Steven Moffat enters the Guardian Media 100

Monday, 25 July 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster
For every year since 2001 the Guardian has released the Media 100 - a list of who they consider are currently the most powerful people in the UK Media; candidates for the list are judged on cultural influence, economic clout and political power over the course of the last year.

This year sees Doctor Who and Sherlock lead writer Steven Moffat enter the chart as number 92:
Steven Moffat is one of a select band of writers and producers who is almost as famous as the stars who appear in his shows.

Not content with being the showrunner on the BBC's biggest-selling global hit, Doctor Who, he was also the co-creator, along with League of Gentlemen star Mark Gatiss, of one of BBC1's most acclaimed new dramas of last year, Sherlock.

Moffat, a long-time Whovian, began his TV career with the Bafta-winning children's show Press Gang and was best known for BBC2 sitcom Coupling before taking over from Russell T Davies on the time-travelling show. He also co-scripted new Steven Spielberg film, The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn.

BBC executives that have an influence of Doctor Who's future in the list include Director General Mark Thompson (4), Director of Vision George Entwistle (26), and BBC1 Controller Danny Cohen (14)


Moffat's predecessor Russell T Davies was a regular in the chart when he was overseeing Doctor Who, entering the chart strongly for his 2004 involvement in bringing the series back at number 14 in the 2005 list, followed up by 28 (2006), 15 (2007) and 31 (2008). The Doctor himself has also appeared in the past, represented by actor David Tennant who was listed as number 24 in 2007.


The list is drawn up by a panel of judges, which this year included Lorraine Heggessey, the BBC1 controller responsible for the decision to bring Doctor Who back into production during 2003 (and herself ranked 46/54 during that period).




FILTER: - Steven Moffat - People - Doctor Who

Doctor Who Return Date

Sunday, 24 July 2011 - Reported by Marcus
BBC America have confirmed that Doctor Who will return to the channel on Saturday, August 27th at 9/8c when the series continues with Let's Kill Hitler, written by Steven Moffat and directed by Richard Senior.

The BBC will not confirm a UK date for the return until much nearer the date of transmission, but a showing in the early evening of Saturday 27th is very likely.

There are six more episodes to be shown as part of Season 32





FILTER: - USA - Series 6/32

Doctor Who Series 6 Part 2 UK Promotion

Sunday, 24 July 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster
The BBC have released a trailer for the second half of Series Six, which returns to BBC1(HD) later this year; the trailer premiered at the San Diego Comic Con event taking place this weekend.


Doctor Who Series Six Part Two, BBC, via BBC iPlayer (may not be available outside the United Kingdom)

The series is also featured in the new Original British Drama trailer (34 seconds in), which includes other productions like The Body Farm, The Hour, Spooks and Page Eight.


Original British Drama, BBC, via YouTube (may not be available outside the United Kingdom)


An extended trailer has also been released for The God Complex by Toby Whithouse, episode 11 of the series:


Doctor Who: The God Complex trailer, BBC, via BBC iPlayer (may not be available outside the United Kingdom)




FILTER: - Doctor Who - Series 6/32 - Online

Karen Gillan stays with Doctor Who

Sunday, 24 July 2011 - Reported by Marcus
Karen Gillan had told the website Zap2it that she is staying with Doctor Who for the foreseeable future and will be returning as Amy Pond for the next series of the show which goes into production at the end of the year.

Doctor Who has been commissioned for a further fourteen episodes following this year's Christmas Special, and previously only Matt Smith was known to have been contracted for the run. Gillan was interviewed at Comic-Con and when asked if she would be returning she said, "I am going to come back, yes,That's the first time I've said that today".

The 33rd series will be the seventh full series since the show returned in 2005. It is due to be shown during 2012 and 2013.




FILTER: - Karen Gillan - Series 7/33

Karen Gillan's West End Theatre Debut

Sunday, 24 July 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Karen Gillan (aka Amy Pond) will be making her West End theatre debut this Autumn in a revival of John Osbourne's 1964 play Inadmissible Evidence.

The play is to be performed at the Donmar Warehouse Theatre and will be directed by Jamie Lloyd. Gillan will play the character of Shirley, the hard-done-by secretary to middle-aged laywer Bill Maitland, to be played by Douglas Hodge; other cast members include Esther Hall, Amy Morgan, Daniel Ryan, and Al Weaver.

The Daily Mail reported that Lloyd had been very impressed with the Doctor Who actress:
Karen read twice for him at auditions and he was impressed with her charisma and her natural instincts. "More importantly, she can do the text convincingly and she feels as if she comes from that Sixties British Mad Men world," Lloyd added.

Originally performed in 1965 on Broadway, the play featured Nicol Williamson as Maitland and Jeanne Hepple as Shirley. It was subsequently made into a film with Williamson reprising the role alongside Eileen Atkins in 1968.

Synopsis: Bill Maitland, a middle aged lawyer, struggles to avoid the harsh truths of his life and keep a hold on reality. As those closest to him begin to draw away, he puts himself on trial to fight for his sanity.


The play runs from 13th October to 26th November - for more details see the theatre website.




FILTER: - People - Karen Gillan

Eccleston Expands on Reasons for Leaving

Sunday, 24 July 2011 - Reported by Marcus
EcclestonNinth Doctor Christopher Eccleston has been expanding on remarks he made in the Radio Times last year as to the reasons he left Doctor Who.

In comments to students at an acting master class in London, and reported by Bad Wilf, he told of how he left the series after falling out with those in charge of the show.
I left Doctor Who, because I could not get along with the senior people. I left, because of politics. I did not see eye-to-eye, with them. I didn't agree with the way things were being run. I didn't like the culture that had grown up, around the series. So, I left. I felt, over a principle. I thought to remain, which would have made me a lot of money and given me huge visibility, the price I would have had to pay, was to eat a lot of shit.

I'm not being funny about that. I didn't want to do that and, it comes to the art of it, in a way. I feel that if you run your career and-we are vulnerable as actors and, we are constantly humiliating ourselves auditioning. But, if you allow that to go on, on a grand scale. You will loose, whatever it is about you and, it will be present in your work.

If you allow your desire to be successful and visible and financially secure – if you allow that to make you throw shades on your parents, on your upbringing, then you’re knackered. You’ve got to keep something back, for yourself, because it’ll be present in your work. A purity or an idealism is essential or you’ll become– you’ve got to have standards, no matter how hard work that is. So it makes it a hard road, really.

You know, it’s easy to find a job when you’ve got no morals, you’ve got nothing to be compromised, you can go, ‘Yeah, yeah. That doesn’t matter. That director can bully that prop man and I won’t say anything about it’. But then when that director comes to you and says ‘I think you should play it like this’ you’ve surely got to go ‘How can I respect you, when you behave like that?’

So, that’s why I left. My face didn’t fit and I’m sure they were glad to see the back of me.


Despite his reasons for leaving Eccleston is still proud of what he achieved in the role.
The important thing is that I succeeded. It was a great part. I loved playing him. I loved connecting with that audience. Because I've always acted for adults and the suddenly, you're acting for children. Who are far more tasteful, they will not be bullshitted. It's either good, or it's bad. They don't schmooze at after show parties, with cocktails.

During the master-class Eccleston revealed that he had recently been informed that he was a victim of phone hacking during his time as the Doctor, and he said will be taking legal action against the parties involved.




FILTER: - Christopher Eccleston

Much Ado Soundtrack Released

Saturday, 23 July 2011 - Reported by Marcus

Music from the London production of William Shakespeare'a Much Ado About Nothing, starring David Tennant as Benedick and Catherine Tate as Beatrice has been released and is available to download from iTunes or Amazon.

The soundtrack features nine tracks featured in the stage production plus two bonus tracks with vocals from Tennant and Tate. The highly acclaimed show continues at Wyndhams Theatre in London until 1st September.




FILTER: - Catherine Tate - David Tennant

Next Time: Dead of Night

Friday, 22 July 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Next Thursday (28th July) sees the third episode of Torchwood: Miracle Day premiering in the UK, with Dead of Night being broadcast at 9:00pm on BBC1/BBC1HD. The episode will also be repeated on BBC2/BBCHD the following Monday at 11:20pm, and available to watch online in the UK via the BBC iPlayer until 23rd September.

The following is the plot synopsis for Dead of Night which might be considered a spoiler


Torchwood goes on the run, and finds a new enemy. But as they launch a raid on PhiCorp headquarters, Jack must confront the mysterious Oswald Danes.

The BBC trailer for the episode is now available online:

Torchwood episode 3 trailer, BBC, via iPlayer - may not play outside of the United Kingdom
Alternatively there is a YouTube version.

A preview clip from the episode is also available to watch:

Torchwood Dead of Night preview, BBC, via iPlayer - may not play outside of the United Kingdom

Coming Soon

The BBC Press Office has released details for the next couple of episodes of Miracle Day:

The following are plot synopses for episodes yet to be aired, and may be considered spoilers.




Escape to L.A.

The fight against PhiCorp takes the Torchwood team to California, where a trap is waiting, while Oswald and Jilly find themselves with an enemy of their own.
The Categories of Life

Torchwood goes undercover and discovers the terrible truth behind the "miracle"; but the enemy is closing in, and death is about to make a shocking return.






FILTER: - Torchwood - UK - Online - Miracle Day (Series 4)

Rendition: UK overnight viewing figures

Friday, 22 July 2011 - Reported by Marcus
Torchwood: Rendition achieved an average audience of 4.4 million viewers on BBC One and BBC One HD, according to unofficial overnight figures.

The second in the series had 19.1% of the audience share and was the 6th most watched programme of the day. It won the 9pm timeslot, with Single Handed on ITV1 watched by 3.3 million viewers.

The figure was down on the series premiere, which scored an average of 4.8 million. The episode saw a slight drop in viewers during the hour from 4.7 million in the first quarter to 4.0 million in the final quarter, although the final quarter is depressed as the programme finished earlier than the timeslot allocated.

The final ratings for Rendition will be released next week, and be based on the actual running time of the programme and include those who record the programme and watch it within seven days.

Mondays late night repeat of the series opener, The New World had 0.5 million watching.




FILTER: - Torchwood - Ratings - UK - Miracle Day (Series 4)

Series Six: Part 1 - International DVD/Blu-ray release

Friday, 22 July 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster
This week saw BBC/Warner Home Video release of the first half of Series Six on DVD(R1) and Blu-ray(A) in North America; as with the UK release the two-disc set features the seven episodes broadcast from April, and includes the two Monster Files covering The Gangers and The Silence.

More details on the release can be found at the BBC America Shop, and WHV have also provided links to three preview clips from Doctor Who Insider presenting Inside Look At The Enemies Point Of View, an Inside Look With Steven Moffat, and an Inside Look At Rory.


The DVD(R2) and Blu-ray(B) versions were released in the UK last week, and are available to buy via our Amazon store.
(with thanks to Bridget Murphy Groller/BBC/WHV)


The Australian versions (R4/B) will be released on 4th August and will be available in New Zealand on 17th August.





FILTER: - USA - Series 6/32 - Blu-ray/DVD