BBC America have released the first official publicity photograph of the new Doctor Who co-star Jenna-Louise Coleman, here pictured in front of the TARDIS:

The BBC have announced that the new co-star to appear alongside Matt Smith in Doctor Who is to be Jenna-Louise Coleman, who joins the show in the sixth episode this year, due to be shown at Christmas.

The actress was announced via the BBC's Doctor Who feed on Twitter, which also included some quotes. Jenna-Louise said: "I want to get started already. I'm a huge fan of the show.« Matt Smith did my audition with me. It was fun and I felt like we were in it together.«"; and on her favourite companion, "Between Billie Piper and Karen Gillan". Lead writer Steven Moffat said: "We saw a lot of brilliant actresses. But Jenna was the only person going faster than Matt - he had to keep up!«"

Expanding on this in the press release, he said:
Danny Cohen, the Controller for BBC One, added:

The BBC's One O'Clock News included an item on the casting, with the actress describing when she found out she had won the part:
A full version of the interview with Entertainment correspondent Lizo Mzimba can be watched via the BBC News site.


The twenty-five-year-old first came to public attention playing Jasmine Thomas in the long-running soap Emmerdale between 2005 and 2009. She then went on to appear in series five of the BBC's award-winning Waterloo Road as Lindsay Jones, and will be seen on television this coming Sunday in the ITV mini-series Titanic as Annie Desmond. Her debut in film came with the role of Connie in Captain America: The First Avenger, and she has also lent her voice to the English version of the game Xenoblade Chronicles.


NB: The BBC have confirmed that Jenna-Louise Coleman does not have, and does not plan to have, a Twitter account.

Production:

It was also confirmed this morning when Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill will depart, with Steven Moffat saying: "Amy and Rory will leave in the fifth episode that goes out, and it will be a final encounter with the Weeping Angels, and not everybody gets out alive - and I mean it this time!"

As well as the lonely assassins, Doctor Who Magazine have also reported that the Daleks, too, will feature during the first half of the series this Autumn.

Speaking to the Radio Times at the Royal Television Society awards last night, Moffat explained the style of story-telling for the next series:

After the six episodes broadcast in the Autumn/Christmas this year, the remaining eight will be shown next year, with Moffat adding: "Oh, there'll be more episodes than just those eight, but these are the ones we're making right now." No other details of when and what else will occur during the 50th Anniversary have been revealed as yet.

The BBC are to announce the new co-star to join Matt Smith headlining Doctor Who tomorrow at a press conference.

Lead writer Steven Moffat first indicated that a new companion / assistant / sidekick / talking cabbage (delete as applicable) would feature in the new series back at the Q&A session for the BFI preview of The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe, when he said:

This evening Steven Moffat has told reporters he got who he "wanted" to play Doctor's new companion but stayed tight-lipped about their identity. Speaking backstage at the Royal Television Society Awards in central London, he said The announcement will also be made online via the BBC's official Doctor Who Twitter feed.

Production:

Filming has now completed in Spain, with the cast and crew having returned to the UK on Thursday; cast-member Rob Cavazos commented: "Back in London. Muchas gracias, Almería. We had fun.«". The BBC have released an official photo of Karen Gillan on location at Fort Bravo Studios via Facebook, noting:"Olé! It’s a wrap as cast and crew prepare to depart sunny Spain. Back to Cardiff on Monday morning for more filming of Series 7."

Filming attracted media attention, though this was more focussed on the social activities of the cast during their free time, with coverage of shopping etc. by The Sun and Daily Mail on the 13th, and on socialising by The Sun and Daily Mail again a day later.

A number of Spanish blogs also picked up on filming, including a set report from Dos de Adobe, and the shoot was also reported by local newspapers El Almeria and The Olive Press (in English).

Cast:

Actor Andrew Brooke is to appear in Doctor Who playing a character known as The Reckoner, according to his online CV. The actor was also spotted socially in Spain with Karen, which was again reported via The Sun and Daily Mail.

Brooke has appeared in a number of television shows, including The I.T. Crowd, The Inbetweeners, and My Family, with more substantial roles as Oleg in Pulling, Alan Clacy in Collision, and more recently as Ashley in Phoneshop.


Members of the background cast have provided an album of themselves dressed in their western attire on Facebook, with the photos providing a glimpse into how the Wild West will look, Doctor Who style!

The Rumour Zone:

Back in January, Steven Moffat had made an enigmatic comment about following Sophia Myles on Twitter, saying "I'll explain later. Or not.«". That statement led to widespread speculation as to whether the actress would be returning to Doctor Who, and whilst the lead writer has yet to say anything else to confirm or deny this, the actress herself mentioned being in Spain on Monday at the same time as production was taking place in Almeria: "My bag has just been located at Malaga airport. Hope it gets to me tomorrow.«" Further fuel for the fire appeared on Friday with Arthur Darvill saying to her: "great to meet you. I think I ran off at the end. Good times.«".

It remains to be seen whether the actress really will re-appear in Doctor Who or if these are just coincidences!

Casting:

Reports from Spain indicate that actor Garrick Hagon is currently filming Doctor Who, with Genshiken Spain saying: "Garrick Hagon, our guest at FreakCon, is currently shooting in Almeria, filming a series of Doctor Who." This was also backed up by Rob Cavazos, who said: "I am currently working with an actor who was in the first Star Wars film. I am by no means a fanboy, but that's still pretty awesome!"

Hagon has previously appeared in Doctor Who, alongside Jon Pertwee in 1972's The Mutants as the Solonian rebel Ky.

Film appearances include A Bridge Too Far, The Spy Who Loved Me, Batman, Mission Impossible and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but as mentioned above he is probably best remembered as Luke Skywalker's best friend Biggs in the original Star Wars. Television appearances include Moonbase 3, Colditz, Cambridge Spies, and as Frank Oppenheimer in 1980's Oppenheimer.

On Location

Filming kicked off last Thursday in the Almeria region of Spain, at the Oasys Parque Temático del Desierto de Tabernas and Fort Bravo Studios. Both Executive Producer Caroline Skinner and Brand Manager Edward Russell travelled to Spain (with the latter celebrating his birthday at the weekend!), plus Doctor Who Magazine was also represented by Benjamin Cook.

A number of photos of the cast and crew on location in the Tabernas desert and at Fort Bravo Studios were captured by Spanish fans and media, including a glimpse of the story's adversary (confirming the report by by The Sun last week).

On Location Photos 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31; Adversary Images 2 3 4 5 6 7 (with thanks to Whovians.Net, Zimbio)

A Doctor Who fan has renewed his bid to claim ownership of the character of Davros.

Steve Clark says that he came up with the name and submitted it with a design (pictured right), as well as a handwritten essay entitled The Genesis Of The Daleks: The Creation Of Davros, for a TV Action competition in 1972. His entry didn't win the prize of a 17in colour TV set but he says that both the name and design were later used by the BBC without his permission. Davros was first seen in the series in Genesis of the Daleks in 1975.

He launched High Court proceedings last year for copyright breach after an attempt to come to an amicable solution with the corporation foundered. Now, with the case on hold, a teacher's handwriting could decide the matter.

Mr Clark, from Brabourne Lees in Kent, says that his original sketch, done when he was 13, has comments written on it by David Tidy, who was a teacher at Duncan Bowen School in Stanhope, Ashford, in the 1970s. He is now seeking former pupils who have books with Mr Tidy's handwriting in them, which could be used to validate the writing on his sketch and therefore his claim.

Mr Clark said:
The BBC and BBC Worldwide dispute the claim. A spokesman said:
(newslink: Kent Online)

Cast and Crew:

The two episodes currently being directed by Saul Metzstein have been confirmed by Doctor Who Magazine as episode two by Chris Chibnall, and a wild-west themed episode three by Toby Whithouse. The cast for Chibnall's episode included the previously announced Mark Williams, Rupert Graves, and David Bradley, and joining Rob Cavazos for episode three are:

Adrian Scarborough Adrian Scarborough is listed by agent Curtis Brown as playing Kahler Jax. Scarborough has appeared in a number of prominent roles on television, having appeared as Mr Jolly in Psychoville, Pete in Gavin and Stacey, Mr Johnson in Cranford, and most recently as Mr Pritchard in Upstairs Downstairs. He has also appeared in films such as Vera Drake and Elizabeth: The Golden Years, and featured as a BBC Radio Announcer in The King's Speech. This won't be his first role in the Doctor Who world, having played Rupert von Thal in Big Finish's The Boy That Time Forgot.

Dominic Kemp Dominic Kemp is listed by agent Sainou as playing Kahler-Mas. Kemp has appeared in guest roles in a number of television dramas, including Waking the Dead, Wire in the Blood, Moses Jones (featuring Matt Smith) and most recently in the Christmas special of Downton Abbey. Film-wise, he appeared in Miss Potter, and will be seen with former Doctor Christopher Eccleston in the forthcoming Song for Marion.

Ben Browder Ben Browder has been confirmed by Doctor Who Magazine. Browder is no stranger to the sci-fi genre, having played John Crichton in Farscape and Cameron Mitchell in Stargate SG1. More recently he has appeared in Chuck and will shortly play Nick Naught in Naught for Hire.

The character being played by Mark Williams has now been revealed, according to his online CV.

The second recording block, which comprises two episodes by Steven Moffat, will be directed by Nick Hurran, who filmed last year's The Girl Who Waited and The God Complex.

On Location:

If you've ever wondered what a casting call can look like, here's a number of Doctor Who hopefuls in Almeria, Spain queuing up to audition as extras for the episode that would be filmed there - the process of which was politely described as 'chaotic'!

Filming itself kicked off on the 7th at the Oasys Parque Temático del Desierto de Tabernas in the Almeria region. The resort is set in the only European desert, and provides a number of themed areas such as an aquatic zone, wildlife park, and of more interest to Doctor Who of course, a Western theme town known as "Mini Hollywood". The area has played host to a number of renowned films, like The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, Lawrence of Arabia, and Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade.

In The Media/The Rumour Zone:

Executive Producer Caroline Skinner commented in the latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine on reading the opening script for the new series: "Once I'm finally on the plane into Heathrow I re-read Steven's scary, thrill-ride of an opening episode. There I am, gasping and laughing away to myself, and kinda wishing planes had sofas - because if there'd been a sofa on this one, I would've hidden behind it."

Today's Sun carries an item on filming in Spain, courtesy of the ubiquitous 'insider':
The paper has also suggested the adversary up against the Doctor:

David Tennant is starring in a new play for BBC Radio 4; set in 1610, Waiting for the Boatman sees Tennant's character Mario Minniti go to Naples in search of his former master, the infamous painter Caravaggio. The play will be broadcast on 15th March at 2:15pm. [BBC Media Centre]

Talking about his new role as the voice of Twigs in Tree Fu Tom, he said: "I could never have imagined that a programme like this could be used in this way to help combat dyspraxia. It will be fascinating to see if it does have a positive effect. The children will certainly have a good time trying! I don't think I’ve ever done anything for this age of child before. Television more than any other medium influenced me as a child and formed my response to literature, storytelling and, therefore, the world around me. Generally speaking we don't have vivid memories of that age and what influenced us, yet clearly these are hugely formative years and it's really important that we can create television of a high quality for that audience." [Radio Times, 5 Mar 2012]

John Barrowman reveals the best meal of his life: "That perfect meal, and the finest thing I have ever tasted is lobster, with a caviar truffle filling – incredible textures, endless flavours, and usually served in a setting befitting such elegant tastes." [Yahoo/LoveFood, 1 Mar 2012]

Freema Agyeman is to join the cast of the Sex in the City prequel show, The Carrie Diaries, based on the book by Candace Bushnell; she will be playing the role of Carrie's friend Larissa, described as a hip, cutting-edge editor and party girl working Interview Magazine, where young Carrie works. [Press Association, 6 Mar 2012]

Bonnie Langford says her character of Mel would be more rounded if she returned to Doctor Who now. When asked, in a Press Association interview, if she would consider reprising the role, she said: "I'd love it because I might get a few lines other than, 'Oh Doctor!' That was what I was always like. Now the companions are rounded characters, which is always so much more fun to play. But I had a good time doing it. I have good memories of the people I worked with. The show used to attract an amazing cast. When you look at all the notable people who've been guests on that programme over the years, it's quite extraordinary. It's a legend, a national treasure." [Press Association, 4 Mar 2012]

Gareth David Lloyd talks about whether he'd want his Torchwood character Ianto to appear in Doctor Who's 50th Anniversary: "It would depend on the script, but yes I think so. Ianto is very close to my heart and will always deserve a little resurrection if done properly." [Cultbox, 29 Feb 2012]

John de Lancie will appear in the CW Network series The Secret Circle. He will be playing the part of an elder, Royce Armstrong, who will reveal conspiracy theories relating to the past, and will be seen from episode nineteen. [TV Guide, 1 Mar 2012]

Yasmin Paige is currently appearing as Beth in the new BBC3 teenage sitcom Pramface.

Charles Cowper returned to the college where he learned his trade in order to give advice on entering the industry. Speaking at Cirencester College, the cameraman - who as well as having worked on Doctor Who has also been involved with other BBC shows likeSherlock, Casualty and Being Human - said: "I owe a huge amount to the media course at Cirencester. It allowed me to turn what I enjoyed into something I could use." [Gloucestershire Echo, 29 Feb 2012]

Gareth Roberts talks about fitting his new novel Shada into the old novelisation tradition: "Well yeah, I could have taken the script and done 148 pages – which was his standard for a six-parter – and just rattled through it. But no, it is considerably heftier than that. It’s 400 pages, you know! It’s not so much a Terrance novelisation. It’s much more a novel, in the sense that it’s very much from people’s viewpoints. There is talk that when the paperback comes out we might try and do a limited edition which will fit seamlessly between The Horns Of Nimon and The Leisure Hive on your shelf of Target books. This is what I’ve been pushing for because I know what fans are like – I know what I'm like – so hopefully that will materialise in the not-too-distant future." [Full Interview and review via Ian Berriman/SFX, 6 Mar 2012]

Director Richard Senior is the latest series name to join the Twitter community - you can follow him here: @cleverdicktv.

In The Media:

Matt Smith was interviewed on the TARDIS set by Steve Hargrave for ITV1's Daybreak, during which he discussed Karen Gillan's departure, and his and the show's future: she’s a great friend, and creatively I have a really interesting relationship with her and Arthur, but I think by the same token the show is bigger than any of us - it’s been going in 2013 fifty years and it will continue way after me. It’s a thrill playing the part - as you see, this is work, this is home, I spend a lot of time here - I don’t want to give it up anytime soon. We've got a whole season to make, a Christmas special as well, so no time soon, I won’t be leaving anytime soon." Additionally, the Radio Times quoted him as saying: "We’ll get this season out the way and see where I’m at. I take it season by season and I take the job day by day because there’s no other way you can do it." [The full interview can be watched via the Daybreak website]

Speaking a little more on her decision to leave, Gillan herself explained how she wanted to be involved with her departure: "Oh, yeah! It would be so weird to just receive a script and find out that it was the end. That would be really weird. Oh, my god, I don't know how I would feel about that. It was nice. I was just thinking about it and I had this instinct of when I wanted to leave, so I called Steven Moffat and we arranged dinner. He told me where he was at, story wise, and together we were like, "Okay, this is when we can do it." It was actually so lovely and pleasant, and we both felt that it was the right time. In all honesty, I've had the best years of my life working on the show, so I’m going to be so sad to go. I really am." And on knowing how she will leave? "I wanted to keep it a surprise, for as long as possible, and keep the excitement in there." [Collider, 2 Mar 2012]

Writer Toby Whithouse discussed the new companion: "To be honest it was probably more of a mutual decision than people would assume. These things tend to be kind of agreed, particularly the companions have a natural shelf life. I know a bit about the new companion, I don’t know who they cast and even if I did if I told you Steven Moffat would come out here and punch me in the neck. Steven is one of the cleverest, most inventive people I’ve ever met in my life, and so you know it is in very safe hands with him. If he makes decisions, the chances are it’s for the best, it’s the best thing for the show." [Hollywood Reporter, 25 Feb 2012]

Steven Moffat talked about monsters in Doctor Who during press coverage for Sherlock in France: "I always say new monsters are better in Doctor Who because you fall in love with monsters when they're new. One of the temptations, particularly if it's a success is to keep repeating your hits, which means you hear it again and again and again." [Le Village, 28 Feb 2012]

Moffat has also intimated on Twitter that he has started work on 2012 Christmas Special: "Right then. It's that time of year already. I'm breaking out the Christmas songs ... !"

On Location:

Matt Smith and Karen Gillan were spotted on their way to Spain in the morning on the 6th March, as various members of the public tweeted their journey to Heathrow: firstly by Vicky Cole at Paddington Station, "Just saw the girl from Doctor Who!« Now I've seen Doctor Who!«"; then Erin Sykes at Heathrow itself, "Just seen Doctor Who in the airport, just a casual thing for me to do on a Tuesday.« Yes, actually Matt Smith! We followed him;) but then he got on his plane!«". Arthur Darvill was then spotted in Madrid-Barajas airport itself by Javier Alonso Fontaneda, confirming the trio would be filming there, with a return to the UK expected on the 16th March.


The Spanish shoot has also been confirmed by Doctor Who Magazine on the front cover for the next issue, due out Thursday.

Meanwhile, domestic filming without the two stars is planned at Cardiff Business School.

The Rumour Zone:

Being asked about the Express rumour from the weekend about the potential casting of Benedict Cumberbatch in the 50th Anniversary special, Matt Smith said: "I know Ben and I've not heard anything about it,” admits Smith. “But he’s a wonderful actor and a mate. I think he’s a bit busy being a Star Trek villain, and he’s Sherlock Holmes of course, so he’s a busy man." [Daybreak, via Radio Times, 28 Feb 2012]

Episode titles for the series have yet to be revealed, but an early contender for episode three of four has emerged, potentially tying in with the expected filming in Spain in the next few weeks.

The actor Philip Madoc has died, aged 77.

Born in Merthyr Tydfil in 1934, during his teenage years Philip Madoc took an interest in becoming an actor, studying at RADA and then taking on a number of television roles from the 1960s, making him a familiar face. Programmes included The Monsters (1962), For Whom The Bell Tolls (1965), The Power Game (1966), The Tyrant King (1968), Manhunt (1969), The Last of the Mohicans (1971), Target (1978), and fantasy shows likeThe Baron, Randall and Hopkirk Deceased, UFO, and five different parts during the course of The Avengers.

His first brush with Doctor Who was actually in the 1966 film spin-off Daleks: Invasion Earth 2150AD alongside Peter Cushing, in which he played the smuggler Brockley. He was then to appear in two stories for Patrick Troughton's last series, as the Gond Eelek in The Krotons and then in a leading role as the War Lord in Troughton's swan-song The War Games. However, his next role is considered by many as his greatest contribution to the series, portraying the obsessive, manic scientist Mehendri Solon in the Fourth Doctor story The Brain of Morbius. His final appearance was as Fenner in The Power of Kroll, a role he'd often criticised as not being as meaty as he would have liked.

Madoc later returned to the Doctor Who fold, appearing in two audio adventures for Big Finish Productions: first opposite Sylvester McCoy and Geoffrey Beevers in the 2003 audio "Master," and later opposite Colin Baker and India Fisher in the special release "Return of the Krotons".

He became a leading actor in 1981 when he took the eponymous role in the BBC TV drama The Life and Times of David Lloyd George, and continued to appear in series including A Very British Coup (1988) and First Born (1988); he also played DCI Noel Bain in A Mind To Kill (1994-2002), and more recently Y Llywydd in the Welsh series Y Prid (2007). And of course no acting CV is complete without a guest appearance in Doctors (2003)!

No stranger to the stage, Madoc appeared in a number of productions, working at 'home' at Theatr Clwyd and Theatre Wales and throughout the UK, including the West End, on tour, and with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Notables roles include Iago in Othello, Antony in Antony and Cleopatra, Shylock in The Merchant of Venice, Henry Higgins in Pygmalion, and co-starring in The Forsyte Saga. Film-wise, as well as his encounter with the Daleks, he also often popped up in small German-oriented roles, such as in Operation Crossbow, The Spy Who Came In From The Cold, Hell Boats, plus others like The Assassination Bureau and Dr Jekyll and Sister Hyde.

Amongst his talents Madoc was a linguist (having studied languages at the Universities of Wales and Vienna) and had worked as an interpreter. The actor had also narrated a number of television series, such as Egypt Uncovered for the Discovery Channel, and audio books such as The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. He most recently lent his vocal talents to The Scarifyers, an audio series also broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Extra.

In addition, he was patron to a St Albans-based theatre school for children, Best Theatre Arts.

Publicly, though, perhaps his most famous appearance on TV was in the Dad's Army episode The Deadly Attachment in a familiar guise of a German officer, this time as the captured U-Boat commander who threatens the platoon with his infamous "List".

Madoc was married twice (his first to actress Ruth Madoc from 1961 to 1981), and leaves behind his widow Diane and four children from his marriages.

Tributes

The news was reported by Madoc's agent, Michael Hallett, who said that the actor passed away in hospital in Hertfordshire early this morning, surrounded by family.

The BBC reported the news on their website, and have also put together a photo album of his career.

Toby Hadoke said on Facebook: "Sad to report that the mighty Philip Madoc's name will also go on the list of excellent actors to leave us this year. RIP and thanks for all the menace. May there be no soggy chips where you are now." Writer/actor Mark Gatiss said on Twitter: "'What a magnificent head!' Farewell to the always wonderful Philip Madoc. What presence. RIP.«". Writer Paul Cornell: "It's terrible to hear that Philip Madoc has died. A great actor who made some wonderful Doctor Who contributions.«" Actor Nicholas Pegg: "Very sad to hear of the death of Philip Madoc. A truly brilliant actor and a lovely, funny, generous fellow.«". Actress Frances Barber: "So sad to hear about Philip Madoc. I played Regan when he was King Lear on the radio. Saw him just last Dec. lovely man. RIP Philip.«" Actress Susan Penhaligon: "Many many moons ago I worked with Philip Madoc. He was lovely and had a Richard Burton Welsh voice. RIP Phillip.«"