TV/Movie CD publisher Silva Screen have released details on a new CD covering the music from the two 1960s Aaru films Dr. Who and the Daleks and Daleks: Invasion Earth 2150AD.
The restored soundtracks feature the scores composed by Malcolm Lockyer and Bill McGuffie, with additional sounds from Barry Gray; the CD will also feature contemporary single releases, plus a 20 page booklet covering production notes and memorabilia.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
John Barrowman: 'I turned down House, Grey's'
John Barrowman has said that he was recently forced to turn down major roles in US shows House and Grey's Anatomy.
The Torchwood star told thelondonpaper that he could not accept the parts because of his commitment to the West End production of La Cage Aux Folles.
Barrowman said: "I'm going to be completely honest. Over the last two weeks, I have been offered Grey's Anatomy, a major part. I've been offered a major part in House.
"I've turned them down because I'm doing La Cage. And yes, I met with the creator of Desperate Housewives and he talked about writing a role for me... So who knows?"
Barrowman will star as drag queen Zaza in La Cage Aux Folles at London's Playhouse from September 14 until November 28.
The Torchwood star told thelondonpaper that he could not accept the parts because of his commitment to the West End production of La Cage Aux Folles.
Barrowman said: "I'm going to be completely honest. Over the last two weeks, I have been offered Grey's Anatomy, a major part. I've been offered a major part in House.
"I've turned them down because I'm doing La Cage. And yes, I met with the creator of Desperate Housewives and he talked about writing a role for me... So who knows?"
Barrowman will star as drag queen Zaza in La Cage Aux Folles at London's Playhouse from September 14 until November 28.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Ace of cakes to build a Dalek
Big cakes and even bigger events are on order this week. Duff and his new buddy Brett make a cake for a Best Buddies International gala hosted by Superstar quarterback Tom Brady. Ben engineers an evil robot cake from the BBC TV series "Dr. Who" that spins, yells and destroys. The entire bakery staff gets to settle some workplace grievances at Splatter Hill paintball field. And Duff and Mary Alice make their long-awaited stage debut with the Annie National Tour.
Tune In:
Sep 22, 2009
8:00 PM ET/PT
Sep 23, 2009
3:00 AM ET/PT
Sep 27, 2009
5:00 PM ET/PT
Tune In:
Sep 22, 2009
8:00 PM ET/PT
Sep 23, 2009
3:00 AM ET/PT
Sep 27, 2009
5:00 PM ET/PT
Photos from Cardiff's 'Doctor Who Up Close'
Tons of props and costume pics for all you detail oriented cosplay peoples out there...
Photos from Cardiff's 'Doctor Who Up Close'
Photos from Cardiff's 'Doctor Who Up Close'
Billie returning to Who this soon?
This is South Wales reports Billie Piper was seen on the set of Doctor Who recently, CLICK HERE for more details (the BBC have not confirmed the character of Rose is returning)
Photos from the recent filming at Neath Abbey can be found at The Doctor Who Locations Guide and 102.1 Swansea Bay Radio. I tend to agree with Conbom that i seem to remember there is a Production Assistant who is always being mistaken for Billie, because of her, Billie has been seen filming every story since The Runaway Bride.
Photos from the recent filming at Neath Abbey can be found at The Doctor Who Locations Guide and 102.1 Swansea Bay Radio. I tend to agree with Conbom that i seem to remember there is a Production Assistant who is always being mistaken for Billie, because of her, Billie has been seen filming every story since The Runaway Bride.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Partick Troughton {2nd Doctor} Transcript
Here is a transcript from Patrick Troughton’s appearance at one of the Panopticon conventions. It’s quite a wide-ranging interview, covering his initial acceptance of the role through to his decision to quit after three years.
Writer Victor Pemberton Interview
Here is Victor Pemberton talking about working with Patrick Troughton in the 60’s, most notably on ‘Fury From the Deep’.
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
The Return of Sarah Jane!
In preparation for the return of The Sarah Jane Adventures on CBBC, the SJA website has had a complete make-over and now has more to explore than ever.
The SJA website
The SJA website
Morrissey: 'I'd love Doctor Who return'
David Morrissey has said that he enjoyed his time working on Doctor Who and would gladly return to the programme if given the opportunity.
The star appeared in 2008 Christmas special 'The Next Doctor', where he played a character who believed himself to be a Time Lord.
Speaking at the press launch of the BFI London Film Festival, Morrissey told DS: "I loved doing Doctor Who, I really did.
"In my total naivety I wasn't prepared for how mad it would get. People were camping out in my garden and so on. Russell [T. Davies] asked me to do this thing where it might be you, it might not be you, and I said yes. He said 'Don't tell anyone'. I said, 'Well, I'll tell my kids'. He said, 'No, don't tell your kids!'.
"It was really weird. My kids were coming home from school saying, 'Are you going to be Doctor Who?' and I said, 'I can't say. Do your homework and I might tell you!' I was on breakfast TV and it was like being on Jeremy Paxman, they were really grilling me about it."
He continued: "It was one of the happiest jobs I've ever done. It's so well run down there and I also had the pleasure of working with David [Tennant] again. We were somewhere, and I got out the car and it was like being a member of Take That. There were thousands of people. People shouting, screaming at him.
"David takes on the role of the Doctor not just as his character... he does the whole thing. Signing photographs, people bringing their kids to set, stuff like that. He really embraced the whole ambassadorial thing about being Doctor Who. I loved working with him, he was great."
Morrissey added: "We filmed the Christmas special at the end of an eight-month run for him. He was first man on set, always making sure everyone's alright. I was full of admiration for him. So if they wanted me to do it again I'd be well up for it."
The star appeared in 2008 Christmas special 'The Next Doctor', where he played a character who believed himself to be a Time Lord.
Speaking at the press launch of the BFI London Film Festival, Morrissey told DS: "I loved doing Doctor Who, I really did.
"In my total naivety I wasn't prepared for how mad it would get. People were camping out in my garden and so on. Russell [T. Davies] asked me to do this thing where it might be you, it might not be you, and I said yes. He said 'Don't tell anyone'. I said, 'Well, I'll tell my kids'. He said, 'No, don't tell your kids!'.
"It was really weird. My kids were coming home from school saying, 'Are you going to be Doctor Who?' and I said, 'I can't say. Do your homework and I might tell you!' I was on breakfast TV and it was like being on Jeremy Paxman, they were really grilling me about it."
He continued: "It was one of the happiest jobs I've ever done. It's so well run down there and I also had the pleasure of working with David [Tennant] again. We were somewhere, and I got out the car and it was like being a member of Take That. There were thousands of people. People shouting, screaming at him.
"David takes on the role of the Doctor not just as his character... he does the whole thing. Signing photographs, people bringing their kids to set, stuff like that. He really embraced the whole ambassadorial thing about being Doctor Who. I loved working with him, he was great."
Morrissey added: "We filmed the Christmas special at the end of an eight-month run for him. He was first man on set, always making sure everyone's alright. I was full of admiration for him. So if they wanted me to do it again I'd be well up for it."
Cosplay at Dragon*Con 2009!
Part one
Part Two
Alot of great pics posted, i really wish i could go to a major Con sometime soon. Looks like it would rock!!!
Ty EclecticMuse and fyrdrakken for posting great pics.
Part Two
Alot of great pics posted, i really wish i could go to a major Con sometime soon. Looks like it would rock!!!
Ty EclecticMuse and fyrdrakken for posting great pics.
Doctor Who Dreamland Interview
Russell and Julie are currently in Los Angeles but took time out to respond and in the first of a three part Q&A they discuss the origins of Dreamland, their work on the animation and how they decide which Doctor Who projects get the green light.
Ray Barrett dies aged 82
Australian actor Ray Barrett, who played Bennett and Koquillion in The Rescue during the William Hartnell era, has died from a brain hemorrhage.
He also provided the voice of an ex-astronaut in the popular series Thunderbirds.
He appeared alongside fellow acting icons John Hargreaves and Graham Kennedy in the screen adaptation of John Williamson's play Don's Party and won an AFI Award for best actor for his role in director Fred Schepisi's The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith.
Barrett was better known in recent years for a string of television appearances in series, including Something In The Air, All Saints and White Collar Blue.
His last film appearance was in Baz Luhrmann's epic Australia.
Tuesday, September 08, 2009
Curtis to pen Doctor Who episode
Screenwriter and film director Richard Curtis has agreed to write an episode of the new series of Doctor Who, his agent has confirmed.
The Blackadder creator told The Sun newspaper he had signed up for a single show because his children were fans of the BBC One programme.
"It's tremendously good fun and a treat for my children," he said.
The 52-year-old is better known for romantic comedies like Four Weddings And A Funeral than for science fiction.
"These days the things you can watch together as a family are much fewer," he explained of his decision to step on board the Tardis, "so when you get something like Doctor Who or the X Factor, it is such a pleasure to sit down as a family".
Curtis also revealed he was fascinated by time travel and was currently working on a low budget film about the subject.
"Maybe it's a desire to get out of being old. Sometimes you do just love the idea that you could go back in time and change things."
The Vicar Of Dibley writer also said he thought he may have "one more sitcom in me before I die".
In July, Doctor Who fans got their first glimpse of the 11th Doctor, Matt Smith, in costume as the Time Lord.
The character's new look consisted of a tweed jacket, bow tie, rolled up trousers and black boots.
The Blackadder creator told The Sun newspaper he had signed up for a single show because his children were fans of the BBC One programme.
"It's tremendously good fun and a treat for my children," he said.
The 52-year-old is better known for romantic comedies like Four Weddings And A Funeral than for science fiction.
"These days the things you can watch together as a family are much fewer," he explained of his decision to step on board the Tardis, "so when you get something like Doctor Who or the X Factor, it is such a pleasure to sit down as a family".
Curtis also revealed he was fascinated by time travel and was currently working on a low budget film about the subject.
"Maybe it's a desire to get out of being old. Sometimes you do just love the idea that you could go back in time and change things."
The Vicar Of Dibley writer also said he thought he may have "one more sitcom in me before I die".
In July, Doctor Who fans got their first glimpse of the 11th Doctor, Matt Smith, in costume as the Time Lord.
The character's new look consisted of a tweed jacket, bow tie, rolled up trousers and black boots.
Monday, September 07, 2009
More Who Reviews
SF Universe reviews the new US DVD releases of Image of Fendahl, The Deadly Assassin and Delta and Bannermen, CLICK HERE for the article.
Part two of KTEH "How Who Are You?"
The Silicon Valley's PBS affiliate let Doctor Who fans take control of the studio for three nights of amazing costumes, fabulous props and deadly menaces. The top vote-getters of KTEH's "How Who Are You?" video competition were Bob Mitsch, Aubrey West and Van Donovan.
As the sixth Doctor battles the 1970s (Earth Calendar) version of his old adversary, the second Doctor shows us the evolving design of the silver nemesis from the planet Mondas.
If you live in the San Jose/San Francisco area you can watch the next two segments at
11PM Sunday Sept. 13th
11PM, Sunday Sept. 20th
Enjoy!
As the sixth Doctor battles the 1970s (Earth Calendar) version of his old adversary, the second Doctor shows us the evolving design of the silver nemesis from the planet Mondas.
If you live in the San Jose/San Francisco area you can watch the next two segments at
11PM Sunday Sept. 13th
11PM, Sunday Sept. 20th
Enjoy!
Sunday, September 06, 2009
Saturday, September 05, 2009
Moore eyes Doctor Who role
Bond legend Sir Roger Moore is vying for a guest spot on Doctor Who - after learning his 007 protege Timothy Dalton has landed a part in a forthcoming Christmas special
Dalton, who took over the reigns from Moore in 1987 to play the suave superspy in The Living Daylights and Licence To Kill, is set to appear in the cult sci-fi show as the mysterious character The Narrator in December.
After hearing his replacement was to star in the show, Moore has offered himself up to play Dalton's father.
He says, "I believe Timothy is to appear in one of the new episodes, so if they ever want anyone to play his dad, I'm available."
Dalton, who took over the reigns from Moore in 1987 to play the suave superspy in The Living Daylights and Licence To Kill, is set to appear in the cult sci-fi show as the mysterious character The Narrator in December.
After hearing his replacement was to star in the show, Moore has offered himself up to play Dalton's father.
He says, "I believe Timothy is to appear in one of the new episodes, so if they ever want anyone to play his dad, I'm available."
Friday, September 04, 2009
Behind the sofa reviews{slaughters} The Twin Dilemma
This was my best read all day. The review here had me rolling for at least 30 minutes and with quotes like "cold clammy fear was once again creeping up fandom's collective neck" , "like a decrepit old donkey after ferrying one too many loads of manure" and "I'd love to know how much that coat cost - was it half a million or just a cool million viewers?" how can one go wrong....
Click below to read:
And May My Bones Rot for Buying It!
Click below to read:
And May My Bones Rot for Buying It!
The Ten Doctors Episode One
Conbom posted this earlier, i saw the trailer and now the full episode is out and it is FANTASTIC!!!! BRAVO BRAVO!!!!!!
The Doctor is being erased from time. The President of Gallifrey summons them to join forces to save their own past and the Universe's future, but to do so means revisiting a privotal moment in their own personal history.
The Doctor is being erased from time. The President of Gallifrey summons them to join forces to save their own past and the Universe's future, but to do so means revisiting a privotal moment in their own personal history.
Wired interviews Tom Baker
Wired has an interview with Tom Baker over returning as the Doctor in Hornet's Nest, CLICK HERE for the article.
The Christian O'Connell Solution has DT
David Tennant will be on The Christian O'Connell Solution this Sunday on BBC Radio 5 to "put right some of the world's wrongs", CLICK HERE for the website
Thursday, September 03, 2009
Bad Wolf Opening Credits
Bad Wolf is a Doctor who/Torchwood spin off set in the AU where the Doctor left Rose Tyler. It is a virtual season written by fans of the program.
Companion Chronicle announcement
Big Finish announced in their latest issue of Vortex, that March's Companion Chronicle will be a story told by Caroline John reprising her role as Liz Shaw. The story is called Shadow of the Past and is written by Simon Guerrier.
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
Sarah Sutton contact address
Sarah Sutton is a British actress best known for her role as Nyssa in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who.
Sarah Sutton c/o Spotlight
The Spotlight
7 Leicester Place
London
WC2H 7RJ
They'll forward mail onto Sarah.
The amazing steampunk console project has been updated
Click the pic to read the details, i love this console, awesome work and detail.
The Dalek Killer on Facebook
Abslom Daak has set up a fan group for The Dalek Killer on facebook here.
Abslom Daak (sometimes misspelled Absalom Daak) is a fictional character who appeared in the Doctor Who Weekly comic strip based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. He is a Dalek Killer, or DK, a convicted criminal given a reprieve from the death penalty in exchange for fighting the alien creatures known as the Daleks. He was created by Steve Moore and Steve Dillon. The canonicity of the comic strips, like other Doctor Who spin-off media, is open to interpretation.
Abslom Daak (sometimes misspelled Absalom Daak) is a fictional character who appeared in the Doctor Who Weekly comic strip based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. He is a Dalek Killer, or DK, a convicted criminal given a reprieve from the death penalty in exchange for fighting the alien creatures known as the Daleks. He was created by Steve Moore and Steve Dillon. The canonicity of the comic strips, like other Doctor Who spin-off media, is open to interpretation.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Ianto Jones tribute?
It seems people are leaving flowers and notes at the door to torchwood in cardiff, fantasssstic. Many pics and a great poster all HERE.
Thank you The David Elworthy Series Blog for the post.
Thank you The David Elworthy Series Blog for the post.
DOCTOR DOMESTIC!
EVERY man must at some point put down the Cybermen and start acting like an adult- and former Doctor Who Time Lord David Tennant is no exception.
With more time on his hands since leaving the BBC show, the 38-year-old actor has decided to turn his attention to cooking and gardening.
But while the Doctor can resolve apocalyptic intergalactic conflict with little more than a pithy one liner and a sonic screwdriver, it seems that his domestic capabilities still need a little honing.
“Those basic life skills seem to have escaped me and maybe now’s the time to make them my hobby,” he muses.
“Cooking is not something that comes naturally to me, so I’m working my way through a couple of cookbooks to teach myself.
“I don’t have any distinctive flair for it. So I’m trying to learn some techniques there.”
But cooking alone is not enough for David, who has thrown gardening into the mix. “I’m trying to teach myself how not to kill plants, which I do manage to have the skill for,” he explains. “I’d like to be a little more nurturing with my garden.”
With more time on his hands since leaving the BBC show, the 38-year-old actor has decided to turn his attention to cooking and gardening.
But while the Doctor can resolve apocalyptic intergalactic conflict with little more than a pithy one liner and a sonic screwdriver, it seems that his domestic capabilities still need a little honing.
“Those basic life skills seem to have escaped me and maybe now’s the time to make them my hobby,” he muses.
“Cooking is not something that comes naturally to me, so I’m working my way through a couple of cookbooks to teach myself.
“I don’t have any distinctive flair for it. So I’m trying to learn some techniques there.”
But cooking alone is not enough for David, who has thrown gardening into the mix. “I’m trying to teach myself how not to kill plants, which I do manage to have the skill for,” he explains. “I’d like to be a little more nurturing with my garden.”
New audio and pics up from filming
Here is Nick Brigss as a dalek asking "Would you care for some tea?"
Various pics are HERE.
Once again thank you alun vega for posting!!!
Various pics are HERE.
Once again thank you alun vega for posting!!!
Friday, August 28, 2009
omg the first audio clip of Matt Smith suuucks
Recorded standing in a stairwell and sounding, ....well, horrible, sorry no other word for it, Matt sounds like he is having a hissy. Hopes diminishing now. Come on Moff put out a teaser so i won't worry so lol.
The Doctor (Matt Smith): "I send you back into the void. I saved the whole of reality from you. I am the Doctor, and you are the DAaaaaa LEKS!"
AUDIO HERE
Audio recording by Alun.Vega
The Doctor (Matt Smith): "I send you back into the void. I saved the whole of reality from you. I am the Doctor, and you are the DAaaaaa LEKS!"
AUDIO HERE
Audio recording by Alun.Vega
Tom Baker signing event at HMV Oxford Street
For the first time in 28 years, Tom Baker is returning to his role as the Fourth Doctor in a 5-part series of audio adventures from BBC Audiobooks. Tom Baker will be at HMV Oxford Street on 4th September to sign copies of Doctor Who Hornets' Nest, The Stuff of Nightmares which is released on 3rd September.
Fans can collect wrist bands from the store on the day of the signing – these will be limited in number so it is advisable for customers to arrive early. The signing will begin at 1pm and you must have a wrist band before you can meet Tom Baker.
The Doctor Who: Hornets' Nest series is written by the acclaimed Paul Magrs and stars Tom alongside a cast including Richard Franklin as Mike Yates, Susan Jameson as Mrs Wibbsey and Rula Lenska as the Hornet Queen. The series is exclusive to BBC Audiobooks and is available on CD and for download, it will not be available in any other format.
The brand new series sees the Doctor on fighting form as he comes up against an enemy of unimaginable power and horrific intent. The first story, The Stuff of Nightmares, will be available to buy from 3rd September 2009 priced at £9.78, with the remaining four stories due for release on:
2. The Dead Shoes – 8th October
3. The Circus of Doom – 5th November
4. A Sting in the Tale – 3rd December
5. Hive of Horror – 3rd December
Doctor Who: Hornets' Nest – The Stuff of Nightmares
1 hour on 1 CD
Price: £9.78
Release Date: 3rd September 2009
Responding to an advert apparently worded for him alone, Captain Mike Yates (retired) is reunited with a ghost from the past. But why has the Doctor, that mysterious traveller in Time and Space, sent for his former UNIT acquaintance? Trapped by a horde of vicious creatures in an apparently innocuous English country cottage, the two old friends are on the brink of an enormous adventure. As the Doctor relates his recent escapades, it becomes clear to Mike that they – and the Earth at large – are facing an enemy of unimaginable power and horrific intent. The nightmare is only just beginning.
NOTES TO EDITORS
Interviews are available with Tom Baker, Richard Franklin and Paul Magrs
Doctor Who: Hornets' Nest will be available from all good bookshops, online at www.bbcshop.com or by BBC Audiobooks direct mail on 0800 136 919 and as a download from www.bbcaudiozone.com
Fans eager to engage with the series before the release date should check out www.bbcshop.com/hornetsnest, a landing page with exclusive content and material such as a Q&A with Tom Baker, photographs from the recordings, audio clips and a poll on Tom's best moments as the Doctor.
■Photographs from the recordings are available upon request
■Full cast – Tom Baker, Richard Franklin, Susan Jameson, Daniel Hill, Michael Maloney, Rula Lenska, Clare Corbett, Christian Rodska, Susie Riddell, Jilly Bond and Stephen Thorne
■Other credits – Producer and Director: Kate Thomas; Script Editor and Executive Producer: Michael Stevens
■Paul Magrs is the acclaimed writer of the Brenda and Effie novels (Never the Bride; Conjugal Rites) numerous Doctor Who books (Sick Building; Verdigris etc) and several books for younger readers (Strange Boy; Exchange)
■The covers of the series are spectacularly illustrated by Ben Willsher, with design concepts and the Hornets' Nest logo by Anthony Dry
Fans can collect wrist bands from the store on the day of the signing – these will be limited in number so it is advisable for customers to arrive early. The signing will begin at 1pm and you must have a wrist band before you can meet Tom Baker.
The Doctor Who: Hornets' Nest series is written by the acclaimed Paul Magrs and stars Tom alongside a cast including Richard Franklin as Mike Yates, Susan Jameson as Mrs Wibbsey and Rula Lenska as the Hornet Queen. The series is exclusive to BBC Audiobooks and is available on CD and for download, it will not be available in any other format.
The brand new series sees the Doctor on fighting form as he comes up against an enemy of unimaginable power and horrific intent. The first story, The Stuff of Nightmares, will be available to buy from 3rd September 2009 priced at £9.78, with the remaining four stories due for release on:
2. The Dead Shoes – 8th October
3. The Circus of Doom – 5th November
4. A Sting in the Tale – 3rd December
5. Hive of Horror – 3rd December
Doctor Who: Hornets' Nest – The Stuff of Nightmares
1 hour on 1 CD
Price: £9.78
Release Date: 3rd September 2009
Responding to an advert apparently worded for him alone, Captain Mike Yates (retired) is reunited with a ghost from the past. But why has the Doctor, that mysterious traveller in Time and Space, sent for his former UNIT acquaintance? Trapped by a horde of vicious creatures in an apparently innocuous English country cottage, the two old friends are on the brink of an enormous adventure. As the Doctor relates his recent escapades, it becomes clear to Mike that they – and the Earth at large – are facing an enemy of unimaginable power and horrific intent. The nightmare is only just beginning.
NOTES TO EDITORS
Interviews are available with Tom Baker, Richard Franklin and Paul Magrs
Doctor Who: Hornets' Nest will be available from all good bookshops, online at www.bbcshop.com or by BBC Audiobooks direct mail on 0800 136 919 and as a download from www.bbcaudiozone.com
Fans eager to engage with the series before the release date should check out www.bbcshop.com/hornetsnest, a landing page with exclusive content and material such as a Q&A with Tom Baker, photographs from the recordings, audio clips and a poll on Tom's best moments as the Doctor.
■Photographs from the recordings are available upon request
■Full cast – Tom Baker, Richard Franklin, Susan Jameson, Daniel Hill, Michael Maloney, Rula Lenska, Clare Corbett, Christian Rodska, Susie Riddell, Jilly Bond and Stephen Thorne
■Other credits – Producer and Director: Kate Thomas; Script Editor and Executive Producer: Michael Stevens
■Paul Magrs is the acclaimed writer of the Brenda and Effie novels (Never the Bride; Conjugal Rites) numerous Doctor Who books (Sick Building; Verdigris etc) and several books for younger readers (Strange Boy; Exchange)
■The covers of the series are spectacularly illustrated by Ben Willsher, with design concepts and the Hornets' Nest logo by Anthony Dry
Thursday, August 27, 2009
New set pics show doughboys and daleks??
Some are saying that is a dalek head sticking up but who knows. Moff has gone on record saying he didn't want to use the daleks too soon and for just any old reason so maybe he was overuled or trying to pull a fast one lol.
PICS ARE HERE
PICS ARE HERE
Monday, August 24, 2009
Sunday, August 23, 2009
'Sarah Jane' Season Three Preview
After a brilliant debut year and a so-so second season, The Sarah Jane Adventures is back in the autumn with a new run of six two-parters. Familiar faces such as The Doctor himself and a variety of intriguing new characters await us, with faithful mutt K-9 appearing in at least half of the season following two previous cameos. Read on for a rundown of the treats that lie in store...
'Prisoner of the Judoon'
Adopting a similar policy to last season's opening Sontaran tale, the first story features the return of some aesthetically displeasing aliens from Doctor Who. The rhino-like intergalactic law enforcers from 'Smith and Jones' are back, with Nick Briggs once again on vocal duties.
Producer Nikki Wilson told SFX magazine: "The Judoon are joining us in our series opener, alongside a brand new monster, a reptilian character called Androvax, a Veil. He's under arrest when one of the Judoon's life carriers crashes on Earth, so a Judoon's hunting down his prisoner who's escaped."
'The Mad Woman in the Attic'
Sadly not a remake of a legendary Cracker episode of the same name, unless butchering innocent women on trains is suitable CBBC material these days. The contents of the story are shrouded in secrecy, but the cast includes Eleanor Tomlinson, Toby Parkes, Souad Faress, Gregg Sulkin and Kate Fleetwood.
'The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith'
Whenever the chiming of wedding bells can be heard in the Whoniverse, it's a sign that something strange is happening. Just look at Gwen Cooper's shapeshifter-dominated wedding in Torchwood. Just what lies in store for Sarah Jane as she prepares to walk down the aisle? She'd better have a sonic wedding ring to accessorise with her lip gloss.
The big news is that David Tennant will be featuring prominently as The Doctor in this story. "Viewers thought they may have to wait until November for the next full episode of Doctor Who," stated showrunner Russell T Davies, "but this is an extra special treat. It's not just a cameo from David - this is a full-on appearance for The Doctor as he and Sarah Jane face their biggest threat ever."
Sarah Jane herself, actress Elisabeth Sladen, added: "When I heard the news that David was going to be joining us, I was absolutely over the moon. Not only has it made my day but it will also make the viewers' day. It's fantastic news that Sarah Jane is going to spend some time working with The Doctor again and is testament to just how successful this CBBC series is."
But what is this big threat that awaits us? Could it lie in the form of the debonair Nigel Havers, who has personified suave in a glittering acting career?
Sladen's real-life husband Brian Miller shows up in front of the camera, too. Nikki Wilson told Doctor Who Magazine: "He was simply ideal casting for this pivotal role, which sees him in conflict with Sarah Jane and the gang. Although there's a lot more going on with Brian's character than might first appear." In addition, the ever-sinister Trickster is lurking around the church. The prospect of him and The Doctor locking horns is mouthwatering...
'The Eternity Trap'
This tale is reportedly a ghost story which features an extraterrestrial that can make people play games against their will. Floella Benjamin reprises her role as Professor Celeste Rivers from the Pharos Institute, who previously appeared in the stories 'The Lost Boy' and 'The Day Of The Clown' as an ally of Sarah Jane. The main villain is called Erasmus Darkening, played by veteran actor Donald Sumpter.
'Mona Lisa's Revenge'
Has someone been watching Ghostbusters II? This brilliantly titled two-parter involves a painting that appears to come alive, although it's not the first time that Mona Lisa has featured in the Whoniverse. For the superb 1979 story 'The City Of Death' is partially set in the Parisian art gallery Le Louvre, which houses Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece.
Former Corrie star Suranne Jones guests in this episode, but has she swapped Moaner Karen for Mona Lisa? Possibly, but this has yet to be confirmed. Nikki Wilson certainly has high hopes for her role, as she stated: "We conceived the character in a story meeting about 18 months ago and immediately named Suranne as perfect to play her - never imagining we'd actually get someone who's in so much demand."
Drop The Dead Donkey legend Jeff Rawle appears too, 25 years after starring in the Doctor Who story 'Frontios'. Newsround presenter, BBC Entertainment Correspondent (and more importantly Whovian) Lizo Mzimba is also part of this story, presumably playing himself.
'The Gift'
Very little is known about the season finale, but it will surely please fans of all things Raxacoricofallapatorian. That's about as much fun to type as it is to say. It looks like the Slitheen mob are in conflict with cousins from their home world - the Blathereens. Whatever its merits, the final two episodes look like they'll be a real gas!
'Prisoner of the Judoon'
Adopting a similar policy to last season's opening Sontaran tale, the first story features the return of some aesthetically displeasing aliens from Doctor Who. The rhino-like intergalactic law enforcers from 'Smith and Jones' are back, with Nick Briggs once again on vocal duties.
Producer Nikki Wilson told SFX magazine: "The Judoon are joining us in our series opener, alongside a brand new monster, a reptilian character called Androvax, a Veil. He's under arrest when one of the Judoon's life carriers crashes on Earth, so a Judoon's hunting down his prisoner who's escaped."
'The Mad Woman in the Attic'
Sadly not a remake of a legendary Cracker episode of the same name, unless butchering innocent women on trains is suitable CBBC material these days. The contents of the story are shrouded in secrecy, but the cast includes Eleanor Tomlinson, Toby Parkes, Souad Faress, Gregg Sulkin and Kate Fleetwood.
'The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith'
Whenever the chiming of wedding bells can be heard in the Whoniverse, it's a sign that something strange is happening. Just look at Gwen Cooper's shapeshifter-dominated wedding in Torchwood. Just what lies in store for Sarah Jane as she prepares to walk down the aisle? She'd better have a sonic wedding ring to accessorise with her lip gloss.
The big news is that David Tennant will be featuring prominently as The Doctor in this story. "Viewers thought they may have to wait until November for the next full episode of Doctor Who," stated showrunner Russell T Davies, "but this is an extra special treat. It's not just a cameo from David - this is a full-on appearance for The Doctor as he and Sarah Jane face their biggest threat ever."
Sarah Jane herself, actress Elisabeth Sladen, added: "When I heard the news that David was going to be joining us, I was absolutely over the moon. Not only has it made my day but it will also make the viewers' day. It's fantastic news that Sarah Jane is going to spend some time working with The Doctor again and is testament to just how successful this CBBC series is."
But what is this big threat that awaits us? Could it lie in the form of the debonair Nigel Havers, who has personified suave in a glittering acting career?
Sladen's real-life husband Brian Miller shows up in front of the camera, too. Nikki Wilson told Doctor Who Magazine: "He was simply ideal casting for this pivotal role, which sees him in conflict with Sarah Jane and the gang. Although there's a lot more going on with Brian's character than might first appear." In addition, the ever-sinister Trickster is lurking around the church. The prospect of him and The Doctor locking horns is mouthwatering...
'The Eternity Trap'
This tale is reportedly a ghost story which features an extraterrestrial that can make people play games against their will. Floella Benjamin reprises her role as Professor Celeste Rivers from the Pharos Institute, who previously appeared in the stories 'The Lost Boy' and 'The Day Of The Clown' as an ally of Sarah Jane. The main villain is called Erasmus Darkening, played by veteran actor Donald Sumpter.
'Mona Lisa's Revenge'
Has someone been watching Ghostbusters II? This brilliantly titled two-parter involves a painting that appears to come alive, although it's not the first time that Mona Lisa has featured in the Whoniverse. For the superb 1979 story 'The City Of Death' is partially set in the Parisian art gallery Le Louvre, which houses Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece.
Former Corrie star Suranne Jones guests in this episode, but has she swapped Moaner Karen for Mona Lisa? Possibly, but this has yet to be confirmed. Nikki Wilson certainly has high hopes for her role, as she stated: "We conceived the character in a story meeting about 18 months ago and immediately named Suranne as perfect to play her - never imagining we'd actually get someone who's in so much demand."
Drop The Dead Donkey legend Jeff Rawle appears too, 25 years after starring in the Doctor Who story 'Frontios'. Newsround presenter, BBC Entertainment Correspondent (and more importantly Whovian) Lizo Mzimba is also part of this story, presumably playing himself.
'The Gift'
Very little is known about the season finale, but it will surely please fans of all things Raxacoricofallapatorian. That's about as much fun to type as it is to say. It looks like the Slitheen mob are in conflict with cousins from their home world - the Blathereens. Whatever its merits, the final two episodes look like they'll be a real gas!
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Interview: Doctor Who star Tom Baker
As Tom Baker steps back into The Doctor's shoes after a 30-year hiatus, he convinces PAUL WHITELAW it's no time at all – for a Time Lord
IT IS ALWAYS IMMENSELY gratifying to be reminded that Tom Baker is, in real life, precisely as you'd expect him to be. A disarmingly charismatic raconteur, the 75-year-old actor remains one of Britain's most beloved eccentrics.
From his early as a monk (he subsequently renounced his faith), to international stardom as one of the most popular Doctor Whos (1974 to 1981), to his present status as a national institution, Baker has lived a life as rich as his instantly recognisable voice. I ca
PW: Aside from a brief cameo in a 1993 Children in Need special, this is the first time you've played the Doctor since leaving the series. What was so special about this project?
TB: They just called me at a good moment. People are always asking me to do things about Doctor Who, and most of the time I can't be bothered. Then I read the scripts – well, I read my bits, I don't read scripts. I really think that reading a whole script is kind of prying and neurotic, don't you?
PW: Doesn't that make them hard to understand?
TB: Well that's life, isn't it? Just imagine if you knew everything about me. We wouldn't discover anything, we wouldn't be surprised. It's none of my business where characters have been – I want to be surprised by what they do. I've never ever read a script. I really must read Macbeth, because I was in it once. I got a lot of laughs in that, I can tell you.
PW: So what's Hornet's Nest about?
TB: It seemed to me to be really very clever writing, because the hornet's nest is obviously a metaphor for the BBC. I think so anyway, although I didn't mention it to anyone there, because you don't want to be talking to directors, otherwise they get the idea that they're important. But it all made sense to me, these abused worker hornets, and queens and kings and ambitious ones who want to take over the world. I thought, yes, that's the BBC! Anyway, they didn't know my thinking, but they seemed to like what I did, and apparently they're very pleased with it. It's been well received in the religious press.
PW: Really? I didn't realise the religious press were interested in Doctor Who audio plays.
TB: Yes, there's a very good plug for it in The Tablet, whatever that is. I thought it was a kind of doctor's weekly, but apparently it's a Roman Catholic paper. It goes on about God. They're always giving God a plug, aren't they?
PW: Well, He needs all the press He can get. I haven't heard from him in years.
TB: Well, it depends what sort of company you keep! I quite often meet people who say they believe in God, and I go along with them. And I think, My God, I am actually having a conversation here with someone who's completely mad! I often say kind of cod-spiritual things about the democracy of growing old and the humiliation of dying being shared by us all, and that it's a great comfort to know that finally when we shed off this mortal coil we'll all be happy together. But the people who swallow that kind of guff are boneheads, aren't they? What I can't understand is why they don't understand the word "incorporeal". It's rather like the Muslims with their 75 virgins. I mean, what are you going to do with 75 virgins if you're incorporeal?
PW: Quite. So, did you find it easy, slipping back into the role of the Doctor?
TB: Well, you can tell by talking to me that I never slipped out of it! I'm really not an actor of any kind. I've always seen myself as an entertainer, someone who makes people laugh. That's all I've ever wanted to do. Doctor Who has always just been me, really. So when I picked up this script and read it, I just started as I would normally. There was no difficulty about it.
PW: You loved playing the Doctor, didn't you?
TB: It sounds so gooey, but it was a stupendous privilege, an amazing gift, like something out of a fairy tale. Everywhere I went I was actually loved and adored by children. And now those children have all got children of their own, and they still come and see me. I was at a sci-fi do at Earl's Court the other day, there were several thousand people there, and scores of them showed me pictures of themselves, these middle-aged men losing their hair, sitting on my knee in 1976 or something. It's all very sweet, that.
PW: You enjoy the attention?
TB: Well, I think if more people had more applause, it would make them feel better. I often give my wife a round of applause. If the meal is very good I give her a standing ovation. It's like when you fire off a sharp remark and get a big round of applause in the pub, which is enough to make you briefly immortal in Ireland. It's true, though, isn't it? People need attention, and when you're playing a children's hero you get lots and lots of attention. Doors are opened and people want to floss your teeth for you, it's incredible.
PW: You were very conscientious during your time in the role, making sure that you were never caught drinking, smoking or swearing in the presence of children.
TB: Yes, I took it very seriously because it was such a privilege. It was an absolutely amazing time, and although people asked how I'd feel when I left it, I never did leave it because I remain entirely myself. And here I am, 30 years after I left it, being invited all over the place. I recently travelled across the world on a luxury liner which had been commissioned by Doctor Who fans. They wanted me to go first class as their guest of honour, so how could I say no? These were obviously devoted fans who had made enormous sacrifices to raise money for a tour like that. You see, sci-fi fans remind me of pilgrims, really. I think all fans are pilgrims, like Liverpool fans who walk all the way to London to watch their team play Arsenal. Sometimes I do signing sessions for the BBC, signing new books or CDVs (sic], and some people haven't eaten for two days in order to be able to buy them. People are on the point of fainting.
PW: Isn't that taking things too far?
TB: When people love something absolutely they will make lots of sacrifices. The test of love is the capacity to make sacrifices for it. When you love something you become a victim of what you love. I'm a complete victim of my little dog, and I take her out in the woods at six o'clock in the morning because I love her. And so it is with the people who love football and rugby and cricket and Doctor Who, they become pilgrims. And pilgrims, of course, always had to make sacrifices. In Ireland they turned up on their hands and knees.
PW: You've said that you are now exclusively employed by people who grew up watching you in Doctor Who.
TB: Yes, that's true. Of course, the latest big one was Matt Lucas and David Walliams in Little Britain (Baker voices the narrator]. I was working with Matt the other day, actually, on something for the radio. I don't know if it has a title yet, but it was a comedy in which they set us six things to discuss, and whoever got the biggest laughs won the quiz.
PW: Did you win?
TB: Yes! (laughs uproariously] But I wouldn't mind if I hadn't, because I was brought up a Christian, so there's always a streak of the martyr in me. So one can, actually, after a while as one gets closer to death, enjoy even rejection! As you get old you have to come to terms, to absolutely gurgle with laughter, at the ridiculousness of your knees beginning to creak, and things like that. Sometimes I have to stop in the woods, there are certain logs I can sit on, and I have a walking stick because it's a bit slippery and uneven. I find that funny.
PW: So is life good for Tom Baker?
TB: I think life is good, yes. Waking up in the morning still excites me. I can still laugh, which is the important thing. When I go down to the local supermarket, where I get a lot of attention still, I feel like one of the privileged old men. Quite a lot of them who are my age, and sometimes younger, often haven't had good fortune. They're limping around or groaning, talking about statins and being dizzy, and sometimes I've seen people, when it's a bit quiet in Waitrose … to pass the time on the vegetable stall, someone will drop a five pound note and see which of the old boys can pick it up without blacking out. They get up to all sort of tricks like that. And you see old men watching the girls go by, with that mistiness in their eyes, as they remember long-gone days. But I have a wonderful wife who's good to me, and we have a lovely house in the country with a lovely garden and woodland. Life is good, yes.
PW: I'm glad to hear it. Well, thank you very much for your time, Tom.
TB: My pleasure, and if you need anything else, just make it up. Goodbye!
• The first episode of Hornet's Nest will be on shelves from 3 September at www.bbcshop.com/page/hornetsnest
IT IS ALWAYS IMMENSELY gratifying to be reminded that Tom Baker is, in real life, precisely as you'd expect him to be. A disarmingly charismatic raconteur, the 75-year-old actor remains one of Britain's most beloved eccentrics.
From his early as a monk (he subsequently renounced his faith), to international stardom as one of the most popular Doctor Whos (1974 to 1981), to his present status as a national institution, Baker has lived a life as rich as his instantly recognisable voice. I ca
PW: Aside from a brief cameo in a 1993 Children in Need special, this is the first time you've played the Doctor since leaving the series. What was so special about this project?
TB: They just called me at a good moment. People are always asking me to do things about Doctor Who, and most of the time I can't be bothered. Then I read the scripts – well, I read my bits, I don't read scripts. I really think that reading a whole script is kind of prying and neurotic, don't you?
PW: Doesn't that make them hard to understand?
TB: Well that's life, isn't it? Just imagine if you knew everything about me. We wouldn't discover anything, we wouldn't be surprised. It's none of my business where characters have been – I want to be surprised by what they do. I've never ever read a script. I really must read Macbeth, because I was in it once. I got a lot of laughs in that, I can tell you.
PW: So what's Hornet's Nest about?
TB: It seemed to me to be really very clever writing, because the hornet's nest is obviously a metaphor for the BBC. I think so anyway, although I didn't mention it to anyone there, because you don't want to be talking to directors, otherwise they get the idea that they're important. But it all made sense to me, these abused worker hornets, and queens and kings and ambitious ones who want to take over the world. I thought, yes, that's the BBC! Anyway, they didn't know my thinking, but they seemed to like what I did, and apparently they're very pleased with it. It's been well received in the religious press.
PW: Really? I didn't realise the religious press were interested in Doctor Who audio plays.
TB: Yes, there's a very good plug for it in The Tablet, whatever that is. I thought it was a kind of doctor's weekly, but apparently it's a Roman Catholic paper. It goes on about God. They're always giving God a plug, aren't they?
PW: Well, He needs all the press He can get. I haven't heard from him in years.
TB: Well, it depends what sort of company you keep! I quite often meet people who say they believe in God, and I go along with them. And I think, My God, I am actually having a conversation here with someone who's completely mad! I often say kind of cod-spiritual things about the democracy of growing old and the humiliation of dying being shared by us all, and that it's a great comfort to know that finally when we shed off this mortal coil we'll all be happy together. But the people who swallow that kind of guff are boneheads, aren't they? What I can't understand is why they don't understand the word "incorporeal". It's rather like the Muslims with their 75 virgins. I mean, what are you going to do with 75 virgins if you're incorporeal?
PW: Quite. So, did you find it easy, slipping back into the role of the Doctor?
TB: Well, you can tell by talking to me that I never slipped out of it! I'm really not an actor of any kind. I've always seen myself as an entertainer, someone who makes people laugh. That's all I've ever wanted to do. Doctor Who has always just been me, really. So when I picked up this script and read it, I just started as I would normally. There was no difficulty about it.
PW: You loved playing the Doctor, didn't you?
TB: It sounds so gooey, but it was a stupendous privilege, an amazing gift, like something out of a fairy tale. Everywhere I went I was actually loved and adored by children. And now those children have all got children of their own, and they still come and see me. I was at a sci-fi do at Earl's Court the other day, there were several thousand people there, and scores of them showed me pictures of themselves, these middle-aged men losing their hair, sitting on my knee in 1976 or something. It's all very sweet, that.
PW: You enjoy the attention?
TB: Well, I think if more people had more applause, it would make them feel better. I often give my wife a round of applause. If the meal is very good I give her a standing ovation. It's like when you fire off a sharp remark and get a big round of applause in the pub, which is enough to make you briefly immortal in Ireland. It's true, though, isn't it? People need attention, and when you're playing a children's hero you get lots and lots of attention. Doors are opened and people want to floss your teeth for you, it's incredible.
PW: You were very conscientious during your time in the role, making sure that you were never caught drinking, smoking or swearing in the presence of children.
TB: Yes, I took it very seriously because it was such a privilege. It was an absolutely amazing time, and although people asked how I'd feel when I left it, I never did leave it because I remain entirely myself. And here I am, 30 years after I left it, being invited all over the place. I recently travelled across the world on a luxury liner which had been commissioned by Doctor Who fans. They wanted me to go first class as their guest of honour, so how could I say no? These were obviously devoted fans who had made enormous sacrifices to raise money for a tour like that. You see, sci-fi fans remind me of pilgrims, really. I think all fans are pilgrims, like Liverpool fans who walk all the way to London to watch their team play Arsenal. Sometimes I do signing sessions for the BBC, signing new books or CDVs (sic], and some people haven't eaten for two days in order to be able to buy them. People are on the point of fainting.
PW: Isn't that taking things too far?
TB: When people love something absolutely they will make lots of sacrifices. The test of love is the capacity to make sacrifices for it. When you love something you become a victim of what you love. I'm a complete victim of my little dog, and I take her out in the woods at six o'clock in the morning because I love her. And so it is with the people who love football and rugby and cricket and Doctor Who, they become pilgrims. And pilgrims, of course, always had to make sacrifices. In Ireland they turned up on their hands and knees.
PW: You've said that you are now exclusively employed by people who grew up watching you in Doctor Who.
TB: Yes, that's true. Of course, the latest big one was Matt Lucas and David Walliams in Little Britain (Baker voices the narrator]. I was working with Matt the other day, actually, on something for the radio. I don't know if it has a title yet, but it was a comedy in which they set us six things to discuss, and whoever got the biggest laughs won the quiz.
PW: Did you win?
TB: Yes! (laughs uproariously] But I wouldn't mind if I hadn't, because I was brought up a Christian, so there's always a streak of the martyr in me. So one can, actually, after a while as one gets closer to death, enjoy even rejection! As you get old you have to come to terms, to absolutely gurgle with laughter, at the ridiculousness of your knees beginning to creak, and things like that. Sometimes I have to stop in the woods, there are certain logs I can sit on, and I have a walking stick because it's a bit slippery and uneven. I find that funny.
PW: So is life good for Tom Baker?
TB: I think life is good, yes. Waking up in the morning still excites me. I can still laugh, which is the important thing. When I go down to the local supermarket, where I get a lot of attention still, I feel like one of the privileged old men. Quite a lot of them who are my age, and sometimes younger, often haven't had good fortune. They're limping around or groaning, talking about statins and being dizzy, and sometimes I've seen people, when it's a bit quiet in Waitrose … to pass the time on the vegetable stall, someone will drop a five pound note and see which of the old boys can pick it up without blacking out. They get up to all sort of tricks like that. And you see old men watching the girls go by, with that mistiness in their eyes, as they remember long-gone days. But I have a wonderful wife who's good to me, and we have a lovely house in the country with a lovely garden and woodland. Life is good, yes.
PW: I'm glad to hear it. Well, thank you very much for your time, Tom.
TB: My pleasure, and if you need anything else, just make it up. Goodbye!
• The first episode of Hornet's Nest will be on shelves from 3 September at www.bbcshop.com/page/hornetsnest
Friday, August 21, 2009
'Sarah Jane' titles, guests confirmed
A complete list of episode titles for the new series of The Sarah Jane Adventures has been confirmed.
According to Doctor Who Magazine, the stories in the third series are as follows:
S03E01/E02: 'Prisoner of the Judoon'
S03E03/E04: 'The Mad Woman in the Attic'
S03E05/E06: 'The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith'
S03E07/E08: 'The Eternity Trap'
S03E09/E10: 'Mona Lisa's Revenge'
S03E11/E12: 'The Gift'
The first story will guest star Nicholas Briggs, voice of the Daleks and the Cybermen in parent series Doctor Who.
The third two-parter will mark David Tennant's special guest appearance as The Doctor, as well as featuring a guest spot from veteran actor Nigel Havers.
'The Eternity Trap' will guest star Floella Benjamin and Callum Blue, while Suranne Jones and Newsround presenter Lizo Mzimba will appear in 'Mona Lisa's Revenge'.
The third series of The Sarah Jane Adventures is expected to air on BBC One and the CBBC Channel from the Autumn.
According to Doctor Who Magazine, the stories in the third series are as follows:
S03E01/E02: 'Prisoner of the Judoon'
S03E03/E04: 'The Mad Woman in the Attic'
S03E05/E06: 'The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith'
S03E07/E08: 'The Eternity Trap'
S03E09/E10: 'Mona Lisa's Revenge'
S03E11/E12: 'The Gift'
The first story will guest star Nicholas Briggs, voice of the Daleks and the Cybermen in parent series Doctor Who.
The third two-parter will mark David Tennant's special guest appearance as The Doctor, as well as featuring a guest spot from veteran actor Nigel Havers.
'The Eternity Trap' will guest star Floella Benjamin and Callum Blue, while Suranne Jones and Newsround presenter Lizo Mzimba will appear in 'Mona Lisa's Revenge'.
The third series of The Sarah Jane Adventures is expected to air on BBC One and the CBBC Channel from the Autumn.
Dreamland info
Well, the press release for Dreamland has been unleashed so it won't be our little secret for very long. What does it reveal? A little about the plot -
Roswell, Nevada. The dusty strip of desert where nothing ever grows except alien legends and strange stories about flying saucers... The TARDIS touches down in 1958 and another legend is about to be born!
More specifically... 'During a visit to a local diner he (the Doctor) stumbles upon a mysterious alien artefact that leads him on a mission to rescue Rivesh Mantilax from the threat of the Viperox and the clutches of the American military.'
So, we have the name of the (apparent) enemy - the Viperox! Now, that's a great name for an alien menace and when we heard screen legend David Warner was going to voice the Viperox we were confident a memorable villain was about to be born! The Viperox! You can already hear the Doctor spitting out the name.
Little wonder Executive Producer Russell T Davies has said, 'Dreamland is a remarkable project and I'm thrilled with it. Phil Ford is a wonderful writer and promises to send the Doctor into a whole new visual dimension.'
And the Doctor gets two - count 'em - two new companions in this adventure! Over the months ahead we'll meet them. Find out how they came to life - how they were written, drawn, animated, voiced... and received!
Right now we can reveal one of them is voiced by Georgia Moffett who played Jenny in the Doctor's Daughter. Cards on table, we lurve Georgia and were delighted she was onboard because apart from anything else, it meant we could grab her for an interview - an interview you'll see on these very pages.
But in the meantime, take a look at the Doctor Who press release.
Roswell, Nevada. The dusty strip of desert where nothing ever grows except alien legends and strange stories about flying saucers... The TARDIS touches down in 1958 and another legend is about to be born!
More specifically... 'During a visit to a local diner he (the Doctor) stumbles upon a mysterious alien artefact that leads him on a mission to rescue Rivesh Mantilax from the threat of the Viperox and the clutches of the American military.'
So, we have the name of the (apparent) enemy - the Viperox! Now, that's a great name for an alien menace and when we heard screen legend David Warner was going to voice the Viperox we were confident a memorable villain was about to be born! The Viperox! You can already hear the Doctor spitting out the name.
Little wonder Executive Producer Russell T Davies has said, 'Dreamland is a remarkable project and I'm thrilled with it. Phil Ford is a wonderful writer and promises to send the Doctor into a whole new visual dimension.'
And the Doctor gets two - count 'em - two new companions in this adventure! Over the months ahead we'll meet them. Find out how they came to life - how they were written, drawn, animated, voiced... and received!
Right now we can reveal one of them is voiced by Georgia Moffett who played Jenny in the Doctor's Daughter. Cards on table, we lurve Georgia and were delighted she was onboard because apart from anything else, it meant we could grab her for an interview - an interview you'll see on these very pages.
But in the meantime, take a look at the Doctor Who press release.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
SJ tv has fun with a bootleg
Sarah Jane TV has fun with a bootleg of The Sarah Jane Adventures from Thailand, CLICK HERE for article.
SJA Series Three Titles
The 412th Issue of Doctor Who Magazine, which is out on Thursday reveals all 6 titles for the forthcoming third series of The Sarah Jane Adventures. The titles can be seen below.
Prisoner of The Judoon
The Mad Woman in The Attic
The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith
The Eternity Trap
Mona Lisa's Revenge
The Gift
All are two parters.
Prisoner of The Judoon
The Mad Woman in The Attic
The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith
The Eternity Trap
Mona Lisa's Revenge
The Gift
All are two parters.
Stars from Buffy, Doctor Who, Addams Family coming to Orlando
News Journal Online reports Slyvester McCoy will be at this years Mini-MegaCon, CLICK HERE for the complete guest list
DS Scoop on those final 'Who' specials
What sort of character is Joshua? How does he fit into the story?
"He's a rather strange individual. He wants to do something remarkable and he seeks the help of probably the most evil person in the universe. And by seeking his help, he sets in motion a series of events that could possibly bring about the end of the world."
Did you have any scenes with John Simm?
"I did, yes!"
How did the part come about?
"Well, apparently Russell T had been trying to get me on to the series for a long time but I'd just been very busy. Finally, I was available, and he basically said, 'Do you wanna come in and do this job?' I wanted to get involved, so we kind of just made it happen."
They were David Tennant's final episodes. What was the atmosphere like on set?
"I'd say it was very charged - people were in tears. It was the end of a very successful partnership. It was obviously David's last outing, and it was also Russell's last outing and Julie Gardner's last outing. So everyone was saying goodbye to what had been a very successful partnership."
How secretive was the plot kept? Were you privvy to the part of the script with his final scene?
"No - we only got four pages, so most of us didn't get to see. I think we'll all be checking in on Christmas Day!"
Did everyone want to find out while you were there?
"Not really, because we all understand what it is and everyone was playing their part and they're keen to keep it under wraps!"
"He's a rather strange individual. He wants to do something remarkable and he seeks the help of probably the most evil person in the universe. And by seeking his help, he sets in motion a series of events that could possibly bring about the end of the world."
Did you have any scenes with John Simm?
"I did, yes!"
How did the part come about?
"Well, apparently Russell T had been trying to get me on to the series for a long time but I'd just been very busy. Finally, I was available, and he basically said, 'Do you wanna come in and do this job?' I wanted to get involved, so we kind of just made it happen."
They were David Tennant's final episodes. What was the atmosphere like on set?
"I'd say it was very charged - people were in tears. It was the end of a very successful partnership. It was obviously David's last outing, and it was also Russell's last outing and Julie Gardner's last outing. So everyone was saying goodbye to what had been a very successful partnership."
How secretive was the plot kept? Were you privvy to the part of the script with his final scene?
"No - we only got four pages, so most of us didn't get to see. I think we'll all be checking in on Christmas Day!"
Did everyone want to find out while you were there?
"Not really, because we all understand what it is and everyone was playing their part and they're keen to keep it under wraps!"
Who's greatest moments
The Official BBC Doctor Who website has an article on the new Doctor Who's Greatest Moments series, CLICK HERE for more details.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Sur will be an Adventure
CORONATION Street star Suranne Jones will appear in the new series of Doctor Who spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures this autumn.
The actress, 30, who played Karen McDonald, will be a guest star when the children's show returns with a third series on BBC1 and CBBC.
Her character is being kept under wraps, but producer Nikki Wilson reckons that signing up Suranne is an ideal piece of casting.
She said: "We conceived the character in a story meeting about 18 months ago and immediately named Suranne as perfect to play her - never imagining we'd actually get someone who's in so much demand.
"But as soon as she saw the script she said yes."
The story will also feature former Drop The Dead Donkey star Jeff Rawle.
Elisabeth Sladen, who plays Sarah Jane, will also be joined by Nigel Havers in series three.
A fourth series is being made.
•
CANADIAN actress Sarah Chalke, 32, who plays Dr Elliott Reid in US medical comedy Scrubs, and her lawyer fiancé Jamie Afifi are expecting their first child this winter.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Saturday, August 15, 2009
NEW Doctor Who assistant poses
NEW Doctor Who assistant Karen Gillan looks simply out of this world as she lazes in her lingerie
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Forget David Tennant.. I am still the real Doctor Who, says Tom Baker
TOM BAKER reckons he's never stopped being Doctor Who - 28 years after his last adventure.
"There was no last time," he points out. "I am the Doctor."
The 75-year-old may have become a household name to a different generation as the narrator of Little Britain, but to anyone growing up in the Seventies and Eighties, he is to Doctor Who what Sean Connery is to James Bond.
And although it's been almost 30 years since he battled Daleks, Tom is still the most popular Time Lord. Now, the fourth Doctor is back in a series of new audiobooks which will be released next month.
And while Matt Smith, 26, prepares to take on the UK's best sci-fi role when David Tennant relinquishes the keys to the Tardis at Christmas, Tom isn't about to give him any advice.
"Idon't give advice to the young," he revealed."I have often noticed that the young shudder at the sight of the old, so I keep silent."
Although Tom has enjoyed success on Little Britain and as the wonderful Donald Ulysses MacDonald on Monarch of the Glen, it's still as DoctorWho that most remember him.
He was the Doctor between 1974-1981 and is the longest-living incarnation in the show's on-screen history.
Most recently, however, Paisley boy David Tennant has snapped at his heels. But rather than put him down, the veteran is hugely generous in his praise for the Scottish actor.
"David Tennant is a wonderful actor, a huge star," he admitted. "He is young and handsome. I never saw him in that role, but then, I never saw myself as the Doctor either."
Tom took over from Jon Pertwee in 1974 and was working on a construction site at the time.
He was dubbed "Boiler Suit Tom" by the media at the time, as he had been supplied for a press conference with some old studio set clothes to replace his modest garments.
However, Tom soon found an image - with his iconic long scarf, the hat and of course, his curly hair.
While the curly hair is a little flatter and whiter these days, Tom didn't need the rest of his costume to reprise his popular role.
Tom stars in a series of five audio adventures from BBC Audiobooks titled DoctorWho: Hornet's Nest, which also features Rula Lenska as the Hornet Queen, former Coronation Street actress Susan Jameson, and another old DoctorWho face, Richard Franklin, who reprises his role as Captain MikeYates for the series.
It was written by Paul Magrs and is the first full adventure with Tom since Logopolis - a four-parter which ran from February to March 1981 and saw the first appearance by fifth Doctor, Peter Davison.
Tom has been seen as the Doctor twice since then since. He appeared in the 20th Anniversary special The Five Doctors, but only in the form of footage from the uncompleted DoctorWho series Shada, which was never completed due to a BBC strike. Tom also reprised the role for a brief cameo for Children in Need in 1993.
Paul Magrs said: "It feels fantastic to write for Tom again. He's quite unlike any other Doctor.
"He's witty, dangerous, courageous and erudite. He's also the most facetious, but also the most serious when his dander's up.
"Tom is very passionate about his Doctor and rightfully protective. I was honoured he wanted to do this series of stories.
"He was engaged in the scripts - he made suggestions and changed things here and there to make it as good as possible."
Of course Tom only has to speak and he's the Doctor and admitted it was "very easy" to get back into playing the character for the first time in 28 years.
"I never went away. I have been standing in the shadows waiting," he pointed out, adding "The hat and scarf are in the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art.
"I didn't really have to do anything to the script to make it more like the fourth Doctor."
The new series, which will be available to buy from September 3, sees the Doctor in fighting form.
The action doesn't start in the Seventies when Tom was the Doctor and instead - in typical Time Lord tradition - flicks back and forward through time.
Tom said: "The story starts now, shifts to 1930 then to 1840. It then moves to an eleventh century convent, where my sonic screwdriver caused a sensation."
While there are now three working Doctors, the older actor refuses to be drawn on rumours that all the surviving Doctors will be brought back for a Children in Need special.
If so, Tom would be joined by Scots David Tennant and Sylvester McCoy, 65, who was the seventh Doctor. And, as new Doctor Matt Smith's companion Karen Gillan is also a Scot, does Tom reckon there's something tartan about the Tardis? "The character has lots of links with many places in many time zones." he said.
"Perhaps he could switch accents from time to time.
"But Scotland is a mysterious and strange place, but that's not the only reason we admire the Scots."
Tom has many links with Scotland. He was born in Scotland Road in Liverpool, toured the country with The National Theatre and The Royal Shakespeare Company and also performed at the Edinburgh Festival a handful of times.
And of course, he played that wonderful colourful character in Monarch of the Glen, which was perhaps the one show that helped to dispel those sci-fi tags. He may have played over the top characters such as Captain Redbeard Rum in Blackadder or Wyvern in Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) but admits he has never been able to shake his most famous role.
"It was impossible, I am the character," he said.
Tom revealed it's not just viewers who have taken a shine to him.
While filming Monarch near Newtonmore, in the central Highlands of Scotland, the actor - who has been married three times and has two sons - was plagued by the midges.
Tom said: "The midges adored me. They just couldn't get enough of me. They just ate me up.
"It took me back to my youth," he added with a twinkle.
He is, of course, also known as the voice of Little Britain.
Tom started on the comedy when it was on BBC Radio Four in 2001 and carried on when it made the leap to television.
Thus his unmistakable, booming theatrical voice will always be linked to the David Walliams and Matt Lucas comedy.
Of course, witty quotes such as: "In Paris, Anne is paying a visit to the Louvre. At my age I'm up all night visiting the Louvre" took many by surprise.
He also quoted rap lyrics such as Salt n' Pepa's Push It and House of Pain's Jump Around, while Tom even got to read the continuity announcements on BBC One as part of the launch of the third series of Little Britain in 2005 with lines such as: "In half an hour, Jenny Dickens's classic serial Bleak House. But first, let's see what the poor people are up to in the first of two visits this evening to EastEnders."
Tom said: "It was fun. A new generation of young fans found a chauvinistic old fool funny."
"The lines were all created by Matt Lucas and DavidWalliams. I just said them and the youngsters howled."
"There was no last time," he points out. "I am the Doctor."
The 75-year-old may have become a household name to a different generation as the narrator of Little Britain, but to anyone growing up in the Seventies and Eighties, he is to Doctor Who what Sean Connery is to James Bond.
And although it's been almost 30 years since he battled Daleks, Tom is still the most popular Time Lord. Now, the fourth Doctor is back in a series of new audiobooks which will be released next month.
And while Matt Smith, 26, prepares to take on the UK's best sci-fi role when David Tennant relinquishes the keys to the Tardis at Christmas, Tom isn't about to give him any advice.
"Idon't give advice to the young," he revealed."I have often noticed that the young shudder at the sight of the old, so I keep silent."
Although Tom has enjoyed success on Little Britain and as the wonderful Donald Ulysses MacDonald on Monarch of the Glen, it's still as DoctorWho that most remember him.
He was the Doctor between 1974-1981 and is the longest-living incarnation in the show's on-screen history.
Most recently, however, Paisley boy David Tennant has snapped at his heels. But rather than put him down, the veteran is hugely generous in his praise for the Scottish actor.
"David Tennant is a wonderful actor, a huge star," he admitted. "He is young and handsome. I never saw him in that role, but then, I never saw myself as the Doctor either."
Tom took over from Jon Pertwee in 1974 and was working on a construction site at the time.
He was dubbed "Boiler Suit Tom" by the media at the time, as he had been supplied for a press conference with some old studio set clothes to replace his modest garments.
However, Tom soon found an image - with his iconic long scarf, the hat and of course, his curly hair.
While the curly hair is a little flatter and whiter these days, Tom didn't need the rest of his costume to reprise his popular role.
Tom stars in a series of five audio adventures from BBC Audiobooks titled DoctorWho: Hornet's Nest, which also features Rula Lenska as the Hornet Queen, former Coronation Street actress Susan Jameson, and another old DoctorWho face, Richard Franklin, who reprises his role as Captain MikeYates for the series.
It was written by Paul Magrs and is the first full adventure with Tom since Logopolis - a four-parter which ran from February to March 1981 and saw the first appearance by fifth Doctor, Peter Davison.
Tom has been seen as the Doctor twice since then since. He appeared in the 20th Anniversary special The Five Doctors, but only in the form of footage from the uncompleted DoctorWho series Shada, which was never completed due to a BBC strike. Tom also reprised the role for a brief cameo for Children in Need in 1993.
Paul Magrs said: "It feels fantastic to write for Tom again. He's quite unlike any other Doctor.
"He's witty, dangerous, courageous and erudite. He's also the most facetious, but also the most serious when his dander's up.
"Tom is very passionate about his Doctor and rightfully protective. I was honoured he wanted to do this series of stories.
"He was engaged in the scripts - he made suggestions and changed things here and there to make it as good as possible."
Of course Tom only has to speak and he's the Doctor and admitted it was "very easy" to get back into playing the character for the first time in 28 years.
"I never went away. I have been standing in the shadows waiting," he pointed out, adding "The hat and scarf are in the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art.
"I didn't really have to do anything to the script to make it more like the fourth Doctor."
The new series, which will be available to buy from September 3, sees the Doctor in fighting form.
The action doesn't start in the Seventies when Tom was the Doctor and instead - in typical Time Lord tradition - flicks back and forward through time.
Tom said: "The story starts now, shifts to 1930 then to 1840. It then moves to an eleventh century convent, where my sonic screwdriver caused a sensation."
While there are now three working Doctors, the older actor refuses to be drawn on rumours that all the surviving Doctors will be brought back for a Children in Need special.
If so, Tom would be joined by Scots David Tennant and Sylvester McCoy, 65, who was the seventh Doctor. And, as new Doctor Matt Smith's companion Karen Gillan is also a Scot, does Tom reckon there's something tartan about the Tardis? "The character has lots of links with many places in many time zones." he said.
"Perhaps he could switch accents from time to time.
"But Scotland is a mysterious and strange place, but that's not the only reason we admire the Scots."
Tom has many links with Scotland. He was born in Scotland Road in Liverpool, toured the country with The National Theatre and The Royal Shakespeare Company and also performed at the Edinburgh Festival a handful of times.
And of course, he played that wonderful colourful character in Monarch of the Glen, which was perhaps the one show that helped to dispel those sci-fi tags. He may have played over the top characters such as Captain Redbeard Rum in Blackadder or Wyvern in Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) but admits he has never been able to shake his most famous role.
"It was impossible, I am the character," he said.
Tom revealed it's not just viewers who have taken a shine to him.
While filming Monarch near Newtonmore, in the central Highlands of Scotland, the actor - who has been married three times and has two sons - was plagued by the midges.
Tom said: "The midges adored me. They just couldn't get enough of me. They just ate me up.
"It took me back to my youth," he added with a twinkle.
He is, of course, also known as the voice of Little Britain.
Tom started on the comedy when it was on BBC Radio Four in 2001 and carried on when it made the leap to television.
Thus his unmistakable, booming theatrical voice will always be linked to the David Walliams and Matt Lucas comedy.
Of course, witty quotes such as: "In Paris, Anne is paying a visit to the Louvre. At my age I'm up all night visiting the Louvre" took many by surprise.
He also quoted rap lyrics such as Salt n' Pepa's Push It and House of Pain's Jump Around, while Tom even got to read the continuity announcements on BBC One as part of the launch of the third series of Little Britain in 2005 with lines such as: "In half an hour, Jenny Dickens's classic serial Bleak House. But first, let's see what the poor people are up to in the first of two visits this evening to EastEnders."
Tom said: "It was fun. A new generation of young fans found a chauvinistic old fool funny."
"The lines were all created by Matt Lucas and DavidWalliams. I just said them and the youngsters howled."
Tennant 'nervous' at Hollywood audition
David Tennant has revealed that he recently had his first ever movie audition in Hollywood.
The Doctor Who star told BBC Wales that he was "nervous" because he had not had to audition for a part since Casanova in 2004.
Tennant said: "I had my first ever Hollywood audition yesterday. The terrible thing is I've been very spoilt in Britain for the last few years - I haven't done an audition.
"I went to this room and I found the place and I had to get past the security guard who wanted to see some ID, and I said, 'I've not brought any ID!' I didn't realise that was something you needed to do to come for an audition."
He added that he had some difficulty when the casting director asked him to "just go off script" because of the limited knowledge he had about the role.
"You have a few sides, you're having to intuit from a few lines what this character may be or what his story may be," Tennant continued.
"So you end up having to improvise around this character's life about which you know nothing and about which you're invited to know nothing. It was sort of alright."
He added: "It was for quite a big Hollywood film, I won't get it!"
The Doctor Who star told BBC Wales that he was "nervous" because he had not had to audition for a part since Casanova in 2004.
Tennant said: "I had my first ever Hollywood audition yesterday. The terrible thing is I've been very spoilt in Britain for the last few years - I haven't done an audition.
"I went to this room and I found the place and I had to get past the security guard who wanted to see some ID, and I said, 'I've not brought any ID!' I didn't realise that was something you needed to do to come for an audition."
He added that he had some difficulty when the casting director asked him to "just go off script" because of the limited knowledge he had about the role.
"You have a few sides, you're having to intuit from a few lines what this character may be or what his story may be," Tennant continued.
"So you end up having to improvise around this character's life about which you know nothing and about which you're invited to know nothing. It was sort of alright."
He added: "It was for quite a big Hollywood film, I won't get it!"
Tom Baker: 'I won't advise Matt Smith'
Former Doctor Who star Tom Baker has admitted that he would be reluctant to offer advice to the show's new lead actor Matt Smith.
The 75-year-old, who played the Time Lord's fourth incarnation from 1974 to 1981, revealed that he would prefer to leave Smith alone as he discovers his own approach to the role.
Speaking to the Daily Record, he explained: "I don't give advice to the young. I have often noticed that the young shudder at the sight of the old, so I keep silent."
Smith started filming for the iconic sci-fi show in Cardiff last month alongside his new co-star Karen Gillan (Amy Pond).
The 26-year-old will make his debut on the programme when David Tennant bows out as the Tenth Doctor at the end of three specials in early 2010.
Baker added: "David Tennant is a wonderful actor, a huge star. He is young and handsome. I never saw him in that role, but then, I never saw myself as The Doctor either."
The veteran actor recently announced that he is to return as the Fourth Doctor in a new audio series.
The 75-year-old, who played the Time Lord's fourth incarnation from 1974 to 1981, revealed that he would prefer to leave Smith alone as he discovers his own approach to the role.
Speaking to the Daily Record, he explained: "I don't give advice to the young. I have often noticed that the young shudder at the sight of the old, so I keep silent."
Smith started filming for the iconic sci-fi show in Cardiff last month alongside his new co-star Karen Gillan (Amy Pond).
The 26-year-old will make his debut on the programme when David Tennant bows out as the Tenth Doctor at the end of three specials in early 2010.
Baker added: "David Tennant is a wonderful actor, a huge star. He is young and handsome. I never saw him in that role, but then, I never saw myself as The Doctor either."
The veteran actor recently announced that he is to return as the Fourth Doctor in a new audio series.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Tom Baker Q & A on "Hornets Nest"
Q: Have you enjoyed reprising your role as The Doctor?
A: Yes, yes! Oh yes.
Q: The excitement amongst fans is building by the day in the run up to the release. What can they look forward to in the Hornets’ Nest first instalment ‘The Stuff of Nightmares’?
A: These Hornets are not just any old Hornets; oh no! They are PRIME BBC Hornets, the likes of which have never been seen or heard of before. And of course BBC Hornets are the stuff of nightmares! And as lovers of nightmares, the fans will not be disappointed.
Q: Doctor Who has a tremendously loyal fan base, what do you think sets fans of the show apart?
A: Their unswerving loyalty. Their good taste. Their BLIND LOVE.
Q: You’ve often described yourself as a performer rather than an actor, where do you think the difference lies and how has this affected your choice of roles?
A: Is that a quote? What’s the difference? I think of myself as an entertainer.
Q: The Brits hold a particular affection for Doctor Who, what do you think is the key to the show’s appeal?
A: The formula is so good. Benevolent alien, a being with secrets. A sonic screwdriver, but I’m sworn to secrecy by the BBC. They pay me 30 pieces of silver every month to be discreet.
Q: What was the appeal of recording a new series of audio dramas?
A: The scripts arrived at a good moment. I’m a bit capricious about what I accept. I asked some hard questions and made some impossible demands. The BBC agreed to everything I asked on condition the details would be locked in a strongbox in the Bank of England. They will be revealed on the BBC website on January 20th 2034 at 6.12 AM – the hundredth anniversary of my birth.
Q: Are you a fan of audio books? Which titles have you enjoyed?
A: I’m a great fan of anything that Michael Jayston records. He’s a magnificent teller of the tale. What a guy! What an actor, and a very tricky bowler at cricket.
A: Yes, yes! Oh yes.
Q: The excitement amongst fans is building by the day in the run up to the release. What can they look forward to in the Hornets’ Nest first instalment ‘The Stuff of Nightmares’?
A: These Hornets are not just any old Hornets; oh no! They are PRIME BBC Hornets, the likes of which have never been seen or heard of before. And of course BBC Hornets are the stuff of nightmares! And as lovers of nightmares, the fans will not be disappointed.
Q: Doctor Who has a tremendously loyal fan base, what do you think sets fans of the show apart?
A: Their unswerving loyalty. Their good taste. Their BLIND LOVE.
Q: You’ve often described yourself as a performer rather than an actor, where do you think the difference lies and how has this affected your choice of roles?
A: Is that a quote? What’s the difference? I think of myself as an entertainer.
Q: The Brits hold a particular affection for Doctor Who, what do you think is the key to the show’s appeal?
A: The formula is so good. Benevolent alien, a being with secrets. A sonic screwdriver, but I’m sworn to secrecy by the BBC. They pay me 30 pieces of silver every month to be discreet.
Q: What was the appeal of recording a new series of audio dramas?
A: The scripts arrived at a good moment. I’m a bit capricious about what I accept. I asked some hard questions and made some impossible demands. The BBC agreed to everything I asked on condition the details would be locked in a strongbox in the Bank of England. They will be revealed on the BBC website on January 20th 2034 at 6.12 AM – the hundredth anniversary of my birth.
Q: Are you a fan of audio books? Which titles have you enjoyed?
A: I’m a great fan of anything that Michael Jayston records. He’s a magnificent teller of the tale. What a guy! What an actor, and a very tricky bowler at cricket.
David Tennant: rich, talented and famous.. but still likeable
REASONS to hate David Tennant? Loads. He's Doctor bloody Who, for starters. He's snogged Billie Piper.
He's rich and famous and jet-sets back and forth across the Atlantic the way us mere mortals go between home and work. And he can probably bed any girl he wants.
However, the most annoying thing about the 38-year-old from Ralston, Paisley, is this - it's practically impossible to dislike him.
He's cheerful and friendly, annoyingly modest and self-deprecating and laughs off the whole stardom thing like it's the most ridiculous idea he's ever heard.
He's massively, childishly enthusiastic about his work - especially when it comes to all things Tardis - and he even admits he gets starstruck when he meets famous people, chickening out of talking to them just like you or me.
The annoyingly likeable David said: "I still get that thing where I think, 'Oh,I'd love to say hello to him,' but then think, 'Oh, leave him alone.' I sawMorrissey once having a pizza in a restaurant in London.Meat-free, not aMeat Feast - that would have been a coup.
"I've not even ever been that big a Smiths fan - I've always liked them and I like his solo stuff - but there's something about Morrissey. He's a 'thing' isn't he? A creation. He just comes with aura.
"He was looking remarkably normal. He was just sitting there with a mate, laughing and joking.
"So I still do have that fan worship a little bit. You meet someone... but I stop myself now. I suppose when you've been on the other side of it a little bit, you kind of know what it is.
"The other day I was in Cardiff Bay - as Doctor Who is filmed in Cardiff - buying a coffee and there was the little fella fromManic Street Preachers. James Dean Bradfield.
"But I thought, 'Leave him alone. Let the man have his coffee.' But I couldn't remember his name. Which was probably the other reason I thought, 'Don't go up to him.'"
When it comes to his own fame, David seems to find the notion that people flock to see him - thousands were turned away from his appearance at Comic-Con in the States - utterly ludicrous.
The prospect of stardom going to his head is one he simply can't get his head around.
David said: "Well all that's just silly isn't it? I don't really know how to answer that.Maybe if I had been 21 when it all happened, maybe not. It's difficult to say. I was very well brought up, that's what it is."
He now faces the difficult task of following his dream job after quitting as the Time Lord in Russell T Davies's hit reimagining of Doctor Who.
While rumours swirl around linking him with just about every major film franchise in Hollywood and beyond - notably The Lord Of The Rings' prequel The Hobbit - he reckons it's all nonsense. In fact he's worried people will be disappointed when they find out he's up to.
David said: "We're slightly worried.We're doing a bit of expectation management because there are so many rumours. Whatever is bouncing round the web isn't true. We just need to manage expectation.
"There's a new rumour about me every day. I'm playing The Hobbit, apparently. No phone calls about that yet but I don't know, no idea.
"I don't think I'm in Harry Potter. There is a film at the moment - I'mplaying the villain in St Trinians 2 - but beyond that, who knows?
"We've done Hamlet. It's a TV version. It's a record of the stage play, so it's not a full-scale stage drama but it's the production that we did on stage last year and that'll certainly be on the BBC at Christmas."
With a Tardis-free future ahead and no notable roles to announce at the moment, many actors would wonder if they had done the right thing.
No such doubts for David - and despite his decision to quit after three seasons, his unmistakable love for the character shines through.
He said: "It's a Saturday night TV event. And it was when we were kids as well. I grew up obsessed with it really, so it's strange to be sitting here at 38 and be in it.
"It's still the same show, the story continues. I'm the same man asWilliam Hartnell, I'mjust wearing a different wig.
"There are bits of all those old Doctors in there somewhere, yet you make the role new and of yourself because that's how it works.
"It's not like James Bond or Sherlock Holmes or other characters reborn in the same mould.We want to break the mould a bit, make him a new man, which is why I went with a different wig than William."
David's input into the look of his Doctor didn't stop with the hair - he insisted on wearing his own shoes in his first episode as the wardrobe department wouldn't give him a pair he felt looked ruined enough.
He said: "The very first pair of shoes that I wore were my own shoes because I wanted them to be old and battered and hanging off my feet. And one thing that costume designers hate is things being really knackered.
"I really wanted them to be scruffy and knackered so I got my own shoes and said, 'I'mjust going to wear these.' The soles were flapping. "They were very old. But they really did fall apart,
"We sold them for Children In Need. So somebody's got an old pair of shoes rotting in the corner of their bedroom somewhere. Cherishing them. As they rot."
With Matt Smith stepping in to fill David's stinky shoes, it has hit home that he really has walked away from the Tardis for the last time.
But David is happy to have handed over the controls of the famous police box - and insists he was careful not to have any input whatsoever into the new boy's interpretation of the role.
He said: "We've met. I've chatted to him several times. He was down in Cardiff doing a recce.
"It's weird because I'mvery excited for him and at the same time I don't want to get in his way.
"We talked a bit and then he said, 'Well, what advice have you got?' and I said, 'I don't have any advice really.'
"He's a great actor - he's got no worries from that point of view - he knows what he's doing.
"He'll bring his own energy and enthusiasms with him, and that's how it should be really. And he doesn't need my advice - it's the same character but a different man every time.
"Doctor Who is a big thing and you get attention, some of which is nice and some that's intrusive. But he'll cope. He's bright, normal, and down to earth."
We haven't seen the last of David as the Doctor yet -he will be on screen in three more specials as well as popping up in spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures.
But the massively hyped talk that he could return for the 50th anniversary appear to be just that - hype. He is most insistent that there are no actual plans whatsoever in place.
David said: "Who knows what will happen? But, you know, 50th anniversary, 2013. We did talk about it ... so never say never but I have no plans.
"For now, I've just done an audiobook, which is due out soon. They might be the last words I utter as the Doctor.
"And I crop up in Sarah Jane. That was my last proper acting in the suit. It's a great show and I'm afraid I just greedily wanted a part, so I just demanded that I be included."
So for now, David will sit back, enjoy his vast array of rich-bloke pursuits like yachting and peasant-hunting, and relax.Well, no.
He said: "I don't have hobbies. I don't have 'pursuits'. I did play squash three times. I was quite good.
"I should get some pursuits. I've started cooking. I've got a Jamie Oliver book that I'm slowly working through. What he says you can rustle up in half an hour will take me three hours. But oh, it works. And you get great satisfaction.
"Tv, I love a good box-set. I've got TheWire ready to go - the first couple of episodes are quite tough but you have to persevere.
"And music, I'ma big Proclaimers fan. I make no secret of that." When David does decide to tell us what he will be up to next, don't expect to hear from him on Twitter - he thinks it's a colossal waste of time. Another good reason to like the man.
He said: "Twitter? Noooo. 'I'mhaving a cup of tea' Who cares? There's plenty of people pretending to be me on Twitter.
"They can tell you that they're having a cup of tea. It'll just be the same. It'll be a different cup of tea but the information's the same."
He's rich and famous and jet-sets back and forth across the Atlantic the way us mere mortals go between home and work. And he can probably bed any girl he wants.
However, the most annoying thing about the 38-year-old from Ralston, Paisley, is this - it's practically impossible to dislike him.
He's cheerful and friendly, annoyingly modest and self-deprecating and laughs off the whole stardom thing like it's the most ridiculous idea he's ever heard.
He's massively, childishly enthusiastic about his work - especially when it comes to all things Tardis - and he even admits he gets starstruck when he meets famous people, chickening out of talking to them just like you or me.
The annoyingly likeable David said: "I still get that thing where I think, 'Oh,I'd love to say hello to him,' but then think, 'Oh, leave him alone.' I sawMorrissey once having a pizza in a restaurant in London.Meat-free, not aMeat Feast - that would have been a coup.
"I've not even ever been that big a Smiths fan - I've always liked them and I like his solo stuff - but there's something about Morrissey. He's a 'thing' isn't he? A creation. He just comes with aura.
"He was looking remarkably normal. He was just sitting there with a mate, laughing and joking.
"So I still do have that fan worship a little bit. You meet someone... but I stop myself now. I suppose when you've been on the other side of it a little bit, you kind of know what it is.
"The other day I was in Cardiff Bay - as Doctor Who is filmed in Cardiff - buying a coffee and there was the little fella fromManic Street Preachers. James Dean Bradfield.
"But I thought, 'Leave him alone. Let the man have his coffee.' But I couldn't remember his name. Which was probably the other reason I thought, 'Don't go up to him.'"
When it comes to his own fame, David seems to find the notion that people flock to see him - thousands were turned away from his appearance at Comic-Con in the States - utterly ludicrous.
The prospect of stardom going to his head is one he simply can't get his head around.
David said: "Well all that's just silly isn't it? I don't really know how to answer that.Maybe if I had been 21 when it all happened, maybe not. It's difficult to say. I was very well brought up, that's what it is."
He now faces the difficult task of following his dream job after quitting as the Time Lord in Russell T Davies's hit reimagining of Doctor Who.
While rumours swirl around linking him with just about every major film franchise in Hollywood and beyond - notably The Lord Of The Rings' prequel The Hobbit - he reckons it's all nonsense. In fact he's worried people will be disappointed when they find out he's up to.
David said: "We're slightly worried.We're doing a bit of expectation management because there are so many rumours. Whatever is bouncing round the web isn't true. We just need to manage expectation.
"There's a new rumour about me every day. I'm playing The Hobbit, apparently. No phone calls about that yet but I don't know, no idea.
"I don't think I'm in Harry Potter. There is a film at the moment - I'mplaying the villain in St Trinians 2 - but beyond that, who knows?
"We've done Hamlet. It's a TV version. It's a record of the stage play, so it's not a full-scale stage drama but it's the production that we did on stage last year and that'll certainly be on the BBC at Christmas."
With a Tardis-free future ahead and no notable roles to announce at the moment, many actors would wonder if they had done the right thing.
No such doubts for David - and despite his decision to quit after three seasons, his unmistakable love for the character shines through.
He said: "It's a Saturday night TV event. And it was when we were kids as well. I grew up obsessed with it really, so it's strange to be sitting here at 38 and be in it.
"It's still the same show, the story continues. I'm the same man asWilliam Hartnell, I'mjust wearing a different wig.
"There are bits of all those old Doctors in there somewhere, yet you make the role new and of yourself because that's how it works.
"It's not like James Bond or Sherlock Holmes or other characters reborn in the same mould.We want to break the mould a bit, make him a new man, which is why I went with a different wig than William."
David's input into the look of his Doctor didn't stop with the hair - he insisted on wearing his own shoes in his first episode as the wardrobe department wouldn't give him a pair he felt looked ruined enough.
He said: "The very first pair of shoes that I wore were my own shoes because I wanted them to be old and battered and hanging off my feet. And one thing that costume designers hate is things being really knackered.
"I really wanted them to be scruffy and knackered so I got my own shoes and said, 'I'mjust going to wear these.' The soles were flapping. "They were very old. But they really did fall apart,
"We sold them for Children In Need. So somebody's got an old pair of shoes rotting in the corner of their bedroom somewhere. Cherishing them. As they rot."
With Matt Smith stepping in to fill David's stinky shoes, it has hit home that he really has walked away from the Tardis for the last time.
But David is happy to have handed over the controls of the famous police box - and insists he was careful not to have any input whatsoever into the new boy's interpretation of the role.
He said: "We've met. I've chatted to him several times. He was down in Cardiff doing a recce.
"It's weird because I'mvery excited for him and at the same time I don't want to get in his way.
"We talked a bit and then he said, 'Well, what advice have you got?' and I said, 'I don't have any advice really.'
"He's a great actor - he's got no worries from that point of view - he knows what he's doing.
"He'll bring his own energy and enthusiasms with him, and that's how it should be really. And he doesn't need my advice - it's the same character but a different man every time.
"Doctor Who is a big thing and you get attention, some of which is nice and some that's intrusive. But he'll cope. He's bright, normal, and down to earth."
We haven't seen the last of David as the Doctor yet -he will be on screen in three more specials as well as popping up in spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures.
But the massively hyped talk that he could return for the 50th anniversary appear to be just that - hype. He is most insistent that there are no actual plans whatsoever in place.
David said: "Who knows what will happen? But, you know, 50th anniversary, 2013. We did talk about it ... so never say never but I have no plans.
"For now, I've just done an audiobook, which is due out soon. They might be the last words I utter as the Doctor.
"And I crop up in Sarah Jane. That was my last proper acting in the suit. It's a great show and I'm afraid I just greedily wanted a part, so I just demanded that I be included."
So for now, David will sit back, enjoy his vast array of rich-bloke pursuits like yachting and peasant-hunting, and relax.Well, no.
He said: "I don't have hobbies. I don't have 'pursuits'. I did play squash three times. I was quite good.
"I should get some pursuits. I've started cooking. I've got a Jamie Oliver book that I'm slowly working through. What he says you can rustle up in half an hour will take me three hours. But oh, it works. And you get great satisfaction.
"Tv, I love a good box-set. I've got TheWire ready to go - the first couple of episodes are quite tough but you have to persevere.
"And music, I'ma big Proclaimers fan. I make no secret of that." When David does decide to tell us what he will be up to next, don't expect to hear from him on Twitter - he thinks it's a colossal waste of time. Another good reason to like the man.
He said: "Twitter? Noooo. 'I'mhaving a cup of tea' Who cares? There's plenty of people pretending to be me on Twitter.
"They can tell you that they're having a cup of tea. It'll just be the same. It'll be a different cup of tea but the information's the same."
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Tennant: 'I felt like Robbie Williams'
David Tennant has said that he felt like Robbie Williams after the reception he received from Doctor Who fans at last month's Comic-Con convention in San Diego.
Speaking on an audio postcard recorded for the BBC, the actor said that the streets were lined with people dressed as Stormtroopers from Star Wars and Scooby Doo.
Tennant said: "It was slightly mental. I've never been to San Diego before, so I don't know what it's like normally, but it was just crawling with hundreds of thousands of fans."
Outgoing head writer Russell T. Davies said: "You often get told over there that Doctor Who's not well known and Torchwood's not well known, and I'm beginning to deny that! David, you're far too modest. You were welcomed like a rockstar."
Tennant admitted: "It was a bit like being Robbie Williams for a minute there. I mean they did go crazy, didn't they?"
Davies added: "I was reading all our press clippings last night. I have to say I thought they did that for everyone - no they don't! Yours was really rare and noted by the press and phenomenal.
"I'm really pleased. A lot of press clippings were saying that was an extraordinary welcome for you and how deserved and marvellous it was."
Speaking on an audio postcard recorded for the BBC, the actor said that the streets were lined with people dressed as Stormtroopers from Star Wars and Scooby Doo.
Tennant said: "It was slightly mental. I've never been to San Diego before, so I don't know what it's like normally, but it was just crawling with hundreds of thousands of fans."
Outgoing head writer Russell T. Davies said: "You often get told over there that Doctor Who's not well known and Torchwood's not well known, and I'm beginning to deny that! David, you're far too modest. You were welcomed like a rockstar."
Tennant admitted: "It was a bit like being Robbie Williams for a minute there. I mean they did go crazy, didn't they?"
Davies added: "I was reading all our press clippings last night. I have to say I thought they did that for everyone - no they don't! Yours was really rare and noted by the press and phenomenal.
"I'm really pleased. A lot of press clippings were saying that was an extraordinary welcome for you and how deserved and marvellous it was."
BBC Audio Renews Big Finish Licence for Doctor Who
Big Finish is delighted to announce that its licence to make The Audio Adventures of Doctor Who has been extended by BBC Audiobooks, for a period up to December 31 2011.
“We’re thrilled that the license has been renewed,” says executive producer Jason Haigh-Ellery. “and we’ve got some fantastic stories lined up for the rest of 2009, and through 2010 and beyond. Not only from the Doctor Who main range, but also the New Eighth Doctor Adventures and the Companion Chronicles, plus additional ranges like The Lost Stories.
“All of us at Big Finish love making Doctor Who on audio, and we feel privileged that the BBC has entrusted us to continue.”
“We’re thrilled that the license has been renewed,” says executive producer Jason Haigh-Ellery. “and we’ve got some fantastic stories lined up for the rest of 2009, and through 2010 and beyond. Not only from the Doctor Who main range, but also the New Eighth Doctor Adventures and the Companion Chronicles, plus additional ranges like The Lost Stories.
“All of us at Big Finish love making Doctor Who on audio, and we feel privileged that the BBC has entrusted us to continue.”
Monday, August 10, 2009
BBC AMERICA's Best Week Ever - 3.3 Million Tune in to Torchwood
Torchwood: Children of Earth is BBC AMERICA's most successful series ever, reaching 3.3m in Live+SD across the week. It delivered an average audience of 705,000 viewers per episode, with Friday's finale attracting 847,000, the largest average audience in the channel's history. Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead also performed strongly with 657,000 viewers in Live+SD.
BBC America picks up 'Who' season five
BBC America has picked up the US rights to air the upcoming fifth season of Doctor Who, it has been announced.
The new run, which sees Matt Smith take over from David Tennant in the lead role, is currently being filmed in Cardiff, Wales.
The thirteen-episode fifth season will air on BBC America and BBC America HD in Q2 2010 shortly after its UK premiere.
The network also confirmed that its recent screening of Torchwood: Children Of Earth reached a cumulative 3.3 million viewers (live + SD) over its broadcast week at the end of July, making it BBC America's most successful ever series. The subsequent broadcast of Doctor Who: Planet Of The Dead brought in 657,000 viewers.
The new run, which sees Matt Smith take over from David Tennant in the lead role, is currently being filmed in Cardiff, Wales.
The thirteen-episode fifth season will air on BBC America and BBC America HD in Q2 2010 shortly after its UK premiere.
The network also confirmed that its recent screening of Torchwood: Children Of Earth reached a cumulative 3.3 million viewers (live + SD) over its broadcast week at the end of July, making it BBC America's most successful ever series. The subsequent broadcast of Doctor Who: Planet Of The Dead brought in 657,000 viewers.
Former 'Who' writer: 'Doc snogging is lazy'
The writer of the final classic TV Doctor Who story has criticised the revived show for exploiting sexual tension between The Doctor and his companions.
Rona Munro told The Guardian that it was lazy to suggest the possibility of romance between the show's lead character and those that join him in the TARDIS.
Munro said: "This is my chance to say it. I don't think The Doctor should have fallen in love with anybody.
"I think that's wrong. I don't think there should be any snogging or any sexual tension because he's a Time Lord, and his companion is but a mortal."
Munro penned 1989's three-part Season 26 finale Survival, the last episodes of Doctor Who before its return in 1996's one-off TV movie and the full revival of the series in 2005.
Rona Munro told The Guardian that it was lazy to suggest the possibility of romance between the show's lead character and those that join him in the TARDIS.
Munro said: "This is my chance to say it. I don't think The Doctor should have fallen in love with anybody.
"I think that's wrong. I don't think there should be any snogging or any sexual tension because he's a Time Lord, and his companion is but a mortal."
Munro penned 1989's three-part Season 26 finale Survival, the last episodes of Doctor Who before its return in 1996's one-off TV movie and the full revival of the series in 2005.
Doctor Who Greatest Moments
Doctor Who Greatest Moments: The Doctor, coming to BBC 3 on Thursday 20th August 2009, series taking viewers on a journey through time and space to relive all the action from the legendary sci-fi show, featuring exclusive interviews with key actors offering unique insights on the classic moments. In this edition, the likes of David Tennant, John Barrowman, David Morrissey and the League of Gentlemen's Mark Gatiss guide us through the Time Lord himself's greatest moments.
Saturday, August 08, 2009
THE girlfriend of Doctor Who star David Tennant is becoming a doctor herself - in BBC1 hit Casualty.
Georgia Moffett, 24, is joining the long-running medical soap as a junior doctor in September.
The beauty met David, 38, while guest-starring as his daughter in Doctor Who.
Georgia is one of four new stars joining the 24th series of Casualty. The others are Personal Affairs beauty Laura Aikman and newcomers Steve Miller and Will Sharpe.
The beauty met David, 38, while guest-starring as his daughter in Doctor Who.
Georgia is one of four new stars joining the 24th series of Casualty. The others are Personal Affairs beauty Laura Aikman and newcomers Steve Miller and Will Sharpe.
Torchwood fans hit back over Ianto Jones death messages
UPSET sci-fi fans have hit back after internet death threats were posted to Torchwood writers to say: ‘We’re not all crazy’.
Last week Wales on Sunday revealed some fans had left online messages saying they would ‘murder’ the scriptwriters responsible for killing off the show’s Ianto Jones, played by Newport actor Gareth David Lloyd in the Children of Earth mini-series.
But in scores of responses left at Wales on Sunday’s website, WalesOnline, admirers of the Cardiff-set BBC hit distanced themselves from ‘extremists.’
One, writing as Iam, insisted the article highlighted only a tiny proportion of fans.
Iam said: “I am sure that 99% of these comments were simply ill-conceived knee-jerk reactions to the strong emotions elicited by the death of Ianto.
“I want to stress that THOUSANDS of fans are protesting politely and peacefully. Over £4,000 has been raised for the charity Children in Need as part of this protest.”
And ‘Kendra’ said: “There are thousands of fans out there, who are raising money for charity, sending polite and reasonable letters, and doing what we can to be supportive of the character and actor.
“But it’s always the crazies that get highlighted and from then on, any time anybody tries to make a reasonable argument, we’ll get dismissed as being one of the death threat/ wacko/ axe-wielding nutcases.”
KB13 admitted fans were angry at ‘RTD’ – Torchwood creator and Dr Who writer Russell T Davies – but said: “Those comments are over the top and upsetting, they came from personal journals and fans gathering places where people are blowing off steam.
“Please don’t condemn us based on things written in private and shared with other fans.”
But Jimmy 900 said: “This is what happens when socially inept people are asked to handle emotional content.”
Behellmorph added: “This is getting out of hand, sending death threats to writers? That’s just wrong.
“Granted, the passing of Ianto’s death is very sad but that doesn’t mean you should go threatening people like that.”
Meanwhile ‘Cuisle’ urged fans to accept Gareth David-Lloyd had left the show.
Jovialien insisted making threats of violence was not typical fan behaviour.
And Tardigger said: “Only the most miniscule portion of fans saddened by the demise of Ianto Jones and concerned about the fate of Torchwood have posted comments similar to those cited in (last week’s) article.
“The many thousands of other Torchwood fans, however, reflecting myriad opinions both pro and con towards Children of Earth and Mr Davies, remain united by one common element – respectful disagreement through open discourse.”
Rusty added: “GROW UP! It’s a TV character!
“Granted, I was never that fond of Ianto to begin with – he was a blank as far as I’m concerned, but death threats?
“Come on, people!”
Last week Wales on Sunday revealed some fans had left online messages saying they would ‘murder’ the scriptwriters responsible for killing off the show’s Ianto Jones, played by Newport actor Gareth David Lloyd in the Children of Earth mini-series.
But in scores of responses left at Wales on Sunday’s website, WalesOnline, admirers of the Cardiff-set BBC hit distanced themselves from ‘extremists.’
One, writing as Iam, insisted the article highlighted only a tiny proportion of fans.
Iam said: “I am sure that 99% of these comments were simply ill-conceived knee-jerk reactions to the strong emotions elicited by the death of Ianto.
“I want to stress that THOUSANDS of fans are protesting politely and peacefully. Over £4,000 has been raised for the charity Children in Need as part of this protest.”
And ‘Kendra’ said: “There are thousands of fans out there, who are raising money for charity, sending polite and reasonable letters, and doing what we can to be supportive of the character and actor.
“But it’s always the crazies that get highlighted and from then on, any time anybody tries to make a reasonable argument, we’ll get dismissed as being one of the death threat/ wacko/ axe-wielding nutcases.”
KB13 admitted fans were angry at ‘RTD’ – Torchwood creator and Dr Who writer Russell T Davies – but said: “Those comments are over the top and upsetting, they came from personal journals and fans gathering places where people are blowing off steam.
“Please don’t condemn us based on things written in private and shared with other fans.”
But Jimmy 900 said: “This is what happens when socially inept people are asked to handle emotional content.”
Behellmorph added: “This is getting out of hand, sending death threats to writers? That’s just wrong.
“Granted, the passing of Ianto’s death is very sad but that doesn’t mean you should go threatening people like that.”
Meanwhile ‘Cuisle’ urged fans to accept Gareth David-Lloyd had left the show.
Jovialien insisted making threats of violence was not typical fan behaviour.
And Tardigger said: “Only the most miniscule portion of fans saddened by the demise of Ianto Jones and concerned about the fate of Torchwood have posted comments similar to those cited in (last week’s) article.
“The many thousands of other Torchwood fans, however, reflecting myriad opinions both pro and con towards Children of Earth and Mr Davies, remain united by one common element – respectful disagreement through open discourse.”
Rusty added: “GROW UP! It’s a TV character!
“Granted, I was never that fond of Ianto to begin with – he was a blank as far as I’m concerned, but death threats?
“Come on, people!”
Friday, August 07, 2009
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