We auctioned off eight silver limited-edition Doctor Who 50th-anniversary commemorative coins on eBay, with all profits from the auctions going to our annual initiative of sending two students from the island of Niue to Outward Bound, and in doing so created an international bidding frenzy, with one coin selling to a Canadian bidder for more than 15 times its NZ$155 face value.

After the success of the silver Doctor Who 50th-anniversary commemorative coin, we are delighted to be partnering again with NZ Mint on the limited-edition gold coin, which looks certain to be a highly coveted item among Doctor Who fans.

Miwk Publishing are absolutely delighted to be reprinting this unique insight into an era of Doctor Who which, while dividing fandom at the time, has seen a reappraisal in recent years following the release of the stories on DVD and the subsequent scrutiny of the era in the accompanying special features.

It has been revised and slightly updated from its originally version and features new forewords and afterwords additional to this edition. We couldn’t reprint the book without reprinting the original cover. Grateful thanks to Steve Cook for allowing us to reuse his photograph.

Script Doctor
Written by Andrew Cartmel

In 1987 Doctor Who was a series in the middle of an on-going crisis. Producer John Nathan-Turner had been ‘persuaded to stay’ even though his programme had only a year earlier been cancelled by ‘the powers that be’. Yet again those on-high stepped in to interfere with the show and asked him to recast the Doctor. But JN-T had other problems too, during season 23 his script editor Eric Saward had quit very publicly.

This vacancy was filled by Andrew Cartmel. Within very few months he had to find writers for the new season, write out the current companion, introduce a new companion and establish a new Doctor as well as planning ahead to the following season that would mark Doctor Who’s 25th anniversary.

For three years Andrew Cartmel, with the support of JN-T, pushed Doctor Who into a new direction. The show was moved to a weekday slot again up against ITV stalwart Coronation Street but still put up a good fight in its last three years. His writers Ian Briggs, Ben Aaronovitch, Stephen Wyatt, Malcolm Kohl, Rona Munro, Marc Platt, Kevin Clarke and Graeme Curry, had never written for Doctor Who before. This new broom sadly came too late and the show was cancelled again in 1989. But Cartmel’s legacy and his ‘Master-Plan’ would live on.

What he started was picked up and taken into the nineties by a new generation of writers who would eventually bring Doctor Who back to our screens in 2005.

‘Script Doctor’ is a memoir of those times, from his first day in the office to his first day on set right up to hastily penning the final few lines of the last story broadcast in the original run. Helping to cast the new seventh Doctor, Sylvester McCoy, and create a new companion in Ace, played by Sophie Aldred, ‘Script Doctor’ is an intimate tale which sees a team of dedicated, creative new wave at the BBC, battling the old-guard and attempting to push the envelope.

The Complete Series 1-7 Boxed Set (Blu-ray) (available for preorder UK/US)
Starring Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant, Matt Smith


Fantastic! Allons-y! Geronimo! For the first time ever, the epic adventures of the Ninth, Tenth and Eleventh Doctors are brought together in high definition in a special Blu-ray release

The set includes the complete adventures of the Ninth Doctor (Christopher Eccleston, Thor: The Dark World) and Tenth Doctor (David Tennant, Broadchurch, Fright Night), available in newly remastered Blu-ray versions at full 1080p resolution for the first time ever, sitting alongside those of the Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith) in this high definition collection

• Doctor Who: The Complete First Series, starring Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper
• Doctor Who: The Complete Second Series, starring David Tennant and Billie Piper
• Doctor Who: The Complete Third Series, starring David Tennant and Freema Agyeman
• Doctor Who: The Complete Fourth Series, starring David Tennant and Catherine Tate

Also included in1080p Resolution:

• Doctor Who: The Complete Specials, starring David Tennant
• Doctor Who: The Complete Fifth Series, starring Matt Smith and Karen Gillan
• Doctor Who: The Complete Sixth Series, starring Matt Smith, Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill
• Doctor Who: The Complete Seventh Series, starring Matt Smith, Karen Gillan, Arthur Darvill, and Jenna-Louise Coleman

Bonus Blu-ray disc includes:

• “The Doctor Who Ultimate List of Lists” from BBC AMERICA’s The Brit List - BBC AMERICA’s pop culture correspondent, Asha Leo, is joined by special guest John Barrowman (“Torchwood,” “Doctor Who”) to announce the rankings of the “Top Five Companions,” “Top Five Scariest Moments,” “Top Five Best Monsters,” “Top Five Guest Stars” and “Top Five Things You’ll Only See on Doctor Who.”
• Doctor Who at the Proms 2010 - Doctor Who’s own Karen Gillen and Arthur Darvill host a spectacular evening of music from the series played live by the London Philharmonic Orchestra at London’s historic Royal Albert Hall. Includes video projections, appearances by the monsters and a special guest appearance from 11th Doctor Matt Smith. For the first time, the collection will include the full 90-minute concert and has been remastered in 5.1 Surround Sound.
• Doctor Who: The Best of the Christmas Specials - This previously unreleased special from December 2011 takes an inside look at the very best moments from the incredible Doctor Who Christmas specials that have captivated audiences around the world. A collection of fans from the celebrity, comedy, sci-fi and digital worlds discuss their favorite moments from both David Tennant and Matt Smith era Christmas episodes.

The Beast of Babylon
Written by Charlie Higson
Published 23rd September 2013

When a girl called Ali pockets a silver orb that falls from the sky, little does she realise it’s her ticket to seeing the universe! Desperate to retrieve the mysterious object, the Ninth Doctor agrees to let her join him on a dangerous trip to ancient Babylon. Together they must join forces to stop a giant Starman from destroying Earth before it’s too late!

I grew up with Doctor Who and have always been a massive fan so it's a great honour to be involved in this anniversary celebration. Russell T Davies did a great job of rebooting the series with Christopher Eccleston so to be able to write the Ninth Doctor story was a great opportunity to say thanks to the Doctor and thanks to Russell.

The Tenth Planet
Release date: 18 Nov 2013 UK


Special Features: Disc One

• Episode Four - animated version of the missing episode
• Commentary, with actors Anneke Wills (Polly), Christopher Matthews (Radar Technician), Earl Cameron (Williams), Alan White (Schultz), Donald Van Der Maaten (Cybermen Shav and Gern), Christopher Dunham (R/T Technician) and designer Peter Kindred. Moderated by Toby Hadoke.
• Frozen Out - Cast and crew look back on the making of the story. With actors Anneke Wills, Earl Cameron and Reg Whitehead, designer Peter Kindred and vision mixer Shirley Coward.
• Episode 4 VHS Reconstruction - The reconstruction of the missing fourth episode using audio, stills and surviving clips, which featured on the BBC Video VHS release of the story back in 2000.
Radio Times listings - Episode listings for The Tenth Planet from the BBC listings magazine Radio Times (DVD-ROM only – to be viewed on PC/Mac).
• Production subtitles - Subtitles provide the viewer with cast details, script development and other information related to the production of The Tenth Planet.
• Photo gallery - A selection of production, design and publicity photographs from this story.
• Coming soon - An exclusive new trailer for a forthcoming DVD release.

Special Features: Disc Two

• William Hartnell Interview - Shortly after leaving Doctor Who, star William Hartnell joined the 1966 Christmas pantomime tour of Puss in Boots. Interviewed in his dressing room for the BBC Bristol’s Points West programme, Hartnell talks frankly about Daleks, the merits of pantomime and his own thoughts on his future career in this extremely rare glimpse into the mind of the man who first brought the role of the Doctor to life...
• Doctor Who Stories – Anneke Wills - Anneke Wills look back on her role as Polly in the series, in an interview recorded for the BBC’s Story of Doctor Who in 2003.
• The Golden Age - Historian Dominic Sandbrook examines the myth of a ‘Golden Age’ of Doctor Who.
• Boys! Boys! Boys! - Peter Purves, Frazer Hines and Mark Strickson reminisce about their time as companions to the First, Second and Fifth Doctors respectively.
• Companion Piece - A psychologist, writers and some of the Doctor’s companions over the years examine what it means to be a Time Lord’s fellow traveller . With actors William Russell, Elisabeth Sladen, Louise Jameson, Nicola Bryant and Arthur Darvill, writers Nev Fountain and Joseph Lidster, and psychologist Dr Tomas Charmorro-Premuzic.
• Blue Peter: Doctor Who's Tenth Anniversary - Two weeks before the show’s tenth anniversary, the Blue Peter team take a look back at Doctor Who’s history. Ironically, the strict preservation of Blue Peter’s history means that the clip of the first regeneration has been preserved, but the final episode of The Tenth Planet that it came from was never again seen after its use here.

Scream of the Shalka
Release date: 16 Sep 2013 UK


Special Features:

• Commentary, with writer Paul Cornell, director Wilson Milam and producer James Goss.
• Carry on Screaming - behind-the-scenes personnel discuss the making of Scream of the Shalka
• The Screaming Sessions - cast and crew interviews recorded at the time of production in 2003
• Interweb of Fear - a brief history of the BBC website and the important role that Doctor Who has played over the years
• Soundtrack Album
• Production information subtitles
• Photo gallery
• Coming Soon trailer

Terror of the Zygons
Release date: 30 Sep 2013 UK


Special Features:

• Commentary, by producer Philip Hinchcliffe, writer Robert Banks Stewart, production unit manager George Gallaccio, make-up artist Sylvia James and sound effect producer Dick Mills, moderated by Mark Ayres.
• Scotch Mist in Sussex - Cast and crew look back at the making of this story. With actors John Levene and John Woodnutt, Philip Hinchcliffe, Robert Banks Stewart, designer Nigel Curzon, costume designer James Acheson, visual effects assistant Steve Bowman, writer and historian Simon Farquar and the director’s son, Joggs Camfield.
• Remembering Douglas Camfield - The life and work of respected director Douglas Camfield is remembered in this documentary. With actors Celia Imrie, Peter Purves, Jonathan Newth and John Levene, Philip Hinchcliffe, Robert Banks Stewart, director Graeme Harper and Joggs Camfield. Narrated by Glen Allen.
• The UNIT Family Part 3 - The concluding part of the series looking at the stories featuring the United Nations Intelligence Taskforce. With actors Tom Baker, Nicholas Courtney, Katy Manning, John Levene and Richard Franklin, producer Barry Letts and script editor Terrance Dicks.
• Doctor Who Stories: Tom Baker - Tom Baker talks about his work on the series in this interview originally recorded for 2003’s The Story of Doctor Who.
• Doctor Who Stories: Elisabeth Sladen - Elisabeth Sladen remembers her time as Sarah Jane Smith in this interview recorded for The Story of Doctor Who.
• Merry-Go-Round: The Fuel Fishers - Elisabeth Sladen flies out to visit North Sea oil rigs and learn about the process of oil exploration in this schools programme from 1977.
• South Today - Tom Baker interviewed on location in Sussex during the Terror of the Zygons filming by the BBC’s regional news programme South Today.
• Disney Time - featuring the The Fourth Doctor (easter egg)
• Isolated Score
• Dolby 5.1 - option to listen to the episode in surround sound
• Photo Gallery
• Radio Times Billings
• Coming Soon
• Production Subtitles

Name one of the televised stories in which the Doctor meets Einstein.

Destiny of the Doctor: Night of the Whisper
Starring Nicholas Briggs, with John Schwab (pre-order)

New Vegas, 23rd Century – a sprawling city huddling beneath an artificial atmospheric bubble on a distant moon. Pleasure seekers flock there from every corner of the galaxy, to take in the shows and play the tables in the huge casinos. But beneath the glitz and the glitter, organised crime rules the streets.

Whilst Rose Tyler works as a waitress in the Full Moon nightclub, Jack Harkness poses as a reporter for the Daily Galaxy. Meanwhile, the Doctor is helping the police department with their investigation into The Whisper, a strange vigilante that has been terrorising the city’s underworld. But the Doctor is also on a mission of his own – to save Police Chief McNeil’s life at all costs.

Nicholas Briggs - the voice behind the Daleks - and John Schwab perform this original story by Cavan Scott and Mark Wright.

Doctor Who - The Trial of a Time Lord Volume 1
Written by Terrance Dicks and Philip Martin
Read by Lynda Bellingham and Colin Baker (pre-order)

Lynda Bellingham and Colin Baker read these thrilling novelisations of the first two adventures in 'The Trial of a Time Lord', featuring the Sixth Doctor. Doctor Who and the Mysterious Planet: The TARDIS has been taken out of time and the Doctor has been brought before a court of his fellow Time Lords. There the sinister Valeyard accuses the Doctor of breaking Gallifrey's most important law and interfering in the affairs of other planets. If the Valeyard can prove him guilty, the Doctor must sacrifice his remaining regenerations... Doctor Who: Mindwarp: The sinister prosecutor, the Valeyard, presents the High Council of Time Lords with the second piece of evidence against the Doctor...

The TV Episodes Collection 6
Starring William Hartnell as Doctor Who
Linking narration by William Russell, Peter Purves and Anneke Wills (pre-order)

Six Doctor Who adventures starring William Hartnell as the First Doctor - plus extra bonus material. These classic soundtrack adventures, with additional linking narration, have all been remastered and include bonus interviews with William Russell, Maureen O'Brien, Peter Purves and Anneke Wills.

• The Sensorites: the Doctor and friends meet the alien Sensorites...
• The Romans: in first-century Rome, Ian and Barbara are sold into slavery and the Doctor encounters Nero...
• The Space Museum: the Doctor and his companions see a terrible potential future...
• The Ark: the Doctor, Steven and Dodo come face-to-face with the last humans and their servants, the Monoids...
• The Gunfighters: 1881, Tombstone. The TARDIS crew are in trouble, as they try to avoid getting caught in the crossfire at the OK Corral...
• The War Machines: The TARDIS lands in London in 1966 - only to find that the brand new Post Office Tower is home to a monstrous supercomputer.

Spore
Written by Alex Scarrow
Published 23rd August 2013

In a small town in the Nevada desert, an alien pathogen has reduced the entire population to a seething mass of black slime. When the Eighth Doctor arrives, he realises this latest threat to humanity is horrifyingly familiar – it is a virus which almost annihilated his entire race, the Time Lords...

I am squeeing like an over-sugared toddler at the thought of being part of this project. Doctor Who is an export this country can be proud of. We OWN time travel. My small part in this project was to breathe life back into the least known, Eighth Doctor, played by Paul McGann. I chose him because I felt I had the most room to manoeuvre, to explore a lesser known Doctor and add flesh to his character. In my story entitled Spore, we're getting a particularly grisly tale of an intelligent virus that liquifies and absorbs any creature it infects. All in all... quite gross - liquified people an' all.

Doctor Who Series 7 - Original TV Soundtrack(pre-order)

Silva Screen’s eighth Doctor Who soundtrack release since 2006.

Long awaited by the fans, Series 7 has been uniquely made up of 13 self-contained stories and this 2 CD set offers a feast of new Murray Gold signature themes with music from each and every story.

Murray Gold’s phenomenal output as a composer began close to twenty years ago and he has stacked up five BAFTA nominations (two for Doctor Who) plus three Royal Television Society nominations and a win for Queer As Folk. In 2013 Murray Gold celebrated one of his greatest musical accomplishments with a third Doctor Who Prom at the Royal Albert Hall.

(see our previous news item for track listing)

In addition to the gatefold wallet and jewel box formats, there will also be a limited number of CDs for sale containing cards with five alternative covers for Series 7. This will be available exclusively from drwho.tmstor.es.

Emilia Jones portrayed the Queen of Years in The Rings of Akhaten, but who performed that role at this year's Doctor Who Prom?

In Ghost Light, when Ace discovers that the Doctor has taken her back to the house she hated from her youth, she asks if he too has things he hates - name one of his responses.

As the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who moves ever closer, a brand new ultimate range of Doctor Who micro-figures featuring all 11 incarnations of the Doctors will be released for the Character Building collection.

The latest series of Character Building Doctor Who micro-figures features all 11 incarnations of the Doctor. Each highly detailed and fully articulated micro-figure is sealed within a bag to keep the figure hidden, giving a surprise each time. Finding them all will be a challenge as some figures will be harder to find than others.

Within the new range, certain incarnations of the Time Lord will be classed as Rare, Super Rare or Ultra Rare:

• Rare - Tenth Doctor, with just 500 pieces in circulation
• Super Rare - Third and Fifth Doctor with only 250 pieces
• Ultra Rare - Second and Eleventh Doctor with merely 100 pieces each to be found

Each comes with its own display base and collector’s leaflet highlighting all the characters available in this special series. Whether, Rare, Super Rare, Ultra Rare or one of the remaining six, these micro-figures will make treasured mementoes in a landmark year. The question is... Who will be the first to collect them all?