Hornets' News – BBC Press Release

The BBC has released more details on the return of Tom Baker to the role of the fourth Doctor after twenty eight years.

Baker reprises his role in a new five part audio adventure for BBC Audiobooks.

Doctor Who: Hornets' Nest, is written by Paul Magrs and also stars Richard Franklin as Mike Yates, Susan Jameson as Mrs Wibbsey, Rula Lenska as the Hornet Queen and Stephen Thorne.

The first story, The Stuff of Nightmares, will be available to buy from 3rd September 2009 with the remaining four stories following in subsequent months.

• The Dead Shoes – 8th October
• The Circus of Doom – 5th November
• A Sting in the Tale – 3rd December
• Hive of Horror – 3rd December

As well as being available on CD, the series will be available for download from audible.co.uk

Writer Paul Magrs said,
'This is the first adventure with the Tom Baker Doctor since Logopolis. And it feels fantastic to write for him. I would say he's a brilliant mixture of everything the Fourth Doctor ever was. He's dark and sombre at times; other times he's gleefully macabre and mischievous.'

To support the series a dedicated webpage will launch on 10th August. The page will contain 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.

Doctor Who: Hornet's Nest – The Stuff of Nightmares

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.

Michael Summerton (1943-2009)

The actor/agent Michael Summerton died on the 16th June 2009, aged 65.

Summerton started out in the theatre and then moved to television with a role in the BBC Soap Compact; he then went on to play one of the very first Daleks to appear in Doctor Who.

In later life he became an agent, running his own company Michael Summerton Management Ltd which specialises in choreography and dancing, and was notable is being the agent for Arlene Phillips and Bruno Tonioli, both featuring as judges in the popular BBC series Strictly Come Dancing.

From The Telegraph Obituary:
His agent told him he would not need to learn any lines for the casting, and when he arrived at the BBC workshops he was asked to strip down to his underpants and sit in what appeared to be a tub on castors. Summerton (who was one of the four original Daleks) was instructed in how to move this apparatus about, the director saying: "We want to test this prototype for manoeuvrability. We want you to move forwards, backwards, sideways. Quickly, slowly." Presently the director lowered a lid over him with a plunger sticking out of it. Summerton found himself in total darkness. He would later relate: "When the lid went on I knew my career as an actor was over."

Dalek War – DVD Extras

The British Board of Film Classification has cleared the extras for the forthcoming release of The Dalek War box set, comprising of the Third Doctor stories Frontier in Space and Planet of the Daleks.

Items include

• The Space War – remembering Frontier in Space
• The Rumble in the Jungle – remembering Planet of the Daleks
• Stripped for Action – The story of the Daleks in Doctor Who Comic
• Stripped for Action – The story of the Third Doctor in Doctor Who Comic
• The Perfect Scenario – The End of Dreams
• The Perfect Scenario – Lost Frontiers
• Roger Delgado – The Master
• Blue Peter
• Multi Colourisation
• Photo Gallery
• Easter Egg

No official release date has been given for this set, but it is expected to be released on four discs towards the end of the year. The Doctor Who Restoration Team has an article about the preparation of the stories for DVD release.

New Guinness World Record

Doctor Who has been awarded its second Guinness World Record, for Most successful sci-fi series. The award is based upon the show's perfomance in ratings, DVD and book sales, and downloading popularity.

The award was presented to Russell T. Davies by Guinness editor-in-chief Craig Glenday at the San-Diego ComicCon on Sunday. Glenday said: "It's the longest-running sci-fi show on TV. But that's not quite enough, it's too good a show to have a longest-running record. Based on things like CD sales, downloads, illegal downloads, we've realised that Doctor Who is the most successful sci-fi show on TV full stop."


The show's first record entry is for Longest running sci-fi series.

Reported by: Digital Spy, CBC, IF Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, Guardian
France: Tele7, Tout le Cine, Allocine

Harry Towb 1925–2009

The actor Harry Towb has died at the age of 83.

Towb had a long and distinguished career in British film and television appearing in many classic programmes during a career lasting nearly sixty years.

Towb had two roles in Doctor Who. He first appeared as Osgood alongside Patrick Troughton in the 1969 story The Seeds of Death. He later appeared alongside Jon Pertwee in the 1971 story Terror of the Autons where, in one of the most memorable scenes of the classic series, he was eaten by a plastic chair.

More from BBC News

John Simm returns as the Master

Photo courtesy Alun Vega

The official BBC Doctor Who site has confirmed that actor John Simm will be reprising his role as The Master in the forthcoming Christmas specials. Though no other details have been confirmed the site reports that they will publish an interview with Simm later in the year.

The announcement follows a special preview shown at the San Diego Comic Con, during which the character appeared with other known cast members for the episodes (Bernard Cribbens, Catherine Tate). It also confirms reports of the actor seen on location during filming for the episodes back in March/April this year.

No name has been given for the episodes so far, though Den of Geek have suggested that it might be called "The End of Time".

Update: a new BBC website article reports that as well as John Simm, Alexandra Moen will also be reprising her role as Lucy Saxon, the Master's wife from his previous appearance.

Waters of Mars – new trailer online

The official BBC Doctor Who website has put online, for UK users only, the new trailer for the next special episode starring David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor. The Waters of Mars is due to be broadcast in the UK this autumn, and the new trailer was shown to an enthusiastic audience at the ComicCon convention in the United States yesterday.

ComicCon panel report at Digital Spy

The UK media website Digital Spy has published a summary of today's Doctor Who discussion panel at the ComicCon event in San Diego, which featured Russell T Davies, David Tennant, Julie Gardner and Euros Lyn discussing their time working on the programme, taking questions from the audience and previewing the forthcoming special episodes.

Among the topics raised was the possibility of a Doctor Who feature film, which the panel stated is not a project on which any of them are currently working. The panel also featured a presentation from Guinness World Records, declaring Doctor Who to be "the most successful sci-fi show on TV full stop".

Torchwood Series 4 confirmed?

The comics news site ComicMix is reporting that an unnamed BBC America executive at ComicCon has confirmed that the BBC has ordered a fourth series of Torchwood. There is as yet no independent confirmation of this; however, a Torchwood panel is scheduled at ComicCon tomorrow, with star John Barrowman, writer/executive producer producer/show creator Russell T Davies, executive producer Julie Gardner and director Euros Lyn. Presumably, if the report from ComicMix is correct, the news will be confirmed at this panel.


(Thanks to poster "InigoMontoya" from Gallifrey Base.)

ComicCon report at io9

The science-fiction website io9 has posted a report of the roundtable discussion Russell T Davies, Julie Gardner, Euros Lyn and David Tennant took part in on Saturday at the San Diego ComicCon event in the United States. There to promote the forthcoming specials that will see out Tennant's time as the Tenth Doctor, the group discussed the future of Doctor Who with journalists, and io9's full report contains some casting spoilers for the forthcoming two-part finale to Tennant's time in the TARDIS.

Apparently debunked by the group is the idea that a Doctor Who feature film is to be announced at the ComicCon event.

North American DVD Release

The website tvshowsondvd.com has revealed that The War Games and The Black Guardian Trilogy will be released in North America on November 3rd.

Thanks to Ryan Franks

News from DWM

Issue 411 of Doctor Who Magazine reveals that K9 veteran, John Leeson, will once more voice the robot dog in the upcoming series of adventures produced in Australia. Not only will Leeson voice the original character in the opening episode, he will also voice the redesigned model throughout the 26-episode series. The programme is due for transmission in Australia in the spring of 2010.

The magazine features more details of the return of Tom Baker to the role of the Doctor, as the veteran actor gives a rare interview explaining his decision to return to the character after nearly thirty years. Baker has recorded a series of five audio plays, under the banner Hornets' Nest, for BBC Audio. He plays the Fourth Doctor, alongside Richard Franklin who returns to the character of Captain Mike Yates, a character he first played in the television series in the early '70s. The first story will be available as a CD or download from 3rd September.

DWM is out now across the United Kingdom.

Torchwood – UK Final Viewing Figures

Final figures released by BARB put all five episodes of Torchwood – Children of Earth in the top twenty programmes of the week.

The figures include those who record the programme and watch it within one week. The highest charting episode was Day Four, which, with 6.76 million watching, was the 11th most watched programme of the week. If figures for the HD showing were included in the BBC1 figures, then Torchwood would have had a top ten place, with episode four beating Emmerdale. All five episodes achieved over 6 million viewers.

The series dominated the chart for the BBC HD channel with the five episodes of Torchwood taking the top eight places. Not only did the original five showings take the top five places, but the midnight repeats took places 6, 7 and 8.

The BBC Three repeats also fared well with all five episodes appearing in the top ten programmes for the week. All episodes had a final rating over double that of the initial overnight figure.

Top Programmes week ending 12 July 2009

1 CORONATION STREET (MON 2028) – 9.52 – ITV1
2 CORONATION STREET (MON 1932) – 9.41 – ITV1
3 CORONATION STREET (WED 1929) – 8.94 – ITV1
4 EASTENDERS (MON 1959) – 8.85 – BBC1
5 CORONATION STREET (FRI 1932) – 8.37 – ITV1
6 CORONATION STREET (FRI 2028) – 8.11 – ITV1
7 EASTENDERS (FRI 2000) – 7.88 – BBC1
8 EASTENDERS (THU 1928) – 7.66 – BBC1
9 TOP GEAR (SUN 2001) – 6.80 – BBC2
10 EMMERDALE (MON 1901) – 6.77 – ITV1
11 TORCHWOOD: CHILDREN OF EARTH (THU 2059) – 6.76 – BBC1
12 TORCHWOOD: CHILDREN OF EARTH (FRI 2100) – 6.58 – BBC1
13 TORCHWOOD: CHILDREN OF EARTH (MON 2100) – 6.47 – BBC1
14 TORCHWOOD: CHILDREN OF EARTH (WED 2100) – 6.40 – BBC1
15 CASUALTY (SAT 2051) – 6.32 – BBC1
16 EMMERDALE (WED 1859) – 6.17 – ITV1
17 TORCHWOOD: CHILDREN OF EARTH (TUE 2100) – 6.14 –BBC1
18 EMMERDALE (THU 1902) – 6.05 – ITV1
19 EMMERDALE (FRI 1901) – 5.90 – ITV1
20 CELEBRITY MASTERCHEF (THU 2000) – 5.60 – BBC1

Source BARB

Top BBC HD Programmes week ending 12 July 2009

1 TORCHWOOD: CHILDREN OF EARTH (Wed 21:00) 160
2 TORCHWOOD: CHILDREN OF EARTH (Fri 21:01) 151
3 TORCHWOOD: CHILDREN OF EARTH (Mon 21:01) 129
4 TORCHWOOD: CHILDREN OF EARTH (Thu 21:00) 127
5 TORCHWOOD: CHILDREN OF EARTH (Tue 21:02) 112
6 TORCHWOOD: CHILDREN OF EARTH (Wed 24:04) 78
7 TORCHWOOD: CHILDREN OF EARTH (Fri 24:08) 63
8 TORCHWOOD: CHILDREN OF EARTH (Thu 24:01) 61
9 THAT MITCHELL AND WEBB LOOK (Thu 22:33) 52
10 MICHAEL MCINTYRE'S COMEDY ROADSHOW (Sat 21:42) 51

Source BARB

Top BBC Three Programmes week ending 12 July 2009

1 EASTENDERS (Tue 22:01) 1,907
2 EASTENDERS (Thu 22:01) 953
3 EASTENDERS (Mon 22:01) 883
4 FAMILY GUY (Sun 22:00) 878
5 TORCHWOOD: CHILDREN OF EARTH (Tue 23:48) 852
6 TORCHWOOD: CHILDREN OF EARTH (Fri 24:17) 756
7 TORCHWOOD: CHILDREN OF EARTH (Thu 23:47) 738
8 TORCHWOOD: CHILDREN OF EARTH (Wed 24:18) 734
9 TORCHWOOD: CHILDREN OF EARTH (Mon 23:48) 717
10 EASTENDERS (Fri 22:02) 646

Source BARB

Meanwhile, in the United States, Multichannel News reports that the premiere episode of "Children of Earth" was watched by 1.4 million viewers on Monday, the highest ratings of any programme on BBC America.

(Thanks to poster "InigoMontoya" from Gallifrey Base.)

Eleventh Doctor Costume Comments

The chairman of the Harris Tweed Authority has praised the new Doctor for his costume; Domhnall Martainn described the jacket choice as an important and sensible decision, and hoped young people would be inspired to choose clothes made from the traditional cloth:

"We think it'll take the image of Harris Tweed to a new level, when you think that there are millions of people who follow this programme. There's no way the Harris Tweed industry could have bought publicity like this. There's no doubt that young people watch this program. Anything that someone like Doctor Who uses, we hope it will set an example and that young people will go out and buy Harris Tweed clothes."

Esquire Magazine editor Jeremy Langford:

"The cross between rookie geography teacher and Hoxton clubkid works well: a bit of old-school time-traveller meets modern-day adventurer."

GQ Magazine contributor Andy Morris:

So it was with some delight that today I saw the first picture of the eleventh doctor, played by Matt Smith. The early signs are good - while he's not exactly going to keep John Galliano awake at night, he's very well put together. Preppy, with a neat bow tie, skinny jeans, fitted jacket and no-nonsense black boots, he looks like an Acne catalogue model. And that's a good thing. Dressed as such, he could be hanging around backstage at Pitti Uomo, chatting to some elderly Italian gent who is being snapped by Scott Schuman (AKA the Sartorialist). Smith's hair is still a concern but given my own increasingly leonine locks I probably shouldn't start that argument. Filming in Cardiff, he looks relaxed, happy and (kind of) handsome.
(full article)

However, not everyone has been pleased. Guardian columnist Hadley Freeman commented:

I hate this outfit because it commits the ultimate fashion crime: it is trying too hard. It is a patchwork of "Grazia told me this is very fashionable right now" looks, and that is just wrong. A Time Lord should not read Grazia. DM boots and all their lookalike cousins have, incredibly, been having what magazines insist on calling a "comeback" for some time, mainly on the basis that Agyness Deyn likes them. The shortened trousers are the signature style of the perennially trendy menswear designer, Thom Browne. Thanks to the joyless likes of Pharrell Williams, bow ties are very in now but, like, ironically (that sound you hear is the sound of style dying) and, yes, you can buy them at American Apparel. Of course you can.
(full article)

And Sara Nathan of the Sun:

NEW timelord Matt Smith films his first Doctor Who episodes - dressed like a geography teacher. It looked like the latest Doc had travelled back in time to the place fashion forgot.
(full article - warning contains guest star spoilers)

University of Westminster fashion course director Andrew Groves commented:

"Whilst David Tennant's Doctor was undoubtedly influenced by Britpop and Quadrophenia, this Doctor seems to be influenced by Indiana Jones' geekier nephew. It seems a curiously British idea to make the lead character in a prime time TV show look purposely and perversely less attractive than they actually are, I can't think of anyone that would look at this image and then decide they would want to stick it on their bedroom wall."

Additional costume reports and comments by: BBC Magazine, BBC News, The Age, Airlock Alpha, Digitial Spy, TV Squad, Herald

Poll for Most Addictive TV Shows

1. 19% 24
2. 17% Lost
3. 10% Friends
4. 9% Heroes
5. 7% The Wire
6. 6% Doctor Who
7. 5% CSI
8. 4% Prison Break
9. 3% The Sopranos
10. 2% Sex and the City

Doctor Who was voted the 6th most addictive show of all time in a recent poll by UK online rental company lovefilm.com. The show was the only British show to feature in the top ten.

Darren Bignell, Communications Manager of LOVEFiLM.com, said: "We're a nation of comfort lovers and the thought of curling up on the sofa with our favourite programmes is a very tempting one. "Although crime doesn't pay, as our list reveals, it most certainly pulls in the viewers, and shows like 24 have clearly found the right mix of suspense, drama and action to keep us coming back for more."

Reported by The Telegraph, The Live Feed

First Day's Filming

The media have been quick to act on the announcement of the first day's filming for the new series of Doctor Who.

The Daily Mail have published a selection of photographs of new Doctor Matt Smith and companion actress Karen Gillan on location, featuring the two leads along with what appears to be a new, slightly tweaked, police box prop for the TARDIS. The Metro has also published a photo of the two with the TARDIS.

Meanwhile, The Sun have also covered the filming, with a photo revealing a well-known guest star also appearing alongside the two time-travellers. Digital Spy reports a BBC spokesperson as confirming the person in question, whilst SFX, the London Paper and Holy Moly published more photos from the proceedings.

The photos from the Sun and SFX show guest star Alex Kingston, previously seen in the Steven Moffatt-penned episodes as River Song in Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead.

Digital Spy reported: A BBC spokesperson confirmed: "Alex Kingston will be returning to Doctor Who in the new series featuring Matt Smith. Viewers will have to wait and see who she plays and how her character fits into the series." Kingston is thought to be returning for a two-episode stint.

Scott Frankton has kindly provided a report on today's filming:

Well, well, well what an eventful morning! I was always dubious about a return to Bad Wolf Bay for the DW team, but lo and behold that is indeed where they were today, not anywhere that was actually used in Doomsday or Journeys End, but nevertheless this beach is turning into the most important location in Nu Who's history! We arrived at the beach and there was the TARDIS, not the TARDIS of recent times, but the Hartnell one. Retro. Back to basics. This is Moffat injecting the classic series right into the new series.

Anyhoodle, the TARDIS seems to have landed next to the crash landing of some sort of alien spaceship. Debris everywhere, all around and smoke is billowing all around. Thick smoke. Then Matt and Karen leave the TARDIS and have a look around. Flames around the TARDIS....River Song in a long black flowing dress seems to already be there. But she isn't unknown to the Doctor. He clearly recognises her as friendly and they have a chat. This scene was filmed over and over again.

On the behind the scenes front, both Karen and Matt were wonderful - polite, friendly, posing for photos, always smilie. I even got my picture with the new companion! Brilliant!

Finally, the BBC itself has acknowledged the interest fans and the audience have in the series, with entertainment correspondant Lizo Mzimba appearing on BBC News's E24 to discuss how popular the series remains, including the press in attendence for filming as shown in this video!

The Eleventh Doctor revealed

BBC News has released the first image of Matt Smith and Karen Gillan in costume as the Eleventh Doctor and his companion, whose full name has been revealed as Amy Pond.

The BBC Press Office has also released a press release about the beginning of filming for Doctor Who Series Five. In the press release, Matt Smith is quoted as saying:

I feel very privileged and proud to be part of this iconic show.

The scripts are brilliant and working alongside Karen, Steven and the rest of the crew is an inspiration because their work ethic and passion for the show is so admirable.

I'm excited about the future and all the brilliant adventures I get to go on as the Doctor.

Writer and incoming producer Steven Moffat says:

And here it is, the big moment – the new Doctor, and his new best friend.

And here's me, with the job I wanted since I was seven. 40 years to here! If I could go back in time and tell that little boy that one day all this would happen, he'd scream, call for his mum, and I'd be talking to you now from a prison cell in 1969. So probably best not then.

Matt and Karen are going to be incredible, and Doctor Who is going to come alive on Saturday nights in a whole new way – and best of all, somewhere out there, a seven-year-old is going to see them, fall in love, and start making a 40-year plan...

The press release also has quotes from producer Piers Wenger and Ben Stephenson, Controller, BBC Drama Commissioning.

The BBC's official Doctor Who site has also been updated with details about Smith's costume and a small image gallery.

Update: Media reports in: The Times, Telegraph, Northampton Chronicle and Echo, Pontefract and Castleford Express, What's on TV, Capital FM, Now, Empire, Mirror, Broadcast, BBC News, CBBC, The Guardian, South Wales Evening Post, InTheNews, Digital Spy, Den of Geek

BBC Exclusive look at new Doctor

BBC1's Breakfast will be taking an exclusive look at the new Doctor Who costume this morning, currently scheduled for 8:55am with BBC Entertainment correspondant Lizo Mzimba and DWM/The Writer's Tale co-author Benjamin Cook.

Moon landing commemoration

To celebrate the fortieth anniversary of humanity reaching the Moon, when the Apollo 11 mission landed there on July 20th 1969, the official BBC Doctor Who website has published the first part of a short story tied in with the anniversary. Entitled "Blue Moon", the story is written by Oli Smith, and features the Tenth Doctor. The conclusion is to be published on the website tomorrow, the exact date of the anniversary.

Torchwood and Doctor Who come to North America

Torchwood: Children of Earth comes to North America this week, with the series being broadcast in Canada and the United States.

BBC America will be screening the series at 9pm Eastern time from Monday to Friday. The series has been given a 75 minute slot, meaning American viewers will see the full version of the episodes. The 10pm showing of BBC World News America has been shortened to accommodate the series. As well as the main episodes, BBC America will be showing a number of documentaries going behind the scenes of Torchwood. Each episode will be repeated several times throughout the day.

In Canada, The Space Channel, will be broadcasting the series at 10pm Eastern time, also in a 75 minute slot. The series is repeated at 2.15am the following day.

In addition Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead comes to Canada on Saturday, with The Space Channel broadcasting the episode at 9pm Eastern, followed by a repeat of The Next Doctor.

Planet of the Dead also comes to BBC America on Sunday, showing at 8pm ET.

Doctor Who Expense Claims

Doctor Who features in the latest batch of Expense claims released by the BBC. The figures, issued in response to a Freedom of Information request, include the detailed expense claims of Jane Tranter, the former Head of Fiction for the BBC. As well as mundane claims for travel expenses to various Doctor Who and Torchwood events, Tranter also claimed for gifts sent to David Tennant and Billie Piper as well as flowers for most of the Doctor Who and Torchwood casts.

Doctor Who Series Five was discussed at several meetings for which hospitality was provided and the casting of the new Doctor incurred an hospitality expense of £222 on the 4th December. The successful candidate, Matt Smith, was treated to a confidential dinner on 9th December for which Tranter claimed £90.98.

Moffat on creative freedom

As part of an ongoing debate over the past few days concerning the state of BBC television drama, sparked by comments made by legendary television producer Tony Garnett, the BBC has passed onto The Guardian newspaper's website several comments made by writers currently working for the corporation about their experiences.

One of those quoted is Doctor Who's chief writer and executive producer Steven Moffat, who says that:

Totalitarian? The BBC? Seriously? The other day I had to BEG a meeting with [BBC1 controller] Jay Hunt, just so I could explain what we're spending all her money on in Doctor Who. She said it all sounded very nice and sent me off to play.

That's more than creative freedom, that's being turned loose in the wild. Frankly, I'm scared and want someone to tell me what to do. I might even have an epiphany

New Torchwood Books

BBC Books have released details of three new Torchwood books due to be published in the UK on 1st October.

The Undertaker’s Gift by Trevor Baxendale

The Hokrala Corp lawyers are back. They’re suing planet Earth for mishandling the twenty-first century, and they won’t tolerate any efforts to repel them. An assassin has been sent to remove Captain Jack Harkness. It’s been a busy week in Cardiff. The Hub’s latest guest is a translucent, amber jelly carrying a lethal electrical charge. Record numbers of aliens have been coming through the Rift, and Torchwood could do without any more problems. But there are reports of an extraordinary funeral cortege in the night-time city, with mysterious pallbearers guarding a rotting cadaver that simply doesn’t want to be buried. Torchwood should be ready for anything – but with Jack the target of an invisible killer, Gwen trapped in a forgotten crypt and Ianto Jones falling desperately ill, could a world of suffering be the Undertaker’s gift to planet Earth?

Risk Assessment by James Goss

‘Are you trying to tell me, Captain Harkness, that the entire staff of Torchwood Cardiff now consists of yourself, a woman in trousers and a tea boy?’

Agnes Havisham is awake, and Jack is worried (and not a little afraid). The Torchwood Assessor is roused from her deep sleep in only the worst of times – it’s happened just four times in the last 100 years. Can the situation really be so bad? Someone, somewhere, is fighting a war, and they're losing badly. The coffins of the dead are coming through the Rift. With thousands of alien bodies floating in the Bristol Channel, it's down to Torchwood to round them all up before a lethal plague breaks out.

And now they'll have to do it by the book. The 1901 edition.

Consequences by James Moran, Joseph Lidster, Andrew Cartmel, Sarah Pinborough and David Llewellyn

Saving the planet, watching over the Rift, preparing the human race for the twenty-first century… Torchwood has been keeping Cardiff safe since the late 1800s. Small teams of heroes, working 24/7, encountering and containing the alien, the bizarre and the inexplicable. But Torchwood do not always see the effects of their actions. What links the Rules and Regulations for replacing a Torchwood leader to the destruction of a supermarket? How does a witness to an alien’s reprisals against Torchwood become caught up in a night of terror in a university library? And why should Gwen and Ianto’s actions at a local publisher’s affect Torchwood more than a century earlier? For Torchwood, the past will always catch up with them. And sometimes the future will catch up with the past.

NB.
The graphic novel The Dalek Project by Justin Richards, which was scheduled for publication in September, has now been postponed.

Pest Control – Nominated for best Audiobook

Doctor Who Audiobook Pest Control has been nominated as one of the best Audiobooks of 2009 by the website Completely Novel.

The story, written by Peter Anghelides, was produced by BBC Audio and read by David Tennant. It was the first non-televised Doctor Who adventure to feature the companion Donna Noble.

The audiobook is up against titles such as Past Imperfect by Julian Fellowes, A Room with a View by E.M. Forster, Slumdog Millionaire by Vikas Swarup, Dear Fatty by Dawn French and Dreams from my Father by Barack Obama.

Torchwood Ratings – Day Five

Torchwood: Children of Earth finished its impressive run on BBC One with an audience of 5.8 million viewers according to unofficial overnight figures. Torchwood was the fourth most watched programme of the day with a share of 26.7%. It rated higher than Emmerdale and was beaten by EastEnders and Coronation Street.

With just sunday's figures to come, all five episodes of Torchwood are in the top twenty for the week.

Another 95,000 watched the episode in HD on BBC HD and 333,000 watched the late night repeat on BBC Three, the highest rating for the repeat all week. During the BBC Three showing, the channel had over twice as many viewers as its nearest rival.
The Appreciation Index for day four on BBC One was an amazing 91 and day five received an AI figure of 90.

TORCHWOOD UK OVERNIGHT RATINGS

Children of Earth	BBC One	BBC HD	BBC Three	iPlayer	AI
Day One	5.9 million - 25.8% share	97,000	214,000	tbc	88
Day Two	5.6 million - 24.0% share	82,000	282,000	tbc	90
Day Three	5.9 million - 27.1% share	105,000	225,000	tbc	90
Day Four	6.2 million - 27.0% share	82,000	232,000	tbc	91
Day Five	5.8 million -26.7% share	95,000	333,000	tbc	90
Overnight figures do not include those who record the programme and watch it on a subsequent day. Final figures, including those who timeshift the programme will be released by BARB in 10 days time.

Torchwood Ratings – Day Four

Torchwood: Children of Earth slipped ahead of Emmerdale on Thursday night with unofficial overnight figures showing part Four was watched by 6.2 million viewers, the highest rating of the week so far. Torchwood was the second most watched programme of the day with the share remaining steady at 27.0%. It gave BBC One more than double the audience of ITV for the duration of the programme.

A further 82,000 watched in HD on the BBC HD channel, and 232,000 watched the repeat on BBC Three.

The Appreciation Index for Part Three was 90, by far the highest score for the day.

The South Wales Echo, The Stage and Broadcast have all published articles reflecting the success of Torchwood.

Waters of Mars Preview

The BBC's offical Doctor Who site has now been updated with more information on the forthcoming Autumn special, The Waters of Mars, with a preview gallery, wallpapers, and a video clip of a scene from the episode - with a note to say that some people might find the scene upsetting!

Welcome to the Doctor Who News Page's New Home!

Welcome! As Outpost Gallifrey comes to an end, we are delighted to launch the next incarnation of The Doctor Who News Page at its brand new home. It's still the same Doctor Who News Page you've enjoyed for many years: the same editorial staff that has served the page since 2005 (and many of whom, myself included, date back much longer than that), with the same focus on the latest developments in the world of Doctor Who, Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures.

It's also a work in progress at the moment, as we add new features and settings, but you'll immediately notice a few new things: news filters down the left side that immediately point you in the direction of the information you're looking for; the return of the release schedule at right, long a mainstay of the News Page of years past; and the RSS feeds of several other reputable Doctor Who news sites below that on the right, with the latest news items released at such sites as the official BBC Doctor Who site, Doctor Who Online, Kasterborous, Torchwood.TV and many more.

Meanwhile, Benjamin Elliott's popular column This Week in Doctor Who is on its own blog page now, closely affiliated with this one. Keep that bookmarked too for all the latest developments in Doctor Who television broadcasts. Also, be sure to bookmark the Web Guide to Doctor Who, the best set of Doctor Who links on the Internet edited by Chuck Foster.

You'll also notice that the News Page is still tied into a website and discussion community... as Outpost Gallifrey and the Doctor Who Forum close up shop, the brand new Gallifrey Base forum has opened (run by Steve Hill, Jennifer Kelley and the staff of the DWF). The branding of the News Page now matches the Gallifrey Base design, and will be tied into that forum more directly in the near future.

Make certain you don't miss out on any news: bookmark doctorwhonews.com today!

The Doctor Who News Page has, for many years, kept up with the times... from a humble news bulletin site run by Shannon Patrick Sullivan, to a crawling news site edited by Mark Phippen, to a news feed feature of Outpost Gallifrey edited by Shaun Lyon and the Doctor Who News Page team. Now, the News Page enters a new era... we hope you'll stay with us as we embark into further seasons of Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures and the forthcoming renewal of Doctor Who with Matt Smith and Karen Gillan, with Steven Moffat at the helm. We hope you enjoy!

BBC Autumn Showreel

The BBC Press Office have released their showreel highlighting programmes that will be broadcast in their Autumn schedule; pride of place goes to Doctor Who, featuring clips from The Waters of Mars.

This autumn BBC One brings viewers a spectacular line-up of new shows and talent to Britain's most-watched channel. From in-depth arts programming to a fresh line up on Strictly Come Dancing alongside hugely anticipated new dramas, BBC One will offer a variety of entertaining and thought-provoking programming that will keep viewers hooked.

Jay Hunt, Controller, BBC One, said: "I am passionate about ensuring BBC One reaches the widest possible audience. By taking creative risks that surprise and entertain I believe this autumn's line-up of shows will do just that.

Torchwood Ratings – Day Three

Torchwood: Children of Earth continued its strong run on BBC One, with part three watched by 5.9 million viewers, making it the the third most watched programme of the day. The share was 27.1%.

An average of 105,000 also watched the programme on BBC HD, with and additional 225,000 watching the late night repeat on BBC Three. If these figures are added to the BBC One showing, then the programme overtakes Emmerdale to become the second most watched of the day.

The Appreciation Index for Episode Two was an amazing 90. The Appreciation Index, or AI, is a measure of how much the audience liked the programme. It is a score out of 100, based on responses from a carefully selected panel. The average score for drama on BBC1 and ITV1 is 77. A score in excess of 80 is regarded as good, in excess of 85 is excellent and anything above 90 is outstanding. A score below 60 is poor.

Final figures will be available in two weeks time.

Torchwood Ratings – Day Two

Part Two of Torchwood: Children of Earth was watched by 5.6 million viewers, making it the the most watched programme of the day on British television by over a million viewers. The programme beat Eastenders and Emmerdale, with both soaps losing ratings to the Michael Jackson Memorial on BBC 2.

The programme audience once more grew throughout the hour and the programme got an average 24% share of the total audience.

An additional 82,000 people watched the programme in HD on the BBC HD channel.

The BBC Three repeat at 2345 was watched by 282,000 viewers, a 5.8% share.

The Appreciation Index for Episode One was 88, one of the highest scores for the day.

Final figures will be available in two weeks time.

Torchwood Ratings – Day One

Torchwood: Children of Earth was watched by 5.9 million viewers, according to unofficial overnight figures. The programme was the 5th most watched programme of the day and the 2nd highest rated on BBC1, being beaten by the three main soaps. The programme won its timeslot with an audience share of 25.8%.

An additional 97,000 people watched the programme in HD on the BBC HD channel.

The BBC Three repeat at 2345 was watched by 214,000 viewers, a 3.9% share.

Final figures will be available in two weeks time.

Torchwood continues Tuesday evening on BBC1.

Torchwood Blog

With the transmission of the three Torchwood Radio plays now complete, the BBC has published an article on the Radio 4 blog, written by producer Kate McAll, looking at how the series was created.

The blog entry looks at how the programme was cast and how the series was put together. It features several pictures from the recording session.

All three of the Torchwood Plays can be heard on the BBC iPlayer and, for the first time, listeners in the United Kingdom can download permanent copies of the programmes as MP3 files.

Doctor Who Adventures Issue 122

The new edition of Doctor Who Adventures is now out, and this week the magazine includes 3D glasses, a giant double-sided 3D poster, and Dalek Stickers.