Beautiful!!!!!
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Friday, December 26, 2008
Bravo indeed Doctor BRAVO!!
Excellent christmas special this year, even though it was pretty easy to figure out in hte first ten minutes that the "next doctor" wasnt a "Doctor" at all, poor fellow. I lovvved with a childish sqeeeee the whole homage to past Doctors bit, made my dear heart ache to see those so familar faces. But why wasnt the cyber "king" called a cyber "queen" ???
Anyway here are a few pics and if my Movie software will ever stop being wonky i will post a clip or two.
The view from a cyberwraith
The cyber king arisen The cyber king attacks
Activating the vortex
Former Corrie actor in Torchwood
Former Coronation Street actor Paul Copley is in the cast of the new series of Torchwood. Skip related content
Paul, who played Ivor Priestley and has also featured in episodes of Holby City, Casualty and The Bill, will feature in the third run of the sci-fi series.
It's not the respected actor's first brush with the Doctor's world. He voiced one of the parts in the hugely popular Spare Parts audio adventure.
Paul has also completed filming roles in forthcoming episodes of The Royal and George Gently, opposite fellow former soap star Jill Halfpenny.
The actor's CV also includes roles in Hornblower, Roughnecks, This Life, Messiah and The Lakes.
Torchwood is set to return in 2009, and stars singer and actor John Barrowman as Captain Jack Harkness and Eve Myles as Gwen.
Paul, who played Ivor Priestley and has also featured in episodes of Holby City, Casualty and The Bill, will feature in the third run of the sci-fi series.
It's not the respected actor's first brush with the Doctor's world. He voiced one of the parts in the hugely popular Spare Parts audio adventure.
Paul has also completed filming roles in forthcoming episodes of The Royal and George Gently, opposite fellow former soap star Jill Halfpenny.
The actor's CV also includes roles in Hornblower, Roughnecks, This Life, Messiah and The Lakes.
Torchwood is set to return in 2009, and stars singer and actor John Barrowman as Captain Jack Harkness and Eve Myles as Gwen.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
'Dr Who' boss discusses new companions
Doctor Who showrunner Russell T. Davies has dropped a few hints about the Time Lord's sidekicks in the 2009 adventures.
"What everyone’s missing is that there will be a new companion," Davies told The Times, referring to the intense speculation about David Tennant's successor.
"We’ve got a young female companion at Easter, and then a much older woman next Christmas - someone in her fifties or sixties. I love that."
Davies also revealed that he has to be careful about the actresses he uses in case it disadvantages his replacement Steven Moffat.
"It’s made casting next year’s four specials difficult because we’re going, 'Well, that’s an interesting actress, but they might want her for series five’," he said. "We don’t want to ruin anyone’s chances of being the new companion by casting her for a one-off."
"What everyone’s missing is that there will be a new companion," Davies told The Times, referring to the intense speculation about David Tennant's successor.
"We’ve got a young female companion at Easter, and then a much older woman next Christmas - someone in her fifties or sixties. I love that."
Davies also revealed that he has to be careful about the actresses he uses in case it disadvantages his replacement Steven Moffat.
"It’s made casting next year’s four specials difficult because we’re going, 'Well, that’s an interesting actress, but they might want her for series five’," he said. "We don’t want to ruin anyone’s chances of being the new companion by casting her for a one-off."
Saturday, December 20, 2008
David On The One Show
Watch David's on set interview with The One Show and get an exclusive glimpse of the making of The Next Doctor
Visimag reviews Christmas Special 2008: The Next Doctor
HERE
Slightly underwhelming but fun, would perhaps be the best verdict of The Next Doctor. Viewed overall, it moves from a publicity-grabbing mystery to an emotional explanation and finally a child-pleasing (and toymaker-pleasing) conclusion without ever quite seeming as if they belong in the same production. But as a feast of spectacle for Christmas Day, it delivers the thrills that are needed, even though I'd personally rate it below the specials from the last three Yules, if only because the finale does feel a bit like the sort of thing a child would write once they got bored with having all 10 Doctors unite to battle a combined Dalek-Cybermen attack.
In a sense, the involvement of the Cybermen is typical of how elements work individually, but less as a whole. There’s no need for them to be Cybermen, as they make use of Human labour without converting it – with one key exception that shouldn’t be revealed here – but they’re a familiar name which will draw in the crowds in the lead-up to the revelation of this year’s new monster, the cyber-punkish Cyberking. The Cybershades – who’ll surely have everyone of a certain age thinking ‘They’ve converted Dougal! Where’s the Blue Cat?’ – don’t really have any plot role that couldn’t have been filled by an ordinary Cyberman (or any other alien heavy), but they do make for a surprisingly creepy image when they could have seemed irretrievably comic, which is more than their Cybermat predecessors could generally manage. Dervla Kirwan’s villainous Miss Hartigan is perfectly adequate, icy and posh, but no more, with perhaps the most perfunctory motivation for a Who villain since 1966's poor old Professor Zaroff, all those years ago, as she effectively reprises Sarah Lancashire’s Miss Foster from earlier this year.
David Morrissey’s performance is a fine take on the slightly more flamboyant Doctor of yesteryear, and once we get into the mystery of who the other Doctor is – we’ll say no more – he handles the more emotional elements every bit as well as you’d expect given his track record; well enough, in fact, for the moments of emotive slow motion to come across as the over-egging of the (Christmas) pudding that they can often be if overused. But once we’re past that, it’s straight into big CGI set pieces (one of which will instantly, and unfortunately, remind the three people who actually watched ITV’s sketch show Headcases of that show’s running joke about the fate of Angelina Jolie’s adopted children) culminating in the appearance of the Cyberking. Your kids will want to have one to play with next Christmas, but if you’ve got invested in the drama of the other Doctor’s origins, then you’ll wonder if you’ve just switched over into another episode, or maybe a Godzilla movie, and then start cheering at the sheer chutzpah. If it’s jarring, it doesn’t really matter, as this is Christmas Day entertainment, with a throwaway confirmation of who the 10 canonical Doctors are to settle fan arguments, and, to judge by the abrupt cut with which the version screened for the press ends, there's a surprise to come in the final seconds
Slightly underwhelming but fun, would perhaps be the best verdict of The Next Doctor. Viewed overall, it moves from a publicity-grabbing mystery to an emotional explanation and finally a child-pleasing (and toymaker-pleasing) conclusion without ever quite seeming as if they belong in the same production. But as a feast of spectacle for Christmas Day, it delivers the thrills that are needed, even though I'd personally rate it below the specials from the last three Yules, if only because the finale does feel a bit like the sort of thing a child would write once they got bored with having all 10 Doctors unite to battle a combined Dalek-Cybermen attack.
In a sense, the involvement of the Cybermen is typical of how elements work individually, but less as a whole. There’s no need for them to be Cybermen, as they make use of Human labour without converting it – with one key exception that shouldn’t be revealed here – but they’re a familiar name which will draw in the crowds in the lead-up to the revelation of this year’s new monster, the cyber-punkish Cyberking. The Cybershades – who’ll surely have everyone of a certain age thinking ‘They’ve converted Dougal! Where’s the Blue Cat?’ – don’t really have any plot role that couldn’t have been filled by an ordinary Cyberman (or any other alien heavy), but they do make for a surprisingly creepy image when they could have seemed irretrievably comic, which is more than their Cybermat predecessors could generally manage. Dervla Kirwan’s villainous Miss Hartigan is perfectly adequate, icy and posh, but no more, with perhaps the most perfunctory motivation for a Who villain since 1966's poor old Professor Zaroff, all those years ago, as she effectively reprises Sarah Lancashire’s Miss Foster from earlier this year.
David Morrissey’s performance is a fine take on the slightly more flamboyant Doctor of yesteryear, and once we get into the mystery of who the other Doctor is – we’ll say no more – he handles the more emotional elements every bit as well as you’d expect given his track record; well enough, in fact, for the moments of emotive slow motion to come across as the over-egging of the (Christmas) pudding that they can often be if overused. But once we’re past that, it’s straight into big CGI set pieces (one of which will instantly, and unfortunately, remind the three people who actually watched ITV’s sketch show Headcases of that show’s running joke about the fate of Angelina Jolie’s adopted children) culminating in the appearance of the Cyberking. Your kids will want to have one to play with next Christmas, but if you’ve got invested in the drama of the other Doctor’s origins, then you’ll wonder if you’ve just switched over into another episode, or maybe a Godzilla movie, and then start cheering at the sheer chutzpah. If it’s jarring, it doesn’t really matter, as this is Christmas Day entertainment, with a throwaway confirmation of who the 10 canonical Doctors are to settle fan arguments, and, to judge by the abrupt cut with which the version screened for the press ends, there's a surprise to come in the final seconds
Bafta: Inside the World of Doctor Who
Explore the world of Doctor Who this Christmas and discover behind-the-scenes secrets in the latest BAFTA webcast.
This special event brings together the experts responsible for creating the Doctor Who universe and the man behind it all - lead writer Russell T Davies.
Presenter Kirsten O'Brien introduces a host of Doctor Who characters and live demonstrations of music and special effects.
Watch Online Now
This special event brings together the experts responsible for creating the Doctor Who universe and the man behind it all - lead writer Russell T Davies.
Presenter Kirsten O'Brien introduces a host of Doctor Who characters and live demonstrations of music and special effects.
Watch Online Now
Friday, December 19, 2008
Possible spoilers? Possible bull?
The Daily Mail has possible spoilers from The Next Doctor, CLICK HERE for the article with photos from the special.
Doctor Who: Velile Tshabalala
The first thing Velile Tshabalala did when she found out that she'd been given the part of Rosita, the Doctor's companion in next week's Doctor Who Christmas special (BBC1), was to call her dad. "Our family, we're like a sitcom," she laughs. "I went, Dad, I've got Doctor Who. I had a really croaky voice because I'd been out with friends the night before, and he thought I was ill. He said, 'What doctor have you seen? What's happened? What's the matter?'"
Thankfully, the Tshabalalas have little to worry about when it comes to the health of their daughter's acting career. Velile's (pronounced Veh-lee-lah) first acting job was playing the teenage waitress Kareesha in the CBBC sitcom Kerching! Then in 2006 she joined BBC3's comedy sketch show Tittybangbang. Now, on Christmas Day, she'll appear opposite David Tennant in his penultimate Christmas special before he leaves the show in early 2010.
Set on Christmas Eve 1851, the episode features a legion of menacing Cybermen as well as Dervla Kirwan as the Doctor's foe, Miss Hartigan. Tshabalala, 24, features as the Doctor's companion, Rosita, in a corset, and a wig that made her, she says, "look like Gloria Gaynor".
As though stepping into the shoes of Kylie Minogue and Catherine Tate, the Doctor's previous two Christmas companions, weren't challenging enough, Tshabalala will also assist not one but two Doctors. The Christmas special stars David Morrissey as the "next Doctor", a rival Time Lord claiming to be "simply the Doctor, the one, the only, and the best".
Rosita, Tshabalala's character, initially assists Morrissey's Doctor, but soon comes to admire Tennant's. She remains resolute before them both, though. "I might be smaller than them," she says, "but I give them what for." Russell T Davies, the show's writer, says that Tshabalala is "lovely", and echoes her description of Rosita's role opposite the two Doctors: "Her character's probably cleverer than the two of them put together." Tshabalala adds that Rosita came quite naturally to her: "She's quite close to home, a feisty cockney girl."
Born in Whitechapel, east London, Tshabalala's cockney roots are practically gold-plated. Her father, a mechanical engineer, and her mother, a health visitor, are from Zimbabwe and moved to London in 1972. "I'm from a typical African family and all my cousins are doctors and teachers," she says. "So when I said I wanted to be an actress you can imagine they weren't too pleased."
Tshabalala's parents, though, happily encouraged Velile's acting career on the condition she completed her exams. From the age of 14, she attended weekend classes at London's Sylvia Young Theatre School. Although before she got professional acting work she'd been cleaning lavatory cubicles to supplement her income, it felt like perfect showbusiness timing that Velile got the call to say she had a part in Kerching! on the day she finished her A-levels. "Always listen to your mum and dad," she smiles in acknowledgment of her parents' foresight.
When she heard she'd won the role in Doctor Who a few years later she admits she was daunted stepping in to such a hallowed, long-running series: "I was petrified." And she was fairly star-struck when she first met David Tennant. "I was trying to act really cool," she recalls, "but I phoned my mum and said, 'Mum, David Tennant just gave me a hug!'"
On set, she noted Tennant's tireless energy before each take, although his current back troubles may have put paid to such capers for the time being. "He'd be standing there jogging on the spot, doing star jumps, and I'd be thinking, you're making me feel like a lazy so-and-so. Even at four in the morning, he's still got that energy." Did David Morrissey do star jumpsto get into character, too? "God, no," she says. "He'd ruin his suit."
Tshabalala thinks Morrissey would make a dapper replacement for Tennant. "He's so dashing and charming," she says. Tantalisingly, though, there's still no confirmation of whether Morrissey will assume the Doctor's mantle. And like him, Tshabalala doesn't know whether she'll be returning for more Doctor Who adventures. "I wanted this part so much," she says. "Whatever happens after is a bonus."
Thankfully, the Tshabalalas have little to worry about when it comes to the health of their daughter's acting career. Velile's (pronounced Veh-lee-lah) first acting job was playing the teenage waitress Kareesha in the CBBC sitcom Kerching! Then in 2006 she joined BBC3's comedy sketch show Tittybangbang. Now, on Christmas Day, she'll appear opposite David Tennant in his penultimate Christmas special before he leaves the show in early 2010.
Set on Christmas Eve 1851, the episode features a legion of menacing Cybermen as well as Dervla Kirwan as the Doctor's foe, Miss Hartigan. Tshabalala, 24, features as the Doctor's companion, Rosita, in a corset, and a wig that made her, she says, "look like Gloria Gaynor".
As though stepping into the shoes of Kylie Minogue and Catherine Tate, the Doctor's previous two Christmas companions, weren't challenging enough, Tshabalala will also assist not one but two Doctors. The Christmas special stars David Morrissey as the "next Doctor", a rival Time Lord claiming to be "simply the Doctor, the one, the only, and the best".
Rosita, Tshabalala's character, initially assists Morrissey's Doctor, but soon comes to admire Tennant's. She remains resolute before them both, though. "I might be smaller than them," she says, "but I give them what for." Russell T Davies, the show's writer, says that Tshabalala is "lovely", and echoes her description of Rosita's role opposite the two Doctors: "Her character's probably cleverer than the two of them put together." Tshabalala adds that Rosita came quite naturally to her: "She's quite close to home, a feisty cockney girl."
Born in Whitechapel, east London, Tshabalala's cockney roots are practically gold-plated. Her father, a mechanical engineer, and her mother, a health visitor, are from Zimbabwe and moved to London in 1972. "I'm from a typical African family and all my cousins are doctors and teachers," she says. "So when I said I wanted to be an actress you can imagine they weren't too pleased."
Tshabalala's parents, though, happily encouraged Velile's acting career on the condition she completed her exams. From the age of 14, she attended weekend classes at London's Sylvia Young Theatre School. Although before she got professional acting work she'd been cleaning lavatory cubicles to supplement her income, it felt like perfect showbusiness timing that Velile got the call to say she had a part in Kerching! on the day she finished her A-levels. "Always listen to your mum and dad," she smiles in acknowledgment of her parents' foresight.
When she heard she'd won the role in Doctor Who a few years later she admits she was daunted stepping in to such a hallowed, long-running series: "I was petrified." And she was fairly star-struck when she first met David Tennant. "I was trying to act really cool," she recalls, "but I phoned my mum and said, 'Mum, David Tennant just gave me a hug!'"
On set, she noted Tennant's tireless energy before each take, although his current back troubles may have put paid to such capers for the time being. "He'd be standing there jogging on the spot, doing star jumps, and I'd be thinking, you're making me feel like a lazy so-and-so. Even at four in the morning, he's still got that energy." Did David Morrissey do star jumpsto get into character, too? "God, no," she says. "He'd ruin his suit."
Tshabalala thinks Morrissey would make a dapper replacement for Tennant. "He's so dashing and charming," she says. Tantalisingly, though, there's still no confirmation of whether Morrissey will assume the Doctor's mantle. And like him, Tshabalala doesn't know whether she'll be returning for more Doctor Who adventures. "I wanted this part so much," she says. "Whatever happens after is a bonus."
Play with the Judoon
Today's addition to the Advent Calendar is a game called Jobsworth Judoon. The description: the Judoon have impounded the TARDIS! Can you help the Doctor break the security codes around the forcefield holding it and escape? CLICK HERE to play
Thursday, December 18, 2008
'Torchwood' returns
As you'll no doubt be aware, the third series brings with it some mighty changes. Not only has the show been upgraded from BBC Two to primetime BBC One, but for the first time the team will contend with one major storyline over the course of the series. The run has been shortened from 13 to just five episodes, but in a major gift to fans the entire series will be stripped across five consecutive days.
That's not to mention a few casting changes too! Torchwood producer Peter Bennett gives us a preview of what else series three - codenamed Torchwood: Children of Earth - has in store.
The title for this series is somewhat intriguing. What does it mean?
"Basically from a concept, we wanted to go down the children dilemma route. Because this storyline is a subject that's going to affect all the children of Earth, it was a natural title to come up with."
What's the plotline of this series?
"It's different to every other year. It's not a story about spaceships, but it's about a government that did a deal with aliens back in the '60s, and they're now dealing with the consequences of that deal when the sins of their past come back to haunt them."
What was the thinking behind switching to doing a five-episode serial?
"Having done 26 standalone stories, we kind of wanted to take this series to another level and by making it one story over five nights, we feel we've done that. It's big, it's epic, and it's very different."
It's also changed channels. How has the move to BBC One affected the tone of the show?
"Taking over a week of primetime BBC One is a big responsibility, and something none of us have done before. So we had to approach everything differently, from the way we storylined the series, to the scripting and filming, then right through to the editing. The script has a big cliffhanger and a few unexpected twists along the way. Telling one story has also given us the opportunity to have one director across the whole series, Euros Lyn, who's been incredible and taken the show to a new level."
It's been previously remarked that this new format represents a "resetting" of the show. Is that accurate?
"I guess so. This series takes Torchwood on a much darker journey, but it's still Torchwood. It's exciting, action-packed, and we've still got a lot of fun running through it."
At the end of series two we lost two of the regular cast, Owen and Tosh. How much are they missed?
"On set Burn and Naoko are missed, because they were a terrific part of the team socially and for morale. As far as the storylines are concerned, it's allowed us to see a whole new side of what's left of our regular characters and learn a whole lot more about their lives. Also we've got new characters, people like Peter Capaldi, who's fantastic as the government middle man caught up in the storm, Liz May Brice as a covert government agent and Paul Copely as a damaged man."
And are there any direct additions to the Torchwood team?
"We sort of bring in Gwen's husband Rhys (Kai Owen). He was always on the fringes anyway but he takes a much more active part in the storyline now. And we've got a new young lady who helps the team - I wouldn't say she's part of the team but she kind of helps them out. She's played by a new actress called Cush Jumbo, who's a very pretty young lady and who I'm sure is going to go on to bigger things."
John Barrowman has previously hinted that he might quit the show after this series. Do you think that's true? What do you think Torchwood would be like without Captain Jack?
"I think it would be very difficult without John. I've not heard him say he wouldn't want to stick around after a third series, so I'm not sure where that's come from. But he certainly never mentioned it to us or on set. It wouldn't be the same without him obviously. Captain Jack is a star in his own right!"
Are there individual episode titles on this series?
"No, it's just the one main title running through this year."
Who do you have writing this series?
"We've got James Moran, who wrote for the last series of Torchwood, and we've got a guy called John Fay who previously wrote all sorts of things. Russell was a fan of his, so he's come and written episode two, which is brilliant. Russell did one, John did two, James did three and then Russell did four and five."
Are you nervous about how the audience will take to the new format?
"Yes, of course. It's something none of us has done before so we're all a bit nervous of it. I've got the bonus of having seen the material we've shot and I can assure you, we've got some absolutely fantastic material with some amazing acting. It's stunning and I would defy anybody not to be impressed by it."
Where are you at with production on the series right now?
"We've just started our second week of post editing and we're in a position to have a look at our first episode. We've just shown our executive producers the first cut version of the first episode and this week we're hoping to show them the first cut of the second episode. It's a very very tough post schedule. We've only got one director, but we've got three cutting rooms running simultaneously and he's literally running between all three. We have to deliver the whole thing, with all effects and music, by March. So to do five one-hours is a real tough schedule, particularly because we've got so much amazing material. I'd guess we're two thirds of the way through and the last third is a struggle - but a nice struggle."
That's not to mention a few casting changes too! Torchwood producer Peter Bennett gives us a preview of what else series three - codenamed Torchwood: Children of Earth - has in store.
The title for this series is somewhat intriguing. What does it mean?
"Basically from a concept, we wanted to go down the children dilemma route. Because this storyline is a subject that's going to affect all the children of Earth, it was a natural title to come up with."
What's the plotline of this series?
"It's different to every other year. It's not a story about spaceships, but it's about a government that did a deal with aliens back in the '60s, and they're now dealing with the consequences of that deal when the sins of their past come back to haunt them."
What was the thinking behind switching to doing a five-episode serial?
"Having done 26 standalone stories, we kind of wanted to take this series to another level and by making it one story over five nights, we feel we've done that. It's big, it's epic, and it's very different."
It's also changed channels. How has the move to BBC One affected the tone of the show?
"Taking over a week of primetime BBC One is a big responsibility, and something none of us have done before. So we had to approach everything differently, from the way we storylined the series, to the scripting and filming, then right through to the editing. The script has a big cliffhanger and a few unexpected twists along the way. Telling one story has also given us the opportunity to have one director across the whole series, Euros Lyn, who's been incredible and taken the show to a new level."
It's been previously remarked that this new format represents a "resetting" of the show. Is that accurate?
"I guess so. This series takes Torchwood on a much darker journey, but it's still Torchwood. It's exciting, action-packed, and we've still got a lot of fun running through it."
At the end of series two we lost two of the regular cast, Owen and Tosh. How much are they missed?
"On set Burn and Naoko are missed, because they were a terrific part of the team socially and for morale. As far as the storylines are concerned, it's allowed us to see a whole new side of what's left of our regular characters and learn a whole lot more about their lives. Also we've got new characters, people like Peter Capaldi, who's fantastic as the government middle man caught up in the storm, Liz May Brice as a covert government agent and Paul Copely as a damaged man."
And are there any direct additions to the Torchwood team?
"We sort of bring in Gwen's husband Rhys (Kai Owen). He was always on the fringes anyway but he takes a much more active part in the storyline now. And we've got a new young lady who helps the team - I wouldn't say she's part of the team but she kind of helps them out. She's played by a new actress called Cush Jumbo, who's a very pretty young lady and who I'm sure is going to go on to bigger things."
John Barrowman has previously hinted that he might quit the show after this series. Do you think that's true? What do you think Torchwood would be like without Captain Jack?
"I think it would be very difficult without John. I've not heard him say he wouldn't want to stick around after a third series, so I'm not sure where that's come from. But he certainly never mentioned it to us or on set. It wouldn't be the same without him obviously. Captain Jack is a star in his own right!"
Are there individual episode titles on this series?
"No, it's just the one main title running through this year."
Who do you have writing this series?
"We've got James Moran, who wrote for the last series of Torchwood, and we've got a guy called John Fay who previously wrote all sorts of things. Russell was a fan of his, so he's come and written episode two, which is brilliant. Russell did one, John did two, James did three and then Russell did four and five."
Are you nervous about how the audience will take to the new format?
"Yes, of course. It's something none of us has done before so we're all a bit nervous of it. I've got the bonus of having seen the material we've shot and I can assure you, we've got some absolutely fantastic material with some amazing acting. It's stunning and I would defy anybody not to be impressed by it."
Where are you at with production on the series right now?
"We've just started our second week of post editing and we're in a position to have a look at our first episode. We've just shown our executive producers the first cut version of the first episode and this week we're hoping to show them the first cut of the second episode. It's a very very tough post schedule. We've only got one director, but we've got three cutting rooms running simultaneously and he's literally running between all three. We have to deliver the whole thing, with all effects and music, by March. So to do five one-hours is a real tough schedule, particularly because we've got so much amazing material. I'd guess we're two thirds of the way through and the last third is a struggle - but a nice struggle."
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Cosmic collider game on who
Can you destroy the cosmic blocks to uncover exclusive pictures and a super-secret script extract from The Next Doctor?
Cosmic Collider
Cosmic Collider
'Brigadier' dreams of 'Doctor Who' return
Nicholas Courtney is keen to reprise his role as Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart on Doctor Who - almost two decades after his last appearance.Courtney, who can currently be seen as The Brigadier in the season finale of The Sarah Jane Adventures, told Doctor Who Magazine that he would savour the character returning to his parent show."That would be very nice," said the veteran actor, who first appeared as the UNIT icon in 1968. "Yes, I shall look forward to that. In my dreams."Courtney also praised the current incarnation of Doctor Who, stating that "David Tennant has enormous charisma about him" and that "Russell T. [Davies] has done marvels".
Carlyle To Star In Stargate Universe, does this mean no Who??
Award-winning Scottish actor Robert Carlyle (The Full Monty) has been cast in the leading role of Dr. David Rush on SCI FI Channel's new original series Stargate Universe, the latest adventure in the Stargate franchise produced by MGM television.
Production will begin in Vancouver, Canada, in February 2009, with an eye to a summer 2009 premiere. Additional casting is currently underway.
Described as edgier and younger in tone than the two previous series, Universe follows a band of soldiers, scientists and civilians who must fend for themselves as they are forced through a Stargate when their hidden base comes under attack.
The desperate survivors emerge aboard an Ancient ship missing in the far reaches of space. As they fight to survive, Dr. Rush (Carlyle) works to unlock the mysteries of the ship and return the group home, but evidence of his ulterior motives soon arises.
Brad Wright and Robert Cooper--co-creators of Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis, who both currently serve as executive producers on Atlantis--will serve as executive producers and writers on the new series.
Stargate Universe will debut as a two-hour movie event on SCI FI and will be distributed by MGM Worldwide Television Distribution.
Production will begin in Vancouver, Canada, in February 2009, with an eye to a summer 2009 premiere. Additional casting is currently underway.
Described as edgier and younger in tone than the two previous series, Universe follows a band of soldiers, scientists and civilians who must fend for themselves as they are forced through a Stargate when their hidden base comes under attack.
The desperate survivors emerge aboard an Ancient ship missing in the far reaches of space. As they fight to survive, Dr. Rush (Carlyle) works to unlock the mysteries of the ship and return the group home, but evidence of his ulterior motives soon arises.
Brad Wright and Robert Cooper--co-creators of Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis, who both currently serve as executive producers on Atlantis--will serve as executive producers and writers on the new series.
Stargate Universe will debut as a two-hour movie event on SCI FI and will be distributed by MGM Worldwide Television Distribution.
Davies lauds BBC for 'Sarah Jane' decision
The Sarah Jane Adventures creator Russell T. Davies has heaped praise upon the BBC for commissioning a third season of the family drama.
"This really is the best news," he told Doctor Who Magazine. "In an age of shrinking budgets and an ever-changing television landscape, children's TV is right at the front line, and personally I think it's one of the most vital areas to protect and nourish. So this commission is wonderful."
"We're all determined to repay Children's BBC by delivering an amazing show," Davies continued, "[and] work has been underway for quite some time in the hope of this commission and the desks are already piled high with scripts."
Davies also confirmed that he will remain as the show's executive producer, despite his imminent departure from its parent show. "I might be leaving Doctor Who," he said, "but not Sarah Jane."
"This really is the best news," he told Doctor Who Magazine. "In an age of shrinking budgets and an ever-changing television landscape, children's TV is right at the front line, and personally I think it's one of the most vital areas to protect and nourish. So this commission is wonderful."
"We're all determined to repay Children's BBC by delivering an amazing show," Davies continued, "[and] work has been underway for quite some time in the hope of this commission and the desks are already piled high with scripts."
Davies also confirmed that he will remain as the show's executive producer, despite his imminent departure from its parent show. "I might be leaving Doctor Who," he said, "but not Sarah Jane."
Sunday, December 07, 2008
Noel Clarke on Doctor Who rumours
Film-maker and actor Noel Clarke is not ruling out some big names to play the role of the new Doctor Who
Patterson Joseph's name has appeared on the rumour mill and Clarke said it could be possible,
"I was the first black companion. If he is the first black doctor then good luck to him," he said.
"Doctor Who is an alien life form who changes and transforms and there is no reason why it can't be a woman, an alien, a man, a fellow. So whoever it is, good luck to them."
David Tennant announced at the National Television Awards in October, he will bow out as the Time Lord at the end of next year after filming four specialsOther names being linked with the role include 28 Weeks Later star Robert Carlye and David Morrissey who will appear in this year's Dr Who Christmas special
Patterson Joseph's name has appeared on the rumour mill and Clarke said it could be possible,
"I was the first black companion. If he is the first black doctor then good luck to him," he said.
"Doctor Who is an alien life form who changes and transforms and there is no reason why it can't be a woman, an alien, a man, a fellow. So whoever it is, good luck to them."
David Tennant announced at the National Television Awards in October, he will bow out as the Time Lord at the end of next year after filming four specialsOther names being linked with the role include 28 Weeks Later star Robert Carlye and David Morrissey who will appear in this year's Dr Who Christmas special
Friday, December 05, 2008
City panto is the real McCoy
By Nigel Powlson
FORMER timelord Sylvester McCoy watches the new Doctor Who series with a slight touch of envy but is heartened by the fact that his spell in the Tardis is still an influence on the BBC's flagship series.
"Each generation has its own favourite doctor and I'm getting to the point where for thirtysomethings I was their favourite," he says. "Which is great as they are getting into positions of power in the industry. I did a film recently where the producer was a huge fan of Doctor Who and I was 'his' doctor.
"I watch the new Doctor Who with envy of the technology they have got and money they pour into it but there are great similarities with what we were doing back then, which makes sense because the writers were growing up watching our show and were influenced by it.
"I am very proud to have landed that job and to be part of that television culture and, do you know, I'm in a museum. I thought you had to be dead to do that but I'm in a Doctor Who museum. People adore it, people love you for having been in it, which is wonderful. People buy me a drink when they see me – they don't pour it all over me.
%3Cbody%3E%3Cdiv%20id%3D%22adDiv%22%3E%3CA%20HREF%3D%22http%3A//ads.anm.co.uk/ADCLICK/CID%3Dfffffffcfffffffcfffffffc/AAMSZ%3D452x118/SITE%3DTHISISDERB/AREA%3DENTERTAINMENT/SUBAREA%3DHOME/ARTICLE%3D524250/acc_random%3D5458249229/pageid%3D/RS%3D%22%20target%3D%22_new%22%3E%3CIMG%20SRC%3D%22http%3A//iad.anm.co.uk/anmdefaultad.gif%22%20ALT%3D%22%22%20border%3D0%20style%3D%22margin-bottom%3A%200px%3B%22%3E%3C/A%3E%3C/div%3E
"And what's great about Doctor Who is that adults introduce it to their children so in that respect it's very much like panto. It's very important to have families enjoying themselves collectively, especially in society today where people aren't even having enough Sunday lunches together."
From this week, Sylvester is bringing families all the traditions of panto by playing 'Orrible Herman in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and forming part of a villainous double act with Sue Holderness' Wicked Queen.
"The first panto I ever saw was Peter Pan in Glasgow and I was no higher than the front seats," Sylvester says. "I still remember it even though I was only three or four. I was taken from the Highlands of Scotland to Glasgow and I have never forgotten that experience. That's why I love doing panto now – to give children that magical experience – and that's why I know what a responsibility it is doing it.
"I also love my boos and go out there and play to them as much as possible. I guess I have done just about every part in panto over the years. I enjoy them all but especially the villain, although I have never played a henchman before, which is going to fun, especially as Sue and I will be doing a duet where I play the spoons and she tap dances."
Sylvester also loves the sense of tradition that comes with panto.
"Panto was the Christmas party before there was TV, everyone let their hair down and joined in, including the actors. A lot of the time the villain speaks in rhyme, which is a homage to Shakespeare; their is a touch of musical theatre; often a serious thespian playing comedy – that's when you get that wonderful mix. A taste of all theatre's wonders.
"It's all great fun, slightly formuliac but a great tradition. It's the only thing we British have invented for theatre – all the rest came from the Greeks, the French, but we invented panto.
"I'm very proud of that.
"I also love the great family connection of it, the joy; the fun.
"The grandparents saw it as children and explain when to boo and hiss to the grandchildren. You have to keep that going and pass it on. Pantomime doesn't work anywhere else in the world because the audience don't know their role. It works here because audiences are brought up on it."
Sylvester is also always delighted to be back on stage.
"A big Doctor Who fan asked what I liked doing best and I said 'theatre' and he couldn't believe it.
"People who love a TV show, for them it's incredibly important but for an actor it's very different. The viewers think if you are on TV you have reached the heights.
"It's good (and it used to pay well) but it's in theatre where you really connect with the audience."
WHAT: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. WHERE: Derby Assembly Rooms. WHEN: December 10-January 11. TICKETS: £8.50-£18.50. BOX OFFICE: 01332 255800.
FORMER timelord Sylvester McCoy watches the new Doctor Who series with a slight touch of envy but is heartened by the fact that his spell in the Tardis is still an influence on the BBC's flagship series.
"Each generation has its own favourite doctor and I'm getting to the point where for thirtysomethings I was their favourite," he says. "Which is great as they are getting into positions of power in the industry. I did a film recently where the producer was a huge fan of Doctor Who and I was 'his' doctor.
"I watch the new Doctor Who with envy of the technology they have got and money they pour into it but there are great similarities with what we were doing back then, which makes sense because the writers were growing up watching our show and were influenced by it.
"I am very proud to have landed that job and to be part of that television culture and, do you know, I'm in a museum. I thought you had to be dead to do that but I'm in a Doctor Who museum. People adore it, people love you for having been in it, which is wonderful. People buy me a drink when they see me – they don't pour it all over me.
%3Cbody%3E%3Cdiv%20id%3D%22adDiv%22%3E%3CA%20HREF%3D%22http%3A//ads.anm.co.uk/ADCLICK/CID%3Dfffffffcfffffffcfffffffc/AAMSZ%3D452x118/SITE%3DTHISISDERB/AREA%3DENTERTAINMENT/SUBAREA%3DHOME/ARTICLE%3D524250/acc_random%3D5458249229/pageid%3D/RS%3D%22%20target%3D%22_new%22%3E%3CIMG%20SRC%3D%22http%3A//iad.anm.co.uk/anmdefaultad.gif%22%20ALT%3D%22%22%20border%3D0%20style%3D%22margin-bottom%3A%200px%3B%22%3E%3C/A%3E%3C/div%3E
"And what's great about Doctor Who is that adults introduce it to their children so in that respect it's very much like panto. It's very important to have families enjoying themselves collectively, especially in society today where people aren't even having enough Sunday lunches together."
From this week, Sylvester is bringing families all the traditions of panto by playing 'Orrible Herman in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and forming part of a villainous double act with Sue Holderness' Wicked Queen.
"The first panto I ever saw was Peter Pan in Glasgow and I was no higher than the front seats," Sylvester says. "I still remember it even though I was only three or four. I was taken from the Highlands of Scotland to Glasgow and I have never forgotten that experience. That's why I love doing panto now – to give children that magical experience – and that's why I know what a responsibility it is doing it.
"I also love my boos and go out there and play to them as much as possible. I guess I have done just about every part in panto over the years. I enjoy them all but especially the villain, although I have never played a henchman before, which is going to fun, especially as Sue and I will be doing a duet where I play the spoons and she tap dances."
Sylvester also loves the sense of tradition that comes with panto.
"Panto was the Christmas party before there was TV, everyone let their hair down and joined in, including the actors. A lot of the time the villain speaks in rhyme, which is a homage to Shakespeare; their is a touch of musical theatre; often a serious thespian playing comedy – that's when you get that wonderful mix. A taste of all theatre's wonders.
"It's all great fun, slightly formuliac but a great tradition. It's the only thing we British have invented for theatre – all the rest came from the Greeks, the French, but we invented panto.
"I'm very proud of that.
"I also love the great family connection of it, the joy; the fun.
"The grandparents saw it as children and explain when to boo and hiss to the grandchildren. You have to keep that going and pass it on. Pantomime doesn't work anywhere else in the world because the audience don't know their role. It works here because audiences are brought up on it."
Sylvester is also always delighted to be back on stage.
"A big Doctor Who fan asked what I liked doing best and I said 'theatre' and he couldn't believe it.
"People who love a TV show, for them it's incredibly important but for an actor it's very different. The viewers think if you are on TV you have reached the heights.
"It's good (and it used to pay well) but it's in theatre where you really connect with the audience."
WHAT: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. WHERE: Derby Assembly Rooms. WHEN: December 10-January 11. TICKETS: £8.50-£18.50. BOX OFFICE: 01332 255800.
Create your very own Dalek
DR WHO fans could well be in clover this Christmas if they manage to unwrap one of these from under the Christmas tree.
AIRFIX has just released a kit with both Dalek Caan and Dalek Sec in it to bring to life with your own hands, some pieces of plastic and a litte tube of glue.
Each is 14cm tall and is packed full of enough electronic gubbins to make them come to life.
The Daleks in Manhattan range come hot on the heels of last year's must-have TARDIS pack and are pretty good value at £29.99 when you consider how long it's going to take to put together.
The kits also include a stage for fans to recreate the Daleks in Manhattan episode plus all the paint and sticky suff you'll need.
They are due out in the third week of December and will surely sell fast - so put a note in the diary to pick one up before all stocks are exterminated!
AIRFIX has just released a kit with both Dalek Caan and Dalek Sec in it to bring to life with your own hands, some pieces of plastic and a litte tube of glue.
Each is 14cm tall and is packed full of enough electronic gubbins to make them come to life.
The Daleks in Manhattan range come hot on the heels of last year's must-have TARDIS pack and are pretty good value at £29.99 when you consider how long it's going to take to put together.
The kits also include a stage for fans to recreate the Daleks in Manhattan episode plus all the paint and sticky suff you'll need.
They are due out in the third week of December and will surely sell fast - so put a note in the diary to pick one up before all stocks are exterminated!
Bad Wolf One: A Doctor Who Blog review
Nissa Annakindt has reviewed my blog, the first i know of online, and gave me passing marks. lol
thank you Nissa. read the whole review HERE on Nissas' page at SHVOONG.
thank you Nissa. read the whole review HERE on Nissas' page at SHVOONG.
New Doctor who tardis game
The TARDIS is out of control and being sucked into a black hole. Help the Doctor use the gravitational energy of asteroids and comets to stop the TARDIS falling into a parallel dimension!
Play Game >>
Play Game >>
Thursday, December 04, 2008
New River Song Screwdriver coming in 2009!
Character Options have released a picture and info on a new Doctor Who Product: River Song's Sonic Screwdriver!
As seen in series 4 of Doctor Who this Future Sonic Screwdriver was used by the 51st century archaeologist Professor River Song - a woman from The Doctor's future!
The Future Sonic Screwdriver includes light and sound effects and has an interchangeable red or blue tip.
The BBC Press Office has also released details of further upcoming Doctor Who products which will be showcased at the Toy Fair 2009 event in London:
"Still very much at the top of everyone's wishlist and showing no signs of slowing down in 2009 is Doctor Who, returning with some fantastic new lines from Character Options including "collect and build" figures, Time Squad collectible figures, further classic figures and the Doctor's Book of Impossible Things. Doctor Who games are a well covered category with the recent launch of a brand new DVD game from Screenlife, joining Winning Moves' Top Trumps and Flair's Uno and Etch a Sketch games. BBC Worldwide will also be presenting their new 'monsters' style guide – a creative focussing on perennially popular 'monster' characters from the show which will offer more opportunity for exciting product development for key licensees across 2009."
The product is due for release in mid January 2009 priced £14.99.
As seen in series 4 of Doctor Who this Future Sonic Screwdriver was used by the 51st century archaeologist Professor River Song - a woman from The Doctor's future!
The Future Sonic Screwdriver includes light and sound effects and has an interchangeable red or blue tip.
The BBC Press Office has also released details of further upcoming Doctor Who products which will be showcased at the Toy Fair 2009 event in London:
"Still very much at the top of everyone's wishlist and showing no signs of slowing down in 2009 is Doctor Who, returning with some fantastic new lines from Character Options including "collect and build" figures, Time Squad collectible figures, further classic figures and the Doctor's Book of Impossible Things. Doctor Who games are a well covered category with the recent launch of a brand new DVD game from Screenlife, joining Winning Moves' Top Trumps and Flair's Uno and Etch a Sketch games. BBC Worldwide will also be presenting their new 'monsters' style guide – a creative focussing on perennially popular 'monster' characters from the show which will offer more opportunity for exciting product development for key licensees across 2009."
The product is due for release in mid January 2009 priced £14.99.
Dr Who at the proms details
BBC One offers viewers the chance this Christmas to see highlights from the first Doctor Who Prom – one of the hottest tickets of the summer. Hosted by Freema Agyeman (Martha Jones) and with a surprise guest appearance by Catherine Tate (Donna Noble), this programme, filmed at the BBC Proms in July, is a musical odyssey through time and space.With the Tardis on stage at London's Royal Albert Hall, the programme takes viewers on a journey through four series of the Doctor's adventures, and features the music that accompanied them – Murray Gold's celebrated music for the television series. Performed by the BBC Philharmonic and London Philharmonic Chorus, under the baton of Ben Foster, the music is accompanied by specially edited film sequences from the series.One of today's featured highlights provides viewers with a chance to see the scene that was specially filmed for the BBC Proms. Music Of The Spheres, written by Russell T Davies and starring David Tennant – not to mention a mischievous Graske – left the audience spellbound and there is lots of audience interaction and laughter.
The concert also brought the audience face to face with some of the Doctor's most fearsome adversaries – a host of monsters and aliens, including the Doctor's oldest enemies, the Cybermen, Davros and the Daleks.Music featured in this Doctor Who Prom includes All The Strange, Strange Creatures; The Doctor Forever; Rose; Martha v The Master; The Daleks And Davros; Donna; Girl In The Fireplace; Astrid; This Is Gallifrey; Doctor's Theme/Song Of Freedom; Doomsday; and Doctor Who Theme.Doctor Who At The Proms is simulcast on BBC HD – the BBC's High Definition channel available through Freesat, Sky and Virgin Media. With up to five times more detail than standard definition television, HD provides exceptionally vivid colours and crisp pictures to make Doctor Who At The Proms a truly cinematic TV experience.Read About It Here.The original show was approx 2 hours long, however there was only 53 minutes of actual Doctor Who music, all non-Doctor Who music has been removed, I am unsure if the Music Of The Spheres special is included.
The concert also brought the audience face to face with some of the Doctor's most fearsome adversaries – a host of monsters and aliens, including the Doctor's oldest enemies, the Cybermen, Davros and the Daleks.Music featured in this Doctor Who Prom includes All The Strange, Strange Creatures; The Doctor Forever; Rose; Martha v The Master; The Daleks And Davros; Donna; Girl In The Fireplace; Astrid; This Is Gallifrey; Doctor's Theme/Song Of Freedom; Doomsday; and Doctor Who Theme.Doctor Who At The Proms is simulcast on BBC HD – the BBC's High Definition channel available through Freesat, Sky and Virgin Media. With up to five times more detail than standard definition television, HD provides exceptionally vivid colours and crisp pictures to make Doctor Who At The Proms a truly cinematic TV experience.Read About It Here.The original show was approx 2 hours long, however there was only 53 minutes of actual Doctor Who music, all non-Doctor Who music has been removed, I am unsure if the Music Of The Spheres special is included.
Inside the World of Doctor Who Special guests thrill visitors to London event.
On Saturday 29 November, the London Children's Film Festival played host to Inside the World of Doctor Who.
Presented by BAFTA at the Barbican, the event was a spectacular opportunity for London's children and families to get behind-the-scenes insight into the making of Doctor Who.
CBBC presenter Kirsten O'Brien interviewed series creator Russell T Davies, chatted with Neill Gorton about how the iconic monsters are made, learnt about the Computer Generated Images (CGI) monsters from Will Cohen of the Mill, discovered how the mood is created through the musical arrangements from composer Ben Foster, and heard from Special Effects man Danny Hargreaves.
A special guest appearance from iconic monsters Cybermen, Scarecrow, Ood and a Dalek kept everyone on their toes and, last but not least, the audience was treated to a sneak preview of snippets from this year's Doctor Who Christmas special.
A webcast of the event will go live on 15 December
Presented by BAFTA at the Barbican, the event was a spectacular opportunity for London's children and families to get behind-the-scenes insight into the making of Doctor Who.
CBBC presenter Kirsten O'Brien interviewed series creator Russell T Davies, chatted with Neill Gorton about how the iconic monsters are made, learnt about the Computer Generated Images (CGI) monsters from Will Cohen of the Mill, discovered how the mood is created through the musical arrangements from composer Ben Foster, and heard from Special Effects man Danny Hargreaves.
A special guest appearance from iconic monsters Cybermen, Scarecrow, Ood and a Dalek kept everyone on their toes and, last but not least, the audience was treated to a sneak preview of snippets from this year's Doctor Who Christmas special.
A webcast of the event will go live on 15 December
would love to be next Doctor Who, reveals Robert Carlyle
ROBERT Carlyle has told Doctor Who bosses:"Come and get me."
The actor is one of the favourites to take over from fellow Scot David Tennant, who will quit as the Time Lord at the end of next year.
Doctor Who writer Russell T Davies has spelled out exactly what he's after: "Anyone playing him has to be capable of anything - action, heartbreak, comedy, wielding a sonic screwdriver..."
Given the 47-year-old father of three's versatile career, he more than fits the bill.
Roles have included the lead in Sunday night TV series Hamish Macbeth, and films such as The Full Monty, Eragon, Trainspotting and The World Is Not Enough.
Like ninth Doctor Christopher Eccleston, Robert would certainly bring extra acting skills to the role.
But there's competition. Top is David Morrissey, who appears as a Doctor in this year's Christmas special.
There's also actor Paterson Joseph, who appeared in The Beach alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, who would become the show's first black Doctor. There are also rumours of the first female Doctor.
Robert laughed: "This has followed me for two years. But no one has ever approached me about it and I never wanted to talk about it because you can't talk about another actor's part.
"I would treat it with respect and regard it properly, but I would have to be approached about it first."
Robert's latest role is in 24: Redemption, a TV movie set between series six and seven of the Kiefer Sutherland smash hit show-which is out on DVD this week - sees his character Carl Benton running a school in Sangala and because Doctor Who is so loved by children, it's just as well that Robert loves working with kids.
He said: "A lot of my work is with children and there's a reason for that, because they really level you.
"They are very good at just walking up, saying their line, then going out to play.
"Whereas actors are sitting there thinking about it too much."
The actor lives in Glasgow with wife Anastasia and children Ava, six, Harvey, four, and Pearce, two.
And Robert admits that since having children there are roles he wouldn't consider - such as playing someone like Moors murderer Ian Brady.
He said: "My wife and I have three children, so that changes your perspective."
Robert's been very busy and has recently starred in The Last Enemy, Flood, 24: Redemption and the movies Stone Of Destiny and Summer.
Robert's appearance in 24: Redemption will have reminded America just what they have been missing.
And there's been a huge influx of Brit actors taking American TV by storm, such as Anna Friel in Pushing Daisies, Hugh Laurie in House, Ashley Jensen in Ugly Betty and Robert's Trainspotting colleagues Kevin McKidd in Grey's Anatomy and Jonny Lee Miller in Eli Stone.
So would Robert ever consider working in America?
"Anyone that knows me knows what I'm about, and I'm very much a British actor, a European actor," he explained.
"It's what I love doing, but that's not to say that I wouldn't consider something else, I'd be stupid not to.
"It's not to say that I wouldn't come back and I understand from Jonny Lee Miller that you can always build in gaps if you do something like that.
"But that's overstepping the mark slightly, I haven't been offered anything.
But to answer honestly, I'd have to seriously consider it."
While the DVD of 24: Redemption is out this week, Robert also has his latest film Summer released on Friday.
Back to the independent films like Riff-Raff, Safe and Priest that kick started his career in the Nineties, Summer is about two pals struggling in the margins of society. And during filming he was reminded of his own upbringing in Maryhill, Glasgow.
He said: "I was poorer than poor - I will never forget that. I don't know a lot of people from that time these days, but I've seen them through the years and I've seen what life has done to them. I've seen how it's affected them, good or bad, but generally the downside."
Robert was brought up by his dad Joseph after his mum left them when Robert was four.
His dad died two years ago but Robert has come to terms with his loss.
He said: "I cried my eyes out, but at the end of it I thought, 'We were close. There is nothing I regret.'"
It was his dad who supported him when he left school at 16 and Robert worked with him as an apprentice decorator before becoming an actor in his 20s.
In Summer, he plays Shaun, who cares for his childhood pal Daz, played by Steve Evets, who is in a wheelchair.
As Daz slowly dies, the film focuses on the bleakness of their lives.
The film won Robert Best Actor at the Edinburgh International Film Festival this year and he was also nominated for Best Actor at the BAFTA awards, where the film won Best Feature Film.
Summer was filmed in Bolsover, near Sheffield, where Robert made The Full Monty playing Gaz, an unemployed steelworker turned male stripper.
Speaking of his time on set, Robert said: "It was chaos.
Obviously, I'm recognised around the place and people approach me, but this was en masse.
"I didn't think about it until I was getting down to Sheffield, and then I realised that I was in the eye of the storm.
"I felt like the prodigal son. It was just magic."
Next year will come the film I Know You Know, which is directed by Justin Kerrigan, who directed Human Traffic in the Nineties.
Robert said: "It's a beautiful story about Justin's father. I play his father, who was mentally ill, and lived in a kind of Walter Mitty world.
"He created this incredible web of deceit and his son and everyone went along with it."
Currently, Robert is shooting the film The Unloved with Samantha Morton, which she's also directing.
Robert said: "It's her first feature and it's a very personal film about her life. I play her father.
"She asked me to play that part and I was very honoured."
Robert is clearly in demand and only time will tell if he's given the keys to the famous Tardis.
The actor is one of the favourites to take over from fellow Scot David Tennant, who will quit as the Time Lord at the end of next year.
Doctor Who writer Russell T Davies has spelled out exactly what he's after: "Anyone playing him has to be capable of anything - action, heartbreak, comedy, wielding a sonic screwdriver..."
Given the 47-year-old father of three's versatile career, he more than fits the bill.
Roles have included the lead in Sunday night TV series Hamish Macbeth, and films such as The Full Monty, Eragon, Trainspotting and The World Is Not Enough.
Like ninth Doctor Christopher Eccleston, Robert would certainly bring extra acting skills to the role.
But there's competition. Top is David Morrissey, who appears as a Doctor in this year's Christmas special.
There's also actor Paterson Joseph, who appeared in The Beach alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, who would become the show's first black Doctor. There are also rumours of the first female Doctor.
Robert laughed: "This has followed me for two years. But no one has ever approached me about it and I never wanted to talk about it because you can't talk about another actor's part.
"I would treat it with respect and regard it properly, but I would have to be approached about it first."
Robert's latest role is in 24: Redemption, a TV movie set between series six and seven of the Kiefer Sutherland smash hit show-which is out on DVD this week - sees his character Carl Benton running a school in Sangala and because Doctor Who is so loved by children, it's just as well that Robert loves working with kids.
He said: "A lot of my work is with children and there's a reason for that, because they really level you.
"They are very good at just walking up, saying their line, then going out to play.
"Whereas actors are sitting there thinking about it too much."
The actor lives in Glasgow with wife Anastasia and children Ava, six, Harvey, four, and Pearce, two.
And Robert admits that since having children there are roles he wouldn't consider - such as playing someone like Moors murderer Ian Brady.
He said: "My wife and I have three children, so that changes your perspective."
Robert's been very busy and has recently starred in The Last Enemy, Flood, 24: Redemption and the movies Stone Of Destiny and Summer.
Robert's appearance in 24: Redemption will have reminded America just what they have been missing.
And there's been a huge influx of Brit actors taking American TV by storm, such as Anna Friel in Pushing Daisies, Hugh Laurie in House, Ashley Jensen in Ugly Betty and Robert's Trainspotting colleagues Kevin McKidd in Grey's Anatomy and Jonny Lee Miller in Eli Stone.
So would Robert ever consider working in America?
"Anyone that knows me knows what I'm about, and I'm very much a British actor, a European actor," he explained.
"It's what I love doing, but that's not to say that I wouldn't consider something else, I'd be stupid not to.
"It's not to say that I wouldn't come back and I understand from Jonny Lee Miller that you can always build in gaps if you do something like that.
"But that's overstepping the mark slightly, I haven't been offered anything.
But to answer honestly, I'd have to seriously consider it."
While the DVD of 24: Redemption is out this week, Robert also has his latest film Summer released on Friday.
Back to the independent films like Riff-Raff, Safe and Priest that kick started his career in the Nineties, Summer is about two pals struggling in the margins of society. And during filming he was reminded of his own upbringing in Maryhill, Glasgow.
He said: "I was poorer than poor - I will never forget that. I don't know a lot of people from that time these days, but I've seen them through the years and I've seen what life has done to them. I've seen how it's affected them, good or bad, but generally the downside."
Robert was brought up by his dad Joseph after his mum left them when Robert was four.
His dad died two years ago but Robert has come to terms with his loss.
He said: "I cried my eyes out, but at the end of it I thought, 'We were close. There is nothing I regret.'"
It was his dad who supported him when he left school at 16 and Robert worked with him as an apprentice decorator before becoming an actor in his 20s.
In Summer, he plays Shaun, who cares for his childhood pal Daz, played by Steve Evets, who is in a wheelchair.
As Daz slowly dies, the film focuses on the bleakness of their lives.
The film won Robert Best Actor at the Edinburgh International Film Festival this year and he was also nominated for Best Actor at the BAFTA awards, where the film won Best Feature Film.
Summer was filmed in Bolsover, near Sheffield, where Robert made The Full Monty playing Gaz, an unemployed steelworker turned male stripper.
Speaking of his time on set, Robert said: "It was chaos.
Obviously, I'm recognised around the place and people approach me, but this was en masse.
"I didn't think about it until I was getting down to Sheffield, and then I realised that I was in the eye of the storm.
"I felt like the prodigal son. It was just magic."
Next year will come the film I Know You Know, which is directed by Justin Kerrigan, who directed Human Traffic in the Nineties.
Robert said: "It's a beautiful story about Justin's father. I play his father, who was mentally ill, and lived in a kind of Walter Mitty world.
"He created this incredible web of deceit and his son and everyone went along with it."
Currently, Robert is shooting the film The Unloved with Samantha Morton, which she's also directing.
Robert said: "It's her first feature and it's a very personal film about her life. I play her father.
"She asked me to play that part and I was very honoured."
Robert is clearly in demand and only time will tell if he's given the keys to the famous Tardis.
The Adventure Calendar has a short story called "Number 1, Gallows Gate Road"
Today's add to the Adventure Calendar is a short story called "Number 1, Gallows Gate Road", CLICK HERE for the first installment .
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)