David Tennant is to present the inaugural BBC Audio Drama Awards ceremony that also sees him nominated in one of the categories.

The awards, which cover audio dramas first broadcast in English in the UK between 1st October 2010 and 30th September 2011 or first uploaded/published for free listening online in the UK during the same period, aim to celebrate and recognise the cultural importance of audio drama on air and online, and to recognise the actors, writers, producers, sound designers, and others who work in the genre.

The winners will be announced at a ceremony to be presented by Tennant and held in the Radio Theatre at BBC Broadcasting House, central London, on Sunday 29th January. Among the categories, he is up for Best Actor in an Audio Drama for his role as the author Franz Kafka in the Radio 3 production Kafka: The Musical which aired last April and, coincidentally, was written and scored by Murray Gold.

Nominated in another category is June Whitfield, who played Minnie Hooper in The End of Time (Best Actress in an Audio Drama for her portrayal of the actress Margaret Rutherford in the Radio 4 Afternoon Play A Monstrous Vitality which aired last June).

In a separate award during the ceremony, Stephen Wyatt, who wrote Paradise Towers and The Greatest Show In The Galaxy, has been nominated for The Tinniswood Award for his Radio 4 Afternoon Play Gerontius, which aired in July 2010 and starred Derek Jacobi (Professor Yana/The Master in Utopia) and Michael Jayston (The Valeyard throughout season 23).

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Karen Gillan has been nominated for Scot of the Year 2011 by ScotsCare, a charity set up for Scots in London who are in need, hardship or distress. Other nominations for the title include tennis player Andy Murray and Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond. [Inverness Courier, 12 Jan 2012]

Meanwhile, We'll Take Manhattan, the BBC Four drama in which the actress plays Sixties supermodel Jean Shrimpton, will air in the UK on Thursday 26th January at 9:00pm. [BBC Media Centre, 12 Jan 2012]

David Tennant is to star in a new film Emotional Rescue alongside actress Heather Graham, who plays an award-winning journalist who finds love with his character after the breakdown of a previous romance. [Scotsman, 6 Jan 2012]

Eve Myles (Gwen Cooper, Torchwood) is to appear in Zach Braff's new play All New People in the role of Emma, alongside Susannah Fielding as Kim. Premiered in July last year, the play will be performed at the Manchester Opera House from 8-11th February, Glasgow's King’s Theatre from 14-18th February, and then settling in the West End's Duke of York Theatre from 22nd February for a ten-week run. [Broadway, 9 Jan 2012]

Mekhi Phifer (Rex Matheson, Torchwood: Miracle Day) is on Broadway, appearing in drama Stick Fly at the Cort Theatre as a plastic surgeon. The actor said: "I do love being onstage. Even as a kid, I was a performer. Local talent shows, local this and that. When break dancing was out, I break danced. When rapping was the thing, I freestyled rap on the street and battled and all that kind of stuff. I'm a student of the game. I'm never not learning. I've got to be quite honest: I caught the theater bug and I'm all about Broadway right now - It can be scary but you have to have a certain strength and fortitude about yourself." [Associated Press, 9 Jan 2012]

Several prominent guests attended the wedding party of David Tennant and Georgia Moffett which took place on New Year's Eve at the New Globe Theatre in London, including former Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his wife, actors Patrick Stewart and David Morrissey, DJ Christian O'Connell, and QI host Stephen Fry. [Daily Mail, 2 Jan 2012]

Noel Clarke has been cast in Star Trek 2, the sequel to the 2009 Paramount film. Variety report that the actor, who played Micky Smith in Doctor Who, will play a family man with a wife and young daughter in the film which is due for release in May 2013. He will join a small group of actors who have worked on both the Doctor Who and Star Trek franchise.

John and Carole Barrowman's children's book Hollow Earth is due to be released in February. The fantasy adventure takes place in their native Scotland and is inspired by memories of their formulative years; says John: "The island where most of the novel takes place is a real place off the coast of Largs - but we changed the geography and name." [Herald Scotland, 3 Jan 2012]

The actor was also pleased to discover that his show Tonight's The Night has helped facilitate research into Parkinsons Disease; sufferer Bryn Williams was introduced to one of the world's leading experts in the field, Professor Steven Gill - Barrowman's father-in-law - through the show, and together they have now raised over £400,000 in the search for a cure. Barrowman said: "The fact this has grown from a TV show to this major medical fund-raising drive is just incredible. If a cure came from a small chance meeting on a TV show that really would be an incredible legacy for us all." [Scottish Sun, 3 Jan 2012]

Colin Baker, who won this Christmas's Celebrity Come Dine With Me, said of his role in the specials: "It was the scariest, most exhausting but rewarding and challenging thing I have ever done on television. It was a lot of fun and the other diners were great!" [Derbyshire Times, 24 Dec 2011]

The career of Charles Dickens is compared to that of Russell T Davies: Had he been around today, it seems unlikely that Dickens would have been wasting his time on the moribund medium that is the novel; instead, he would have gone where the money is. Perhaps he would have ended up in Hollywood. Perhaps he would have been a Russell T Davies figure, almost singlehandedly reviving the British television drama industry with his endlessly inventive storylines. [Telegraph, 29 Dec 2011]

New Year Honours

In the 2012 New Year Honours, the cinematographer Remi Adefarasin, who was the film cameraman on Terminus and The King's Demons, became an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to television and film. In addition, the actor David Harewood (Joshua Naismith in The End of Time and the voice of President Vallan in Big Finish's Eighth Doctor audio drama Army of Death) was made an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for services to drama, radio presenter David Rodigan, who played Broken Tooth in The Mysterious Planet (the first four episodes of the Trial of a Time Lord season), was made an MBE for services to broadcasting, while entertainer Ronnie Corbett, who portrayed Ambassador "Rani" Ranius in the 2009 Sarah Jane Adventures special for Comic Relief, became a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) for services to entertainment and to charity.

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography

The latest latest online update to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography contains articles on several Doctor Who alumni.

The online dictionary is updated three times a year and the January release always concentrates on the lives of people distinguished or notorious in many aspects British life or with British connections who died four years before publication - in this case, 2008.

Tristram Cary, who composed incidental music for 'The Daleks' and several other stories up until 'The Mutants' is included. His entry is written by another electronic music composer who contributed to Doctor Who, Roger Limb. Other new subjects include Bill Cotton, who was managing director of BBC Television at the time of the eighteen-month suspension of Doctor Who in 1985, with an article written by Michael Grade. Bryan Cowgill, controller of BBC1 in the 1970s is also included. Also included are Elizabeth Spriggs, who was the first performer cast as Chessene in 'The Two Doctors' before finally appearing in Doctor Who in 'Paradise Towers'.

Full access to the new lives is only available to subscribers, including most public libraries in the UK, several in the Republic of Ireland, and academic institutions; but most public libraries with subscriptions now allow library members to use their library cards to access their online resources remotely, including the Oxford DNB; and a selection of the new articles will be available for free on the Oxford DNB website later today.

Tenth Doctor David Tennant has married his long term partner Georgia Moffett at a ceremony in London.

The couple, who became engaged at the start of 2011, tied the knot on Friday evening at an undisclosed location, attended by close family and friends.

Georgia Moffett is the daughter of Fifth Doctor, Peter Davison. She played Jenny in the 2008 story The Doctor's Daughter.

The couple's first child, Olive, was born at the end of March.

David Tennant has recorded the audio version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again, the sequel to the original book/film by Ian Fleming. The actor was chosen by the Fleming family, with his niece saying: "We are thrilled that David agreed to read the audio book. He is such a talented actor and his voice brings Frank Cottrell Boyce's story to life. Chitty could not have been in safer hands with him behind the wheel." Tennant also commented on the accompanying audio interview: "The idea of a flying car is hard to better. I think we would all love to have a car that would take off, escape the traffic and fly you to any country in the world." [BBC News, Press Association, 21 Dec 2011]

Steven Moffat talks about his immediate future with Doctor Who: "I genuinely haven’t got a plan, except I'll probably have to stop at some point or I'll die. And dying would be bad. But my main concern is not so much how long I do it, but that I absolutely, definitely am going to be handing it on to somebody else. I want it to be in great shape, and some day I want somebody else to come in and knock my socks off with what they do with it. You don't want to be the last person in the relay race, do you?" [The Scotsman, 20 Dec 2011]

Bill Bailey reflects on watching Doctor Who as a child: "My grandparents lived with us, and I remember watching Doctor Who with my granddad on his new telly. These were the days before remote controls but my granddad, being quite a resourceful sort of chap, had fashioned his own remote control – which was a length of bamboo pole with a bit of cork that he’d glued on the end." [Telegraph, 22 Dec 2011]

Alexander Armstrong cites Matt Smith as his (now) favourite Doctor: "He has such tremendous charisma, he has such an extraordinary face and voice and his manner ... everything about him, I think. He's perfect, spot on!" [Telegraph, 23 Dec 2011]

On being asked if she'd like to be in Doctor Who, actress Helen Mirren commented: "I would like to play the new female Doctor Who. I don’t want to just be his sidekick." [Daily Star, 20 Dec 2011]

The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe

The guest stars give their views on being in the festive adventure:

Arabella Weir: "I was genuinely surprised and completely thrilled. I must confess, though, that this is not because I’ve been a Doctor Who fan since childhood. I don’t subscribe to the Doctor Who magazine and we’ve only got the normal amount of Doctor Who fridge magnets. That said, I do love the show - my kids and I have watched it religiously since its return. And I did watch it as a child, completely terrified out of my wits, accompanied by my braver, older brothers who marvelled at the horrifying monsters while I cowered in the corner of the sofa, occasionally peeping over the top of a cushion. The real reason I was thrilled was because it’s such a fantastic show, brilliantly written and produced, and here they were, wanting me to be part of it! I instantly said yes, without even reading the script. When I did finally read it, I got even more excited since it turned out I was to play an alien from the future alongside Bill Bailey and would get to wear a proper, full-on, metal-with-flashing-lights alien outfit and hold a shiny gun!" [Telegraph, 22 Dec 2011]

Alexander Armstrong: "I'm acting with Claire Skinner in a little World War II setting - it's a very sweet Christmas story, very nice, very touching, very stirring - very exciting indeed! I'm really pleased to have got in, particularly while Steven (Moffat)'s in his pomp. It's a sort of 'purple patch' of Doctor Who and it's lovely to be right in there!" [Digital Spy, 22 Dec 2011]

Bill Bailey: "When I arrived at the set, it was quite breathtaking ... this beautiful forest, decked out in snow – it looked amazing. And then us as forest space farmers clanging around, it was such fun. It was a juxtaposition of all that is the essence of Doctor Who for me." [Telegraph, 22 Dec 2011]

Steven Moffat was a guest (alongside Matt Smith!) this afternoon on BBC Radio 5 Live's Richard Bacon Show, during which the question of the potential "reboot" film being made came up; he responded:
The complete interview with Matt and Steven - which covers the first hour of the programme - can be heard on the BBC iPlayer for the next seven days.

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Meanwhile, the Express suggests that David Tennant is set to return to the role of the Doctor for the movie:

David Tennant is to narrate an hour long show dedicated to everybody's favourite ogre; Shrek: Once Upon A Time will see the actor reveal how "an ogre with a Scottish accent single-handedly changed the face of animation". The show will be broadcast on BBC3 on 23rd December and repeated on the 29th. [Teen Now, 13 Dec 2011]

John Barrowman is urging people to carry a donor card - the actor is one of a number of celebrities backing the For Cole campaign: "Get signed up and save a life. Everyone should be on it. I've carried a donor card for years. It's so easy to do now online or even by text." [Scottish Sun, 14 Dec 2011]

The actor also revealed that his favourite Christmas movie is 2003's Elf. [Digital Spy via YouTube, 13 Dec 2011]

Simon Callow (Charles Dickens, The Unquiet Dead/The Wedding of River Song) will be performing excerpts from his new book Charles Dickens and the Great Theatre of the World in Portsmouth on Tuesday 7th February 2012 - exactly 200 years after the birth of the author in the self-same city. The performance takes place at the New Theatre Royal, which has previously staged semi-professional productions of Fury From The Deep, The Evil of the Daleks, and The Dalek Masterplan (based on The Daleks' Master Plan). [reported by John Bowman, 12 Dec 2011]

Neil Gaiman (writer, The Doctor's Wife is to appear on BBC America's Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!: Royal Pain in the News, which will be broadcast on 23rd December. The writer also reveals his favourite moments from the last series of Doctor Who during a behind-the-scenes video. [BBC America, 13 Dec 2011]

Naomi Alderman (writer, Borrowed Time) talks about the Doctor and the influence of religion: "In fact, there has been some portrayal of actual religion, including a positive portrayal of Buddhism in Planet of the Spiders. But I suspect that the answer is that the UK is a fundamentally not-very-religious country, and that Doctor Who accurately represents our suspicions and our non-confrontational but deep-rooted agnosticism. To go back in history and have the Doctor ‘prove’ that Moses, Jesus and Mohammed didn’t exist would clearly be offensive and far too confrontational for British people. But to have him meet the ‘prophet’ or ‘god’ of an imaginary civilization and find that they are either misguided or plain manipulative I think is a way of saying what - dare I say it? - most British people quietly think about religion: that it’s fine as long as it’s comforting, but shouldn’t be taken too seriously or followed blindly. The Doctor is an atheist hero." [Jewish Journal, 13 Dec 2011]

The much acclaimed London production of William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, starring David Tennant and Catherine Tate is now available to stream or download from Digital Theatre.

The production, which ran to full houses at Wyndham's Theatre in the West End, breaking all previous Box Office records for the theatre, was directed by Josie Rourke and saw David Tennant play Benedict with Catherine Tate as Beatrice.

48 hour rental costs £5.99, or you can download the play for £8.99 (£10.99 HD)

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Simon Callow, who played Charles Dickens in The Unquiet Dead and The Wedding of River Song, will be performing excerpts from his new book Charles Dickens and the Great Theatre of the World in Portsmouth on Tuesday 7th February 2012 - exactly 200 years after the birth of the author in the self-same city.

The performance takes place at the New Theatre Royal, which has previously staged semi-professional productions of Fury From The Deep, The Evil of the Daleks, and The Dalek Masterplan (based on The Daleks' Master Plan).

Arthur Darvill has contributed to Amnesty International's Write for Rights campaign, asking people to write on behalf of a group of activists called WOZA (Women of Zimbabwe Arise) who protest on various issues in the country and are regularly met with violence and police brutality.

For full details see the Amnesty International website.

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What's On Stage have announced the nominations for their 2012 Awards, in which a number of related names from Doctor Who appear. David Tennant is up for the Best Actor in a Play award for Much Ado About Nothing, and his pairing with Catherine Tate has also made the Theatre Event of the Year list; Tate has also been nominated for Best Supporting Actress alongside Mark Gatiss for Best Supporting Actor reflecting their roles in Season’s Greetings. Arthur Darvill is also nominated for the latter award for his role in Dr Faustus. Others include Simon Callow (Jo Hutchison Best Solo Performance for Being Shakespeare), Sheridan Smith (Best Supporting Actress in a Play for Flare Path), Sarah Lancashire (Baby Grand Best Actress in a Musical for Betty Blue Eyes), Tamsin Greig (Best Actress in a Play for Jumpy) and James Corden (Best Actor in a Play for One Man, Two Guvnors). [What's On Stage, 1 Dec 2011]

Noel Clarke (Mickey Smith) has been awarded an doctorate by the University of East London; the actor/writer/director received a Doctor of Arts at a ceremony at the O2. Clarke said: "This is an amazing feeling, it’s such a great honour to receive this award. I love doing what I do and to get an honour for that seems strange, but I'm also very thankful. My advice to students, young people and anyone else who has a dream is to follow your instincts and to always give 100 per cent." You can watch him receive his award via the university's YouTube channel. [Fulham and Hammersmith Chronicle, 30 Nov 2011]

Karen Gillan spoke about where she'd like to settle down: "I want to live in splendid isolation when I’m 40 and then come back to acting when I want. I will live in Drumnadrochit (by Loch Ness), which is the weirdest name ever but is the most beautiful place." [Deadline News, 1 Dec 2011]

Tracy-Ann Oberman (Yvonne Hartman, Army of Ghosts/Doomsday) is to host a new soap opera themed quiz show for BBC Radio 2. Suds Law will see a mixture of soap stars and comedians battle it out over games and rounds based upon the characters, storylines and cliches that make the soaps popular. The first episode will be recorded on the 11th December, with tickets available from the BBC Tickets Website. [BBC Audience, 1 Dec 2011]

Children's presenter Ed Petrie talks about what he'd like to do in the future: "I have always wanted to be in 'Doctor Who', I know quite a few CBBC presenters who have appeared on the programme and I’m hoping that one day my chance might come. I’m such a fan – I’ve seen every single episode. If anyone should be on it, it should be me. I would make a brilliant Doctor Who." [BH Beat, 29 Nov 2011]

Matt Smith, Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill will be signing copies of The Complete Series Six Boxed Set at HMV at the Westfield Shopping Centre, Stratford, London on Monday 21st November; the signing takes place from 1:30pm and entry will be by wristband for the first 250 people applying from when the shop opens at 8:30am. The stars will also take part in a Q&A session with former Radio 1 presenter and fan Jo Whiley in the Gallery Area from 4:00pm. [BBC Worldwide/2Entertain]

David Tennant and Karen Gillan will be among those who will have their portraits displayed at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh when it re-opens to the public on 1st December. The "Hot Scots" collection will also feature other notable Scottish names including Sean Connery, James McAvoy, Gerard Butler and singer Paolo Nutini. [Herald Scotland, 17 Nov 2011]

Karen Gillan will also be presenting the award for Design at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards this coming Sunday. [Standard, 18 Nov 2011]

Eve Myles is interviewed in Saturday's Western Mail magazine, in which she also talks about why she left Hollywood to return to Wales: "I came back from LA specifically to do Baker Boys. I made a commitment when I did the first series and I followed it through. It’s got a cracking cast and superb director in Gareth Bryn. In the first series I was playing someone who had an easy time of it, but series two is about Sarah’s struggle and it’s been a joy to play" [Wales Online, 18 Nov 2011]

Bernard Cribbins has lent his support to a campaign to help residents in Surrey that are suffering from fuel 'poverty': "This is a simple but very effective idea and am delighted to be supporting it. With the help of the Community Foundation, the money raised will quickly find its way to those needing help with their winter bills this year." [Epsom Guardian, 15 Nov 2011]

Simon Pegg (The Editor, The Long Game) responded to comments about him possibly playing the Doctor in the proposed movie: "Why is everyone speculating about who should play the Doctor in the Doctor Who movie? Matt Smith is the Doctor, he should play him!! It's nice to be thought of but I do not want the part and would not accept if it were offered to me. I did my Who time and I died. The end." [Simon Pegg, via Twitter, 16 Nov 2011]

Mark Sheppard talks about the development of his character Canton: "I think I read an article where [Steven Moffat said] he was under some pressure to create a gay character who wasn't mincing around the screen. I mean, no disrespect to Captain Jack or anyone else at all, I'm being extreme in my stereotype, but I'm saying to have a character where being gay wasn't the singular identifier of the character, where the primary focus of the character is not what he's doing about being gay. ... A kid came up to me in a convention and said 'you know, Canton is the second-smartest man in the room', and I said 'really, why is that?' He said 'because he realises that the doctor is the smartest man in the room' - and I always thought was a very good way to put it." [Stuff, 15 Nov 2011]

Writer and long-term Doctor Who fan Naomi Alderman was interviewed about her novel, Borrowed Time, and when asked about the lack of Jewish and women writers for the series responded: "Hah! Actually, one of my favorite stories, The Masque of Mandragora, was written by a Jewish academic, Louis Marks. And Doctor Who was partly created by Verity Lambert, an inspirational feminist TV producer. I think you have to not choke yourself really, especially when creating. After five minutes of going, 'Hmm, not many people like me have done this,' you have to put it out of your mind and just do the best job you can." [Jewish Daily Forward, 16 Nov 2011]

Colin Baker will be a guest on a popular cookery show during the festive period: "I am allowed to tell you this and no more - Celebrity Come Dine with Me over Christmas. Watch yours truly cooking and eating - ad nauseam" [Colin Baker via Twitter, 14 Nov 2011]

David Tennant continues to film Nativity 2 with the actor spotted on location at Llanrhaeadr Waterfall, where a scene with him and co-star Marc Wooton involving a donkey didn't turn out so well ... [Powys County Times, 11 Nov 2011]

Freema Agyeman (Martha Jones) thinks it is possible to appear for the 50th Anniversary: "I’ve just heard rumblings and my agent was talking about it because there's a tight-knit of us. In terms of working with David and with Karen, we've all got the same sort of circle really, so a mention of things but nothing's really been in set in stone. But if they want to do a big group thing, I can't really envisage anybody in the Who family saying no because it's quite a marked occasion and a good opportunity to rekindle. For the fans, it's exciting for them as well and everyone gets together." [Independent, 14 Nov 2011]

On the other hand Eve Myles (Gwen Cooper) thinks otherwise: "I wouldn't have thought so. We have lots of adult themes running in Torchwood and I think it would be inappropriate for us to have anything to do with Doctor Who because it’s predominantly a family programme. I think that where Torchwood is, it deals with darker subjects and I think inter-mixing them, if they want to do that, then fine but I can tell you that I'm not involved in it – they won’t give me guns or a bazooka." [Independent, 8 Nov 2011]

Camille Coduri (Jackie Tyler) also talks about her likelihood of ever coming back to the series: "I think that's done now. We’ve been back to say goodbye at least twice. You have to leave it in the past sometime really. And we left five years ago really, so it's quite a long time. People have moved on. If anyone asked me, of course I would, brilliant. It would be a great story to go back, but I think it's done and I think we need to leave it where it is, really." [Gay Times]

Peter Kay (Abzorbaloff, Love & Monsters) regrets playing an alien as part of his career: "I loved making it but when I saw it, I thought, 'Oh my God. I'm big green lizard running around Cardiff? Is that it?' It's nice to have been in Doctor Who but that is regarded by fans as the worst episode ever. In 10 years' time, I'll be able to do the Doctor Who conventions and charge people a tenner for a photo!" [Express, 13 Nov 2011]

Bill Pullman (Danes, Miracle Day) will be performing excerpts from "The Healing Wars", a project he has developed with his wife, on the 8th December in Denver as part of a benefit for Visionbox, a professional actors training studio he conceived in 2010. [Denver Post, 13 Nov 2011]