Arnold Yarrow 1920-2024

Monday, 9 December 2024 - Reported by Marcus
Arnold Yarrow

The actor and writer Arnold Yarrow has died at the age of 104.

Arnold Yarrow was the oldest surviving cast member of Doctor Who, appearing in the series in 1974 at the spritely age of 54. He is believed to be the longest-lived actor to have ever had a credited role in the series and one of only six actors to have reached the age of 100. 

Arnold Yarrow was born in the east end of London in April 1920, just two years after the end of the First World War. 

Bellal (Credit: BBC)In the 1940's he became an actor working in weekly rep where he met the future Doctor Who producer Barry Letts. It was under Letts's stewardship of Doctor Who that Yarrow was cast as Bellal in the Third Doctor story Death to the Daleks. The role required Yarrow to be stitched into an all-enveloping costume made of several strips of material glued together. He told Toby Hadoke 

 I was stuck in there for three hours at a time. They were very restricting. I was filled with horror the first time I put it on. There were two tiny pinholes for eyes to look out of and nostrils to breathe through. My vision was extremely limited.

He also talked about the movement he put into the character

 I visited a zoo and saw some marmosets and bush babies and this inspired me – looking at the way they conveyed their feelings. I thought the script echoed the underground Morlocks from The Time Machine.

Doctor Who was a tiny part of the actor's long career, first appearing on television in the early 1950's. Appearances included roles in London's Burning, One by One, The Chinese Detective, Wainwright's Law, The Onedin Line, Dr. Finlay's Casebook, For Whom the Bell Tolls, Coronation Street, Boyd Q.C., The Andromeda Breakthrough, Dial 999, Macbeth. He returned to his Jewish roots in London when he played Benny Bloom in EastEnders

As a writer, he contributed scripts to EastEnders, Softly Softly Task Force, Warship and Crown Court

Arnold Yarrow died in Herne Bay, Kent, England, UK, at the age of 104 years, 236 days.

He is survived by his brother who is aged 100. 


The oldest surviving Doctor Who actor is now believed to be Laurie Webb who is 100





FILTER: - Obituary - Classic Series

Doctor Who Magazine: Issue 611

Thursday, 5 December 2024 - Reported by Marcus
Doctor Who Magazine: Issue 611 (Credit: Panini)

Doctor Who Magazine Issue 611 is released today and includes 4 exclusive art cards. 

Inside this issue

  • The writer of this year’s Christmas Special, STEVEN MOFFAT, gives us a preview of what awaits on Christmas Day…

  • PHIL COLLINSON and the team behind the colourisation of Second Doctor finale The War Games discuss the new edit of this landmark story.

  • We catch up with JANET FIELDING (Fourth/Fifth Doctor companion Tegan) and INGRID OLIVER (Osgood) at the Bath Children’s Literature festival.

  • Join the guests at Cardiff’s Arcadia convention including Fugitive Doctor JO MARTIN.

  • It’s 50 years since Doctor Who and the Daleks came to the West End in Seven Keys to Doomsday. We talk to Benedict Martin  – the son of stage Doctor, Trevor Martin.

  • ANNEKE WILLS reflects on playing the First/Second Doctor’s companion Polly – and her fab fashions!

  • All you need to know about the Eleventh Doctor’s final story – The Time of the Doctor.

  • A look back at 1984’s Box of Delights starring Patrick Troughton.

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

PLUS!

  • RUSSELL T DAVIES’ traditional Twelve Days of Christmas!

  • Christmas as seen on TV, on audio and in Doctor Who Magazine itself!

  • The annual DWM Christmas quiz!

Regular features

  • Gallifrey Guardian – including full details of this year’s festive viewing.

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

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

  • Prizes to be won including The Collection Season 2 on Blu-ray! 

Doctor Who Magazine Issue 611 is on sale Thursday 5 December  from panini.co.uk and WH Smith priced £8.99 (UK). 

Also available as a digital edition from pocketmags.com priced £7.99.

 




FILTER: - DWM

Joy to the World, Christmas Day at 5:10pm

Wednesday, 4 December 2024 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Joy To The World: The Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and Joy (Nicola Coughlan) (Credit: BBC (Danny Kasirye & James Pardon))

This year's Doctor Who festive special, Joy to the World, will be broadcast on BBC1 on Christmas Day at 5:10pm. Written by Steven Moffat, the episode features Ncuti Gatwa in his second Christmas outting, and also introduces Joy, played by Nicola Coughlan.

Joy checks into a London hotel in 2024, only to discover that her quiet stay is anything but ordinary. When Joy opens a secret doorway to the Time Hotel, she discovers danger, dinosaurs and the Doctor. But a deadly plan is unfolding across the Earth, just in time for Christmas.

Where has the Doctor been? What is going on in Joy’s hotel room? An old enemy of the Doctor’s is lurking in the wings and all of human history hangs in the balance. Can the Doctor save Christmas, everywhere, all at once?

Other guest stars for the episode include Steph de Whalley as Anita, Jonathan Aris as Melnak, Joel Fry as Trev, Peter Benedict as Basil, Julia Watson as Hilda, and Niamh Marie Smith as Sylvia.

 

This Christmas, as well as the now traditional festive outtings for Strictly Come Dancing, Call The Midwife, Eastenders and Mrs Brown's Boys, BBC1 also sees the return of Wallace and Gromit with Vengeance Most Fowl, and the final episode of Gavin and Stacey (the highest rated Christmas programme in recent years!).

Doctor Who will be up against the film North by Northwest on BBC2, Bullseye on ITV1, The Piano: Christmas on Channel 4, and The Greatest Comedy Classics on Channel 5. 

 

Joy to the World will also be available on BBC iPlayer, and around the world on Disney+ where available.

 


 

Other Doctor Who related broadcasts in the Christmas week include:

  • Doctor Who: The War Games in Colour, BBC4, 23 December at 9:00pm
  • Doctor Who at the Proms 2024, BBC2, Christmas Eve at 4:10pm




FILTER: - Doctor Who - Doctor Who Specials

The War Games - Colourisation

Saturday, 23 November 2024 - Reported by Marcus
The Doctor (Patrick Troughton) and his companions, Jamie McCrimmon (Frazer Hines) and Zoe Heriot (Wendy Padbury) (Credit: BBC Studios)

BBC Studios have announced that the 1969 Patrick Troughton story The War Games, has been colourised with the new edition being shown on BBC Four and iPlayer this Christmas. 

Originally aired in 1969, The War Games marked the end of an era for the Second Doctor who, with his companions Zoe and Jamie, land in a battlefield that appears to be a World War I military zone—but all is not as it seems.

They soon discover that soldiers from different historical periods have been abducted and are being manipulated in a cruel game. As they work to uncover the mystery behind the War Lord and his twisted experiments, the Doctor faces one of his most difficult challenges.

For the first time, these original episodes have been colourised and enhanced with updated visual effects edited into a new, 90-minute feature-length experience to appeal to today’s modern audiences. With updated sound and a new score, this new version of The War Games offers fans and newcomers even more ways to watch the much-loved classic story.

In addition, the episode will also feature the Second Doctor's never-before-seen regeneration into the Third Doctor (Jon Pertwee), alongside recovered footage not seen since the original broadcast.

Russell T Davies, Showrunner said:

From the day I arrived back on Doctor Who, this was the plan.  To colourise old stories and bring them back to life.  And on Doctor Who Day itself, it’s great to announce this, celebrating the show’s wonderful heritage with an all-time-classic.  It looks so vivid and new - and for fans of black-and-white, the story in its original form will stay on BBC iPlayer, so everyone wins!  I actually watched this transmit in 1969, at 6 years old, terrified of the Roman soldiers, fascinated by villains with glinting spectacles, and in awe of the Doctor’s brand new origin. Now fans old and new can enjoy it all over again.

The story will be screened on BBC Four on 23rd December 2024.

 

Lieutenant Carstairs (David Savile) and Lady Jennifer Buckingham (Jane Sherwin) (Credit: BBC Studios) The Time Lords (Bernard Horsfall, Trevor Martin and Clyde Pollitt (Credit: BBC Studios)The War Lord (Philip Madoc) (Credit: BBC Studios)

This special episode is the second time that a classic Doctor Who story has been colourised, following The Daleks in 2023 which was updated to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the franchise.

 

THE WAR GAMES in Colour - Trailer





FILTER: - Season 6 - Patrick Troughton - BBC Four

Watch Along Boom for Doctor Who Day

Saturday, 23 November 2024 - Reported by Marcus
Watch Party - Boom (Credit: BBC Studios)

 

Today marks the 61st Anniversary of the launch of Doctor Who on 23rd November 1963

To mark the birthday BBC Studios are inviting you to a watch party featuring the Series 1, Season 40 story, Boom alongside story writer Steven Moffat who will live-tweet the event on x. 

The story will be screened on the Doctor Who YouTube channel at 7 pm GMT / 2 pm EST. 

In addition, fans can expect a day full of exclusive content and announcements, giveaways, as well as a brand-new series of New to Who, hosted by Tyrell Charles

You can follow all the Doctor Who Day activities on the Doctor Who official website and channels:

 

Official Website /  YouTube / Instagram / X  / TikTok





FILTER: - Doctor Who

DALEKS: The Ultimate Guide

Friday, 22 November 2024 - Reported by Marcus
DALEKS: The Ultimate Guide (Credit: Panini)

 

The latest bookazine from the makers of Doctor Who Magazine examines the Daleks’ behind-the-scenes history, and their fictional universe, in unprecedented detail. 

Daleks: The Ultimate Guide includes all the television stories, along with details of Dalek feature films, stage plays, books, comic strips, webcasts, audio dramas and much more. New CG illustrations tell the story of the Daleks’ evolution from 1963 to the present day.

This 224-page publication, packed full of new and new and exclusive material, includes a lavish slipcase. 

Editor Marcus Hearn says

At DWM, we’ve been aware for quite a few years that a major celebration of the Daleks is overdue. Our latest bookazine format finally offers us enough pages to fully explore the changing shape of the Daleks – many of whose variants have been painstakingly rendered by CG artist Chris Thompson. Other highlights include a complete Dalek chronology, an insight into the restoration of an original 1960s prop, new details about some of the classic toys, full reproductions of Raymond Cusick’s original design blueprints and lots more!

Doctor Who: Daleks – The Ultimate Guide is on sale Thursday 21 November 

from panini.co.uk and WH Smith priced £19.99 (UK). 

Also available as a digital edition from pocketmags.com priced £18.99.

DALEKS: The Ultimate Guide 01 (Credit: Panini)DALEKS: The Ultimate Guide 02 (Credit: Panini)DALEKS: The Ultimate Guide 03 (Credit: Panini)DALEKS: The Ultimate Guide 04 (Credit: Panini)DALEKS: The Ultimate Guide 05 (Credit: Panini)DALEKS: The Ultimate Guide 06 (Credit: Panini)




FILTER: - DWM - Daleks

Doctor Who Magazine: Issue 610

Friday, 15 November 2024 - Reported by Marcus
Doctor Who Magazine: Issue 610 (Credit: Panini)

Doctor Who Magazine Issue 610 is available now. 

 

Inside this issue

  • PHILIP HINCHCLIFFE – THE ULTIMATE INTERVIEW! The man behind Fourth Doctor classics such as Genesis of the Daleks, Terror of the Zygons, The Seeds of Doom and Robots of Death reflects on his career – sharing his views on what makes essential Doctor Who – and reacts to episodes of this year’s series.

  • Showrunners RUSSELL T DAVIES, STEVEN MOFFAT, CHRIS CHIBNALL and the TV Movie’s producer PHILIP SEGAL talk about Hinchcliffe Who and how it inspired them.

  • As the first series of Blake’s 7 arrives on Blu-ray, we examine how it crossed over with Doctor Who.

  • John Kane – who played the loveable Tommy in 1974’s Planet of the Spiders – gives a rare interview about his part in the series.

  • The Fact of Fiction – delving into the detail of Tenth Doctor story The Doctor’s Daughter.

  • This Month In… 1967. How Carry On actor Bernard Bresslaw became an Ice Warrior!

  • Comic strip action with the Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby.

Regular features

  • Gallifrey Guardian – full details of the new Dalek partwork launching next year, plus the latest book news.

  • Shelf Life – including a review of the Season 25 Blu-ray boxset, plus books, action figures and audio releases.

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

  • Prizes to be won including Blake’s 7 on Blu-ray! 

Doctor Who Magazine Issue 610 is on sale 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 - Fourth Doctor

Black Archive #73 Under the Lake / Before the Flood

Thursday, 31 October 2024 - Reported by Marcus
Black Archive #73 (Credit: Obverse Books)

The latest publication in the Black Archive series looks at the Twelfth Doctor story Under the Lake / Before the Flood.

‘You can’t cheat time. I just tried. You can’t just go back and cut off tragedy at the root. Because you find yourself talking to someone you just saw dead on a slab. Because then you really do see ghosts.’

A base under siege, a time travel paradox, and ghosts! With these elements in place, Toby Whitehouse’s Under the Lake and Before the Flood (2015) tread familiar ground for fans of Doctor Who while also moving in bold new directions, both in terms of story-telling and character representation.

This two-part story sees Peter Capaldi’s 12th doctor break the fourth wall, speaking directly to the audience. His lecture on “the bootstrap paradox” serves to set up the central puzzle of these episodes while insisting that it remain unsolved. Meanwhile, actress Sophie Stone’s portrayal of Cass challenges traditional representational tropes surrounding disabled people. Simultaneously, this character asks us to think further about how we understand disability in, and through, science fiction.

The book is written by Ryan C. Parrey, PhD is Senior Lecturer in Disability Studies and director of the Disability Studies program at Eastern Washington University near Spokane, Washington, USA. and Kevin S. Decker, PhD is Professor of Philosophy at Eastern Washington University.

Under the Lake / Before the Flood is available now in paperback and electronic formats, direct from Obverse Books and from selected online retailers.





FILTER: - Books - Twelfth Doctor

Ernie Vincze 1942-2024

Thursday, 17 October 2024 - Reported by Marcus

TARDIS Tales - Ernie Vincze (Credit: BBC)The cinematographer Ernie Vincze has died at the age of 81.

Ernie Vincze was the Director of Photography on 38 episodes of Doctor Who between 2005 and 2009, responsible for the Camera work and the lighting on each episode.

He was in charge for the entire first series of the revived show in 2005 looking after each episode of the Ninth Doctor's era before completing the Christmas special introducing the Tenth Doctor.   

He shared the load over the next three years, with his final episode, The Waters of Mars, in 2009.

His Doctor Who episodes were  

Rose; The End Of The World; The Unquiet Dead; Aliens of London / World War Three; Dalek; The Long Game; Father's Day; The Empty Child / The Doctor Dances; Boom Town; Bad Wolf / The Parting of the Ways; The Christmas Invasion; New Earth; School Reunion; Rise of the Cybermen / The Age of Steel; The Impossible Planet / The Satan Pit; Army of Ghosts / Doomsday; Smith and Jones; The Shakespeare Code; Daleks in Manhattan / Evolution of the Daleks; 42; Blink; Utopia; The Lost Boy[SJA]; Voyage of the Damned; Partners in Crime; The Fires of Pompeii; The Doctor's Daughter; Midnight; The Stolen Earth / Journey's End; The Next Doctor; The Waters of Mars

Ernie Vincze was born in Hungary in 1942. He spent most of his working life in Britain with over 80 credits. Some of his best-known work includes Jeeves and Wooster, Holby City, Robin Hood, Macbeth, Screen Two and The South Bank Show. 

He was elected to the British Society of Cinematographers in 1978, and is a fellow of the BKSTS. He served on the BAFTA council for 20 years, and was Head of Cinematography at the NFTS from 2000 - 2002

He won the 2008 Cymru BAFTA for his work on Doctor Who: Voyage Of The Damned

Showrunner Russell T Davies paid tribute to Vincze on Instagram

He was our DOP on Series 1 & 2 of Doctor Who, back in 2005, lighting the whole of S1 himself! And what a lovely man. He was always smiling, always happy to see you. Freezing nights on The Empty Child, mad ambition on The Parting of the Ways… and there was Ernie, smiling! Hungarian-born, he had hell of a career, working on Escape from Sobibor, and with Madonna on Shanghai Surprise. And we must’ve looked like squawking chickens to him in those first weeks, but he smiled, and helped us, and we loved him. Night, Ernie, thanks darling

 





FILTER: - Obit

Doctor Who Magazine: Issue 609

Thursday, 10 October 2024 - Reported by Marcus
Doctor Who Magazine: Issue 609 (Credit: Panini)Doctor Who Magazine: Issue 609 (Credit: Panini)

Issue 609 of Doctor Who Magazine is released today. 

Inside this issue

  • Eighth Doctor PAUL McGANN and companion INDIA FISHER talk about their roles and their wider Doctor Who career in a break from rehearsing for the live performances of audio play The Stuff of Legend.

  • RUSSELL T DAVIES brings us an update on Ncuti Gatwa’s second series…

  • THE WAR BETWEEN THE LAND AND THE SEA – an exclusive preview of this Doctor Who spin-off including a message from producer Edo Ferretti, and executive producer Phil Collinson on the cast.

  • Monster magic! The performers behind the creatures stalking the latest Doctor Who Prom share their experiences with DWM.

  • Script to Screen on the episode Boom – discover the design process behind the deadly Villengard ambulance.

  • The Fact of Fiction – It’s been an endless source of fascination for DWM over the years – Alan Barnes scrutinises the Fifth Doctor two-parter Black Orchid.

  • This Month In… 1977. Find out the newspapers’ initial reaction to K9!

  • Stand-up comedian Alison Zrada considers the pitfalls of leaving home to travel with the Doctor… 

  • Comic strip action with the Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby.

SEASON 25 BLU-RAY – SPECIAL FEATURES!

  • A story-by-story guide to the reimagined versions of Remembrance of the Daleks, The Happiness Patrol, Silver Nemesis and The Greatest Show in the Galaxy included in the forthcoming Season 25 Blu-ray release.

  • A look back at daytime TV’s celebration of the 25th Anniversary.

  • We talk to producer Eric Luskin about the documentary – that he made for the New Jersey Network in the eighties – covering the making of Silver Nemesis…

  • Rounding up our coverage of Season 25, we speak to Dick Fiddy and Justin Johnson about the BFI screening of The Happiness Patrol.

Regular features

  • Gallifrey Guardian – the latest news from the Whoniverse.

  • Shelf Life – including 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 the new Season 25 Blu-ray box set, The Gold Archive hardback and a new audio adventure for the Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby.

Doctor Who Magazine Issue 609 is on sale Thursday 10 October  from panini.co.uk and WH Smith priced £10.99 (UK). The print issue also includes he latest addition to the Target Books range – The Evil of the Daleks by Frazer Hines

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

 




FILTER: - DWM