Showing newest posts with label Steven Moffat. Show older posts
Showing newest posts with label Steven Moffat. Show older posts

Bookmark and Share Doctor Who Magazine 426

Thursday, September 23, 2010 - Posted by Marcus

Doctor Who Magazine 426This months Doctor Who Magazine talks to the man who provides the voices for the Doctor’s greatest enemies, the Daleks and the Cybermen. Nicholas Briggs tells all about his time as a Dalek, his life-long love of Doctor Who and just what he can do with his ring voice modulator
It’s great for people to be able to hear the voice on set. The way I say my lines does change depending on how David, Chris, or Matt say their lines to me. The Daleks actually being there makes such a difference. Much of the time, the cast is acting against silver balls on sticks, in front of a green screen, but Daleks move around, flash their lights, speak like they want to kill you, like a voice from hell

Also in the magazine
  • He’s one of the best-loved and most respected authors in the world – and now he’s written a Doctor Who book. Michael Moorcock talks to DWM about his new novel The Coming of the Terraphiles – plus there's also an exclusive extract.
  • Toby Haynes, director of the 2010 series finale, concludes his exclusive Director’s Diary and tells DWM how Doctor Who changed his life.
  • Tokyo’s children are turning into Axons – and the Doctor, Amy and UNIT are involved in a breathtaking fight for their lives! All in the second part of the DWM comic strip The Golden Ones, by Jonathan Morris with art by Martin Geraghty.
  • What do the Eleventh Doctor, Jo Grant and K9 have in common? They’re all in the fourth series of The Sarah Jane Adventures, which is back on TV in October. DWM previews all twelve new episodes and talks to all the writers – Russell T Davies, Phil Ford, Joseph Lidster, Rupert Laight, Gareth Roberts and Clayton Hickman.
  • The Doctor and his companions appreciate the gravity of the situation as they leap around on the Moon and encounter the sinister Cybermen! The Fact of Fiction scrutinizes the 1967 adventure The Moonbase and extracts a wealth of information from this classic Second Doctor tale.
  • DWM presents the ultimate guide to the men of steel – the Cybermen. Discover how they’ve evolved over the decades, as the Watcher reveals everything you need to know – and some surprising secrets, about one of the Doctor’s most persistent foes.
  • He’s back. Former UNIT Captain Mike Yates has returned to action alongside the Fourth Doctor in the new audio series Demon Quest. DWM catches up with the man who plays him, actor Richard Franklin, and finds out what he thinks about Yates’ comeback – and his opinion of Doctor Who today.
  • Doctor Who’s showrunner Steven Moffat provides some clues as to what adventures lie in store for the Doctor, Amy and Rory, and has the last word on what the next season should be called – in Production Notes.

Bookmark and Share Martin Shaw on Doctor Who, Collinson on Coronation Street, Moffat on 2011

Wednesday, September 22, 2010 - Posted by Dean Braithwaite

A number of news outlets have picked up from the Radio Times that the British actor Martin Shaw (The Professionals, Inspector George Gently) turned down the chance to play James Bond in the late 1970s. Digital Journal, however, leads on the fact that Shaw would consider playing the Doctor, albeit if the commitment was a lot less than is currently expected of Doctor Who's leading actor!


Elsewhere in Radio Times, Phil Collinson is interviewed about his plans for Coronation Street as it approaches its 50th anniversary and beyond, which has been reported here. RT attributes Collinson's savviness on Who under Russell T Davies as being part of the reason ITV Studios have entrusted him with Corrie's birthday celebrations, which Digital Journal has picked up on, too.

Steven Moffat, meanwhile, has been talking in Doctor Who: The Brilliant Book and Doctor Who Magazine about the 2010 Christmas special and the cliffhanger between the two 2011 series (Easter and autumn) of  Doctor Who. His comments have already been picked up by a number of outlets, including Den of Geek, Digital Journal and Digital Spy.

Bookmark and Share People News

Saturday, September 04, 2010 - Posted by Marcus

David_TennantTenth Doctor David Tennant has been spotted on a banner taken from the remake of the 1985 horror film Fright Night. In the film due to be released next year, Tennant plays Peter Vincent, a master of illusion. The film also stars Colin Farrell, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Toni Collette and Imogen Poots.

Steven Moffat and his wife Sue Vertue will be giving a BAFTA master class exploring how the modern day version of Sherlock Holmes arrived on our small screens this summer. The event on Thursday 9th September is part of the Kaleidoscopic Festival taking place at Glyndŵr University and Wrexham Library in North Wales. Limited tickets are available from BAFTA.

Sixth Doctor Colin Baker has been talking to the Yorkshire Post prior to his arrival at the Grand Opera House York later this month to play Inspector Morse in a new murder mystery, House of Ghosts. He told the paper "I loved my time on Doctor Who, loved it, for three years it was among the happiest times of my career".


Bookmark and Share Next Series to be transmitted in two halves

Sunday, August 29, 2010 - Posted by Kenny Davidson

Steven MoffatSpeaking at the Edinburgh International Television Festival, Steven Moffat has announced that the next series of Doctor Who will be split in two with a 'gamechanging' cliffhanger in episode 7.

"The split series is hugely exciting because viewers will be treated to two premieres, two finales and more event episodes. For the kids it will never be more than a few months to the next Doctor Who! Easter, Autumn, Christmas!!"

The BBC press office describe the split transmission as the result of a request from Steven Moffat to write a new Doctor Who story arc which involves a big plot twist in the middle of the series. "By splitting the series Moffat plans to give viewers one of the most exciting Doctor Who cliffhangers and plot twists ever, leaving them waiting, on the edge of their seats, until the autumn to find out what happens."

The Guardian, who host the annual television festival, have uploaded a video clip of Moffat making the announcement here.

Bookmark and Share People Roundup

Saturday, August 28, 2010 - Posted by Marcus

Karen Gillan will join Steven Moffat at the Edinburgh International Television Festival for a question and answer session about Doctor Who. The Masterclass is being held at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre on Sunday morning. Moffat will also appear on the panel for special Question Time on Saturday night alongside Diane Abbott MP and Mariella Frostrup.

Update: It was announced Saturday that the Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss production of Sherlock has been recommissioned by BBC One controller Jay Hunt. There will be three new 90-minute episodes in Autumn 2011. Talking of the Sherlock recommission, Gatiss and Moffat, said: "We've been overwhelmed by the warmth of response to our new Sherlock Holmes and John Watson and can't wait to take them on three new adventures next year. There'll be baffling new puzzles, old friends and new enemies – whether on two, or four legs. And we might well be seeing the cold master of logic and reason unexpectedly falling. But in love? Or over a precipice? Who can tell?"

David Tennant has been listed as one of the top ten Hamlets by The Guardian newspaper. Tennant, who played the role in Stratford and London in 2008, was described as sardonic and volatile, a Hamlet so graceful that at times he seemed almost to dance across the stage.

BBC4 is to dramatise Douglas Adams's 1987 novel about anti-hero Dirk Gently. Adams was Script Editor for Season 17 of Doctor Who and wrote The Pirate Planet and co-wrote City of Death. He was writing a third Dirk Gently book, The Salmon of Doubt, at the time of his death in 2001. The books have formed the basis of a play and a BBC Radio 4 series but have never before been filmed for Television.

Andrew Smith has been talking to the Rutherglen Reformer about his return to Doctor Who and his new script for Big Finish Productions. Smith wrote the 1980 Fourth Doctor story Full Circle. The new story is called The Invasion of E-Space and once more features Lalla Ward as Romana. Smith told the Reformer: "I wrote the first draft, sent it off, and I didn’t hear back for a little while. I was getting really paranoid as I had no idea how it had gone down, but I was quite relieved when they got back to me and said they loved it."

Bookmark and Share Doctor Who Magazine 425

Tuesday, August 17, 2010 - Posted by Marcus

Doctor Who Magazine 425Doctor Who Magazine issue 425 sees the return of the Seventh Doctor to the cover as Sylvester McCoy gives his most candid interview to date, lavishly illustrated with never-before-seen photos. McCoy talks at length about his long career, on being the Seventh Doctor – and what he thinks about Doctor Who today
I’m delighted that they’ve done such a good job in bringing it back. I’m so proud to have that connection with this very successful programme. It wasn’t allowed to be successful when I was doing it. At the time, I didn’t know why. It was only afterwards that I realised I wasn’t given a fair crack of the whip. I wish I had been

Also this issue:
  • A BRIEF HISTORY OF TIMEY-WIMEY
    Time travel – what are the rules? And can those rules be broken? In an in-depth feature, DWM examines the knotty problems of paradoxes and time loops, and explores the incredible phenomenon of timey-wimeyness throughout the history of Doctor Who.
  • A NIGHT AT THE PROMS
    It’s the music event of the year! DWM dons its dinner jacket and journeys to the Royal Albert Hall to talk exclusively to the people responsible for the Doctor Who Prom, including composer Murray Gold, conductor Ben Foster and executive producer Steven Moffat. Packed with behind-the-scenes photos from the Prom.
  • THE GOLDEN AGE OF TELEVISION
    The Doctor and Amy take a trip to Tokyo and discover that too much TV can be really, really bad for kids, in the first episode of a brand new comic strip adventure by Jonathan Morris and Martin Geraghty
  • ART TREASURES OF HISTORY
    What have a Roman mosaic, a painting by Toulouse Lautrec and a long, floppy scarf got in common? They all feature in the brand new audio series starring Tom Baker as the Fourth Doctor, Demon Quest! DWM catches up with the legendary fourth Doctor, co-stars Richard Franklin and Susan Jameson, writer Paul Magrs and many more in a report from the recording of the adventures.
  • THE WORLD’S GREATEST PLAYWRIGHT
    William Shakespeare – the most talented dramatist in history or a letch with bad breath? Find out the truth (according to Doctor Who!) behind the man and his works, as The Fact of Fiction extracts every nuance of meaning from the literary triumph that is the 2007 Tenth Doctor adventure, The Shakespeare Code
  • THE WRITER’S TALE
    Doctor Who’s head writer, Steven Moffat, reveals all about being shy, being recognised, and the Eleventh Doctor’s most recent adventure – defusing a bomb at the Proms! – in Production Notes.
  • THE ANGEL OF THE NORTH!
    DWM catches up with Hex, the hunky nurse who accompanies the Seventh Doctor and Ace on their audio adventures, aka actor Philip Oliver, who reveals his experiences of attending conventions, being recognised in the street and what he really thinks about Doctor Who fans.
Plus! All the latest official news, Previews, Reviews, Competitions and much, much more, out in the UK on Thursday 19 August.

Bookmark and Share Friday People News

Friday, August 06, 2010 - Posted by Marcus

Matt Smith's mother has talked about the pressures of dealing with the Eleventh Doctor's fan mail. Talking to the Northampton Chronicle. Lynne Smith tells how important it is that every letter sent to the actor is read and dealt with. Fan mail comes from all generations and in all shapes and sizes. "Some think of him as a heart-throb" says Smith. "That makes me smile because to me he's just Matthew."

Meanwhile Doctor Who Executive Producer Steven Moffat had been in LA, along with co-creator Mark Gatiss, promoting Sherlock which has been signed up by PBS Masterpiece for broadcast starting on October 24. The UK will see the final episode of Sherlock this Sunday. The first two episodes have achieved critical acclaim, scored high ratings and outstanding Appreciation Index figures.

John Barrowman has added the Royal Albert Hall to the list of venues in his 2010 concert tour. The tour begins on 1st October in Oxford and runs through to 2nd November in Edinburgh taking in many cities, including Brighton, Liverpool, Cardiff, Birmingham and Manchester, on the way.

Bookmark and Share Moffat Writing Five Episodes for 2011 Series

Friday, July 30, 2010 - Posted by Marcus

Steven MoffatDoctor Who's showrunner, Steven Moffat has confirmed he will be writing five episodes of the next series of Doctor Who to be broadcast in 2011, as well as the forthcoming Christmas Special.

Talking to Den of Geek, Moffat confirmed he will be following the previous pattern established by Russell T Davies, with the Lead Writer penning five of the thirteen episodes in the series.

As previously reported Neil Gaiman will be writing one episode, thought to be the third in the series. Writers have not yet been officially confirmed for the other seven episodes in the series.

Bookmark and Share News Update

Friday, July 30, 2010 - Posted by Marcus

Executive Producer Steven Moffat has given an interview to Tom Harris, MP for Glasgow South and Doctor Who fan, conducted on the terrace of the Palace of Westminster. The two have been friends since 1989 when Harris was a reporter on the Paisley Daily Express.

Actor Steve North will be playing a character called Older Benjamin in the 2010 Christmas Special according to his Spotlight entry. North has had roles in Casualty, The Bill and Midsomer Murders.

World music trio Manta recently appeared on ABC Australia's music programme Spicks and Specks playing their version of the Doctor Who Theme, the results of which are on the ABC YouTube Channel.

Bookmark and Share 2010 Series DVD Boxset

Wednesday, July 28, 2010 - Posted by Marcus

Doctor Who: Series Five BoxsetDetails have been released of the 2010 series boxset which will be released in the UK on 8th November 2010 and in North America on November 9, 2010.

Branded The Complete Fifth Series the boxset is available in DVD and Blu-ray formats. In the UK, as well as the general release, a number of sets will be available in the form of a specially limited edition.

Special features include additional scenes written by Steven Moffat and exclusive to DVD.
  • Additional scenes: Meanwhile in the TARDIS, written by Steven Moffat and featuring Matt Smith & Karen Gillan, telling the story of what happens between episodes. Why was Amy floating in Space above Starship UK, and what happened after 'that' kiss between the Doctor and Amy?
  • Monster Files - The Monster Files will get under the skin and inside the minds of the latest Doctor's most challenging opponents. With previously unseen footage and exclusive comments from cast and crew, the Monster Files take fans old and new even further behind enemy lines.
  • Outtakes
  • In-vision commentaries
  • Video Diary
  • Confidential Cut Downs
  • BBC Trails and Promos to New Series 5



See our full Release Schedule

Bookmark and Share Doctor Who news and rumours roundup

Tuesday, July 27, 2010 - Posted by Dean Braithwaite


What a busy couple of weeks its been. Despite Series 5 of Doctor Who having finished, hardly a day goes by without some sort of Who-related news popping up.

For a fuller round-up, remember to look in on Doctor Who in the Media, but, to whet your appetite, here's a summary.

On Sunday, BBC 1 premiered the long-awaited first episode of Sherlock (see our earlier story), Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss's updated version of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. It stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Holmes, Martin Freeman as Dr John Watson and Rupert Graves as Inspector Lestrade. Cumberbatch has created a bit of a stir in the last few days by suggesting, first, telling Digital Spy that he may well be appearing in several episodes Doctor Who, and, then, according to the Sun that he considered becoming the eleventh Doctor before Matt Smith was cast in the role.

Again, according to the Sun, Matt Smith is eager to leave Doctor Who to pursue a career in Hollywood. However, this has been denied by both Moffat, to BBC News, and Karen Gillan, during her visit to Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup Final at Cowdray Park Polo Club! For a less sensational take on this, see this story and this story on Digital Journal.

Nicky Wire, of the Manic Street Preachers, caused a bit of a stir when he blogged on the band's website that he was writing a Doctor Who script. He's since clarified on Twitter that it's fan fiction and not a BBC commission.

Russell T Davies has been speaking to SFX about the fourth series of Torchwood and has also dealt with the rumours surrounding a Johnny Depp as the Doctor Hollywood movie! This story covers the original "exclusive" and RTD's debunking of it.

Finally, there was plenty of press coverage surrounding the start of filming of the 2010 Christmas special (see this Gallifrey Base story), guest-starring Sir Michael Gambon and Katherine Jenkins, including here, here and here.

Happy times and places!

Bookmark and Share Radio Times Interviews

Wednesday, July 21, 2010 - Posted by Marcus

Radio TimesBoth Matt Smith and Steven Moffat are interviewed in the new edition of Radio Times.

In a "School Holidays" special issue of the magazine, Smith is interviewed by Jack, 13:
What makes you different from previous Doctors?
- I’m younger, so my skin is a bit smoother. What would you say makes me different? Bigger ears?
You’re crazier.
- There you go, I’m crazier.
How many marks out of ten would you give yourself so far?
- That’s a tough one. Let’s say eight. I’ve two episodes left, so I can still get to ten. I don’t want to undersell myself.
We don’t often see the Doctor eating anything. My favourite food is sausage and mash. What’s yours?
- Spaghetti bolognese, banana sandwiches. I love biscuits with tea and am partial to a chocolate muffin or two.
And also in the magazine, Doctor Who Executive Producer and Lead writer Steven Moffat writes about his new project Sherlock:
When I was a little Beano-reading Doctor Who fan – about nine or ten – I was desperate to know more about Sherlock Holmes. It was a name I’d heard. I knew he was some kind of policeman, I knew he had a funny hat, and I knew he was in a film called The Hound of the Baskervilles, which once came on the telly and got me sent to bed because it was too frightening. I remember lying upstairs that night, too excited to sleep – because I could hear the baying of a terrible hound, and the rapid-fire voice of a policeman who fought monsters. I needed to find out more, because I knew already this was my kind of hero: if Doctor Who had been a detective, clearly he’d have been Sherlock Holmes.

Bookmark and Share People News

Saturday, July 17, 2010 - Posted by Marcus

Sherlock, the new three part crime drama series, co-created by Doctor Who Executive Producer Steven Moffat and Doctor Who writer and actor Mark Gatiss, comes to BBC One next Sunday 25th July. Sherlock stars Benedict Cumberbatch as the new Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman as his loyal friend, Doctor John Watson. Rupert Graves plays Inspector Lestrade. The series is based around Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson's adventures in 21st Century London.



Moffat has recently joined Twitter, gaining an impressive 13,000 followers within a week. His first tweet was "Oh, he's back behind the bow tie - and better than ever."

John BarrowmanJohn Barrowman returns to BBC ONE tonight in a new series of his entertainment show, Tonight's the Night.

In September Barrowman will be hosting the very first West End Bares. The show is an annual event in New York, and combines the naughtiness of burlesque and the razzle-dazzle of Broadway, where it has been running since 1992. The show will feature the hottest male and female dancers in the West End who will be 'strutting their stuff' to benefit TheatreMAD & The Make A Difference Trust. Barrowman who is a patron of The Make A Difference Trust, said: "I'm thrilled to be hosting West End Bares. What a way to make a difference – being a little naughty on stage for a wonderful cause."

Barrowman will also be performing at the BBC's Proms in the Park in Salford on 11 September. The event being held at Buile Hill Park will feature the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and special guests with Barrowman performing a 20 minute set.

David Tennnat has been filming in Scotland and on the Isle of Man for a feature film The Decoy Bride. The film stars Kelly MacDonald, Alice Eve, Michael Urie, who plays Marc in Ugly Betty, and Federico Castelluccio from The Sopranos. The Decoy Bride tells the story of a superstar actress going to marry her British boyfriend.

Bookmark and Share Doctor Who news and rumours roundup

Saturday, July 03, 2010 - Posted by Dean Braithwaite

It's a week today since Series 5 (or Series 1 or Series 31, depending on which counting system you subscribe to) ended in the UK, yet it seems only yesterday that we were all eagerly anticipating Matt Smith and Steven Moffat's first season of Doctor Who.

Viewers in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and elsewhere still have the anticipation of what's to come (assuming you haven't seen the episodes over the Internet already and, assuming you haven't spoilered yourself with the deluge of articles appearing everywhere!).

And a lot's happened in the seven days since the end of The Big Bang in the UK, when we found out that the crack in time ... oops, spoilers!

But - be warned! - a hefty dose of salt may be needed before reading some of what follows ...

Matt joined Orbital on stage at Glastonbury for "Dr Who", their rendition of the show's theme tune. Meanwhile, he had to put up with a lot of nonsense from the British tabloid press concerning so-called "falling ratings" - which doesn't actually appear to stand up to much scrutiny - and William Hill slashing the odds on him remaining on the show.

Then, apparently, Moffat's script for the 2010 Christmas Special went missing and several of the writers for next year were announced (see Digital Spy).

On a positive note, as we reported on Wednesday, Barbara Kidd, who previously worked on Who episodes involving Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker and Peter Davison, is returning to the show for the 2011 series.

The monster line up for the Doctor Who Live tour details were confirmed and Neil Gaiman Tweeted that he'd completed his Who script.

And, then there are the "facts" that Matt wants both Eric Cantona and Ian McKellen to appear in the show as baddies! See this article for more details.

Last, but not least, is the revelation that Johnny Depp has "definitely" signed up to play the Doctor in a big-budget Hollywood movie, written by Russell T Davies and featuring the Daleks and the Ebola virus! The BBC subsequently clarified otherwise.

There are masses of stories relating to this rumour, but this one on Digital Journal at least takes a more sober and detailed look, including on the history of Doctor Who movies, proposed and actual.

Happy times and places!

Bookmark and Share Moffat on Moffat

Sunday, June 27, 2010 - Posted by Josiah Rowe

There is a new interview with Steven Moffat on YouTube, with an unexpected interviewer: Moffat's son Joshua! As "armytedd", Joshua discusses the season's structure with his father. The interview also touches on critics' reactions, the importance of timeshifted viewing, and why Moffat no longer visits fan forums.



For more videos from the junior Moffat, see "armytedd"'s YouTube channel.

Bookmark and Share Press "expectations" for The Big Bang

Saturday, June 26, 2010 - Posted by Dean Braithwaite


Ahead of tonight's UK screening of The Big Bang, the finale to Matt Smith's first season of Doctor Who, a number of articles have appeared in the press.

Digital Journal picks up on Matt's interview with the current issue of Radio Times, in which he touches on how long he'll stay in the role.

They have also again covered the issue of nudity in Doctor Who.

The Metro reports that expectations are high for what's considered "could be one of the finest episodes since the show made its comeback in 2005".

The Sun reports that Matt Smith finds the episode "emotional", while the Coventry Telegraph takes an "exclusive look" at the finale.

Bookmark and Share Moffat delighted with series reception

Friday, April 23, 2010 - Posted by Marcus

Steven MoffatExecutive Producer Steven Moffat has expressed delight on the reception of the new series and the publics reaction to the Eleventh Doctor. Speaking in Los Angeles, where the Doctor Who team have been stranded due to the ash from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano, Moffat said
I thought it'd take four or five weeks to get to where we got after the first broadcast, but people just seem to have fallen in love with him instantly.

Moffat said how the series gets super-scary with the next three episodes which see the return of the Weeping Angels.
We're now going for proper scares in four and five, so some good spine chilling stuff on its way. If you took a vote amongst the playgrounds of Britain they'd all be saying 'make it scary, you're meant to be behind that sofa!
Moffat has also written a Blog in which he describes the two-part story as a highly coloured, loud, action-movie and talks of Matt Smith's portrayal of the Doctor as halfway between Indiana Jones and Stan Laurel.

He talks about the first day of filming on the series and describes visiting the location and seeing the TARDIS sitting on the beach followed quickly by the arrival of several paparazzi and a number of fans with cameras.
I was stood on set with my phone, looking at pictures of myself which fans had taken already on the web. On one occasion I saw a photograph of myself watching the filming, which had been uploaded so quickly that I hadn't moved from the position I was in by the time it was on the web!

BBC Gloucestershire have published an article looking behind the scenes at another location for the story, Puzzlewood in the Forest of Dean. The 14-acre site features deep gullies and dramatic rock formations known as scowles. It has also been used for location filming for the BBC series Merlin since 2008 and the same forest is said to have inspired JRR Tolkien to write The Hobbit.

Bookmark and Share Doctor Who Super Saturday

Saturday, April 17, 2010 - Posted by Dean Braithwaite

Just a reminder that the new series of Doctor Who - starring Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor and Karen Gillan as Amy Pond - premieres in Australia, Canada and the US this weekend.

In the US, The Eleventh Hour, by Steven Moffat, hits TV screens on BBC America tonight (Saturday), at 9 p.m. ET. The opening episode will be preceded at 8 p.m. ET by Doctor Who: The Ultimate Guide, a documentary introducing the world of Doctor Who to new viewers.

Canada premieres The Eleventh Hour tonight (Saturday) on SPACE, also at 9 p.m. ET, with Doctor Who: The Ultimate Guide showing before it at 8 p.m. ET.

In Australia, The Eleventh Hour will be broadcast on ABC 1 on Sunday (April 18) at 7.30 p.m. The series has already premiered in Australia on ABC iView, the station's Internet broadcasting service. Also, Series 1 of K9 continues to be broadcast weekly on Saturdays on Channel Ten.

The new series is receiving masses of press attention in all three countries. Digital Journal continues its coverage, running three separate pieces for the US launch, the Canadian launch and the Australian launch.



Meanwhile, in the UK, Matt Smith's Series 1 (Doctor Who, Series 31) continues tonight on BBC 1 at 6.30 p.m. with Victory of the Daleks, by Mark Gatiss. A report on the history of the metal menace has appeared on BBC News. As reported by us yesterday, immediately after this episode, there will be a trailer on BBC 1 for the fortcoming downloadable episodes of Doctor Who: The Adventure Games. Episode 3 of Doctor Who Confidential follows on BBC 3 at 7.15 p.m.

Bookmark and Share Doctor Who and the Son of Doctor Who

Wednesday, April 14, 2010 - Posted by Dean Braithwaite

This article asks: “Is this the Doctor Who general election? And are Labour hoping that some of the popularity of the show will rub off on them?” The forthcoming UK general election and Doctor Who do seem to be becoming evermore interlinked.

The new issue of Radio Times, harking back to its 30 April to 6 May issue from 2005 (opposite), shows the Daleks in the colours (blue, red and yellow) of the three main UK political parties, David Tennant, earlier this year, declared his support for the UK’s Labour Party and Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the party’s current leader. Earlier this week, the Labour Party turned to the Doctor and a son of the Doctor in it’s campaign to win re-election in the contest.

The first party-election broadcast of the campaign premièred on YouTube before airing on UK television channels. In the Labour Party broadcast, The Road Ahead, the third Doctor Jon Pertwee’s son, Sean Pertwee, appeared, while the tenth Doctor David Tennant provided the voice-over.

See our earlier story about this week’s Radio Times and the interview with Brown, who reveals that Tennant is his favourite Doctor, and that he saw him recently in Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

In recent months, both Russell T. Davies and Steven Moffat have separately warned against David Cameron’s Conservatives winning the election, fearing the future of the BBC would be under threat. Citing Moffat’s comments, the Daily Mirror claimed that Saturday’s episode, The Beast Below, featured a message blasting the Tories:
A livid Doctor says: “Once every five years everyone chooses to forget what they have learned. That’s democracy.”
A source said: “This almost echoes what Labour has been saying about how people should not forget what they learned in the 80s. They think the Tories will drag the country down again and it looks like the Doctor feels the same.”

In February, the Sunday Times claimed that writers wove anti-Tory propaganda into Doctor Who scripts in the 1980s.

As for the Liberal Democrats, their candidate for Blaenau Gwent, Wales, is one Matt Smith!

Bookmark and Share Matt Smith and Karen Gillan in New York

Wednesday, March 31, 2010 - Posted by Marcus

BBC America has announced that Matt Smith and Karen Gillan, along with show-runner Steven Moffat, will make a promotional trip to New York in the week leading up to the launch of the new series in North America on April 17.

The trip will include a special screening of The Eleventh Hour on Wednesday, April 14, at 7:00 PM at the Village East Cinema in Manhattan, to be followed by a Question and Answer session with Smith, Gillan and Moffat.

The screening, which is free, will be open to the public on a first come, first served basis.

More details on the BBC America Facebook page.