Anna Wing 1914 - 2013

Thursday, 11 July 2013 - Reported by Marcus
The actress Anna Wing has died at the age of 98.

Anna Wing had a small but memorable part in the 1982 Doctor Who story Kinda, playing Anatta, a manifestation of the Mara who appeared to Tegan in a dream.

However, it was the creation of the character of Lou Beale, in the BBC soap EastEnders, for which she will be long remembered. She played the matriarch of the Fowler/Beale families from the show's first episode in 1985 until the character was killed off in 1988.

Wing had a long career before EastEnders, appearing in small character roles on television as long ago as 1938 and appearing in some of the most iconic dramas such as Z-Cars, Dixon of Dock Green and Anna Karenina.

She is survived by her two sons, including the actor Mark Wing-Davey, and five grandchildren. At the age of 98, she was believed to be the second longest-lived actress to have had a credited role in Doctor Who.




FILTER: - Obituary - Classic Series

Paradise Towers on UKTV

Saturday, 6 July 2013 - Reported by Paul Scoones
UKTV
Sunday 7th July sees the broadcast of the 1987 Sylvester McCoy story, Paradise Towers on Australian and New Zealand television. The story is presented as part of the 50th Anniversary season of Doctor Who on the UKTV channel.

The story screens at 4:20pm in Australia, and 4:45pm in New Zealand. The latter country has an additional screening on Monday 8th July at 4:15am.
mccoy paradise towers
The UKTV billing describes Paradise Towers as follows:
The Doctor visits Paradise Towers only to find it ruined. It is inhabited by Rezzies, Kangs, Pex & Caretakers led by a Chief whose job is to keep the apartment complex in order.
Paradise Towers was first broadcast in Australia in 1988. New Zealand did not get to see it until 1990.

UKTV is showing stories throughout the year in the lead-up to the anniversary in November. In July the focus is on Sylvester McCoy's Seventh Doctor. The rest of the month's schedule includes: Remembrance of the Daleks (14 July); The Greatest Show in the Galaxy (21 July); The Curse of Fenric and Survival (both 28 July).

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.





FILTER: - Classic Series - WHO50 - New Zealand - Australia

Revelation of the Daleks on UKTV

Saturday, 29 June 2013 - Reported by Paul Scoones

UKTV

Sunday 30th June sees the broadcast of the 1985 Colin Baker story, Revelation of the Daleks on Australian and New Zealand television. The story is presented as part of the 50th Anniversary season of Doctor Who on the UKTV channel.

The story screens at 4:15pm in Australia and 4:10pm in New Zealand.

The UKTV billing describes Revelation of the Daleks as follows:
The Doctor arrives in a facility where the wealthy can have their newly-deceased bodies cryogenically frozen until medical science can cure what killed them.
Revelation of the Daleks was first broadcast in Australia in 1986. New Zealand first saw it in 1988, as part of a week of special screenings to mark the series' 25th anniversary. The story was originally screened in Britain as two 45-minute episodes, but was first broadcast in Australia and New Zealand in four parts. The UKTV transmission will feature the two-episode version.

UKTV is showing stories throughout the year in the lead-up to the anniversary in November. In July the focus is on Sylvester McCoy's Seventh Doctor, with the following stories scheduled: Paradise Towers (7 July); Remembrance of the Daleks (14 July); The Greatest Show in the Galaxy (21 July); The Curse of Fenric and Survival (both 28 July).

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.





FILTER: - Classic Series - WHO50 - New Zealand - Australia

Who Is The Doctor?

Thursday, 27 June 2013 - Reported by Marcus
BBC Radio 2 has told Doctor Who News it is to produce a documentary entitled Who is the Doctor? to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who.

The 90-minute programme will be broadcast on Thursday 21st November, just two days before the celebration date. More details when we have them.

Also on Radio 2, former companion to the Sixth Doctor, Bonnie Langford, will be Graham Norton’s guest this Saturday. The actress, who played Mel from 1986 to 1987 is scheduled to appear at around 12.15pm UK time. Questions can be sent to Norton at the usual address graham.norton@bbc.co.uk

BBC Radio 2 can be heard worldwide via the BBC website.




FILTER: - Doctor Who - Documentary - Classic Series - Radio

Angus MacKay 1927-2013

Saturday, 22 June 2013 - Reported by Marcus

The actor Angus MacKay has died at the age of 86.

Angus MacKay appeared in five episodes of Doctor Who.

He played Chancellor Borusa in the 1976 story The Deadly Assassin, the first time the Doctor's old teacher was seen in the series. He returned to the show in 1983 alongside the fifth Doctor playing the Headmaster in the story which introduced Turlough, Mawdryn Undead.

Away from Doctor Who he had numerous television credits in productions such as One Foot in the Grave, Only Fools and Horses, Howards' Way, The Professionals, Steptoe and Son, The Sweeney, Minder and Z-Cars.




FILTER: - Obituary - Classic Series

People Roundup

Saturday, 22 June 2013 - Reported by Marcus
Tea with The Doctor

Afternoon tea at the Ritz in the company of Matt Smith, is being auctioned in aid of Autism Charities.

The auction is part of A Curious Night at the Theatre, a one off performance taking place at the Apollo Theatre in London, with Jude Law performing live as well as filmed performances from Helen Mirren, James Bond actor Ben Whishaw, and Matt Smith himself.

Tea with the Doctor will be auctioned, along with several other celebrity lots, after the performance.

Bids can also be accepted online.


Death Comes To Pemberley

Jenna Coleman is to play Lydia Wickham in the BBC One adaptation of Death Comes To Pemberley, the sequel to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. The drama, based on the bestselling novel by P.D. James, involves the well known characters of the english classic in a new tale of murder and emotional mayhem.

The cast includes Matthew Rhys who stars as Mr Darcy and Anna Maxwell Martin, who played Suki in the Ninth Doctor adventure The Long Game, playing Elizabeth. Other Who alumni include Tom Ward who played Captain Latimer in The Snowmen, and James Norton playing Colonel Fitzwilliam. Eleanor Tomlinson who played Eve in The Sarah Jane Adventures two-parter, The Mad Woman in the Attic, is playing Georgiana Darcy. Filming will take place in Yorkshire later this month.

NB: Jenna-Louise Coleman has decided to drop the Louise from her name for future credits so will now simply be known as Jenna Coleman.



Walk for Life

Four former Doctor Who actresses took part in the Walk for Life last Sunday, joining forces with Gay Times to raise money for the Terrence Higgins Trust, a charity concerned with sexual health issues.

Freema Agyeman who played Martha Jones, Sophie Aldred who played Ace, Louise Jameson who played Leela and Katy Manning who played Jo Grant, walked the 10km route through the centre of London, from Bloomsbury Square Gardens to Waterloo Bridge.

Donations can still be made by clicking the relevant actress's name above.


Michael Sheen is to read Neil Gaiman’s latest novel, The Ocean At The End Of The Lane, for BBC Radio 4’s Book At Bedtime strand.

Sheen played the voice of House in Gaiman's 2011 story The Doctor's Wife. The Ocean At The End Of The Lane is the first adult novel in eight years by the acclaimed author. It’s a tale about memory, about the adventures, experiences and enchantment of childhood and the power of stories. The reading will be broadcast in five 15-minute instalments during July and will be available worldwide via the Radio 4 website.


The Queen's birthday honours list for 2013 saw veteran actors Julian Glover and Claire Bloom and comic actor Rowan Atkinson all made Commanders of the Order of the British Empire. David Haig, who played Pangol in the 1980 story The Leisure Hive, was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire.




FILTER: - People - Matt Smith - Jenna Coleman - Classic Series

The Two Doctors on UKTV

Friday, 21 June 2013 - Reported by Paul Scoones

UKTV

Sunday 23rd June sees the broadcast of the 1985 Colin Baker story, The Two Doctors on Australian and New Zealand television. The story is presented as part of the 50th Anniversary season of Doctor Who on the UKTV channel.

The story screens at 3:25pm in Australia, and 3:35pm in New Zealand. The latter country has an additional screening on Monday 24th June at 3:30am.
The Two Doctors (Credit: BBC)
The UKTV billing describes The Two Doctors as follows:
Time & time again, the Doctor has teamed up with himself to save lives. This time, he must save his past self in order to ensure his own existence in his present.
The Two Doctors was first broadcast in Australia in 1986. New Zealand did not get to see it until 1989. The story was originally screened in Britain as three 45-minute episodes, but was first broadcast in Australia and New Zealand in six parts. The UKTV transmission will feature the three-episode version of the story.

UKTV is showing stories throughout the year in the lead-up to the anniversary in November. The run of Sixth Doctor stories concludes next week with Revelation of the Daleks (30 June). Next month the focus shifts to Sylvester McCoy's Seventh Doctor, with the following stories scheduled: Paradise Towers (7 July); Remembrance of the Daleks (14 July); The Greatest Show in the Galaxy (21 July); The Curse of Fenric and Survival (both 28 July).

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.





FILTER: - Classic Series - WHO50 - New Zealand - Australia

The Mark of the Rani on UKTV

Saturday, 15 June 2013 - Reported by Paul Scoones
UKTV
Sunday 16th June sees the broadcast of the 1985 Colin Baker story, The Mark of the Rani on Australian and New Zealand television. The story is presented as part of the 50th Anniversary season of Doctor Who on the UKTV channel.

The story screens at 4:20pm in both countries. New Zealand has an additional screening on Monday 17th June at 4:30am.
The Mark of the Rani
The UKTV billing describes The Mark of the Rani as follows:
In 19th century England, the Doctor finds himself facing two competing enemies: his old adversary, the Master, and the Rani, another Time Lord with a sinister plan.
The Mark of the Rani was first broadcast in Australia in 1986. New Zealand did not get to see it until 1989. The story was originally screened in Britain as two 45-minute episodes, but was first broadcast in Australia and New Zealand in four parts. UKTV will screen the two-episode version of the story.

UKTV is showing stories throughout the year in the lead-up to the anniversary in November. Colin Baker's sixth Doctor is the focus of the stories screened during June. Upcoming stories include The Two Doctors (23 June) and Revelation of the Daleks (30 June).

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.





FILTER: - Classic Series - WHO50 - New Zealand - Australia

Vengeance on Varos on UKTV

Friday, 7 June 2013 - Reported by Paul Scoones
UKTVSunday 9th June sees the broadcast of the 1985 Colin Baker story, Vengeance on Varos on Australian and New Zealand television. The story is presented as part of the 50th Anniversary season of Doctor Who on the UKTV channel.

The story screens at 4:30pm in both countries. New Zealand has an additional screening on Monday 10th June at 4:45am.

Vengeance on Varos (Credit: Copyright © BBC 1985)
The UKTV billing describes Vengeance on Varos as follows:
Seeking the rare mineral Zeiton-7 to repair his TARDIS, the Doctor arrives on Varos, a world where political prisoners & their guards are all subjected to sadistic tortures.
Vengeance on Varos was first broadcast in Australia in 1985. New Zealand did not get to see it until 1989. The story was originally screened in Britain as two 45-minute episodes, but was first broadcast in Australia and New Zealand in four parts. The UKTV transmission will feature the two-episode version of the story.

UKTV is showing stories throughout the year in the lead-up to the anniversary in November. Colin Baker's sixth Doctor is the focus of the stories screened during June. The remainder of the schedule includes: The Mark of the Rani (16 June), The Two Doctors (23 June), Revelation of the Daleks (30 June).

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.

(Note: An earlier version of this article reported that New Zealand would receive another showing of Attack of the Cybermen on 9th June. Although the story appeared on the UKTV schedule, it was not screened. Instead the episodes Bad Wolf and The Parting of the Ways were shown.)





FILTER: - Classic Series - WHO50 - New Zealand - Australia

Attack of the Cybermen on UKTV

Thursday, 30 May 2013 - Reported by Paul Scoones

UKTV

Sunday 2nd June sees the broadcast of the 1985 Colin Baker story, Attack of the Cybermen on Australian and New Zealand television. The story is presented as part of the 50th Anniversary season of Doctor Who on the UKTV channel.

In New Zealand the story screens at 4:25pm and in Australia at 4:30pm. New Zealand has an additional screening on Monday 3rd June at 4:40am.

The UKTV billing describes Attack of the Cybermen as follows:
While trying to fix the TARDIS's chameleon circuit, the Sixth Doctor returns to Foreman's Yard on Totter's Lane in 1985, where he meets his old enemies the Cybermen.
Attack of the Cybermen was first broadcast in Australia in 1985. New Zealand did not get to see it until 1989. The story was originally screened in Britain as two 45-minute episodes, but was first broadcast in Australia and New Zealand in a four-part format. The UKTV transmission will feature the two-episode version of the story.

UKTV is showing stories throughout the year in the lead-up to the anniversary in November. The stories due to be screened during June all feature Colin Baker's sixth Doctor. The schedule includes: Vengeance on Varos (9 June), The Mark of the Rani (16 June), The Two Doctors (23 June), Revelation of the Daleks (30 June).

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.







FILTER: - Classic Series - WHO50 - New Zealand - Australia