Children in Need: win Matt Smith's handprints!Bookmark and Share

Friday, 16 November 2012 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Each year a variety of items from celebrities and programmes have been donated for auction to raise money for Children in Need, and Doctor Who is no exception.

Matt Smith's hand cast, from The Doctor Who Experience. Auctioned for Children in Need 2012This year sees one of the three casts made of Matt Smith's handprints for The Doctor Who Experience back in October donated for the charity; the item is available to bid upon via Ebay until 6:09pm on Monday - at the time of writing the current bid is £510.

Other Doctor Who related items include Matt Smith's autograph, and signed Pudsey Bears by David Tennant and John Barrowman.

You can find a full list of items for auction via the BBC's Children in Need Ebay page.


Last year the Doctor's costume raised £50,000 for the charity.
 
Donate here!





FILTER: - Matt Smith - Charities - Auctions

Christmas Special Title To Be Revealed TonightBookmark and Share

Friday, 16 November 2012 - Reported by John Bowman
Matt Smith as the Doctor, Children in Need 2012. Photo: BBCThe title of this year's Doctor Who Christmas special will be revealed tonight during the Children In Need telethon on BBC One.

As previously reported, the fund-raiser will be showing a bespoke storyline as a prequel to the special, as well as giving viewers a sneak preview of the special itself.

Now, in addition, the official site said today that the story title would be revealed and a glimpse would be given of what the Doctor will be facing in the Christmas episode.

The Children In Need broadcast begins at 7.30pm, with the prequel scheduled to air between then and 8pm and the trailer set to go out at some point between 8.30pm and 9pm, although these timings may change.

Donate here!







FILTER: - Charities - Series Specials - Broadcasting - Series 7/33

Doctor Who Up For People's Choice Award AgainBookmark and Share

Friday, 16 November 2012 - Reported by John Bowman
Doctor Who is once again up for one of the American People's Choice Awards after making it on to the 2013 short list of nominees for Favorite Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV Show.

It faces competition from Once Upon A Time, Supernatural (which beat Doctor Who last year in the same category), The Vampire Diaries, and The Walking Dead. The nominees for all 48 categories in the CBS awards show honouring TV, film, and music were announced yesterday at The Paley Center in Beverly Hills.

People can vote as often they like until Thursday 13th December, and the award winners will be revealed on CBS on Wednesday 9th January 2013.




FILTER: - Doctor Who - USA - Awards/Nominations - Broadcasting

Alex Kingston reads The Angel's KissBookmark and Share

Thursday, 15 November 2012 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Alex Kingston records The Angel's Kiss. Photo: BBC AudioGoBBC Audio Go have announced an audio recording of their recent e-book, The Angel's Kiss:
This month AudioGO have scooped an exclusive coup! River Song herself - actress Alex Kingston - has recorded Doctor Who: The Angel’s Kiss by Melody Malone for release as a download in December, with a CD release following in March. Alex Kingston (Marchlands, ER, Moll Flanders), has become a fan favourite as mysterious River Song in the Doctor Who TV series, and we are thrilled to have her on board to tell Melody Malone's story.

The recording will be available for download from the AudioGo website next month.
 
The Angel's KissThe Angel's Kiss
A Melody Malone Mystery

By Melody Malone

When movie star Rock Railton appears unexpectedly at Melody Malone’s Angel Detective Agency and mentions ‘the kiss of the angel’ Melody takes the case. Angels are, after all, Melody’s business. At a press party for Railton’s latest movie, Melody is invited by studio owner Max Kleiner to the film set of their next blockbuster. He’s spotted her potential and wants her to become a star. Flattered, Melody will discover the cost of fame is greater than anyone could possibly imagine.

Will she be able to escape Kleiner’s dastardly plan – before the Angels Take Manhattan?


The e-book is available now to purchase in the United Kingdom and North America.
 





FILTER: - Merchandise - Audio

Fan MagazinesBookmark and Share

Thursday, 15 November 2012 - Reported by John Bowman

Plaything of Sutekh - Issue Two

Plaything2 The new edition of Plaything of Sutekh, edited by Richard Farrell, is now available to order. Featured in the 40-page A5 fanzine are:
  • Five Star! A look at 2012's new episodes, which saw the return of the Weeping Angels and the departure of Amy and Rory. There is also a short Q&A with director Saul Metzstein.
  • Coming Of Age: A look at Season 18 when Doctor Who got told to grow up by new producer John Nathan-Turner.
  • Opening The Gate: David Rolinson dodges a few Gundans to unravel one of Season 18's finest stories, Warriors' Gate.
  • Tardis Radio: Oliver Wake looks at the untransmitted pilot radio episode featuring Peter Cushing.
  • Strip For The Doctor: The Doctor materialised in the pages of Countdown in the early '70s. Richard Farrell looks at the work of Harry Lindfield and Gerry Haylock on the Doctor Who comic strip and examines their influences and source of reference.
  • Secret Who: Time to dust off the oil lamp as a fresh look is taken at 1974's Death To The Daleks.
  • DWDVD: John Connors reviews the recent DVD releases Ace Adventures, The Greatest Show in the Galaxy, and The Ambassadors of Death.
  • Are You A Good Doctor Who Villain? Take this test to see if you're really up to subjugating entire universes.

Inferno Fiction - Issue 12

InfernoFiction12 The online Doctor Who fiction magazine, edited by Colin-John Rodgers, features the following in its latest edition:
  • Fimbulvinter, by Meg MacDonald: "I should have killed him straight away. It would have been a mercy. I'm capable of mercy. But . . . he smelled of starlight."
  • Employees - Wash Hands Before Returning To The Invasion, by Thomas Ahearn: When the Doctor pays Madame Vastra and Jenny a visit he gets much more than he bargained for: a trip to another universe. Only this time, the stakes are so much higher than anyone realises . . .
  • The Fountain of Maturity, by Shams Uddin: The Doctor, Amy, and Rory race against time to find the eponymous fountain, while the Doctor's mind is regressing through his previous regenerations. Why are the colonists being so unhelpful? What plans has Dishi cooked up for the future of his society? And will he go to any lengths to fulfil his lofty ambitions?
  • A Brush With Death, by Francis Cave: Part One: The Brigadier enlists the help of the Doctor to investigate the mysterious deaths of transport workers.
  • The Circles of Truth, by Nathan Mullins: Disappearances throughout time in Earth's recorded history turn out to be something more sinister . . .
  • The Larks, Still Singing Bravely, Fly, by Julie Kay: Ypres, Christmas Day 1914, the war to end all wars . . .




FILTER: - Merchandise - Fan Productions

SJA And Moffat Win At Writers' Guild AwardsBookmark and Share

Wednesday, 14 November 2012 - Reported by John Bowman
Both The Sarah Jane Adventures and Steven Moffat were winners at The Writers' Guild Of Great Britain Awards today.

The Curse of Clyde Langer, which was written by Phil Ford and featured in the final series of The Sarah Jane Adventures, was named Best Children's TV Script, beating fellow nominees 4 O'Clock Club: Maths and Horrible Histories.

And although Sherlock lost out to Appropriate Adult in the Best Short-Form TV Drama category, co-creator Steven Moffat, who was cited alongside Mark Gatiss and Stephen Thompson for the reimagining of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's detective classic, was given the Writers' Guild Special Award For Outstanding Writing.

Today's event took place at The Tabernacle in London.





FILTER: - Steven Moffat - Awards/Nominations - Sarah Jane

Doctor Who Magazine 454Bookmark and Share

Wednesday, 14 November 2012 - Reported by John Bowman
DWM 454Paul McGann is the cover star of the new edition of Doctor Who Magazine, and with the return of the Eighth Doctor next month in the new audio adventure Dark Eyes he talks about how his incarnation has changed:
There's a sombreness and self-doubt and guilt . . . I'm not sure it's guilt, but he's lost hope. He needs a shot in the arm . . . But of course, you don't want him too heavy either. We want the hope. We talk about hope a lot in the story; it's all about hope . . .
Also in this issue:
  • The Final End: Arthur Darvill speaks exclusively about playing Rory Williams, his work on stage and screen, and recording his last scenes for Doctor Who.
  • Fantastic Journey: Writer Stephen Thompson reveals his inner fan, endures a grilling from a tough crowd, and drops hints about his next script for the TV series, Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS, in Production Notes.
  • Monsters Direct: He's directed Sontarans and Shakri and he's back to oversee one of the episodes in the anniversary year. DWM interviews Douglas Mackinnon and discovers the secrets of successfully directing a Doctor Who monster.
  • Golden Wonder: DWM takes a close look at one of the most memorable monsters ever to appear in Doctor Who, and interviews the actor who played their spokesman, Bernard Holley, in The Watcher's Guide To Axos.
  • There's Gonna Be A Lynchin'! The Fact of Fiction looks back to the first time the TARDIS took the Doctor and his companions to the wild, wild West, as DWM unearths new facts and rare photographs from 1966's The Gunfighters.
  • Seven-Up! The spotlight falls on the season that featured the début of the Seventh Doctor, a cornucopia of crazy characters, and a bold new direction for the TV series, as Countdown To 50 continues.
  • Turn To Stone: The Doctor uncovers the incredible truth about the Golem of Prague and encounters the Queen of the Mavora, as the comic strip The Broken Man - written by Scott Gray and illustrated by Martin Geraghty - concludes.
  • That Loo In Tooting Bec . . . Is Doctor Who more exciting when the monsters come to Earth or is it more thrilling when the adventure is in outer space? Toby Hadoke and Johnny Candon discuss the pros and cons in another heated Battle Of Wits.
  • Everything Changes: For one issue only, The Time Team takes a sideways step to look at Captain Jack's adventures in the Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood. What will Emma, Chris, Michael, and Will make of this very different series?
  • Nice Weather For It: The mysterious Watcher examines the curious phenomenon of 'Wrong-Time-Of-Year' syndrome, challenges readers with The Six Faces of Delusion, and champions another Supporting Artist of the Month, in Wotcha!
In addition, issue 454 - out tomorrow - has all the latest official news, latest episodes, DVDs, books, and CDs reviewed, sneak previews of forthcoming merchandise, a prize-winning crossword, and five competitions.




FILTER: - Merchandise - Arthur Darvill - Magazines - DWM - Paul McGann

Children in Need: Publicity PhotoBookmark and Share

Wednesday, 14 November 2012 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Matt Smith as the Doctor, Children in Need 2012. Photo: BBCThe BBC have released a photo of Matt Smith as the Doctor as part of the publicity for this Friday's Children In Need on BBC1.
Doctor Who, featuring Matt Smith, will bring viewers an extra special 'prequel' to its Christmas special, with a bespoke storyline made for Children in Need, and an exclusive preview trailer of the Christmas special including the first glimpse of the Doctor with his new companion.
The segment is due to appear during the 8:30-9:00pm slot of the evening, though timings are invariably estimates due to the live nature of the programme.





FILTER: - Charities - Series Specials - Series 7/33

The Collectable Art Company: Seventh Doctor design print releasedBookmark and Share

Monday, 12 November 2012 - Reported by Chuck Foster
After a slight delay The Collectable Art Company has announced that the second of its Limited Edition Fine Art prints, featuring the Seventh Doctor's original costume, has finally been released.


Grahame Flynn, Managing Director of The Collectable Art Company, explains:
7th Doctor Costume (1987) - Sylvester McCoy with printWe originally intended this print to be available sooner but Sylvester was filming The Hobbit in New Zealand. A good result of the delay was that we were able to spend more time on the From Script to Screen booklet that is included with the print. Sylvester sent me his introduction between filming his scenes.

Ken Trew takes us through his career at the BBC and about his early experiences on Doctor Who. We look in detail at the costume design process with all of Ken's concept designs reproduced for the first time.

Chris Pocock and John Walker have kindly allowed their original costumes to be photographed in studio and former BBC Vis-FX designer Mike Tucker has given us access to Sylvester's pocket watch and original TARDIS key.

Many of the photographs are exclusive and have never been seen before.
 

The officially-licensed print, based on Trew's original production drawing from 1987, is available worldwide in a limited edition of 750.





FILTER: - Merchandise - Sylvester McCoy

The Barry Newbery Signature CollectionBookmark and Share

Monday, 12 November 2012 - Reported by John Bowman
A book celebrating the work of Doctor Who set designer Barry Newbery has been brought out by Telos Publishing.

Newbery was one of the show's longest-serving designers, working on a large number of stories from the very beginning in 1963, with a pedigree that started with uncredited contributions to versions 1 and 2 of the pilot episode, followed by him becoming the credited designer on The Cave of Skulls, The Forest of Fear, and The Firemaker - episodes 2, 3, and 4 of the programme's first story - having taken over from Peter Brachacki. Newbery then worked on another 12 stories for five of the Doctors during the classic era, finishing with The Awakening, broadcast in 1984.

Designed by Paul Smith, who last year brought out The Wonderful Book of Doctor Who - 1965, The Barry Newbery Signature Collection is a 96-page, full-colour, coffee-table publication featuring many of Newbery's own photographs of his sets and designs. It is annotated with his descriptions and memories of his work on the series, and includes some set designs and sketches as well as many never-before-seen black-and-white and colour photographs, all of which have been cleaned up and colour-corrected.

David J Howe, of Telos Publishing, said:
Barry Newbery is one of the true unsung heroes of Doctor Who. Without him, the stories he worked on would not be so rich and memorable, and it was his role as designer on the original Sixties stories which helped to establish the show as a visual feast.

Back then, the designer did everything from the sets to the props to the monsters, and Barry's visual flair brought us the lavishness of Marco Polo, The Aztecs, and The Crusade, as well as the science-fiction stylings of The Dominators and The Invisible Enemy, and the gothic splendour of The Brain of Morbius and The Masque of Mandragora.

It's been an enormous pleasure to have worked with Barry and Paul to bring this book to fruition. We hope it's a fitting tribute to both the show and to one of its most significant contributors.


Two editions of the book are available. The standard paperback one can be bought here, and Telos Publishing has also brought out a deluxe, limited-edition hardback that comes with a limitation signature sticker signed by Newbery.




FILTER: - Merchandise - Books - Classic Series