundtrack: Murray Gold, "Midnight"
Best Director: Film/Drama: Euros Lyn, "Silence in the Library"
Best Design: Edward Thomas, "Adrift" (Torchwood)
Best Costume: Ray Holman, "From Out of the Rain" (Torchwood)
Best Children's Programme: The Sarah Jane Adventures
A full list of nominees (PDF) can be found on the Bafta Cymru website. The winners of the Bafta Cymru Awards will be announced on Sunday, 17 May in a ceremony at the Wales Millennium Centre.
David Tennant With Stephen Merchant On Radio 6
www.david-tennant.com
David will be a guest on Stephen Merchant's show on BBC 6 Music this Sunday (19th April 2009) from 15:30pm.
John Barrowman on TV and Radio
www.johnbarrowman.com
JBTV - GUEST ON CHRIS MOYLES QUIZ NIGHT - 19 APRIL
posted 6 April
John and Chris will meet again when John is a guest on Channel Four's "Chris Moyles Quiz Night". Recorded on 16th April at London TV Studios, the show airs on Sunday 19th April at 10pm.
JB RADIO - GUEST ON CHRIS MOYLES RADIO SHOW - 16 APRIL
posted 6 April
John will be a guest on "The Chris Moyles Show" on BBC Radio 1 on the 16th April. The show starts at 6.30am and you can listen live from this link:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/chrismoyles/
JBTV - GMTV and This Morning
posted 15 April
John will appear on "GMTV" on 17th April, and will also be a guest on "This Morning" on 23rd April. Both shows air on ITV1
JBTV - THE JUSTIN LEE COLLINS SHOW - 23 APRIL
posted 23 March
John will be a guest on The Justin Lee Collins Show to discuss his upcoming new BBC series TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT.
The show airs on 23rd April on ITV2. For a chance to be in the audience (recorded on the 21st April at The London TV Studios), you can apply for tickets here: www.comedy.org.uk
TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT - PREMIERS 18 APRIL
posted 31 March
John's new Saturday night program, TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT, premieres on BBC 1 - 18 April. This is must see JBTV!
Wednesday 15 April 2009
BBC Cymru Wales announces new Doctor Who producers
BBC Press Office
BBC Wales has announced three key appointments to its flagship production Doctor Who as the new series starring the 11th Doctor, Matt Smith, prepares for shooting.
Tracie Simpson (producer of Doctor Who: Planet Of The Dead) and Peter Bennett (producer of the forthcoming Torchwood series) have been appointed as producers on the multi-award winning BBC One show.
Beth Willis, producer of the hugely popular and award-winning BBC drama series Ashes To Ashes, will join new Lead Writer Steven Moffat and Piers Wenger as an executive producer.
Willis will work closely with Bennett and Simpson – both veterans of the BBC One drama – on the day-to-day running of the new series as part of her executive role. She will combine her role on Doctor Who with work across a range of other BBC Wales dramas.
The appointment of the new team marks the start of a new chapter in the life of the series. Pre-production begins next month with shooting due to get underway later in the summer in and around the Cardiff area.
Doctor Who Lead Writer and Executive Producer Steven Moffat said: "Beth and Tracie and Pete aren't the A Team, they're the people the A Team call. Tracie and Pete are the backstage stars of Doctor Who and having them on board as producers isn't just the best possible news for Matt Smith's first series, it's a massive relief.
"And Beth Willis, fresh from the brilliant Ashes To Ashes, is joining Piers and I as an executive so finally there'll be someone to wear the trousers."
BBC Wales Head of Drama Piers Wenger said: "Having Beth, Pete and Tracie on board is nothing short of thrilling. In their time on the show, Tracie and Pete have worked miracles. Joining forces with a talent like Beth will ensure that Doctor Who remains one of the most exciting and, frankly, formidable production teams around."
Planet of the Dead - DVD cover & details
Bionic Woman and Merlin star Michelle Ryan plays the mysterious Lady Christina de Souza who joins the Doctor on a bus-trip which takes a very unexpected detour into danger. British comedy star Lee Evans also joins the cast playing a character called Malcolm whose life becomes connected to the Doctor's under extraordinary circumstances and Noma Dumezweni returns as Captain Erisa Magambo - last seen helping Rose and Donna save the world in Turn Left.
Planet of the Dead is released on 29th June 2009, priced £15.99
Tuesday 14 April 2009
Planet of the Dead - AI index and Repeat ratings
Outpost Gallifrey
With overnight figures now available for the whole week, Planet of the Dead rated as the 8th most watched programme. When final figures are released the programme stands a good chance of obtaining a place in the top five.
As well as being one of the most watched programmes of the week, it was also one of the most appreciated getting an Appreciation Index score of 88. The Appreciation Index, or AI, is a measure of how much the audience liked the programme. It is a score out of 100, based on responses from a carefully selected panel. The average score for drama on BBC1 and ITV1 is 77. A score in excess of 85 is regarded as excellent while a score below 60 is poor.
The Sunday repeat on BBC3 was watched by 0.76 million viewers and was the most watched programme on BBC3 on Sunday night. It was the fifth most watched digital programme of the day.
Monday's BBC One showing was watched by 1.8 million, winning the timeslot with another 30,000 watching on BBC HD.
Monday 13 April 2009
Sunday 12 April 2009
Planet of the Dead Ratings
Outpost Gallifrey
According to unofficial overnight figures, Planet of the Dead was watched by 8.41 million viewers, a 39.6% share of the audience.
Doctor Who was the most watched programme on BBC1 for the day and had the second highest rating on all TV. ITV1 got the highest rating of the night with 10.52 million watching Britain's Got Talent. Up against Doctor Who, Primeval got only 2.71 million. Robin Hood got 5.26 million watching.
This makes Doctor Who the eighth most watched programme of the week so far.
On BBC3 Doctor Who Confidential, got 0.46 million watching, a 2.2% share.
Final figures will be released in 10 days time.
Doctor Who: The Commentaries
BBC Radio 7
The cast and crew of Doctor Who take you behind the scenes with fascinating facts and irreverent observations on every special this year. Find out more at www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho
Latest Episode
Planet of the Dead: 11 Apr 09
Episode commentary from actor David Tennant, director James Strong and executive producer Julie Gardner.
Duration: 59mins | File Size: 28MB
Download Episode
Saturday 11 April 2009
Monster Metamorphosis
http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho
Responding to a distress signal, the TARDIS lands in what appears to be a disused bio-data storage facility. However, the Doctor quickly realises that the signal was a trap - leaving him the one in distress! The Sontarans intend to punish him for crimes against their glorious Empire.
The Doctor formulates a plan and creates, via biochemical manipulation, a simple life form he calls 'Bob the Blob' which becomes his only chance of freedom.
Monster Metamorphosis is a new Doctor Who platform game which involves players working their way through several challenging levels and utilising the skills of the Slitheen, Cybermen, metallic Spiders and Ood in order to free the TARDIS and escape the Sontaran's prison.
It incorporates amazing 3D graphics with numerous challenging puzzles and obstacles which need to be overcome while also trying to avoid the Sontaran guards and their defence systems.
The Game will be launched on 21 Apr, 2009.
Russell T Davies Interview
Telegraph
Having had the pleasure of sitting down for an hour or so with Russell T Davies, writer and executive producer of Doctor Who, I found myself with a vast amount of material that couldn't be squeezed into the interview that ran in today's paper. So, given the enormous popularity of the series, I thought it might be interesting to provide an approximate transcript of the interview as a Q&A, slightly tidied up, allowing a bit more of Davies's voice and passion to come through. (Warning: this is very, very long.)
The Time Lord and the lady: David Tennant with Michelle Ryan
The day before we met, Davies had finished work on the show's Easter Special at 11.30pm in Cardiff, before being driven up to London, arriving at 2am. Shortly after dawn, he was on the BBC breakfast sofa, before squeezing his six-foot-six frame into the chair opposite me, and tucking in to a badly needed breakfast...
So, what are you allowed to tell us about tonight's show?
It's an hour-long special, a great big spectacular - the 60-minute specials are always a chance to spread our wings a bit and flex out. It's a good old roller-coaster adventure, this one - sometimes the stories are very dark, sometimes they're very funny, but this is a great big adventure, a little bit Indiana Jones, a little bit Flight of the Phoenix, a little bit Pitch Black. It's got deserts... these big vistas, it's got a nice scale to it.
You've filmed partly in Dubai - isn't there a danger that shows look a bit strange when they go abroad?
It can be a bit dislocating. Fortunately, Doctor Who is a show that travels from place to place every week. Yes, it's a bit odd when you take a sitcom crew and put them in Spain. But fortunately, Doctor Who just fits - and you know, it was one of my last chances to stretch my wings, because one of the hardest things to do is an alien planet. Frankly, you end up in a quarry or a beach. And I'm quite happy to do things in a quarry or a beach - but this just gives us the size for once. We'd budgeted very wisely, and we actually had the scope to give you an endless horizon.
Whose idea was it?
It was my idea to go into the desert, just because it fitted the story. It was always an option for one of the specials to go abroad - it took an awful lot of planning, but you can do anything if you turn enough great minds to it.
And how was the trip?
I didn't go. You have to account for every penny, and that would have been a waste of a ticket. People often think it's a jolly when you go abroad, but it's a nightmare. Imagine doing your job, but transplanted to a different country, surrounded by strangers, and under pressure of time, and under pressure to make every penny and every second count. It's a horrible thing to do. It's really not fun.
They had to get up at 5.30am to get to the place in the desert where we were filming, there was a sandstorm, so we lost a day's filming almost completely. They certainly weren't in one of those big posh hotels you see on the telly.
So Michelle Ryan's in it...
Yes, she plays an international jewel thief, like you do.
And Lee Evans is an academic?
Malcolm Taylor - he's hilarious. What a nice man, what a lovely man. The bus ends up on an alien planet, and he's left back on Earth, trying to get them home. It's a race against time, really - they're stuck in a desert with a nine and a half ton bus which travelled through a wormhole, but how do you turn it around to get it back? How do you get the engine working? How do you get the wheels out of the sand? And there's a great big swarm approaching...
Read the rest here.
Interview: Michelle Ryan on joining Doctor Who
Telegraph
Michelle Ryan likes to throw herself headlong into a role. In 2007, when she crossed the Atlantic to star in NBC’s multi-million dollar remake of the Bionic Woman, Ryan’s commitment was total. In order to play the all-action heroine she mastered Krav Maga, a martial art developed by the Israeli special forces, learned sign language (to communicate with her character’s deaf sister), and did most of the gravity-defying stunts herself.
Tonight, Ryan stars in a Doctor Who special, Planet of the Dead, and little has changed. Indeed for the Doctor, Ryan is ready to go one step further and throw herself headlong down a well.
“I love doing my own stunts,” she says. “There is one in a museum where I leap down 50 feet on a wire, head first. Looking down over the cast and crew was scary, but you get over that. In another scene they throw me down a well and there were no wires involved that time. I had to fall flat on my face.”
Ryan, 24, plays Lady Christina De Souza, an aristocratic jewel thief. As she escapes from the scene of a crime, De Souza finds herself on a double-decker bus alongside the Doctor (David Tennant, appearing in the first of his last four specials as the Doctor).
However, like the Tardis, the bus takes them on an unexpected journey: the passengers disembark on a mysterious desert planet, where they are threatened by the Tritovore, a swarm of repulsive aliens who look like giant mosquitoes wearing mackintoshes. The comedian Lee Evans, whose elastic features could have been created by the Doctor Who prosthetics team, guest stars as a scientist. But it is up to the Doctor and De Souza to swat the alien menace. And, high-end thievery aside, Ryan and her character sound as if they have plenty in common.
‘Christina is sexy and glamorous,” says Ryan, “but she’s also a tomboy and very independent. She’s always chasing the next adventure, the next high. And because the Doctor is charismatic and fearless too, I think they’re an excellent match.”
Many Doctor Who fans have already reached the same conclusion. Reports and internet rumours abound that Ryan, after supposedly auditioning for the role of Martha Jones, which went to Freema Agyeman, is now lined up to play the new Doctor’s new assistant when Matt Smith inherits the Tardis in 2010.
“That’s completely untrue,” she laughs. “I have never auditioned for the role of the Doctor’s assistant in the past. And I’m not in talks about becoming the new assistant. I’m just enjoying the freedom I have to play a variety of roles. Playing Christina is perfect: she’s a special guest who could return. At the moment, when it comes to acting, I’m a bit of a commitment-phobe.”
Reading Ryan’s CV it’s easy to see why she no longer wants to be tied to a long-term role. She made her name in a soap, playing EastEnders’ downtrodden market trader Zoe Slater for six years.
Then a big, unexpected break took her to Vancouver for Bionic Woman. Initially, the series did well; the pilot attracted 13 million viewers. However, falling ratings and the US writers’ strike meant that the series was shelved after just eight episodes.
“Bionic Woman changed direction too much from episode to episode,” Ryan explains, “which I think is why it lost momentum. But the whole experience was amazing, living in Vancouver, having my own place. It opened up my world. I remember when we shot the trailer in LA the crew had to close off a road because the scene involved a helicopter, a fire engine and an upturned police car. I remember jumping on the police car and had a moment of: ‘OK, I think I’ve landed in Hollywood.’”
Aside from upturned police cars, Ryan also had to adjust to a life in the celebrity spotlight. According to stories in the press, she was in a relationship with the actor Owen Wilson. In reality, she says, they “never met”; Ryan is single. Since her return to the UK, she has slipped happily back into her old life, starring in Robin Hood and the comedy horror film Flick alongside Faye Dunaway, but otherwise staying “under the radar”.
Ryan is unfussily famous: when we meet she is wearing a simple white top and blue jeans and no make-up – but is still strikingly pretty. She lives with her mother, who works for Clinique, and her father, a fire safety officer, in north London. Even her hobbies are endearingly humdrum.
“I like to hang out with my friends, go to the theatre, watch DVDs, read, play with my niece,” she says. “I recently went to the Natural History Museum to see an exhibition on Darwin and someone came up to me and said, ‘Ooh, so why are you here?’ I just told them that I like exhibitions.”
For a 24 year-old who has already starred in hit dramas in the US and the UK, Ryan doesn’t seem especially career-conscious. But this wasn’t always the case.
“I am still ambitious but not as much as I used to be before Bionic Woman,” she says. “I’m more go-with-the-flow now. Although when a role comes along that I really love – like sprinting across alien sand-dunes with Doctor Who – it will fire me up again.”
Doctor Who is on BBC One on Saturday at 6.45pm
Friday 10 April 2009
Planet of the Dead Q+A
http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho
In advance of the latest Doctor Who Special, burning questions are answered by the lead cast.
David Tennant Interview
Q: Has filming the specials been different from filming the regular series?
I think we get slightly more time to film the specials. I don't know if that's even true - we get four weeks to film an hour long special whereas we get about two and a half weeks to film a normal 45 minute episode. So we've got a little bit more time to play with but then they tend to be a bit more ambitious. Certainly this one was, and you know the fact that we wanted to film in an actual desert and there aren't a lot of them in south Wales. So we had to find somewhere in the world that we could get to that had an infrastructure that we could use to film in and that would have us, you know. Some of these deserts exist in some less than friendly regimes. Some might argue that Dubai's not the friendliest but they were quite nice to us.
Q: Tell us about the desert vistas.
We went to the desert and we got some incredible shots, I mean I think you'll notice it on screen that we went a long way, and that the director and the camera particularly made it count. I think it'll look like an alien planet in a way that nothing we've ever done before has ever quite managed, just because it is an extraordinary... it is an extraordinary sight, just miles of sand and the blue skies, the sun beating down, it is like being in another world really, so quite useful for us!
Q: What is this episode about?
Well it's about a bus that ends up on an alien planet, it's about an international jewel thief who meets the Doctor and is quite intrigued by him. And it's about two alien races, one of which is just doing what comes naturally and one of which is trying to get home. And all of those elements kind of combine into a story that is a bit bonkers, very fast moving, very exciting, and sort of on a scope. Bigger than we've managed before, which is very exciting. It's very exciting having done the show for four years and still finding new stories to tell and ways of telling those stories, it's great, and it's what makes it such a great show to work on.
Michelle Ryan Interview
Q: Tell us about your character Lady Christina de Souza
Christina is a mysterious, adventure seeking aristocrat and she is very much a loner, she's off in her own little world. And she's very daring and exciting and smart and sassy. She's a cool character.
Q: When did you first hear about the part, and why did it appeal to you?
I first heard about the part just before Christmas and it appealed to me. I was reading lots of different scripts at the time and then I read this one and I was so engaged with the character, with her journey, and it was just a really interesting, dynamic script and few of those come along for young actresses, so I was kind of like... "yeah, I'd like to be a part of this."
Q: What's it like working with David Tennant?
It's amazing, he is genuinely one of the most professional, lovely, brilliant actors I've ever worked with. And he has such a good vibe, and he gives a great energy to everyone, he's really cool. It's quite family like and fun it's been such a laugh to work on. The rest of the cast, the supporting cast as well have been brilliant, Daniel, David, Vicky and Reggie and everyone, it's been brilliant.
Q: How did you find working with the Tritovores?
That was a bit of a shock but they're very good, the two guys who played the Tritovores with their voices, and it was cool doing all the special effects stuff where you've got the big creatures coming at you. It's been interesting, and I love doing all the harness and wire work - I've been hung upside down today, all day - and being dropped and bounced up and down, so it's all fun!
Q: What's it like on set working with Lee Evans?
Filming with Lee Evans is great. He's actually really quiet then he'll start being really funny. He's just naturally funny and lovely.
Q: Is there a romantic spark between your character Christina and The Doctor?
There is a little bit of a romantic spark between The Doctor and Christina. I think Christina feels like she's met her equal, and The Doctor feels like he's met his match with Christina. Christina doesn't come across many men that intrigue and inspire her the way The Doctor does. He manages to show her that actually she can use her skills to help other people, and that actually it's more fun when you're part of a team rather than being a loner. She goes on a journey with him and I think she'd like it to be more, and he's quite closed off to that because he's been hurt in the past - he's off doing his thing and she's like "well, okay" and off on her next adventure!
Planet of the Dead, Saturday 11 Apr, 6:45pm
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