Candy Jar Round Up

Monday, 10 February 2025 - Reported by Marcus
Companions: More Than 60 Years Of Doctor Who Assistants (Credit: Candy Jar)

Companions: More Than 60 Years Of Doctor Who Assistants

Companions: More Than 60 Years of Doctor Who Assistants has expanded to 700 pages, and is now available to buy from Candy Jar Books.

Doctor Who was never really about the Doctor. This is the story of the Time Lord’s companions – friends through all time and space.

Discover the journeys of every one of the Doctor’s assistants, from Susan, Ian Chesterton, and Barbara Wright, to Fifteenth Doctor companion, RubySunday; including their adventures off-screen, in novels, comics, and audio .

Companions: More Than Sixty Years of Doctor Who Assistants is an in-depth account of each companion, examining their arcs, significance in the TV series, and how they traversed different times, places, and mediums. Relive their travels on television. Learn what companions did after they left the TARDIS. And meet the Doctor’s wider network of friends, from Evelyn Smythe to Liv Chenka, Professor Bernice Summerfield to his grandchildren, John and Gillian. See the universe anew through their eyes.

The original Companions book by Andy Frankham-Allen was released in 2013, and came to just over 300 pages. This new edition, updated by Philip Bates covers every companion from Susan, Barbara Wright, and Chesterton, to Ruby Sunday – and brings right up to date with a section on Anita Benn, who stayed with the Fifteenth Doctor for a year in the most recent Christmas special, Joy to the World!

When it became clear how much more we wanted to cover this time around, we knew the page count was going to swell, but I think it’s surprised everyone to learn by how much!

Companions: More Than 60 Years of Doctor Who Assistants now includes:

  • Updated sections dedicated to every single regular TV companion, including Jamie McCrimmon, Sarah Jane Smith, Peri Brown, RoseTyler, Amy Pond and Rory Williams, Bill Potts, and Yasmin Khan.
  • Expanded chapters on the multimedia adventures of TV companies, featuring details of what happened to them after they left the TARDIS, and bringing each one up to date to form a definitive guide to their journeys on screen and off.
  • Companions exclusive to the Expanded Universe, including JeremyFitzoliver (introduced in The Paradise of Death); Mrs Wibbsey (from the Nest Cottage audio series); Doctor Who Magazine original characters like Sharon Davies, Sir Justin, Kroton, and Fey Truscott-Sade; Stacy Townsend and Ssard from the Radio Times; Big Finish companions like Oliver Harper, Anya Kingdom, Hebe Harrison, Elizabeth Klein, Lucie Miller, Nova, and Valarie Lockwood; characters who feature in novels such as Fitzgerald ‘Fitz’ Kreiner, PrincessFreydis of Trondheim and Henrik, Chris Cwej, Cinder, and GrantMarkham; and other comic companions like Alice Obiefune, Josephine ‘Josie’ Day, Heather McCrimmon… and even a roboticTyrannosaurus Rex called Kevin!
  • New chapters for the companions of the Twelfth, Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Doctors, as well as sections for the War Doctor and Fugitive Doctor.
  • A brand-new chapter on the Eighth Doctor’s companions like GraceHolloway, Molly O’Sullivan, C’rizz, Liv Chenka and Helen Sinclair, Lady Audacity Montague, Compassion, Izzy Sinclair and Destrii, Cass, Samantha Jones, and more.
  • Sections throughout about River Song, noting down her meetings with numerous Doctors.
  • An essay asking what makes a character into a companion.
  • An examination of Ace’s various timelines and endings, and how they tally with her inclusion in The Power of the Doctor, alongside updated entries for Tegan Jovanka, Donna Noble, Wilfred Mott, and Melanie Bush to account for their adventures with the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Doctors.
  • An updated look at the roles of Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart and his daughter, Kate Stewart – and of UNIT – in the doctor’s life.
  • A new cover and afterword by Doctor Who artist, Colin Howard.

One of its authors, Philip Bates (100 Objects of DrWho; UNIT: The Benton Files III) told us more

Shaun [Russell, Candy Jar Head of Publishing] approached me to work on this amazing project years ago. I’ve been the editor of a site called The Doctor Who Companion since 2016, so through that, I got to know Shaun– and of course, Andy [Frankham-Allen], who wrote the originalCompanions: Fifty Years of Doctor Who Assistants more than ten years ago. They wanted to revisit Companions and Andy always has a lot of work on his plate, so it was a real honour to be asked to update it.
A massive amount. Massive! Everyone was shocked at how much more. We’ve gone from around 300 pages [in 2013] to 700 pages. We’ve widened our criteria for who counts as a companion, so we’ve added new people or gone into greater detail in the intervening years as well. Every chapter and companion has been added to, and whereas the page count ten years ago was stricter, now, Shaun gave me free rein, meaning I could fully explore every companion .The Expanded Universe parts really grew because of this. The EighthDoctor chapter is huge now! We’ve got sections on Charley Pollard, C’rizz, Molly O’Sullivan, Liv Chenka, Compassion, Izzy Sinclair, Destrii, and more.
There’s a new essay that opens the book asking that question. I think most people have a gut instinct about who’s a companion and who isn’t, and there’s not a set criteria. Some people would say that only companies travel in the TARDIS, but that would exclude Liz Shaw and instead include much of the cast of Earthshock. That would be insane. We’ve covered who our instincts say and perhaps then some. We’re generous with it, and largely base it on who the Doctor is close to and who spends a lot of time with the Time Lord. So River Song has been added; so too Grace Holloway. Adelaide Brooke, much as Lindsay Duncan and The Waters of Mars are fantastic, doesn’t count. You’re always going to annoy someone for any exclusions, but there has to be a cut-off point.
I think it’d be impossible to include everyone, but then, I don’t think you really appreciate how many companions there have been until you actually do a deep dive. It’d be like Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band to the nth degree. You can’t give all the companions a starring role on the cover, sadly, much as we might like to. I love the cover. It’s a new composition by Colin Howard, who worked on many covers for the VHS range in the 1990s and lots more besides. I remember seeing his artwork when I first got into Doctor Who and adoring it – now, Col’s done a cover for a book that I’ve written! That’smindblowing to this Who fan.
Carefully! When I wrote 100 Objects of Dr Who, I wanted to cover River in a really unusual way, so I did it chronologically, i.e. from her graffitiing the cliff-face on Planet One, the oldest planet in the universe [seen in ThePandorica Opens], then tracking her through time. That fitted their reverence of 100 Objects, but not Companions. I needed something more… well, authoritative and useful for anyone reading, whether they’re a long-term fan or brand new. So River gets TV chapters with the Tenth, Eleventh, and Twelfth Doctors, and each details her adventures in the order of her life. So The Time of Angels/ Flesh and Stone, for example, takes place, for River, after ThePandorica Opens/ The Big Bang. I think that’s most helpful for anyone who can’t always get River’s chronology in their heads. Then her Expanded Universe stories are covered with their respective Doctors, meaning River features throughout.

Yeah, that was a difficult one. Generally, however, the book is in-universe,so we’ve covered those characters because this is the story of Doctor Whoas a narrative, largely speaking. Plus, I think it’s unfair that a character is excluded based on the actions of, say, an actor, whereas that character is also a product of showrunners, writers, directors, producers, etc. You risk devaluing the work of other people based solely on one person. So we’ve asked if a character is a companion, and if we think the answer is yes, then we include them, no matter what’s happened behind the scenes.

I think whenever you approach something like this, you’ve got to find the joy in every character you’re writing about. Of course, I have favourite eras, but hopefully, readers won’t be able to tell –my aim is to cater for fans of every companion.
Yes, actually, and this surprised me. I appreciated the Thirteenth Doctor era a bit more. I didn’t typically think some of her companions were fleshed out enough, or written consistently enough, but then, working on the section for Yasmin Khan particularly made me question whether her police training and faith were handled better than I initially thought.Other eras I’ve always loved have gone further up in my estimation too, especially the Second, Fifth, and Eleventh Doctors’ eras. And I loved writing about Bill Potts and Nardole: during Series 10, I didn’t thinkNardole was really well utilised, but looking back, he added a lot to the Twelfth Doctor’s tenure.

Ah, if I told you, they wouldn’t be surprises! But yes, I think the book has quite a lot that a lot of readers won’t expect necessarily. The War Doctor’scompanions have a nice little section, for instance; the Fugitive Doctortoo.The book comes with a playlist as well. Each companion is represented by two songs – Fox on the Run and Paint It Black for Turlough, for example –forming this long list of tunes to accompany your reading. I reckon a few song choices will surprise me. As soon as I thought of the right songs forKamelion, I was giggling to myself, so it’s a mix of tongue-in-cheek tracks and more heartfelt ones.

  


 

UNIT: The Secret Of Foxfell ForestUNIT: The Secret Of Foxfell Forest (Credit: Candy Jar)

Candy Jar is pleased to announce the third novel in its UNIT range, The Secret of Foxfell Forest, by popular writer Nick Walters.

Range Editor Tim Gambrell tells how this book came about.

Nick contributed one of the early Lethbridge-Stewart novels, Mutually Assured Domination, so it adds a pleasant symmetry having him write one of the first UNIT novels, too. We talked over some initial ideas before Nick suggested he bring back the Valethske from his 2001 BBC PDASuperior Beings. When he laid out the basic premise of The Secret of Foxfell Forest, I knew we were on to a winner.

The story of The Secret of FoxfellForest goes back a long way. It’s an idea I had right after writing Superior Beings, over twenty years ago. What if the theValethske crash-landed on Earth? How would they survive? Because they see humans only as prey – they do not differentiate between us and, say, pigs. They are inimical to humans. If you encounter them, it’s game over, man, game over! But stranded on Earth and outnumbered, a handful of Valethskewould need to find new ways to adapt and survive.

So when I was asked to do a UNIT story, this idea resurfaced.UNIT versus the Valethske – it was irresistible. But I wanted this to be more than a mere shoot-em-up, as there’s more to UNIT and the Valethske than that. I wanted to show how UNIT deals intelligently and compassionately with alien threats, and how the Valethske are not mere monsters, but people in their own right, without compromising either. UNIT are still a force to be reckoned with –and the Valethske are still something to be feared. And without giving too much away, they retain their savage integrity right to the end.

 

 


The Lucy Wilson Mysteries:the Pennyworth Recursion (Credit: Candy Jar)

The Lucy Wilson Mysteries: The Pennyworth Recursion

Candy Jar Books is thrilled to announce an exciting new addition to The Lucy Wilson Mysteries series: The PennyworthRecursion.

Penned by veteran Lucy Wilson author Chris Lynch, this short story continues the adventures of Lucy and Hobo.

Publishing Co-ordinator, Keren Williams, shares her enthusiasm:

Chris has been with us since the inception of this series and has a remarkable grasp of the characters, especially Hobo. Whenever I get a Chris story for proofing, I know that I’m going to have a fantastic couple of days!

The Pennyworth Recursion reintroduces the character of Pennyworth, originally seen in the Lethbridge-Stewart novel, The George Kostinen Mystery. Pennyworth, a robot Yeti created by Hobo, aids him in navigating his bleak, dystopian life. This story features multiple versions of Pennyworth from alternate dimensions!

Lucy and Hobo embark on an old-world coach trip to Bledoe. It's a trap, but with tickets priced at just 1p, how can they resist? Or more accurately, how can Hobo resist? Lucy isn't convinced the price is worth the ride…On a musty old coach packed with OAPs, they find solace in Pennyworth, a virtual, portable assistant created by Hobo. However, their luck takes a turn when Pennyworth calculates their chances of reaching Bledoe are…zero. Robotic Yetis appear from nowhere – one in a cowboy hat, another wearing a football kit, and one half the size of the others! Despite their differences, they all share one name: Pennyworth

 


Nobody’s House (Credit: Candy Jar)

Nobody’s House

Candy Jar Books has announced the release of Nobody's House: The Curse of Jack Treadful, a novel by Baz Greenland.

Inspired by the British children’s television series from the 1970s, this modern retelling breathes new life into the whimsical tale of Nobody, a mischievous ghost boy who has haunted Cornerstones House for generations.

Created by Doctor Who producer Derrick Sherwin and Martin Haw, Nobody’s House introduced viewers to Nobody, a spirit determined to scare off anyone daring to enter the domain.

In The Curse of Jack Treadful, the story follows the Sinclair family as they move into Cornerstones House, unaware that a ghost named Nobody is determined to protect his home. The youngest of the family, Tom and Gilly Sinclair, soon see through Nobody’s ghostly facade, forging an unexpected friendship. Together, they must face the sinister Jack Treadful, portrayed in the original TV show by Brian Blessed, whose villainy remains a central threat in this new adaptation.

 

 





FILTER: - Candy Jar

Doctor Who Magazine: Issue 613

Thursday, 30 January 2025 - Reported by Marcus
Doctor Who Magazine: Issue 613 (Credit: Panini)

Doctor Who Magazine Issue 613 is out today

Inside this issue

  • RUSSELL T DAVIES on the writers joining him for the Fifteenth Doctor’s second season.

  • With Jon Pertwee’s debut season coming to Blu-ray, we speak to team behind the release about the remastered episodes and the Special Features included on the set.

  • The Fugitive Doctor is back! JO MARTIN talks about stepping out from the shadow of the Thirteenth Doctor as she embarks on a series of her own adventures on audio.

  • Script to Screen – exec producer JOEL COLLINS, production designer PHIL SIMMS, visual effects supervisor SEB BARKER and others explain how they built the Time Hotel.

  • MICKEY LEWIS shares his experiences of playing some of the Doctor’s most terrifying adversaries.

  • We take a look at the history of lost First Doctor adventure The Savages – soon to be released as an animation…

  • Actor John Lord speaks about taking on the role of a Yeti – among his other roles.  

  • A tribute to the Doctor Who work of designer Ken Ledsham.

  • Join us as we play mobile game Lost in Time – including the crossover with Star Trek: Lower Decks.

  • A fond look at the peculiarities of fan favourite Genesis of the Daleks.

  • Gary Gillatt considers how dinosaurs have had a colossal impact on Doctor Who…

  • Back to 1977… how script editor Robert Holmes was targeted by the tabloids!

  • The Fact of Fiction looks at the concluding episodes of 1968’s The Dominators.

  • The continuing adventures of the Doctor and Ruby in the comic strip!

Regular features

  • Gallifrey Guardian – our news round-up including casting on the new series.

  • Shelf Life – featuring reviews of the latest audio releases.

  • Other Worlds – the essential guide to new stories in Doctor Who’s expanded universe.

  • Prizes to be won including Blu-rays of Joy to the World and The Collection – Season 9! 

Doctor Who Magazine Issue 613 is on sale Thursday 30 January 2025  from panini.co.uk and WH Smith priced £7.99 (UK). 

Also available as a digital edition from pocketmags.com priced £6.99.





FILTER: - DWM

Doctor Who Charity Auction

Tuesday, 28 January 2025 - Reported by Marcus
Children In Need (Credit: BBC)

A Doctor Who charity auction, in partnership with Propstore, has been announced by the BBC.

The auction will open its digital doors to fans globally from 11th February until 25th February. Bidding for all lots will start at £100, giving fans from around the world the opportunity to own exclusive Doctor Who memorabilia.

Amongst the 150 lots, fans will have the chance to bid on Doctors’ and companions’ costumes and many more props featured in the series between 2005 and 2022 including:

  • Tenth Doctor’s (David Tennant) Tuxedo Costume and Spares
  • Eleventh Doctor's (Matt Smith) 'Closing Time' Costume
  • Twelfth Doctor's (Peter Capaldi) 'Mummy on the Orient Express' Costume
  • Thirteenth Doctor's (Jodie Whittaker) Costume
  • Screen-matched ‘An Adventure in Space and Time’ TARDIS
  • Screen-matched Traitor Dalek
  • Photo-matched Gravel Cyberman Head
  • Weeping Angel Statue
  • Ood Head
  • Rose Tyler's (Billie Piper) Top
  • The Master's (John Simm) Jacket
  • Me’s (Maise Williams) Costume
  • C's (Stephen Fry) Costume
  • Clara's (Jenna Coleman) Costume
  • Donna's (Catherine Tate) Wedding Dress

 

With over 150 lots, bundling iconic props and costumes this is expected to be the biggest Doctor Who auction to date, with the net proceeds to go to BBC Children in Need, the BBC’s UK charity, which supports children in communities across the UK helping them to overcome challenges that they face.

Registration for the auction will open from January 28, 2025, on the Propstore website which also contains a full list of lots to be auctioned 

Registering for the auction will enter fans into a competition with the chance to win a bow tie from the Eleventh Doctor, Matt Smith. Terms and conditions apply

 

 





FILTER: - Auction

Writers Confirmed for Series Two

Monday, 27 January 2025 - Reported by Marcus
2023 Logo (Credit: BBC Studios)

The BBC has confirmed the writers joining Doctor Who for the next series, the 41st since the creation of the series in 1963.

Juno Dawson is a #1 Sunday Times best-selling novelist, screenwriter and journalist, whose books include the global bestsellers, This Book is Gay and Her Majesty’s Royal Coven. Her debut short film was The Birth of Venus and she created the first official Doctor Who scripted podcast, Doctor Who: Redacted.

Dawson says:

I started watching Doctor Who with my grandma when I was ten-years-old in the 1990s. From writing fan-fiction for an audience of one, to scripting the best TV show of all time is truly a dream come true. I can't wait for fans and newcomers to see the new season.

 

Inua Ellams is a writer and curator, whose published books of poetry include Candy Coated Unicorns & Converse All Stars and The Actual. His first play, The 14th Tale, was awarded a Fringe First at the Edinburgh International Theatre Festival, and other plays include Barber Shop Chronicles, which played at the National Theatre, Three Sisters and The Half-God of Rainfall.

Ellams says:

For as long as I can remember television, I've been a Doctor Who fan. I started watching when I was 10 in Nigeria. The show invited me to dream, to live beyond my reality. Getting to write for the show felt like touching God; it was blasphemously humbling and exciting, and I can’t wait to share my story with the world.

 

Pete McTighe is a writer and Executive Producer on the forthcoming spin-off 'The War Between The Land And The Sea'. He has created, written or Exec'd dramas including 'The Pact' (BBC), 'The Rising' (Sky), 'A Discovery Of Witches' (HBO), and 'Wentworth' (Fox). He has written two episodes of Doctor Who for the thirteenth Doctor Kerblam! and Praxeus

McTighe says:

The TARDIS is my home away from home, so it's been a joy to step back inside, with Russell at the console and the incredible team at Bad Wolf hanging on for dear life. I love this show with all my heart, and am really proud of what we've been able to achieve with my next episode.

 

Sharma Angel-Walfall originally hails from Manchester and won the inaugural Channel 4 New Writing Award that set her off on her screenwriting journey. She has been in a number of writers’ rooms, including Rapman’s Supacell (Netflix), Sally Wainwrights's The Ballad of Renegade Nell (Disney+), A Town Called Malice (Sky) and Noughts & Crosses (BBC). She was a writing consultant on Paul Abbott’s Wolfe (Sky) and wrote an episode of Sharon Hogan’s Dreamland for Sky (starring Lilly Allen and Freema Agyeman).

Angel-Walfal says

: I am buzzing to be a part of such an iconic show! I am a massive Russell T Davies fan, so it is a dream come true to be able to work alongside him, especially on a show that I love. It’s a real privilege to be a part of the Doctor Who family. I have loved every minute!

 

The team is once more led by showrunner Russell T Davies who says:

Doctor Who takes its talent from a glittering galaxy of names, and these extraordinary writers span the skies.  We’ve got old hands, new stars, voices from theatre, radio and literature, the whole works! It’s the most wild and exciting season of Doctor Who yet, and I can’t wait to unleash their brilliant work.

Doctor Who returns on BBC One and Disney+ later this year.





FILTER: - Series 15/41 - Production

Christopher Benjamin 1934-2025

Wednesday, 15 January 2025 - Reported by Marcus

Christopher Benjamin (Credit: Chuck Foster)The actor Christopher Benjamin has died at the age of 90. 

Christopher Benjamin is best known to Doctor Who fans for his virtuoso performance in the 1977 Fourth Doctor story The Talons of Weng-Chiang. He played Henry Gordon Jago the owner of the Palace Theatre who teams up with Professor George Litefoot, as played by Trevor Baxter, to help the Doctor defeat Magnus Greel and his acolyte Li H'sen Chang. 

The chemistry between Benjamin and Baxter ensured that the couple were given their own spin-off audio series by Big Finish, with fourteen series of Jago & Litefoot being released between 2010 and 2017. 

Benjamin's first appearance in Doctor Who was in the 1970 story Inferno, where he played Sir Keith Gold the director of the Inferno Project.

He was one of the few actors who appeared in both the original series and the revived 2005 series appearing with the Tenth Doctor in the 2008 story The Unicorn and the Wasp where he played Colonel Hugh Curbishley.

 

Born in Trowbridge in Wiltshire, Benjamin was a familiar face on British Television for over forty years. His passion for acting was developed while at school and he joined a local amateur group in Bath before doing his National Service. 

His professional debut was in repertory at the Manchester Library Theatre followed by a stint at the Salisbury Arts Theatre. He spent several seasons working at the Bristol Old Vic and was a regular performer for the Royal Shakespeare Company. 

His Television work included three appearances in the cult series The Prisoner and guest appearances in The Avengers, The Saint and Jason King. In 1967 he played Prosper Profond in the BBC's acclaimed series The Forsyte Saga. He was Sir Hugh Bodrugan in the original series of Poldark and Sir William Lucas in the 1995 version of Pride and Prejudice. 

Other series he appeared in include Heartbeat, Rosemary & Thyme, Midsomer Murders, Foyle's War, Leonardo, EastEnders, Treasure Island, Lovejoy, Magic Grandad, The Tomorrow People, London's Burning, Casualty, Maigret, Rumpole of the Bailey, Brass, King & Castle, Yes, Prime Minister, Casanova, The Diary of Anne Frank , Dempsey and Makepeace, Blott on the Landscape, Minder, Shoestring and The History of Mr. Polly.

Christopher Benjamin is survived by his wife, actress Anna Fox, and their three children.





FILTER: - Obituary - Classic Series

Barbara Clegg 1926-2025

Saturday, 11 January 2025 - Reported by Marcus
Barbara Clegg (Credit: BBC Studios)

The writer Barbara Clegg has died at the age of 98.

Barbara Clegg wrote the fifth Doctor story Enlightenment first broadcast in 1983.

Clegg was born in Manchester in March 1926 the niece of the founder of the Littlewoods empire. After graduating from Oxford she worked as an actress performing in many Shakespeare plays and touring across the UK and Australia

In the 1960s, she began writing for Radio starting with scripts for Mrs Dale's Diary.

Television followed where she contributed scripts for both Coronation Street and Crossroads

In 1981 she wrote her first Science Fiction story, The Chrysalids, adapted from the novel for Radio 4.

In 1983 she was asked to contribute a script for Doctor Who and therefore became the first woman to write a script for the series. The story would be the final one in the Black Guardian Trilogy.

It was the only script commissioned for the television series but one of her ideas Point of Entry was later used by Big Finish in the audio range. 

Barbara Clegg died on 7 January 2025





FILTER: - Obituary - Classic Series

Doctor Who Magazine: Issue 612

Thursday, 2 January 2025 - Reported by Marcus
Doctor Who Magazine Issue 612 (Credit: Panini)

Issue 612 of Doctor Who Magazine is released today.

Inside this issue

  • An in-depth look at the making of The War Games in Colour, including the brand-new model work and the Troughton/Pertwee regeneration sequence.

  • EastEnders veteran RUDOLPH WALKER recalls his role in The War Games…

  • Writer and exec producer STEVEN MOFFAT discusses Joy to the World, including scenes that never made it to screen.

  • RUSSELL T DAVIES explains what connects The Pirate Planet, The Christmas Invasion’s ill-fated Danny Llewellyn and a branch of Marks and Spencer…

  • Build your own half-scale Dalek with a new Doctor Who partwork. We talk to the team behind this exciting new project…

  • Script to Screen – on the creation of BabyStation Beta – as seen in the 2024 season debut Space Babies.

  • LISA BOWERMAN, JAMES GOSS and GARY RUSSELL reflect on the enduring appeal of archaeologist adventure Professor Bernice Summerfield.  

  • In the second part of our coverage celebrating 50 years of stage play Seven Keys to Doomsday, we talk to JAMES MATHEWS who played companion Jimmy.

  • The Memory Worm gets its teeth into YEE JEE TSO – Chang Lee in the 1996 TV movie.

  • We look at how fandom reacted to the casting of BONNIE LANGFORD as companion Mel in 1986…

  • ALISON ZRADA asks us what advice can be found in Doctor Who for New Year’s resolutions.

  • The Fact of Fiction looks at the opening episodes of 1968’s The Dominators.

  • The continuing adventures of the Doctor and Ruby in the comic strip!

Regular features

  • Gallifrey Guardian – looking ahead to the 2025 series!

  • Shelf Life – featuring reviews of the latest books and audio releases.

  • Other Worlds – the essential guide to new stories in Doctor Who’s expanded universe.

  • Prizes to be won including a special Blu-ray bundle! 

Doctor Who Magazine Issue 612 is on sale Thursday 2 January 2025  from panini.co.uk and WH Smith priced £7.99 (UK). 

Also available as a digital edition from pocketmags.com priced £6.99.

 




FILTER: - DWM

Doctor Who In Memoriam 2024

Wednesday, 1 January 2025 - Reported by Marcus

Toby Hadoke has published his annual memoriam of those who have delighted us both in front of and behind the scenes of Doctor Who and its extended worlds, who sadly died in 2024.

 

Doctor Who In Memoriam 2024





FILTER: - Obituary

Tom Baker Honoured with MBE

Monday, 30 December 2024 - Reported by Marcus

Tom Baker MBE (Credit: Reddit user /u/LonelyEnbyx with Tom Baker)

Tom Baker has been honoured by King Charles and made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).

The award is given to the 90-year-old actor for services to Television.

The awards are issued twice a year, to mark the New Year and to mark the King's official birthday. The Order of the British Empire was created in 1917 by King George V to honour ordinary people, whose achievements previously went unrecognised. 

Other recipients of honours this year include Stephen Fry, who is made a Knight Bachelor for services to Mental Health Awareness, the Environment and Charity.

The actresses Sarah Lancashire, Anne Reid and Carey Mulligan have all been made Commanders of the Order of the British Empire for services to drama.

Carmen Munroe, who appeared in the Second Doctor story The Enemy of the World as Fariah has been made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to drama.

The actor Eddie Marsan, who was in the Sarah Jane Adventures, has been made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, for services to drama. 

Overall 1204 honours were given for New Year. The awards will be presented by the King, or one of his counsellors of state, at a ceremony in 2025





FILTER: - Tom Baker

Fifty Years of the Fourth Doctor - Free Bookazine

Saturday, 28 December 2024 - Reported by Marcus

Tom Baker

Today marks fifty years since we first became acquainted with the fourth Doctor as played by Tom Baker.

Baker had briefly appeared the previous summer in the final episode of Planet of the Spiders but 28th December 1974 is when the fourth Doctor had his first adventure Robot. 

The episode was broadcast on BBC 1 at 5.35 pm following the Shari Lewis Show and the News and preceding Bruce Forsyth and the Generation Game. It had 10.8 million viewers. 

Baker would go on to play the Doctor in 173 episodes over 7 years, plus a notable return in the 2013 anniversary story The Day of the Doctor. He is the longest-serving Doctor to date.

To mark the anniversary Radio Times has produced a special digital bookazine edited by Stuart Manning, Tom Baker: 50 Years in Time and Space

Radio Times - Tom Baker: 50 Years in Time and Space

A 64-page digital bookazine collecting the best interviews from five decades of features. Enjoy 64 pages of the greatest Doctor in his own words, illustrated throughout with rare and unseen photography from the RT archives. 

The bookazine is free to download from www.radiotimes.com/tom-baker-bookazine/

 

In addition, Big Finish have released a special full-cast audio anniversary adventure, The Curse of Time. Starring Tom Baker, along with Sadie Miller (as Sarah Jane Smith) and Christopher Naylor (as Harry Sullivan), the story picks up at the end of Season 12, with the Doctor and his companions returning to Earth after the events of Revenge of the Cybermen

The Curse of Time is written by Jonathan Morris and begins with the Doctor, Sarah (Sadie Miller)and Harry (Christopher Naylor) arriving in what seems to be medieval England.

They discover they're actually in the far future, long after solar flares caused most of Earth's population to flee into space (as seen in The Ark in Space and The Sontaran Experiment).On this severely changed Earth, they encounter the creepy magician Faustus Black (AngusDunican) and the megalomaniacal scientist Zaphiel Ixon (Terence Wilton) – two sinister villains whose schemes put the TARDIS crew in grave danger.

Doctor Who – The Fourth Doctor Adventures: The Curse of Time is now available to purchase for just £15.99 (collector's edition double CD with slipcase + download) or £12.99 (download only), exclusively from bigfinish.com

 

No Doctor I'm the Doctor! | Doctor Who | Robot





FILTER: - Fourth Doctor