Cybermen take over toyshops

Friday, 1 December 2006 - Reported by DWNP Archive

The Cyberman Voice Changer helmet is tipped to be one of the best selling toys this Christmas, according to theSunday Times. Only a Bratz doll is more popular, and other Doctor Who toys in the retailer Christmas Top 20 include the radio-controlled K9 and Dalek.

It has been good news for the manufacturers Character Options, whose shares jumped more than 12p, after it said annual profits would be “significantly” above market forecasts.

The Doctor Who Annual is also predicted to be the best seller this year, beating The Beano Annual for the first time in its history.

Additional coverage about the toy sales can be found at icWales, Blackpool Today and the Yorkshire Post,; the Annual's success is also covered by The Herald.

(Additional material by Josiah Rowe.)

FILTER: - Merchandise - Radio Times

Runaway Bride and Sarah Jane Adventures press release

Friday, 1 December 2006 - Reported by DWNP Archive

The BBC Press Office has released programme information for the Christmas period, including a synopsis of The Runaway Bride, The Sarah Jane Adventures and the final three episodes of Torchwood.

The transmission date and time for The Runaway Bride is yet to be confirmed but is likely to be Christmas Day (as noted by Russell T Davies at the Children in Need Concert). The episode features Catherine Tate as Donna and Sarah Parish playing The Empress of Racnoss. The synopsis can be found below.

The Sarah Jane Adventures will be a 60 minute special, featuring Samantha Bond as Mrs Wormwood, Porsha Lawrence Mavour as Kelsey, Yasmin Page playing Maria, and an appearance by K9. It will be broadcast over the Christmas period as part of CBBC on BBC One, as well as on the CBBC Channel, followed by a series later in the year.

The official Doctor Who website has also updated to feature an online advent calendar in the run up to Christmas.

The Runaway Bride

Bride-to-be Donna mysteriously vanishes as she prepares to marry her boyfriend Lance in a glittering ceremony on Christmas Eve. She suddenly appears, to her complete astonishment, in the Tardis with the Doctor.

As the Tardis races to get to the church on time, the Doctor and Donna are closely watched by the sinister figure of The Empress of Racnoss from her throne in her spaceship. It soon becomes clear that Donna is the key to an ancient alien plan to destroy the Earth.

The Sarah Jane adventures

Elisabeth Sladen – Doctor Who's former sidekick – is back as Sarah Jane Smith in a brand-new, fast-paced children's drama, created by Russell T Davies and from the makers of Doctor Who. The Sarah Jane Adventures ensures that children never look at fizzy drinks in the same way again...

Sarah Jane is fascinated by Bubbleshock, a strangely addictive organic drink that is taking the world by storm. She is almost oblivious to the arrival of her new neighbour, Maria, a young girl starting a new life with her father.

Maria becomes intrigued by the strange goings on at Sarah Jane's house but, before she can investigate, she's whisked away by her new friend, Kelsey, to the brightly coloured, but sinister, Bubbleshock factory.

As Sarah Jane tries to find out what the mysterious Mrs Wormwood is doing at the factory, Maria and Kelsey embark on a tour which leads them into the path of a monstrous creature and a strange young boy with no name or past.

When Sarah Jane and Maria discover the secret ingredient of Bubbleshock, they realise they are the only ones who can stop Mrs Wormwood and her evil plans for the human race.

FILTER: - Specials - Sarah Jane - Press

Weakest Link Special

Friday, 1 December 2006 - Reported by DWNP Archive

A special Doctor Who themed edition of the Weakest Link was recorded on the 21st November, featuring David Tennant, Camille Coduri, Noel Clarke, and John Barrowman. Other contestants facing down Anne Robinson included Andrew Hayden-Smith, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Claire Rushbrook, Nick Briggs and K9.

Tracy-Ann Oberman described the experience in her column in The Guardian saying, "I realised things might be going pear-shaped in the brain department. By eight o'clock I was breaking into a cold sweat, unable to remember my own name, let alone those of my fellow contestants."

(Thanks to Tony Jordan.)

FILTER: - Special Events

Dr Who named as an Icon of England

Friday, 1 December 2006 - Reported by Kenny Davidson

Doctor Who has made it onto the Icons list according to BBC News. The programme is one of twenty-one new Icons of England, an online list selected by a panel of experts and voted for by the public. Other new additions include Winnie-the-Pooh, the Stiff Upper Lip, and Westminster Abbey.

The Icons project was commissioned by Culture Online, a part of the UK Government's Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

FILTER: - Press

National TV Awards: Another Huge Win for Doctor Who

Friday, 1 December 2006 - Reported by Kenny Davidson

Doctor Who confirmed its continuing massive popularity with the British public by dominating the National Television Awards for a second year running. The show, where the awards are voted for by the public, won the coveted Most Popular Drama category and David Tennant and Billie Piper took the Most Popular Actor and Actress prizes.

This was a repeat performance of last year's success, the only change being that it was Christopher Eccleston as the Doctor taking the Most Popular Actor award in 2005.

This year's ceremony took place at the Royal Albert Hall where Tennant was presented with his award by Dame Julie Andrews.

Accepting the award he said: "I think if my eight-year-old self could see me at the Royal Albert Hall winning a prize for playing the Doctor on telly, he would need a stiff shot of Irn-Bru."

He added: "I love my job. I'm so chuffed that others seem to love it too.

"Thank you for tuning in, that's why we make it."

Backstage, Tennant said on a television interview: "Thank goodness I didn't let the side down, eh? That would have been a tragedy.

"It's difficult to come into something that's been such a great success. It's a bit daunting, whether you're going to do as good a job as Chris. It means a lot."

Representing the show at the ceremony were Tennant, Piper, Noel Clarke and Camille Coduri.

Online press coverage includes BBC News (with a second article here), The Guardian, ITV News, and the Reuterspress agency.

FILTER: - Awards/Nominations - Series 2/28

Press mentions including casting

Friday, 1 December 2006 - Reported by DWNP Archive

According to The Sun, Holby City actor Hugh Quarshie is to play a character named Solomon in a two-part story in Series Three, alongside Spooks actress Miranda Raison.

Reporting a week earlier on Raison's signing, the BBC site says she is to play a showgirl in one episode set in 1930s New York. The Raison story on the BBC site also says that Ryan Carnes (Justin in Desperate Housewives) has a role in the next series.

The same edition of The Sun reported that post-punk/art-rock band Kaiser Chiefs were avowed Doctor Who fans. It quoted leader Ricky Wilson as saying: "We were on tour all last year but I haven't done anything this year except watch telly. I loved Doctor Who, it's ace."

The brief piece said the group joined David Tennant for an interview in the NME Rock 'n' Roll Yearbook.

FILTER: - Press

Cybermen take over toyshops

Runaway Bride and Sarah Jane Adventures press release

Weakest Link Special

Dr Who named as an Icon of England

National TV Awards: Another Huge Win for Doctor Who

Press mentions including casting

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