New Radio Times

Tuesday, 30 June 2009 - Reported by Chuck Foster

The new edition of the Radio Times has been published in the UK, and features a foldout cover for Torchwood: Children of Earth. The magazine includes a four-page article on the five-part story, including a "script-to-screen" section.

There is also an interview with John Barrowman, in which he criticises the BBC for cutting the series to five episodes following its move to BBC1.

Barrowman said: "We were the most successful show on BBC3, ever. We moved to BBC2 because the ratings were so good, the ratings were great again and we were beating shows that had been on BBC2 for a long time. The decision was made to go to BBC1, and then we were cut. From 13 episodes down to five.

"The five episodes, the miniseries as I call it, are incredible, I have no doubt about that, but personally, I felt like we were being punished. Other shows move from BBC3 and 2 to 1, and they don't get cut. So why are we? It felt like every time we moved we had to prove ourselves."

A BBC spokesman has denied Torchwood was being "punished", saying they wanted to create an "event" to launch the show on BBC1, with the new series stripped across one week.





Radio Times editor Gill Hudson:

"They are faced with their fiercest threat to date – one which throws the future of Torchwood and the entire human race spiralling into danger. Do they stand a chance of saving mankind?" Even if you've never seen Torchwood in your life, the brief description from its official website should at least make it clear that Last of the Summer Wine this is not.

"But it will be a new experience for die-hard fans, too: as well as moving to primetime BBC1 from BBC2, it's also switched from the usual 13-part weekly format to five parts to be run on consecutive nights.

"It's a trick that's been used to good effect before – last year's Criminal Justice and the recent Occupation, for example – and it's something we can expect more of. As increasing numbers of us watch what we like, when we like, 'event TV' will be needed to ensure we keep having compelling reasons to tune in on particular nights.

Not that Torchwood star John Barrowman is entirely happy. Find out why – and what it takes to produce a a drama like this – on page 14."




FILTER: - Torchwood - UK - Magazines - Children of Earth (Series 3) - Radio Times

Torchwood on Radio 4

Monday, 29 June 2009 - Reported by Marcus
Torchwood comes to BBC Radio Four this week with a specially commissioned series of three plays occupying the long running Afternoon Play slot.

Starring John Barrowman, Eve Myles and Gareth David-Lloyd the 45 minute plays will be transmitted at 2.15pm on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Once transmitted they can be downloaded from the BBC iPlayer for a period of 1 week.

Asylum Wednesday 1 July 2009
When PC Andy arrests a teenager for shoplifting, he thinks it is going to be a routine case. Then he sees the weapon she is carrying and decides to call in the Torchwood team.
By Anita Sullivan.

Golden Age Thursday 2 July 2009
The Torchwood team are led to Delhi on the trail of a dangerous energy field.
By James Goss.

The Dead Line Friday 3 July 2009
When a Cardiff hospital is inundated with patients who have fallen into coma – like trances, Torchwood move in to investigate.
By Phil Ford.




FILTER: - Torchwood - UK - Radio

Torchwood: Children of Earth Scheduling

Wednesday, 24 June 2009 - Reported by Chuck Foster
A roundup of news for the broadcast of Torchwood: Children of Earth around the world.

United Kingdom (BBC1, 6th-10th July)
BBC Press Pack


United States (BBC America, 20th-24th July)


Canada (SPACE, 20th-24th July)
  • Channel Canada report that the SPACE channel will broadcast the five-part series on consecutive days from the 20th July, and will be followed on the Saturday by the Canadian premiere of Planet of the Dead.


Australia (UKTV, BBC HD, 7th-11th July)
Trailer 1 Trailer 2




FILTER: - Canada - Torchwood - USA - UK - Children of Earth (Series 3) - Radio Times - Broadcasting

Target on the Radio

Saturday, 20 June 2009 - Reported by Marcus
In a new documentary, Mark Gatiss explores the history of the incredibly popular Target book range.

In the days before domestic video players and multi channel Television, the only way for fans to relive Doctor Who episodes, or catch up with stories they had missed, was through the hugely popular Doctor Who novelisations, published throughout the 70's and 80's.

Gatiss, a self-confessed Doctor Who fan, who has written and stared in the revived series, presents On the Outside it Looked Like an Old Fashioned Police Box. The documentary features some of the best excerpts from the books and interviews with publishers, house writers, illustrators and the actors whose adventures the books depicted.

The programme is on Radio Four on Tuesday 23rd June at 1130 BST. Radio Four can be heard across the UK and around the world via the BBC iPlayer. Once broadcast the programme will be availabe to listen again for seven days.





FILTER: - Documentary - Classic Series - Radio

New Torchwood radio plays

Thursday, 14 May 2009 - Reported by Josiah Rowe
The BBC's Torchwood website has confirmed that three new Torchwood radio plays have been recorded, and will air on BBC Radio 4's Afternoon Play prior to the television broadcast of Torchwood: Children of Earth. A previous Torchwood radio drama, "Lost Souls" by Joseph Lidster, was broadcast on Radio 4 last September, and is now available for purchase on CD and download. The BBC says that the new plays will "bridge the gap between Torchwood: Lost Souls and the upcoming Torchwood: Children of Earthtelevision series."

The new plays star John Barrowman as Captain Jack, Eve Myles as Gwen and Gareth David-Lloyd as Ianto. Each play will be 45 minutes long, and will air at 2:15 pm in the "Afternoon Play" slot. They will also be available as downloads and on iPlayer for 7 days after their initial broadcast. Broadcast dates have not yet been announced.

Titles, authors and summaries for the three plays are as follows:
Asylum by Anita Sullivan
The story of a teen runaway called Freda who is brought to the attention of Torchwood by PC Andy. As Gwen, Jack and Ianto investigate where this troubled girl has come from, Andy finds himself drawn closer than ever before into the world of Torchwood.

Golden Age by James Goss
Torchwood go to India to investigate the disappearance of hundreds of people. The trail leads them to an old colonial club which seems strangely stuck in the past as does its young and beautiful owner, the Duchess.

The Dead Line by Phil Ford
A series of mysterious phone calls lead Jack into danger, and result in 'a very emotional moment for Ianto'.




FILTER: - Torchwood - Radio - Children of Earth (Series 3)

Tennant and Tate for BBC Radio 2

Friday, 3 April 2009 - Reported by Anthony Weight
On Saturday 11th April, David Tennant and Catherine Tate will be standing in as the presenters of Jonathan Ross's BBC Radio 2 show, live from 10.00am to 1pm. Guests will include Tennant's favourite band, The Proclaimers (playing live), and John Barrowman. Further details will be available on the programme's website from tomorrow.

The programme will also be broadcast live, and available to listen to again for one week following transmission, on the BBC iPlayer. This applies internationally, BBC radio programming being freely available outside of the UK.





FILTER: - People - David Tennant - Radio

The Story of Doctor Who

Friday, 27 March 2009 - Reported by Marcus
There is a chance to hear how Doctor Who is made, when BBC Radio 7 broadcasts a question and answer session with some of the production team this weekend.

The panel features current Executive Producer Julie Gardner, Director Euros Lyn, Production designer Edward Thomas, Brand manager Ian Grutchfield and Dalek operator Barnaby Edwards. They were recorded at the recent Celtic Media Festival held in Caernarfon in North Wales. Russell T Davies was due to attend but was forced to cancel because of his workload. Filming starts Monday for the next in the series of the four specials concluding the tenure of David Tennant as the tenth Doctor.

Questions ranged from why Doctor Who was not available in Lego to whether Matt Smith would cut his fringe before taking over from David Tennant as the Doctor and why the TARDIS is disguised as a police box.

The transmission is at 0000GMT on Sunday morning and is scheduled in a one hour slot. Radio 7 can be heard on digital platforms in the UK and around the world on the listen live facility. Following transmission the broadcast will be available as a podcast on the BBC Website.




FILTER: - Production - Radio

News Round Up

Tuesday, 27 January 2009 - Reported by Marcus
David Tennant's performance in the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Hamlet, has won him the best Shakespearean performance award from the Critics Circle. Tennant shared the award with Sir Derek Jacobi who won for his performance of Malvolio in the Donmar Warehouse's production of Twelfth Night. Tennant described the experience of playing Hamlet "a dream I never imagined I would get to fulfil".

Former companion and Blue Peter presenter, Peter Purves's autobiography is being published by Green Umbrella Publishing on 10th February. The book, which is being promoted as a scandalous read, will cover Purves time on Doctor Who, working with the first Doctor William Hartnell, as well as his later work on Blue Peter and Kick Start. He will be making several appearances at signing sessions around the UK.

Torchwood has been nominated for best Drama Series, in the annual Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) media awards. GLAAD is dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of people and events in the media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. The awards will be presented at three separate ceremonies: in New York on March 28, in Los Angeles on April 19 and in San Francisco on May 9.

Former companion Louise Jameson has given an interview to Kent Life. Jameson who played Leela, talks about her relationship with fourth doctor Tom Baker and well as her work on other projects.

Scorenotes.com has uploaded an audio interview with Doctor Who composer, Murray Gold. Gold discusses both Doctor Who and Torchwood in the segment.

Radio Times has put together a selection of photographs from the recent Radio Times Covers Party. They are available on the website.

Thanks to Roger Jones, Andrew Futter, Rob Turner and Tom H.




FILTER: - People - Torchwood - Press - Radio Times

Christmas Radio Times

Sunday, 7 December 2008 - Reported by Marcus

This year's Radio Times Christmas issue is now on sale across the UK. The magazine contains a written piece by Russell T Davies, where he previews the Christmas special and talks about plans for Doctor Who. There are also short interviews with both David Tennant and David Morrissey.

Also, the magazine features a special poster offer. Fans can collect a token from the Christmas issue and a token from the issue of Radio Times out on 27th December to get a double-sided A1-sized poster (supplied in a tube) with two Radio Times images. One side shows the Cyberleader and the Cybermen, while the reverse has the two Doctors, Miss Hartigan and the Cybermen. Postage and Packing costs apply.

To mark Doctor Who's 45th birthday, the Radio Times website is launching a comprehensive story guide, listing episodes, transmission dates, production details, cast and crew. It starts at the beginning with An Unearthly Child and will build week by week to cover all transmitted Doctor Who stories; the first ten up to and including The Dalek Invasion of Earth are already online. There will be in-depth RT Choice analyses by Radio Times journalists Patrick Mulkern and Mark Braxton, and links to original RT covers, articles, occasional billings and readers' letters. Radio Times historian Ralph Montague will also be assisting on the project.




FILTER: - Merchandise - Radio Times

New Radio Times

Saturday, 29 November 2008 - Reported by Anthony Weight

The latest issue of the BBC's Radio Times listings magazine goes on sale across the UK today, publishing on a Saturday rather than a Tuesday as the magazine's release schedule increases in the run-up to Christmas. The edition, covering December 6th to 12th, is currently previewed on the Radio Times website.

It features an extensive preview of the forthcoming Christmas special, "The Next Doctor", including a front cover picture of David Tennant and guest starDavid Morrissey, with a fold-out section including the adversaries they will face in the episode. Including multiple covers, this is the 23rd time the series has been granted the honour of the front page of the magazine since its return in 2005; the 8th in 2008 alone, and the 45th in the show's 45-year history.

As well as previewing "The Next Doctor", Radio Times also has a behind-the-scenes feature marking the return of the Brigadier to our TV screens in The Sarah Jane Adventures.

In addition, the issue looks back at 2008, with celebrities including Catherine Tate.




FILTER: - Specials - Magazines - Series 4/30 Specials - Radio Times