New Audio Titles in October

Tuesday, 15 September 2009 - Reported by Marcus

Four new Doctor Who and Sarah Jane audio titles are to be released by BBC Audio in the UK on 8th October.

The Day of the Troll is a Doctor Who adventure read by David Tennant. It is the second in a series of audio exclusive stories, following the release of Pest Control in May.
The Dead Shoes is the second in the Hornets' Nest series starring Tom Baker and Richard Franklin. What is so special about a pair of ballet shoes on display in Cromer’s Palace of Curios? When the Doctor meets Ernestina Scott there in 1932, they discover the horrific truth together.
The Shadow People is a Sarah Jane Adventures audio book read by Elisabeth Sladen.
The White Wolf is a Sarah Jane Adventures audio book read by Elisabeth Sladen.

The third part of Hornets' Nest will be released in November, not in October as indicated in a previous press release.

The Circus of Doom is the third in the Hornets' Nest series. In Blandford, 1832, ringmaster Antonio exerts a strange influence on the townsfolk. When the Doctor steps into the ring, he discovers that Antonio has some familiar demons of his own.

FILTER: - Audio - Tom Baker - David Tennant - Sarah Jane

News from DWM

Wednesday, 22 July 2009 - Reported by Marcus

Issue 411 of Doctor Who Magazine reveals that K9 veteran, John Leeson, will once more voice the robot dog in the upcoming series of adventures produced in Australia. Not only will Leeson voice the original character in the opening episode, he will also voice the redesigned model throughout the 26-episode series. The programme is due for transmission in Australia in the spring of 2010.

The magazine features more details of the return of Tom Baker to the role of the Doctor, as the veteran actor gives a rare interview explaining his decision to return to the character after nearly thirty years. Baker has recorded a series of five audio plays, under the banner Hornets' Nest, for BBC Audio. He plays the Fourth Doctor, alongside Richard Franklin who returns to the character of Captain Mike Yates, a character he first played in the television series in the early '70s. The first story will be available as a CD or download from 3rd September.

DWM is out now across the United Kingdom.

FILTER: - Tom Baker - Magazines - DWM - K9

Baker anecdote family sought

Tuesday, 24 March 2009 - Reported by Anthony Weight

The Lancashire Evening Post reports that writer Simon Farquhar is looking for the family at the centre of one of Fourth Doctor Tom Baker's most famous tales about his time in Doctor Who.

In his 1997 autobiography and elsewhere, Baker has related how he was so concerned about the possible effect on children of the 1976 serial The Deadly Assassin that while travelling home from a publicity event in the town of Blackpool, he stopped off in the town of Preston to find somewhere he could watch the episode. Seeing some children's bikes in the garden of a house, he knocked on their door, asked if they were Doctor Who viewers and was invited in to watch the programme with the children.

Now Farquhar is reportedly researching the incident for a BBC drama about it, provisionally titled Teatime with Tom Baker. If you are the family or know who they might be, contact details for how to get in touch with Farquhar are given in the article.

FILTER: - Tom Baker - Press

Tom Baker, Continuity Announcer

Saturday, 12 November 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

Tom Baker will make his debut as a continuity announcer on BBC1 this coming Thursday evening, 17 November, according to a report by the UK Press Association. As a one-off to mark the return of comedy series "Little Britain" that night, of which he is the narrator, Baker will introduce shows between 7pm and 9.30pm to viewers, using off-the-wall announcements penned by "Little Britain" creators Matt Lucas and David Walliams, rather than the more formal introductions usually favoured by the BBC. Says a BBC spokesperson, "We've gone for a change with Tom Baker because it's such a special line-up." It is believed to be the first time a celebrity has been used as a continuity announcer by the BBC, and Baker will presumably be making the programme introductions off-screen as do the usual announcers. According to the Press Association report, he will start by introducing "The Great Big Bid" as part of the lead-up to the following evening's "Children In Need" (which of course has a Doctor Who component). Among his introductions will be such sayings as "but first it's time for the Great Big Bid. Oh mah sweet potatoes!" and "let's see what the poor people are up to in the first of two visits this evening to the EastEnder".

Update: Also covered in the press at BBC News, The Observer. (Thanks to John Bowman)

FILTER: - Tom Baker

Tom Baker: Favorite Doc

Sunday, 13 March 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

Tom Baker has been named BritainÆs favorite Doctor, in a poll honoring the new series sponsored by SFX. The poll put Peter Davison in second place, followed by Jon Pertwee, Sylvester McCoy, Patrick Troughton, William Hartnell, Colin Baker and, in last place, Paul McGann. SFX editor Dave Golder said Christopher Eccleston, the time traveller in the new BBC1 series, would have a hard act to follow. "The ninth doctor will have to be pretty amazing to topple Tom Baker from his perch as the quintessential Dr Who. There arenÆt many children from the Seventies who canÆt clearly remember peering out from behind the sofa to see Dr Who with his hat, scarf, jelly babies and that wild curly hair." The story has been picked up in such periodicals as the Sun and the Guardian as of March 14.

FILTER: - Tom Baker - Press

Tom Turns On The Magic

Wednesday, 9 February 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

Today's Liverpool Echo ran a story about Tom Baker, who is said to be facing a challenge in the film version of The Magic Roundabout. Tom was given a part in the movie, due at the end of the week, thanks to his disctinctive voice. "Tom has such a huge, mellifluous fun voice. He can play the camp villain absolutely magnificently, and that's what he"s done," says director Cameron McCracken. Baker waxes on the role: "I mostly earn my living on my voice now, because I haven't got the force in my legs to run anymore, even when I'm being pursued in Waitrose where I am a sex symbol for lecherous old upper class ladies of about 85." (Thanks to Paul Engelberg)

FILTER: - Tom Baker

Baker Gives Money

Friday, 14 January 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

From this week's UK "Popbitch" gossip zine: "Popbitch favourite Tom Baker was spotted on Beak St, Soho last weekend. A young man went up to him and asked for his autograph. Baker noticed the chap was carrying a textbook and said, "You're a student aren't you?" "Yes," replied the chap. "Ah, you have my deepest condolences," replied Tom, who then grabbed the book and slipped a ten pound note inside.

FILTER: - Tom Baker

Tom Baker's Comet

Tuesday, 14 December 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

According to Retail Week, the retailer Comet has hired the unmistakable voice of Tom Baker to present its "surprising gifts at predictably low prices."

FILTER: - Tom Baker

Complete Fourth Doctor Vol 2

Monday, 1 November 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

The second volume of Doctor Who Magazine's The Complete Fourth Doctor has now been released. The issue complements Volume One released in September, completing a look at the Tom Baker years by examining seasons Sixteen, Seventeen and Eighteen. The cover illustration is at right.

FILTER: - Tom Baker - Magazines