Wednesday Press Notes

Wired Magazine wonders if the first episode of the new series was leaked intentionally. (It wasn't, but that sort of ruins the point of Wired's article, doesn't it?) "The pilot episode of the BBC's highly anticipated new Doctor Who series may have been intentionally leaked onto file-sharing networks to generate buzz, a source who instructed the network on viral advertising told Wired News. ... In any case, buzz about the Doctor Who episode has certainly paid off, whether the BBC takes credit for it or not. Word about it has reached countless sites, and, more importantly, the episode seems largely well-received." Of course, Wired has its, er, wires crossed. (It was not leaked intentionally, and we know that from the production office.)

While it's not new series specific, there's a BBC interview with Terry Molloy up on the BBC website in which he is very complimentary about the new series, and features a small gallery of images of him as Davros. He also explodes the myth surrounding that famous photo of him with a cup in his hand!

Nicholas Pegg, whose previous works includes writing "The Spectre of Lanyon Moor" and directing that, "Storm Warning," "The Holy Terror," "Bang Bang a Boom" and the webcast version of "Shada" for Big Finish (in addition to several audio roles with the company), was interviewed yesterday in the Nottingham Evening Post, as he "has been picked to play a Dalek in the remake of TV classic Doctor Who." Pegg notes that "It can get hot in the studio but the staff are great and help take your top off so you can have a drink of water," and that moving the Dalek is like "pushing a very heavy shopping trolly." "I've been working with Christopher Eccleston and Billie quite closely for the last month," he says. "They are both very nice people. Chris is very unpretentious and friendly. We share a lot of similar tastes in pop music - at one stage we were discussing the Boomtown Rats. Billie is a very, very nice person and a smashing actress and I think she's going to make a huge impression as the Doctor's assistant." It notes that he will be in episodes 12 and 13.

Yesterday's South Wales Echo discusses "special effects shock in store for fans," as "Scary new monsters and Cardiff's Howells department store exploding [are] just some of the treats due for fans of Dr Who in the much-anticipated new series." The article then discusses the "Doctor Who Confidential" series narrated by Simon Pegg and their special, "A New Dimension" airing on March 26.

The Bath Chronicle on March 15 says that "Dr who's return could be big business for firm" as it discusses BBC Audiobooks, including noting the William Russell reading of the novelisation of "The Daleks" and how it could lead to new successes in Doctor Who audio for the group. "We have got a number of soundtrack Dr Who releases, but this is the first time we have released a complete and unabridged reading of one of the novels," says Michael Stevens of BBC Audiobooks. "This is the first and most-loved book and its causing some excitement. Fans are getting really excited about the fact we have got William Russell, who played one of the original characters, reading it. He has done some work for us before and was happy to come in." Stevens said the company intended to release a further two readings of classic Dr Who stories in time for Christmas (as we reported on the main news page, with the tin of the three coming out in November.)

The BBC series 20th Century Roadshow did a Doctor Who special on March 15 down at Goonhilly Satellite Earth Station in Cornwall; photos covering the day's recording are now on the Doctor Who Appreciation Society's website

The latest issue of 'The List' (a Scottish culture magazine) has a three page feature on the new series. The reporter was at the Cardiff launch and interviewed Russell T Davies, Chris and Lorraine Heggessey and got quotes from members of the Edinburgh DW group.

Yesterday's The Sun featured an article about "Why Wales is so hip it hurts," which mentions one of the major reasons why: "The most anticipated TV series this year will be the new Dr Who - filmed entirely in Wales."

This is Gloucester discusses the return of the new series, including this gem of wisdom: "Doctor Who had humour, imagination, flair and even a certain style, despite the wobbly sets and tinfoil monsters. What it did not have was graphic sex or bad language. Even the violence was fairly innocuous. I hope the Doctor's latest incarnation adheres to those principles. I know children are more worldly-wise these days, but there are certain standards which must be observed. I would also beware of political correctness. Kids hate being preached at, and will switch off if they think that's happening. 'Diddly-bom BOM' will then go the way of the dodo."

(Thanks to Chuck Foster, Ben Morris, Paul Engelberg, Steve Tribe, Wil Cantrell, Graham Kibble-White, Will Hadcroft, Assad Khaishgi, Martin Barber, Daniel Hughes, Stuart Ian Burns, John Bowman, Rod Mammitzch, Andrew Harvey, Anthony Pratt)