Competitions Update

Thursday, 27 June 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Here is an update on current competitions available from Doctor Who News.

Big Finish: Council of War
Closing Date: 30th June

To be in with a chance to win one of five copies of Council of War courtesy of Big Finish, please answer the following question:

John Levene has been long associated with the role of Benton, but name his only credited monstrous role and relevant story from the television series.

Send your answer to comp-council@doctorwhonews.net with the subject line "beneath the mask", along with your name, address, and where you saw the competition (the news website, twitter, facebook, etc.). Only one entry per postal address will be accepted. The competition is open worldwide, and the closing date is 30th June 2013.

AudioGo: Shockwave
Closing Date: 4th July

To be in with a chance to win one of three copies of Shockwave courtesy of AudioGo, please answer the following question:

Ace's adventures with the Doctor can continue indefinitely in media, but what did she eventually become involved in, according to The Sarah Jane Adventures?

Send your answer to comp-shockwave@doctorwhonews.net with the subject line "nitro-9", along with your name, address, and where you saw the competition (the news website, twitter, facebook, etc.). Only one entry per postal address will be accepted. The competition is open worldwide, and the closing date is 4th July 2013.

AudioGo: Doctor Who and The Leisure Hive
Closing Date: 4th July

To be in with a chance to win one of three copies of Doctor Who and The Leisure Hive courtesy of AudioGo, please answer the following question:

In the broadcast version of the story, what 'special tactic' was employed by the production team in order to assist K-9's travels across the pebbly beach in Brighton?

Send your answer to comp-leisure@doctorwhonews.net with the subject line "hover mode not engaged!", along with your name, address, and where you saw the competition (the news website, twitter, facebook, etc.). Only one entry per postal address will be accepted. The competition is open worldwide, and the closing date is 4th July 2013.

AudioGo: Shroud of Sorrow
Closing Date: 4th July

To be in with a chance to win one of three copies of Shroud of Sorrow courtesy of AudioGo, please answer the following question:

What is the significance of the name "PC Reg Cranfield", as mentioned in the novel's publicity?

Send your answer to comp-shroud@doctorwhonews.net with the subject line "'ello 'ello 'ello", along with your name, address, and where you saw the competition (the news website, twitter, facebook, etc.). Only one entry per postal address will be accepted. The competition is open worldwide, and the closing date is 4th July 2013.

Other Competitions:

If you're in the mood for more Doctor Who Competitions, you could also visit the following: win Doctor Who: Regeneration from Doctor Who Online; win Doctor Who: Series 7 Part 2 (and other DVDs) from Cultbox; win Spearhead from Space on Blu-ray from Eye of Horus; win the Aaru Movies on Blu-ray from Mature Times; and win tickets to see Remembrance of the Daleks on the big screen from the BFI.

FILTER: - Competitions

Big Finish: June Releases

Saturday, 15 June 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Big Finish have released details on the latest adventures for the Doctor and his companions in June ...

Prisoners of Fate (available to order)
Starring Peter Davison as The Doctor, Janet Fielding as Tegan, Mark Strickson as Turlough, and Sarah Sutton as Nyssa.

Twenty-five years ago, with Richter's Syndrome running rampant throughout the galaxy, the brilliant biochemist Nyssa, formerly of Traken, bade a painful farewell to her young family... and set off into the space, in search of a cure for this deadly disease.

She never returned.

Now, her grown-up son continues her work on the penal colony of Valderon, still desperate to make the breakthrough that eluded his presumed-dead mother.

So when the TARDIS lands on Valderon, bringing the Doctor, Tegan, Turlough and Nyssa to its fortress prison, the scene is set for a painful reunion... but not only for Nyssa. The Doctor's past is about to catch up with him too...

Prisoners of Fate ends the current trilogy of Fifth Doctor adventures with a twisty tale from the pen of Jonathan Morris as the Doctor, Tegan, Turlough and Nyssa are forced to confront head-on the consequences of Nyssa's travels in the TARDIS since Helheim, begun in Doctor Who: Cobwebs. The story guest stars Sarah Douglas (Superman, V) as Sibor and Alistair Mackenzie (Monarch of the Glen, Borgen) as Galen.

Producer David Richardson commented:

This story presents a huge dilemma for Nyssa, and there are no easy answers for the Doctor. Plus we get to meet something significant from the Doctorls past we never knew about before...

The Companion Chronicles: Council of War (Credit: Big Finish)

Council of War (available to order)
Starring John Levene as Benton, with Sinead Keenan as Margery Phipps

At the Doctor's request, Sergeant Benton is investigating ghosts and missing people in Kettering, while undercover as a local councillor

And that's how he comes to meet Margery Phipps.

An alien incursion in the town hall leads them on a journey to a terrible future – where Margery discovers how she changed a world, and the life of a whole civilisation hangs in the balance...

Council of War, by Scarifyers creators Simon Barnard and Paul Morris, Sergeant Benton finds an undercover job taking on a life of its own when he gets involved in the life of Margery Phipps and the affairs of Kettering.

David:

Yes, John Levene has joined The Companion Chronicles. It's great to have him aboard – ably supported here by the brilliant Sinead Keenan (Nina from Being Human).

Fourth Doctor Adventures: The Dalek Contract (Credit: Big Finish)

The Dalek Contract (available to order)
Starring Tom Baker as the Doctor, Mary Tamm as Romana, and John Leeson as K9

'These creatures have ravaged half the cosmos. They're experts at this kind of thing. Nothing can stand in their way.'

The Doctor and Romana find themselves in the Proxima System, where enigmatic Conglomerate CEO Cuthbert has been conducting his infamous 'experiment'. An experiment which might accidentally rip the universe apart.

Meanwhile, living conditions on Proxima Major have become harsh and hostile. Climate change has turned the landscape into a freezing wasteland and an alien power has condemned much of the population to life inside internment camps. For those still clinging to their freedom, the struggle for survival is now beyond desperate and outsiders such as the Doctor and Romana are only seen as a threat.

What is Cuthbert really up to in the Proxima System, and just how does he expect the dreaded Daleks to fit into his plan?

David:

A few firsts in this one. It's the first Romana's only meeting with the Daleks. It's K9's first fight against the Daleks (at least in a full cast medium). And it's also the return of David Warner as Cuthbert and Toby Hadoke as Mr Dorrick, as we head for a big season finale with high stakes...

Competition:

This month's competition thanks to Big Finish is to win one of five copies of Council of War. To be in with a chance, please answer the following question:

John Levene has been long associated with the role of Benton, but name his only credited monstrous role and relevant story from the television series.

FILTER: - Merchandise - Audio - Competitions - Fourth Doctor - Fifth Doctor - Big Finish

Competitions Update

Saturday, 25 May 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Here is an update on the current competitions running from Doctor Who News.

Studio Canal: The Dalek Movies
Closing Date: 27th May 2013

In Dr Who and The Daleks, what is Ian Chesterton's lucky number?

Please send the answer to the question to comp-movies@doctorwhonews.net with the subject line "Thal play!", along with your name, postal address, and where you saw the competition mentioned (the news website, facebook, twitter, etc.). Only one entry will be accepted per postal address. This competition is only open to UK residents.

Big Finish: The Apocalypse Mirror
Closing Date: 31st May

As well as Doctor Who, Frazer Hines and Wendy Padbury also appeared together in Emmerdale Farm - what were their character names?

Please send the answer to the question to comp-apocalypse@doctorwhonews.net with the subject line "Beckindale re-union", along with your name, postal address, and where you saw the competition mentioned (the news website, facebook, twitter, etc.). Only one entry will be accepted per postal address. This competition is open worldwide.

AudioGo: Trouble in Paradise
Closing Date: 4th June

The Doctor's arrival on sailing ships often leads to trouble: what was the name of the first such vessel in the series to suffer from such an encounter?

Please send the answer to the question to comp-paradise@doctorwhonews.net with the subject line "Below Decks", along with your name, postal address, and where you saw the competition mentioned (the news website, facebook, twitter, etc.). Only one entry will be accepted per postal address. This competition is open worldwide.

AudioGo: Doctor Who and The Planet of The Daleks
Closing Date: 4th June

Planet of the Daleks is often loosely described as the second part of a longer story: name the novelisation of the preceding adventure.

Please send the answer to the question to comp-potd@doctorwhonews.net with the subject line "I've Got The Power!", along with your name, postal address, and where you saw the competition mentioned (the news website, facebook, twitter, etc.). Only one entry will be accepted per postal address. This competition is open worldwide.

AudioGo: The Dalek Generation
Closing Date: 4th June

In recent years Nicholas Briggs has become the de-facto voice of several monsters in Doctor Who: name his original vocal 're-creation' for the series.

Please send the answer to the question to comp-generation@doctorwhonews.net with the subject line "Benevolate!", along with your name, postal address, and where you saw the competition mentioned (the news website, facebook, twitter, etc.). Only one entry will be accepted per postal address. This competition is open worldwide.

AudioGo: Harvest of Time
Closing Date: 4th June

The Harvest of Time features the Master as originally portrayed by Roger Delgado; this CD is narrated by a future Master, Geoffrey Beevers - in which story did he feature as the Doctor's old adversary?

Please send the answer to the question to comp-harvest@doctorwhonews.net with the subject line "Don't touch any seaweed...", along with your name, postal address, and where you saw the competition mentioned (the news website, facebook, twitter, etc.). Only one entry will be accepted per postal address. This competition is open worldwide.

FILTER: - Competitions

Doctor Who: The Dalek Films

Saturday, 11 May 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster

As part of the celebration of the two Peter Cushing movies, Dr Who and The Daleks and Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150AD being released in high-definition on Blu-ray on the 27th May, Studio Canal have arranged a number of presentations of the films on the big screen in the United Kingdom, in association with the Independent Cinema Office.

11th May	1:00pm	Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150AD	Edinburgh Filmhouse
11th May	1:30pm	Dr Who and The Daleks	Chichester Cinema
11th May	2:00pm	Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150AD	Curzon Community Cinema, Clevedon
12th May	2:00pm	Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150AD	Curzon Community Cinema, Clevedon
12th May	1:00pm	Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150AD	Edinburgh Filmhouse
12th May	1:00pm	Dr Who and The Daleks	Exeter Picturehouse
14th May		Dr Who and The Daleks	City Screen York
14th May		Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150AD	City Screen York
16th May	1:00pm	Dr Who and The Daleks	Exeter Picturehouse (Silver Screen showing)
18th May	2:00pm	Dr Who and the Daleks	Electric Picture House, Wotton-under-Edge
19th May	2:00pm	Dr Who and the Daleks	Electric Picture House, Wotton-under-Edge
19th May	1:00pm	Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150AD	Harbour Lights Picturehouse, Southampton
23rd May	1:00pm	Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150AD	Harbour Lights Picturehouse, Southampton (Silver Screen showing)
26th May	3:00pm	Doctor Who and the Daleks	Aldeburgh Cinema
26th May	1:00pm	Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150AD	Arts Picturehouse, Cambridge
26th May	2:00pm	Dr Who and The Daleks	Riverside Studios, London (DWAS)
26th May	3:50pm	Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150AD	Riverside Studios, London (DWAS)
27th May	1:00pm	Dr Who and The Daleks	Arts Picturehouse, Cambridge
27th May		Dr Who and The Daleks	Mareel, Lerwick
28th May		Dr Who and The Daleks	Mareel, Lerwick
2nd June	3:00pm	Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150AD	Aldeburgh Cinema
2nd June	1:00pm	Dr Who and The Daleks	Harbour Lights Picturehouse, Southampton
6th June	1:00pm	Dr Who and The Daleks	Harbour Lights Picturehouse, Southampton (Silver Screen showing)
15th June		Dr Who and The Daleks	Eden Court Theatre, Inverness
15th June		Daleks's Invasion Earth 2150AD	Eden Court Theatre, Inverness
16th June		Dr Who and The Daleks	Eden Court Theatre, Inverness
16th June		Daleks's Invasion Earth 2150AD	Eden Court Theatre, Inverness
7th July	2:45pm	Dr Who and The Daleks	Little Theatre Cinema, Bath
19th July	9:45pm	Dr Who and The Daleks	Barn Cinema, Totnes
20th July		Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150AD	Barn Cinema, Totnes (Outdoor Cinema)
20th July	9:45pm	Dr Who and The Daleks	Barn Cinema, Totnes
20th July	9:45pm	Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150AD	Barn Cinema, Totnes (Outdoor Cinema)
11th August		Dr Who and The Daleks	Derby QUAD (Fantastiq Festival)
11th August		Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150AD	Derby QUAD (Fantastiq Festival)
16th August		Dr Who and The Daleks	Number 8 Community and Arts Centre, Pershore

The two films have been digitally remastered and repackaged for both DVD and Blu-ray, with both released individual and as a limited collectors edition of the two together.

DR WHO AND THE DALEKS
Directed by Gordon Flemyng
With Peter Cushing, Roy Castle, Jennie Linden, Roberta Tovey

Dr Who and The Daleks (Digitally Remastered) (Credit: Studio Canal)

Directed by Gordon Flemyng and now fully restored, DR. WHO & THE DALEKS (1965) was the first big screen film adaptation of British TV's most iconic sci-fi hero, and the first time Doctor Who was ever seen in colour.

British film legend Peter Cushing plays everyone's favourite Timelord, and having invented the TARDIS, a strange machine capable of travelling into other dimensions, the Doctor and his three young companions set forth on a quest through time and space. Their journey takes them into the dark, undiscovered depths of the universe and to the planet of Skaro. A primitive world devastated by nuclear war and populated by two warring species, a peaceful tribe known as Thals and a life form heavily mutated by radiation, encased in protective machines. A merciless force of destruction known as The Daleks

Extras: Audio Commentary with Roberta Tovey and Jenny Linden / Dalekmania / Restoring Dr. Who And The Daleks (new) / Interview With Gareth Owen (new) / Stills Gallery / Trailer

DVD Tech Specs: Cert: U / Region 2 / Total Running Time: approx. 79 min / Colour / Feature Aspect Ratio:
2.35:1 / Feature Audio: Mono 2.0 / English Language / Catalogue No: OPTD2529
Blu+ray Tech Specs: Cert: U / Region B / Total Running Time: approx. 82 min / Colour / Feature Aspect Ratio:
2.35:1 / Feature Audio: Mono 2.0 LPCM / English Language / Catalogue No: OPTBD2529

DALEKS' INVASION EARTH 2150A.D.
Directed by Gordon Flemyng
With Peter Cushing, Bernard Cribbins, Roberta Tovey and Jill Curzon

Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 AD (Digitally Remastered) (Credit: Studio Canal)

Directed by Gordon Flemyng and now fully restored, DALEKS' INVASION EARTH 2150 A.D. (1966) stars Peter Cushing in his return to the big screen as British TV's most iconic sci-fi hero, Doctor Who.

The earth of 2150 AD is a desolate and hostile ruin of a planet, crumbling at the edge of civilisation, slowly disappearing into the darkness of space. For the future of planet earth now belongs The Daleks, a destructive arm of alien invaders who have turned the human race into cowering slaves. Meanwhile deep within the London Underground a group of resistance freedom fighters are planning an attack. But there's only one man who could possibly help them succeed in destroying their extra terrestrial enemies and take back control of planet earth. A man of mystery, a man of time and space, a man known only as. The Doctor.

Extras: Restoring Daleks. Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. (new) / Interview with Bernard Cribbins (new)/ Interview with Gareth Owen (new)/ Stills Gallery / Trailer

DVD Tech Specs: Cert: U / Region 2 / Total Running Time: approx. 80 min / Colour / Feature Aspect Ratio:
2.35:1 / Feature Audio: Mono 2.0 / English Language / Catalogue No: OPTD2530
Blu+ray Tech Specs: Cert: U / Region B / Total Running Time: approx. 84 min / Colour / Feature Aspect Ratio:
2.35:1 / Feature Audio: Mono 2.0 LPCM / English Language / Catalogue No: OPTBD2530

Competition:

Thanks to Studio Canal we have three copies of the boxed set for readers in the United Kingdom to win. To be in with a chance, simply answer this question:

In Dr Who and The Daleks, what is Ian Chesterton's lucky number?

Please send your answer along with your name, address and where you saw the competition to comp-movies@doctorwhonews.net with the subject line "Thal play!". Only one answer per household can be accepted. Please note that this competition is only open to UK residents only, and closes on 26th May 2013.

FILTER: - Movies - Competitions - Blu-ray/DVD

Big Finish: May update

Friday, 10 May 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Big Finish have released details on the latest adventures for the Doctor and his companions in May ...

The Lady of Mercia (available to order)
Starring Peter Davison as The Doctor, Janet Fielding as Tegan, Mark Strickson as Turlough, and Sarah Sutton as Nyssa.

The TARDIS brings the Doctor, Tegan, Turlough and Nyssa to the University of Frodsham, close to where the warrior queen Æthelfrid fought a desperate and bloody rearguard action against the savage Danes. Over a thousand years later, in 1983, battle is still being raged, with student activists taking on savage funding cuts… and disrupting a conference about Æthelfrid convened by history professor John Bleak.

Meanwhile, over in the Physics Department, Dr Philippa Stone is working night and day on a top-secret project – but can her theoretical time machine really be the solution to the university's problems?

Present and past are about to collide – and the results, as the TARDIS crew is about to discover, will be far from academic!

Producer David Richardson says:

For me, personally, there’s something very special about this TARDIS team. They are just such clearly defined characters with an interesting dynamic. And this story proves that even the Dark Ages aren’t read for Tegan Jovanka...

The Companion Chronicles: The Apocalypse Mirror (Credit: Big Finish)

The Apocalypse Mirror (available to order)
Starring Frazer Hines and Wendy Padbury

The TARDIS lands in the city of Tromesis on Earth – but it’s a world far from the one that the Doctor, Jamie and Zoe recognize.

The buildings are ruined, the streets deserted. And against the devastation they see a ghostly mirror image of another place – the city as it was before disaster hit.

People vanish here, and huge metal birds attack from the sky.

Can the Doctor find the future, in a place that doesn’t have one?

David Richardson:

The cast says it all - we have Frazer playing Jamie and giving his rendition of the Second Doctor, and Wendy back as Zoe. It’s wonderful to send the final TARDIS crew of the 1960s out on a rather dark new adventure.

Fourth Doctor Adventures: Phantoms of the Deep (Credit: Big Finish)

Phantoms of the Deep (available to order)
Starring Tom Baker as the Doctor, Mary Tamm as Romana and John Leeson as K-9, with Alice Krige as Dr Patricia Sawyer

On their mission to explore the Mariana Trench at the very bottom of the ocean, the deepest and most inhospitable place on Earth, the crew of the deep sea vehicle Erebus make an unusual and startling discovery.

A battered blue police box.

As the Doctor, Romana and K9 join them on their journey, the submariners soon discover that the TARDIS is not the only unusual find lurking on the sea floor.

Super-intelligent squid, long-lost submarines and their miraculous occupants are only the start of their troubles. The Goblins are coming. And they won't let anyone out alive.

David Richardson:

Jonny Morris delivered a wonderful piece of whimsy with this season’s The Auntie Matter, so I asked him to go the other way with his second story. I asked for something dark and terrifying, and he delivered in spades, as the Doctor, Romana and K9 discover something very sinister on the ocean floor… And I was thrilled that Alice Krige (The Borg Queen in Star Trek: First Contact) agreed to join us for the recording – she’s phenomenal in this story, and the most delightful lady to work with.

Competition:

This month's competition thanks to Big Finish is to win one of five copies of The Apocalypse Mirror. To be in with a chance to win, please answer the following question:

As well as Doctor Who, Frazer Hines and Wendy Padbury also appeared together in Emmerdale Farm - what were their character names?

Send your answer to comp-apocalypse@doctorwhonews.net with the subject line "Beckindale re-union", along with your name, address, and where you saw the competition (the news website, twitter, facebook, etc.). Only one entry per postal address will be accepted. The competition is open worldwide, and the closing date is 31st May 2013.

FILTER: - Audio - Competitions - Fourth Doctor - Fifth Doctor - Big Finish

AudioGo: May releases

Saturday, 27 April 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster

May will see the release by AudioGo of the next encounter for the Doctor in their ongoing 50th Anniversary series Destiny of the Doctor, this month reaching his fifth incarnation. Meanwhile, the latest audio adaption of the Target novelisations takes listeners on a trip to Peladon with the Third Doctor. Plus, readers also enter our competitions to be in with a chance to win copies.

Destiny of the Doctor: Smoke and Mirrors (Credit: AudioGo)

Destiny of the Doctor: Smoke and Mirrors
Starring Janet Fielding, with Tim Beckmann

The Doctor answers a psionic distress call sent from England in the 1920s. There, in the environs of a fairground, he is reunited with an old friend: Harry Houdini. To Adric and Nyssa the name means very little, but to the Doctor's companion Tegan he is a legend. Escape artist extraordinaire, Houdini's reputation will last for decades. But how does Houdini know so much about Tegan herself? Is it really just guesswork, as he says? Is Houdini right to be concerned about the fairground's fortune teller, who claims to have supernatural skills? Both he and the Doctor suspect an alien influence may be at work.

What neither the Doctor nor his friends realise is that, somewhere in the shadows, a sinister and all too familiar presence is lying in wait for them...

Doctor Who: Smoke and Mirrors (Destiny of the Doctor 5) is an original adventure by Steve Lyons, a prolific writer of Doctor Who fiction, and is available as a CD or download from 2nd May. It’s performed by Janet Fielding, who played Tegan in the original TV series, and Tim Beckmann. The series is produced for AudioGO by Big Finish Productions.

To be in with a chance to win one of three copies of Smoke and Mirrors courtesy of AudioGo, answer the following question:

As mentioned above, Harry Houdini is an old friend of the Doctor's, and he recently featured in a festive online tale alongside the Eleventh Doctor - what was the name of that story?

Please send your answer to smoke-competition@doctorwhonews.net with the subject "Now get out of that!", along with your name, address, and where you saw this competition. Only one entry is allowed per household. The competition is open worldwide, and the closing date is the 5th May 2013.

Doctor Who and The Curse of Peladon, read by David Troughton (Credit: AudioGo)

Doctor Who and The Curse of Peladon
Written by Brian Hayles
Read by David Troughton

When the TARDIS materializes on the primitive planet Peladon, the Doctor and Jo become embroiled in political machinations. What is the secret behind the killings on the planet, and how are his old enemies the Ice Warriors involved?

Again, the terrifying cry rang out. The Doctor quickened his pace along the gloomy tunnels of the castle. Suddenly, from the darkness lumbered the mighty Aggedor, Royal Beast and Protector of the Kingdom of Peladon! The Doctor fumbled in his pocket. Would the device work? As he trained the spinning mirror on the eyes of Aggedor, the terrible claws came closer and closer...

What is the secret behind the killings on the planet of Peladon? Is Aggedor seeking revenge because the King of Peladon wants his kingdom to become a member of the Galactic Federation? Will the Doctor escape the claws of Aggedor and discover the truth?

Doctor Who and the Curse of Peladon is Brian Hayles’ complete and unabridged novelisation, first published in 1974 by Target Books. It is read by David Troughton, who played King Peladon in the original BBC TV episodes. It is based on the original 1972 TV serial of the same name, featuring the 3rd Doctor (as played by Jon Pertwee). Doctor Who and the Curse of Peladon is available as an audiobook from AudioGO, on CDs or as an audio download, from 2nd May.

To be in with a chance to win one of three copies of The Curse of Peladon courtesy of AudioGo, answer the following question:

David Troughton played Peladon in the tale, but this wasn't his first appearance in Doctor Who - name his first role.

Please send your answer to peladon-competition@doctorwhonews.net with the subject "By the spirit of Aggedor!", along with your name, address, and where you saw this competition. Only one entry is allowed per household. The competition is open worldwide, and the closing date is the 5th May 2013.

In addition, AudioGo have also released an audio adaptation of the latest adventure for the Eleventh Doctor, Plague of the Cybermen:

Plague of the Cybermen (Credit: AudioGo)

Plague of the Cybermen
Written by Justin Richards
Read by David Warner, with Nicholas Briggs as the Cybermen

When the Doctor arrives in the 19th-century village of Klimtenburg, he discovers the residents suffering from some kind of plague - a 'wasting disease'. The victims face a horrible death - but what's worse, the dead seem to be leaving their graves. The Plague Warriors have returned ...

The Doctor is confident he knows what's really happening; he understands where the dead go, and he's sure the Plague Warriors are just a myth. But as some of the Doctor's oldest and most terrible enemies start to awaken he realises that maybe - just maybe - he's misjudged the situation.

To be in with a chance to win one of three copies of Plague of the Cybermen courtesy of AudioGo, answer the following question:

Plagues, viruses and Cybermen go hand-in-hand, but in which story did they spread 'infection' through the use of sugar?

Please send your answer to plague-competition@doctorwhonews.net with the subject "You know our ways!", along with your name, address, and where you saw this competition. Only one entry is allowed per household. The competition is open worldwide, and the closing date is the 5th May 2013.

FILTER: - Merchandise - Audio - Third Doctor - Competitions - Eleventh Doctor - WHO50 - Fifth Doctor

Doctor Who Prom: schools composition competition

Thursday, 25 April 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Doctor Who Prom 2013 - Promotional Image (Credit: BBC/Chris Christodoulou)

The BBC have launched a new Doctor Who related competition for schools, this time focussing on creating music for the show; winners will hear their compositions at the Doctor Who Prom this summer.

The competition is being run in conjunction with BBC Learning and BBC Proms, the aim of which is to produce a new soundtrack for one of the 'clean' clips provided from last Christmas's The Snowmen. It is open to UK secondary school pupils in two categories, aged 11-14 and 15-16, and entries are to be judged by a panel of music education experts appointed by BBC Proms. Winners are to be judged based upon these criteria: Musical idea, Originality, Creative use of soundtrack methods, and Interpretation of action through soundtrack.

Full details, including the terms and conditions, can be found on the BBC's competition page, including an introductory video by composer Murray Gold and arranger Ben Foster on creating music for the series.

BBC Learning have run Doctor Who related competitions for schools over recent years, with their Script to Screen initiatives resulting in the production of minisodes Death is the Only Answer in 2011 and Good As Gold in 2012.

FILTER: - Special Events - Competitions - BBC

Win Framed Sets Of Doctor Who Stamps

Wednesday, 17 April 2013 - Reported by John Bowman

Stamps issued in the UK last month to mark the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who have proved phenomenally successful and today Doctor Who News is pleased to launch a competition that will see one lucky person win framed sets of them, courtesy of Royal Mail.

Each of the 11 TV Doctors was represented on his own first-class stamp, and a five-stamp mini-sheet comprising a first-class stamp of the TARDIS and four second-class stamps of enemies – a Dalek, Cyberman, Ood, and Weeping Angel – was also produced. Royal Mail reportedly received more than three times the usual number of pre-registrations for the first-class set, such was the interest in them.

Various items are still available via the Royal Mail shop, including framed sets of both lots of stamps. Together, the framed commemorative sets would cost £60 (plus postage and packing), but we have one of each up for grabs. Please note that because of the bulky and fragile nature of the prize, this contest is only open to UK residents. To be in with a chance of winning the sets, correctly answer the following question:

How many definitive stamp denominations are there in the current UK range and what are their values?

Please send your answer to stamps-competition@doctorwhonews.net using the subject line "The Doctor gets licked". Your entry should also have your full name and postal address including postcode. In addition, please say where you saw this competition. The contest closes at 11.59pm BST on Wednesday 24th April. One winner will then be chosen at random from all the correct entries received and their prize sent to them by Royal Mail.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

Entry is restricted to UK residents.
Only one entry per UK postal address will be accepted.
The competition is closed to employees of Royal Mail, their relatives, and friends.
The winner will be contacted in the first instance by the e-mail address via which they sent their entry.
The winner agrees to have their name and general geographical location published.
The judges' decision is final.

UPDATE - 28th April: This competition is now closed. Any entries received after the cut-off point stated above will be disregarded.

Peter Cushing stamp:

Yesterday saw the film and TV actor Peter Cushing, who played Dr Who in the two 1960s Dalek films, achieve a special status by appearing on a UK first-class stamp.

Depicted as Sherlock Holmes, whom he portrayed on both the silver screen and TV, he is part of the Great Britons set, which has been released by Royal Mail.

Cushing also achieved fame among sci-fi fans for his role as the villainous Grand Moff Tarkin in the first Star Wars film to be released, while in the horror world he was synonymous with both the sinister scientist Baron Frankenstein and the vampire-hunter Dr Van Helsing.

The Great Britons set celebrates the 100th or 150th birth anniversaries of distinguished individuals from sport, journalism, music, politics, and the arts. This year is the centenary of Cushing's birth. He died in August 1994 at the age of 81.

The other luminaries honoured in the set are photographer Norman Parkinson, actress Vivien Leigh, prime minister David Lloyd George, cookery writer Elizabeth David, politician John Archer (the first person of African descent to be elected to British public office), composer Benjamin Britten, football manager Bill Shankly, broadcaster Richard Dimbleby, and palaeoanthropologist Mary Leakey.

With Thanks To Royal Mail

FILTER: - UK - Competitions

Big Finish: April update

Thursday, 11 April 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Big Finish have released details on the latest adventures for the Doctor and his companions in April ...

Eldrad Must Die! (available to pre-order)
Starring Peter Davison as The Doctor, Janet Fielding as Tegan, Mark Strickson as Turlough, and Sarah Sutton as Nyssa, with Stephen Thorne as Eldrad.

"A Doctor, curse his name, threw me down among the dead… but I endure. I am Eldrad… and I must live!

A nuclear icebreaker, foundering in Arctic waters. Seabirds washed up in the fishing resort of Ambermouth, their wings encrusted with crystals. A shining artefact of uncertain provenance, up for sale on an auction site.

All of these things are linked, as the Doctor, Nyssa, Tegan and Turlough are about to discover. Linked to the rebirth of a genocidal tyrant, presumed dead many years ago…

For the sake of the planets Earth and Kastria alike… Eldrad must die!

The Companion Chronicles: The Library of Alexandria (Credit: Big Finish)

The Library of Alexandria (available to pre-order)
Starring William Russell as Ian Chesterton, with Susan Franklyn as Hypatia

The port of Alexandria, 5th Century AD.

The Doctor, Ian, Susan and Barbara have taken a break from their travels, and are enjoying a few weeks in the sunshine – and the chance to appreciate the magnificent Library of Alexandria.

Ian also takes the chance to enjoy friendship with the philosopher Hypatia - but things here will not last forever.

The time travellers know that the library will soon be lost to history.

What they are about to discover is the terrifying reason why...

Competition:

Thanks to Big Finish we have five copies of The Library of Alexandria for this month's competition. To be in with a chance to win, please answer the following question:

The Library of Alexandria is part of Egypt's history, but what is the name of the Fifth Doctor's travelling companion who hailed from a much earlier era of the Pharaohs?

Send your answer to alexandria-competition@doctorwhonews.net with the subject line "Was that your Mummy?", along with your name, address, and where you saw the competition (the news website, twitter, facebook, etc.). Only one entry per postal address will be accepted. The competition is open worldwide, and the closing date is 30th April 2013.

FILTER: - Merchandise - Audio - Competitions - Fifth Doctor - Big Finish

Silva Screen: The Krotons

Thursday, 28 March 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster

The second in the range of classic Doctor Who soundtracks has been announced by Silva Screen Records, this time focussing on the Second Doctor with the electronic soundscape created by Brian Hodgson for The Krotons.

The Krotons (soundtrack) (Credit: Silva Screen)

Originally transmitted in 4 episodes on BBC1 between 28th December 1968 and 18th January 1969, The Krotons starred Patrick Troughton as the second Doctor. The soundtrack (or "special sounds") were created by Brian Hodgson and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, who said:

For this story I mainly used the “Crystal Palace”, so called because its case was made of clear Perspex which exposed its workings. This machine, created by our engineer Dave Young, could mechanically sample 16 inputs and combine them into a single output in 4 prearranged patterns. The progression of the patterns was deliberately slow to create textures of sound. I was very much interested in exploring changing aural textures in tracks such as “The Learning Hall” and “Kroton Theme”.

Generating and manipulating music and sound effects defines sound design, a process that is common on TV and film productions nowadays. However The BBC Radiophonic Workshop was way ahead of the game in the 1960s. Brian Hodgson was a member of the Workshop working closely with the seminal figure of Delia Derbyshire. As the original sound effects creator for Doctor Who he was responsible for the chilling Dalek voices and the powerhouse sound of the Tardis lifting off (created by running a back door key for his mother's house along the bass string of a gutted piano and treating it electronically). His highly innovative techniques are fully on display on this collection of 'special sounds' that provided the background to Doctor Who - The Krotons.

Doctor Who (New Opening Theme, 1967)
The Learning Hall
Door Opens
Entry Into The Machine
TARDIS (New Landing)
Wasteland Atmosphere
Machine And City Theme
Machine Exterior
Panels Open
Dispersal Unit
Sting
Selris' House
Machine Interior
Snake Bleeps Low
Silver Hose (The Snake)
Snake Bleeps High
Teaching Machine Hums
Forcefield
Burning Light
Birth Of A Kroton
Kroton Theme
Kroton Dies
Link – Rising Hum
Kroton Dies – (Alternative)

The soundtrack is due to be released on the 13th May 2013 on CD and download, and will also be released as a limited edition 10" Vinyl disc on the 24th May.

Competition:

Thanks to Silva Screen we have three copies of the CD for our readers to win. To be in with a chance, simply answer this question:

Brian Hodgson is one of the original participants in the creation of Doctor Who back in 1963, and will be featured in the forthcoming Mark Gatiss drama An Adventure in Space and Time - but which actor will portray him?

Please send your answer to krotons-competition@doctorwhonews.net with the subject line "Winner-Gond!", along with your name, address, and where you read about this competition. The competition is open worldwide, and the closing date will be on the 30th April 2013. Only one entry per household will be accepted.

There is still time to enter our The Caves of Androzani soundtrack competition - see here for more details (closing date 31st March).

FILTER: - Merchandise - Audio - Second Doctor - Competitions - Classic Series - WHO50

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