Based on these final figures, Bells was the top rating drama of the day, the top-rating ABC program of the day and the fourth highest rating program of the day overall (this compares to it being the eighth highest rating program based on its overnight figures of 757,000 viewers). These ratings do not include regional viewers.

As previously reported, Splendid Chaps is a year-long performance/podcast project to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who hosted by comedian Ben McKenzie (Dungeon Crawl, Melbourne Museum Comedy Tour) and writer John Richards (ABC1 sitcom Outland, Boxcutters podcast).

Described by its creators as part intellectual panel discussion, part nerdy Tonight Show, Splendid Chaps is a combination of analysis, enthusiasm and irreverence. The first episode went to number 1 on the iTunes TV & Film Podcast chart in Australia, and to number 4 in the UK.  The podcasts to the first few episodes are now available at www.splendidchaps.com or at  iTunes.

Tickets are now on sale for a special bonus show all about Doctor Who books!

Books have always been an important part of Doctor Who, from the Target novelisations of the pre-video recorder age to the New Adventures and Eighth Doctor novels that continued the story after the original series went off air. Ben, John and Petra will be joined by editor and JOY 94.9 host Katie Purvis, and filmmaker, writer and podcaster Dave Hoskin for a discussion and reading of some of these works, plus a look at the stranger end of the publishing spectrum (the Doctor Who Cookbook, anyone?). And there’ll be a special reading from comedian Lawrence Leung!

Splendid Chaps: A Year Of Doctor Who: "Who and Books"

Space: Northcote Library, 32-38 Separation Street, Northcote, Melbourne
Time: Saturday May 4 2013, 4:30 PM
Accessibility: This venue is wheelchair accessible.
Tickets: All tickets $10 (plus booking fee where applicable)
Bookings: via trybooking.com, or buy tickets at the door (subject to availability)
Podcast: TBA.

The Rings of Akhaten has debuted in Australia, averaging 725,000 viewers in the five major capital cities. It was the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's top-rating drama of the day and the tenth highest rating program of the day overall. These ratings do not include regional or time-shifted viewers.

Sunday 7th April sees the broadcast of the four-part 1975 Tom Baker story The Ark in Space on Australian and New Zealand television. The story is the 13th instalment in the 50th Anniversary season of Doctor Who stories on the UKTV channel.

The story is scheduled in Australia at 3:30pm and in New Zealand at 4:00pm. New Zealand has an additional screening on Monday 8th April at 3:55am.

The Ark in Space was first broadcast in Australia in 1976. New Zealand got to see it in 1978.

The UKTV billing describes the story as follows:

The TARDIS arrives on a deactivated space station Nerva otherwise known as the Ark. The Doctor, Sarah & Harry find the last survivors of the human race in suspended animation.

UKTV is showing stories throughout the year in the lead-up to the anniversary in November. The Ark in Space is the first in a set of six stories featuring Tom Baker's Doctor broadcast during April.

The rest of the month's schedule includes: Genesis of the Daleks (14th April), Pyramids of Mars and The Hand of Fear (21st April), and The Robots of Death and City of Death (28th April).

Up-and-coming broadcasts from both 20th and 21st Century series of Doctor Who can be found via UKTV's Doctor Who sections  for Australia and New Zealand.

The Bells of Saint John has debuted in Australia, averaging 757,000 viewers in the five major capital cities. It was the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's top-rating program of the day and the eighth highest rating programme of the day overall. It was also the fifth highest rating program in the free-to-air 18-49 and 25-54 demographics. These ratings do not include regional or time-shifted viewers.

Sunday 24th March sees the broadcast of the four-part 1974 Jon Pertwee story Death to the Daleks in Australia and New Zealand. The story is the 12th instalment in the 50th Anniversary season of Doctor Who stories on the UKTV channel.

The story is scheduled in New Zealand at 4:15pm and in Australia at 4:30pm. New Zealand gets an additional screening on Monday 25th March at 4:40am.

Death to the Daleks was first broadcast in Australia in 1975. New Zealand got to see it in 1976.

The UKTV billing describes the story as follows:

A power failure in the TARDIS draws it off course, the Doctor & Sarah Jane Smith end up stranded on the planet of Exxilon. They must find out what is draining their power.

UKTV is showing stories throughout the year in the lead-up to the anniversary in November. Death to the Daleks is the last in a set of four stories featuring Jon Pertwee's Doctor broadcast during March. The series will take a break next week for Easter.

Next month UKTV will present six Tom Baker stories in four weeks: The Ark in Space (7th April), Genesis of the Daleks (14th April), Pyramids of Mars and The Hand of Fear (21st April), and The Robots of Death and City of Death (28th April).

Up-and-coming broadcasts from both 20th and 21st Century series of Doctor Who can be found via UKTV's Doctor Who sections  for Australia and New Zealand.

As previously reported, Splendid Chaps is a year-long performance/podcast project to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who hosted by comedian Ben McKenzie (Dungeon Crawl, Melbourne Museum Comedy Tour) and writer John Richards (ABC1 sitcom Outland, Boxcutters podcast).

Described by its creators as part intellectual panel discussion, part nerdy Tonight Show, Splendid Chaps is a combination of analysis, enthusiasm and irreverence. The first episode went to number 1 on the iTunes TV & Film Podcast chart in Australia, and to number 4 in the UK.  The podcasts to the first three episodes are now available at www.splendidchaps.com or at  iTunes.

Tickets are now on sale for their two April shows, to be held at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

In part one they'll be joined by ABC3′s Steam Punks host Paul Verhoeven, and late night triple j host and Rove star Dave Callan to discuss Tom Baker's period as the Doctor. In part two's late show, Adam Richard, co-creator and star of Outland, and a fantastic UK comedian they're not allowed to name will discuss the role of Comedy in Doctor Who.

There's also be door prizes, a song, too many scarves and maybe even a Dalek.

Splendid Chaps: A Year Of Doctor Who: "Four/Comedy"
Space: The New Ballroom, corner of Lygon and Victoria Streets, Melbourne.
Time: Part One: April 6, 5:45 PM;  Part Two: April 13, 10:45 PM.
Tickets: $22 full price, $18 concession (plus booking fee where applicable).
Bookings: via comedyfestival.com.au, TicketMaster outlets, the Comedy Festival box office, or at the venue (subject to availability)  Please note if you book in person at a TicketMaster outlet, you may need to ask for “Ben McKenzie & John Richards”, as “Splendid Chaps” does not appear in the search terms of their system.
Podcast: not yet available; released 23 April 2013.
Accessibility: This venue is wheelchair accessible.

Sunday 10th March sees the broadcast of the five-part 1971 Jon Pertwee story The Daemons in Australia and New Zealand. The story is the tenth instalment in the 50th Anniversary season of classic Doctor Who stories on the UKTV channel.

The story is scheduled in New Zealand at 3:45pm and in Australia at 4:00pm. New Zealand has a additional screening on Monday 11th March at 3:40am.

The Daemons was first broadcast in New Zealand in 1985. The following year, Australians got to see it for the first time.

UKTV is showing stories every week throughout the year in the lead-up to the anniversary in November. The Daemons is the second in a set of four stories featuring Jon Pertwee's Doctor scheduled to screen in March. The next two stories are The Three Doctors (17th March) and Death to the Daleks (24th March). No story is scheduled on the last Sunday of this month.

Up-and-coming broadcasts from both 20th and 21st Century series of Doctor Who can be found via UKTV's Doctor Who sections  for Australia and New Zealand.

Sunday 3rd March sees the broadcast of the four-part 1970 Jon Pertwee story Spearhead from Space in Australia and New Zealand. The story is the ninth instalment in the 50th Anniversary season of classic Doctor Who stories on the UKTV channel.

The story is scheduled in New Zealand at 4:15pm and in Australia at 4:30pm. New Zealand has a additional screening on Monday 4th March at 3:50am.

Spearhead from Space was first broadcast in Australia in 1971. New Zealanders first got to see it in March 1975 (38 years ago this month).

UKTV is showing stories every week throughout the year in the lead-up to the anniversary in November. Spearhead from Space is the first of a set of four stories featuring Jon Pertwee's Doctor scheduled to screen in March. The next three stories are The Daemons (10th March), The Three Doctors (17th March), and Death to the Daleks (24th March). There is no story scheduled on UKTV on the last Sunday of March.

Up-and-coming broadcasts from both 20th and 21st Century series of Doctor Who can be found via UKTV's Doctor Who sections  for Australia and New Zealand.