Doctor Who trailers on the ABC - Confidential Cutdown confirmed

Sunday, 22 June 2008 - Reported by Adam Kirk

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation has begun promoting Doctor Who with a trailer showing brief excerpts from Voyage of the Damned and the first five episodes of Series Four. The ABC has also put its trailer for 'Voyage of the Damned' on itswebsite.

A previous report that the ABC will broadcast each of the cut down editions of Doctor Who Confidential immediately after the broadcast of the corresponding episode of Series Four has not yet been officially confirmed by the ABC although its website indicates a 55 minute timeslot for Partners in Crime on Sunday 6 July 2008.

Update 26 June 2008: The ABC has confirmed on its online TV Guide that it is indeed showing Doctor Who Confidential Cutdown on ABC1 after each episode of Series 4 starting with "A Noble Return" on Sunday 6 July 2008.

FILTER: - Series 4/30 - Australia

Press round-up

Thursday, 19 June 2008 - Reported by Anthony Weight

The Radio Times is not the only British listings magazine to devote its cover to the return of Rose Tyler this week - both TV and Satellite Weekand TV Guide also make the news their cover story, with corresponding articles inside.

In the TV Guide feature, Russell T Daviessays of Rose's return: "She's a huge protagonist in the action and we see her meeting Donna for the first time. It explores how the two of them get on and, of course, they both have different agendas." In TV and Satellite Week, Davies comments on his successor,Steven Moffat: "It will be brilliant to watch it as [he] is full of ideas. You have never seen a man more excited than Steven is."

The Sun newspaper has today published a short article with a screen grab from this Saturday's episode - it is a minor spoiler, so be advised. Meanwhile,The Stage has published its review of last weekend's episode, "Midnight", saying it is Russell T Davies's "finest script from four years of Doctor Who".

SFX Magazine has gone a week further ahead and posted a preview of episode 12, "The Stolen Earth", which can be found here. Again, minor spoilers are included, so watch out if you are avoiding all advance details about the episode.

Meanwhile, an actor appeared on the BBC's "Breakfast" news programme earlier this week, and confirmed that he will be appearing in a forthcoming episode of Doctor Who. No plot spoilers were given, but for the benefit of those avoiding casting details, the information is included in the spoiler box below.

It was Noel Clarke who appeared on "Breakfast", stating that the BBC Press Office had given him clearance to say he would be returning as Mickey Smith in a forthcoming episode.

FILTER: - Series 4/30 - Press

Series 4 End Party in London

Thursday, 19 June 2008 - Reported by Chuck Foster

A special end-of-series party is planned to be held in London on July 5. The free event will be taking place at a gastropub in Clerkenwell.

Says organiser Jason Gorman: "We are planning to screen the series finale, Journey's End, when it is broadcast at 7pm (as currently scheduled!) - we believe it will also be screened just down the road in Trafalgar Square (for Pride London), and we expect many guests to come after that, so the party will just be getting started by 8pm.

"There'll be live music - with a Parisian theme - later in the evening, and we're working on some special video screenings later in the evening that we hope will amuse and divert. The party will probably go on well past midnight.

"Doors open from 5pm and tickets are free. As there are only 50 left we are limiting them to two per person, and those coming need to be 18 or over."

To confirm you want tickets, please contact Jason at the email address finale@parlezuml.com, stating your full name, address (to send tickets to), and contact number (in case the organisers need to contact you urgently).

Update 22 June: all the tickets have now been allocated, and should be distributed in the next week.

FILTER: - Production - Series 4/30

David Brierley

Thursday, 19 June 2008 - Reported by DWNP Archive

Posted By John Bowman

The actor David Brierley, who provided the voice of K-9 for four stories, has died of cancer, according to an announcement in the current edition ofThe Stage.

Born in 1935, he appeared in such shows as Z Cars, Arthur of the Britons, The Tripods and Howards' Way, as well as the 1984 BBC drama Threads. Brierley took over from John Leeson as K-9's voice during season 17, which originally aired between September 1979 and January 1980.

He also provided the robot dog's voice in an October 1979 edition of Blue Peter.

(With thanks to Chris Winwood.)

FILTER: - People - Obituary

Auction Items Fetch Thousands

Thursday, 19 June 2008 - Reported by DWNP Archive

Posted By John Bowman

Two items from the 1980s era of Doctor Who were sold for more than 3,000 pounds yesterday.

An entertainment memorabilia auction at Bonhams in Knightsbridge, London, saw a moulded and painted foam baby Tyrannosaurus rex in a jar from the 1985 Colin Baker story The Mark of the Rani go for 1,080 pounds, while a Dalek guard costume from the 1984 Peter Davison adventureResurrection of the Daleks sold for 2,040 pounds.

As reported by this site last month, the model T rex had an estimate of 600 to 800 pounds, while the Dalek guard costume's estimate was 800 to 1,200 pounds. The guard costume had 'Rula Lenska' plus a measurement inscribed in ballpoint on the neck and came with a moulded weapon plus background paperwork, including a copy of a note by Lenska, who played Styles, and a signed photo (believed to be of Lenska)

FILTER: - Special Events - Classic Series

Forest of the Dead - Final Ratings

Wednesday, 18 June 2008 - Reported by Marcus

Final figures released by BARB give episode Nine of Series Four, Forest of the Dead, an official rating of7.84 million viewers.

The episode saw the series edge back into the weekly top ten, just beaten by the two main soaps and The Apprentice. Doctor Who beat one episode of EastEnders and one episode of Coronation street in the final ratings.

The Sunday repeat on BBC3 which was watched by0.82 million viewers and was the 7th most watched programme on multi-channel for the week.

The Saturday showing of Doctor Who Confidentialgot 0.87 million viewers making it the 5th most watched multi-channel programme.

Full ratings data, including data for iPlayer downloads can be found in the Doctor Who Forum.

Top Programmes w/e 8th June 2008

1 CORONATION STREET (MON 1932) - 9.16 - ITV1
2 CORONATION STREET (MON 2029) - 9.03 - ITV1
3 EASTENDERS (MON 2001) - 8.70 - BBC1
4 CORONATION STREET (FRI 1934) - 8.69 - ITV1
5 CORONATION STREET (WED 1930) - 8.42 - ITV1
6 CORONATION STREET (FRI 2030) - 8.15 - ITV1
7 EASTENDERS (FRI 1959) - 8.07 - BBC1
8 EASTENDERS (THU 1930) - 8.00 - BBC1
9 THE APPRENTICE (WED 2100) - 7.94 - BBC1
10 DOCTOR WHO (SAT 1900) - 7.84 - BBC1
11 CORONATION STREET (SUN 2003) - 7.75 - ITV1
12 EMMERDALE (MON 1901) - 6.71 - ITV1
13 EMMERDALE (TUE 1858) - 6.61 - ITV1
14 EMMERDALE (FRI 1903) - 6.59 - ITV1
15 EMMERDALE (THU 1902) - 6.44 - ITV1
16 EASTENDERS (TUE 1929) - 6.18 - BBC1
17 EMMERDALE (WED 1859) - 6.06 - ITV1
18 CASUALTY (SAT 2037) - 5.89 - BBC1
19 TRAFFIC COPS (TUE 2100) - 5.64 - BBC1
20 BIG BROTHER (THU 2102) - 5.59 - Chann

Top Multi Channel Programmes w/e 8th June 2008

1 EASTENDERS (Tue 2202) 1,270,000 - BBC3
2 HEROES (Thu 2230) 1,080,000 - BBC3
3 FILM: THIS IS ENGLAND (2006) (Mon 2100) 1,005,000 - Film4
4 AMERICA'S GOT TALENT (Fri 2104) 992,000 - ITV2
5 DOCTOR WHO CONFIDENTIAL (Sat 1946) 865,000 - BBC3
6 HOME AND AWAY (Tue 1829) 853,000 - Fiver
7 DOCTOR WHO (Sun 2001) 819,000 - BBC3
8 HOME AND AWAY (Fri 1828) 784,000 - Fiver
9 EASTENDERS (Thu 2200) 757,000 - BBC3
10 EASTENDERS (Mon 2203) 740,000 - BBC3
11 FAMILY GUY (Sun 2224) 738,000 - BBC3
12 HOLLYOAKS (Thu 1900) 730,000 - E4
13 HOME AND AWAY (Mon 1829) 722,000 - Fiver
14 60 SECONDS (Mon 2201) 717,000 - BBC3
15 HOLLYOAKS (Mon 1900) 711,000 - E4
16 HOME AND AWAY (Wed 1829) 708,000 - Fiver
17 60 SECONDS (Tue 2159) 651,000 - BBC3
18 HOME AND AWAY (Thu 1829) 648,000 - Fiver
19 HOLLYOAKS (Fri 1859) 636,000 - E4
20 MIDSOMER MURDERS (Tue 2205) 623,000 - ITV3

Source BARB

FILTER: - Ratings - UK - Series 4/30

Photo spoiler in The Sun

Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - Reported by Anthony Weight

The Sun daily national newspaper in Britain has published a story about a returning enemy in the final two episodes of the current series of Doctor Who. The story also features a high-quality photograph of this character, and also of another aspect due to feature in the finale. The information is contained in the spoiler box below - please do not click if you do not want to be spoiled!

Today's Daily Telegraph is also running the spoiler story, although their photograph is not from the current series.

The returning enemy is Davros, the creator of the Daleks, previously seen in five classic series stories. According to both papers, he is now played by actor Julian Bleach, who previously appeared in an episode of Torchwood.

A new type of Dalek, a Red Dalek, is also pictured in The Sun's story.

FILTER: - Series 4/30 - Press

Doctor Who Adventures 69

Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - Reported by DWNP Archive

Posted By John Bowman

Get set for the return of Rose Tyler in this week's edition of Doctor Who Adventures.

Issue 69 looks at this coming Saturday's episode, Turn Left, in which Donna runs into the Doctor's old friend.

Also in the magazine is a Vashta Nerada mask, and readers can learn about the Doctor's long history with the Sontarans.

The free gift is a bumper sticker pack, with 91 different Doctor Who stickers in total, including a set of Dalek stickers, two sets of holo stickers and a sheet for sticking on the front of notebooks and diaries.

PLUS:

Three posters: Cyberman, Midnight and Sontarans
Tales from the TARDIS: A shock for the Doctor in The Unicorn and the Wasp
Secrets: Creating the Nodes from Silence in the Library
Doctor's Data: Fifth Doctor facts
Comic strip: Can the Doctor and Donna escape the wormhole?
Who knows: How many rooms are inside the TARDIS and is Miss Foster a Time Lord?
Win: Goodies up for grabs, including the new K-9 Tales DVD box set

Doctor Who Adventures issue 69 is out on Thursday, June 19.

FILTER: - Magazines - DWA

K9 Series Production Latest

Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - Reported by DWNP Archive

Posted By John Bowman

Production on the long-awaited spin-off series featuring K9 is due to start in Australia next month, according to the Pacific Film and Television Commission.

An article in its June newsletter says that Bob Baker is currently in Queensland, writing the 26-part show. He co-created the character of the robot dog with Dave Martin, who died in March 2007.

According to the PFTC, Baker is working on the spin-off - called simply K9 - with Queensland writers Shane Krause and Shayne Armstrong.

It is being produced by Simon Barnes, and Richard Stewart and Penny Wall from Brisbane company Stewart Wall Entertainment.

A PFTC spokesman told The Doctor Who News Page: "The series certainly is imminent! K9 is in pre-production at present in Queensland. However, exact dates for production have not yet been confirmed."

Outpost Gallifrey reported last July that an unspecified amount of funding had been approved by Australia's Film Finance Corporation.

TV distribution agent Park Entertainment has said the half-hour episodes, to be made by Jetix Europe, will be live action and CGI.

(With thanks to Anacleto.)

FILTER: - K9

Press round-up

Monday, 16 June 2008 - Reported by Anthony Weight

The most recent episode of Doctor Who, "Midnight", is reviewed in two of the British broadsheet newspapers this morning. The Times's reviewer Andrew Billen felt that the episode was "too much of a writing exercise to be really scary," however he does concede that: "It showed that even if it fails as often as it succeeds, this series is not afraid of variety. Like the passengers aboard the charabanc, Doctor Who is dead scared of repetition." Sam Wollaston of The Guardian gives a very positive assessment: "It's great. Because what we can't see is much more alarming than what we can. It's tense and claustrophobic, and it gnaws away at you."

icWales yesterday published an article examining what next for Welsh-produced drama once Russell T Davies leaves Doctor Who, claiming that Welsh drama productions are the envy of Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond. The article rather oddly refers to Davies's successor, Steven Moffat, as first English, before later pointing out his Scottish origins.

Davies's impact on television drama is also examined further afield: the New York Times and the International Herald Tribune have both published a piece by journalist Sarah Lyall, looking at Davies and Doctor Who's influence on the industry and British popular culture as a whole.

FILTER: - Series 4/30 - Press

Previous 10 Stories

Doctor Who trailers on the ABC - Confidential Cutdown confirmed

Press round-up

Series 4 End Party in London

David Brierley

Auction Items Fetch Thousands

Forest of the Dead - Final Ratings

Photo spoiler in The Sun

Doctor Who Adventures 69

K9 Series Production Latest

Press round-up

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