Twice Upon A Time - Media Pack

Monday, 18 December 2017 - Reported by Marcus
Twice Upon A TimeWith just one week to go until the world gets to see the final moments of the Twelfth Doctor in Twice Upon A Time, the BBC has released a wealth of promotional material, including interviews with the main cast.

The final chapter of the Peter Capaldi's Twelfth Doctor’s journey sees the Time Lord team up with his former self, the first ever Doctor (David Bradley and a returning Bill Potts (Pearl Mackie), for one last adventure.

Two Doctors stranded in an arctic snowscape, refusing to face regeneration.

Enchanted Glass People, stealing their victims from frozen time.

And a World War One Captain destined to die on the battlefield, but taken from the trenches to play his part in the Doctor's story.

An uplifting new tale about the power of hope in humanity’s darkest hours, Twice Upon A Time marks the end of an era. But as the Doctor must face his past to decide his future, his journey is only just beginning...

Twice Upon A Time is written by Steven Moffat, directed by Rachel Talalay, and executive produced by Brian Minchin. The 60-minute special guest stars Mark Gatiss as The Captain and Nikki Amuka-Bird as the voice of the glass woman, and will see Peter Capaldi’s Doctor regenerate into the Thirteenth Doctor (Jodie Whittaker).
A message from Peter Capaldi

Doctor Who has taken me on an amazing journey. Now that it’s coming to an end, I wish the Doctor all the very best for the future, and the past, and everything in-between. Time I was off.
Peter Capaldi On Filming His Regeneration Episode

An interview with David Bradley

Twice Upon a Time: The First Doctor (David Bradley) (Credit: BBC/BBC Worldwide (Simon Ridgway))How did you get the call?

Well it all started with An Adventure in Space and Time (the 2013 biopic about the start of Doctor Who) a few years ago. Mark Gatiss who wrote that tapped me on the shoulder one day at an event in London and asked me to play Hartnell in that, and I was absolutely thrilled. I said yes even before I’d seen a script! Doing that was a great experience but most of it was getting under the skin of this amazing actor and quite complicated man which Mark’s script captured beautifully I thought.

After that wrapped I thought “Well, I’ve done it now. That’s my Doctor Who adventure over” I’d sort of been the Doctor, but I couldn’t join the pantheon or lay any claim to being 'a Doctor Who'. And I never thought for a moment there was any reason for the First Doctor to come back to the main series - but it turns out there really was, because what a great story we’ve got in store for you! And the fact that it’s not only Steven’s last gig but Peter’s last performance as the Doctor, combined with the fact it’s the Christmas episode, means that it doesn’t get any better really.

What’s it like playing the First Doctor?

From my previous role as Hartnell playing the Doctor I was already familiar with that way he would look at someone uneasily - his head tilted back and to one side - with the “Do I believe you or not?” quizzical, searching look that he gives people across his face. And of course his authoritative pose with his hands on his lapels, which makes him feel in charge of things. Though of course sometimes he doesn’t, because he’s a mixture of authority and vulnerability. And together with the humour, that’s where the humanity lies. He’s got so many different aspects to his personality.

Were there any sets or locations that you particularly enjoyed working on?

Oh just all of it! Visually, I cannot wait to see the finished episode. Every set was so well crafted with real detail, so many playgrounds for the First Doctor to explore. It’s as big in scale and production values as anything I’ve ever done before.

How would you describe the tone of this episode?

I think the message is that if there’s life, there’s hope - just keep going!

How did it feel to be part of Peter Capaldi’s final episode at the Doctor?

I really did realise that this particular episode was a big event. Not that there was any pressure on the studio floor, but it was clear that it’s going to be a celebration of all the great work Peter has done over the last three years, and that Steven had done over the last decade or so, meaning it felt special in the sense. As well as being special because it’s this year’s big Christmas episode too!

How does the First Doctor look at the Twelfth Doctor?

I think he views the Twelfth as junior to him and his Doctorship! He thinks this new man claiming to be the Doctor has a lot to learn - he quizzes and questions him a lot on the decisions he makes and why he throws himself into certain situations. I think the First Doctor really wonders if the Twelfth has got the experience and the nous to carry him through his adventures and dangerous situations. But across he soon comes to realise that the Twelfth Doctor is himself as well, so he’s got to acknowledge that this figure who stands before him is who he becomes in the future. Which leads to a whole set of other questions, of course.

Can you explain the enduring appeal of Doctor Who?

I think it’s the fact that it takes place in so many different eras and places - the possible stories are limitless! The TARDIS can go anywhere - it can go back to ancient Rome, it can go to a World War One battlefield as it does in this episode, it and go a million years into the future at the other side of the galaxy. And of course the idea of time travel is such a fascinating and appealing one. Even now scientists are arguing if time travel is even possible. So many want it to be true.


An interview with Mark Gatiss

Twice Upon a Time: The Captain (Mark Gatiss) (Credit: BBC/BBC Worldwide (Simon Ridgway))What have we got to look forward to in this episode?

This is not just a Christmas special, it’s also the end of Steven Moffat’s era and the end of Peter Capaldi’s era. It’s got two Doctors interacting, two TARDISes, Bill is back, and there’s a very interesting new threat. Plus there’s lots of snow, lots of laughs and lots of tears and - not only that - we get to meet the Thirteenth Doctor. Lucky for some!

How did you get the casting call?

It happened very touchingly a couple of months ago. We were at a script meeting for the series ten episode I’d written, Empress of Mars, when Steven took me aside and said “I know you get booked up quickly so will you keep June and July free?” I said yes straight away, and then asked why! He said “I’m writing a part you’d be perfect for in Peter’s last story, and I want you to be there when I go”. Which is a Doctorish line in itself and made me well up.

It’s my privilege and pleasure to be involved. It was honestly one of the happiest jobs I’ve ever had. It’s been utterly delightful with Peter, Pearl and David. Though dealing with epic themes it’s actually quite a contained, intimate story on one level - in some ways a chamber piece. We’ve had a really good laugh. It’s been delightful.

You’ve been involved with Doctor Who since it came back in 2005. What was it like to finally get to travel with the doctor?

It was heaven - I got to do it all! At one point I even come through the TARDIS doors and say in amazement “it’s bigger on the inside than it is on the outside!”. All these things I’ve always wanted to do! I did have to ask myself how I would cope with experiencing that, and actually I made sure that my character didn’t get used to it too quickly. I wanted to make sure you get a sense - which is in the script - of The Captain being overwhelmed by it all and really shocked, rather than just taking it in his stride. But at the same time he is a soldier, so he reacts to certain other situations in quite a straight forward way.

Were there any sets or locations that you particularly enjoyed working on?

I play a Captain from the First World War so there is a trench and battlefield element, which we filmed on location across a number of fields. We had one hundred extras playing German, French and British soldiers and it was really very moving to be part of. Something about the sheer amount of people in these splendid uniforms. The weather was quite drizzly, but it suited the story and it got very muddy, which of course it really would have been. There was an incredible moment when all these extras swarmed over the battlefield - at which point everyone on set was tearing up. It was moving and extraordinary to be a part of.

How would you describe the tone of this episode?

It’s a very funny and very lovely story. It’s perfect for Christmas as - for me at least - I feel that Christmas is always a mixture of happy and sad. It’s Peter’s last story and it’s obviously infused with that, but it’s a story that takes place out of time, where he has one last adventure before he goes and regenerates into the Thirteenth Doctor. And I suppose it’s about that - it’s about letting go.

The Twelfth Doctor’s encounter with the First Doctor is the central part of the story, with all the lessons that he learns from that.

How did you feel to be part of Peter’s final episode?

I know that Peter really just wanted to enjoy his last adventure. I’m sure that as he got to the last few days the sense of finality will have sunk in - you know, “that’s the last time on location, that’s the last time I’ll run down a corridor, that’s the last time I fight a monster…” etcetera, but it was a really joyous shoot to be a part of. With my old Doctor Who fan head on - Worzel Gummage style - to be a part of any Doctor’s final adventure was incredible, but particularly for Peter who I think has been magnificent. It’s the end of so many eras and you couldn’t help but feel that. It was a real pleasure.

Why should we tune in to Twice Upon A Time?

There’s always something magical about being on Christmas Day, and I think Doctor Who itself has a magic to it. Somewhere deep in its bones there’s something brilliant about this show, and the combination of the two things gives you that shiver. It’s a wonderful thing to be there as a Christmas Day treat. This episode, as it’s the end of an era, has that. Christmas is an interesting time too. There’s something special about it, something in the frosty air that always feels like it’s a good time for ghost stories or stories of enchantment; it’s happy but bittersweet. That’s what this ep has in spades.


An interview with Pearl Mackie

Twice Upon a Time: Bill (Pearl Mackie), The Doctor (Peter Capaldi) (Credit: BBC/BBC Worldwide (Simon Ridgway))What have we got to look forward to in this episode?

There’s so much! We’ve got not one but two TARDISes, and we travel in both of them which is pretty exciting. We’ve also got three Doctors - that’s pretty amazing. Obviously we’ve got the current Doctor who we all know and love, but we’ve also got the First Doctor played by David Bradley - who is phenomenal. The current Doctor, who’s dying but refusing to regenerate at the start of the story, meets him as a way of dealing with his current struggles. The interaction between those two is great - really funny, but also surprising and very moving in places. And of course there’s also the regeneration, when the Twelfth Doctor becomes the Thirteenth Doctor!

Were you excited to get the call asking you back?

Very much so - it was a total honour to be asked back and it’s even more exciting that it’s for a Christmas special! Bill is 100% back with the full Bill energy, but she’s not quite all she seems...

What else can you tell us about the episode?

We also have a new monster - a lady who’s made of glass, but you’ll have to tune in to find out what she’s up to. We’ve also got some old foes returning, to make Christmas even more exciting!

Were there any sets or locations that you particularly enjoyed working on?

It was very exciting to be on the set of the first Doctor’s TARDIS. It wasn’t something I was that familiar with, but great to get acclimatised on. And apparently there were lots of props that were actually used in the original TARDIS that were used in our set too, so it really does look and feel like the real deal from the first series of Doctor Who over fifty years ago. Some of the ice sets were really cool too, plus the huge battlefield which features during some key moments of the episode.

Why should we watch?

One of the amazing things about Doctor Who is that it’s sci-fi, but it has that humanity to it. It has human relationships and interactions, with the added excitement of the monsters, the amazing sets and the wonders of exploring all of time and space. This episode has all of that in a really big accessible adventure for all ages - plus the regeneration!


An interview with Steven Moffat

Steven MoffatWhat does Twice Upon A Time have in store for us?

There are some new eerie creatures of glass haunting the Doctor and his friends throughout this story - but what their purpose and what their plan is, and what their time traveling machinations are, is going to be a big surprise to the Doctor.

Were there any sets or locations that you particularly enjoyed working on?

There’s a real range of spaces that we visit across the special. We have the inside of a giant stone spaceship full of creepy glass creatures. We’re in the first Doctor’s TARDIS - recreated and brought back from the 1960s to stand proud in the Welsh studios. We’re on a First World War battlefield. And at long last we go to a location that I mentioned in my very first episode of Doctor Who back in 2005, as we visit the ruins of Villengard.

How would you describe the tone of this episode?

This episode is somewhere between a coda and drumroll. It’s a coda to the time of the Twelfth Doctor played by Peter Capaldi, and a drumroll to usher in the Thirteenth Doctor, played by Jodie Whittaker. Approaching it, one issue I had was that The Doctor Falls (this year’s series finale) was the end of Peter Capaldi’s Doctor. That episode saw the Twelfth Doctor stating what he stands for and standing on the hill on which he was prepared to die.

That was the end of his story. But - as often happens in stories and real life - it didn’t end there. He kept going, he started to regenerate, so at Christmas what we’re going to see is a man weary and tired and, having made his point and having made his stand and given his life for something that matters, he has to learn just how to carry on after that. But of course this being Doctor Who and Christmas it’s much warmer and hopeful than that, so in perfect timing walking towards him out of the snow he meets earliest incarnation. The William Hartnell version of the Doctor - played now by David Bradley in an astonishing performance - and the two of them are about to regenerate. Tonally it’s about saying “to hell with dying, let’s get on with living”. And what’s more Christmassy that that? It’s the turn of the year, a time for new beginnings, it’s the time when we start climbing back towards the light.

How does the First Doctor look at the Twelfth Doctor?

Well the Doctor never gets on with himself. Arguably he doesn’t get on with himself when it’s just him alone - we had the whole plot of Heaven Sent (in series nine) about that - so he doesn’t get on with himself even when it’s just him. But here I think we have perhaps one of the most interesting instances of the Doctors meeting, because the First Doctor as we know from the show is quite different from the Doctor we know now.

Ultimately he’s the same person - he has the same set of impulses and ideals - but he hasn’t yet become at home with what he’s becoming. If you look at the original William Hartnell series, the Doctor’s starting to fight the good fight, but he’ll arrive in a spot of trouble and generally speaking he’ll only help others out because he needs to get back to the TARDIS. So often there’d be a plot contrivance to stop William Hartnell’s Doctor getting back to his TARDIS and flying out of danger. Slowly that started changing as the Doctor developed as a character. He’d start saying “No I can’t leave yet - not because I can’t get to the TARDIS, but because these people are still in trouble and this evil is still in control. I have to help these people.”

Without noticing it, or it ever being his plan or his intent, he’s starting to engage with the universe and he’d be horrified to think that he’s starting to become its protector. Now, at the end of that lifetime when the First Doctor is facing his end, he doesn’t yet realise that’s what he already is. He’s already the man who rides to the rescue, the saviour of the oppressed, but he doesn’t own up to that. Now he meets the Twelfth doctor, and the Twelfth doctor has been doing this for so long. He’s used to the idea that he’s already Earth’s protector - an idea that completely bewilders his younger - except kind of older self. The thing to focus on this time, alongside the flourishes that distinguish the two doctors - it that they are at very different moments in their lives. The First Doctor is not quite yet the hero we are used to.

How did you feel to be writing your final episode of Doctor Who?

The truth about writing anything is that it’s always difficult. You can change the reason why it’s difficult, but the fact is it’s just always difficult! Throughout writing this I wanted to feel more about the fact it’s the last one I’ll ever write, and I wanted to feel more about it’s the last one Peter will ever play, but the truth is that the technicality and the difficulty and the demands on your creativity - all that overwhelms you to the point where you’re just trying to write a great Doctor Who story! That’s enough to contend with - you can’t have the real life drama of two old Scotsmen making their way to the door.

Once we got into shooting it, however, and especially when we approached filming Peter’s last moments as the Doctor which were done at the end of the shoot, we did talk more about how exactly he should meet his end. We were both very pleased with that final section of the script already, but as we went through piece by piece we thought there were ways to improve it so I’d be banging out new pages each night for us to discuss on set each day. That was so enjoyable and exciting to do - to really feel that we were getting his send off right - that in a way it took whatever emotions we were both having about leaving and put them on screen where they belong. By the time we got to that part of filming I think Peter and I were probably the least emotional on set because we’d put it all in the show!


The episode premieres in the UK on BBC One on Christmas Day at 5.30pm, followed by transmission around the world. Full details here




FILTER: - Peter Capaldi - Publicity - Series Specials - Twelfth Doctor

Advent Calendar - Day Eighteen

Monday, 18 December 2017 - Reported by Willy Phantom


Willy Phantom, 18th December 2017





FILTER: - Advent

Twice Upon A Time - New Clip

Sunday, 17 December 2017 - Reported by Marcus
The BBC has released a new clip from this year's Christmas Special, Twice Upon A Time

Escaping in the First Doctor's TARDIS




FILTER: - Publicity - Series Specials

Advent Calendar - Day Seventeen

Sunday, 17 December 2017 - Reported by Willy Phantom


Willy Phantom, 17th December 2017





FILTER: - Advent

The Case Of The Missing Fairy

Sunday, 17 December 2017 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Lethbridge-Stewart: The Case of the Missing Fairy (Credit: Candy Jar Books)Candy Jar Books have released a free Lethbridge-Stewart story for Christmas that can be downloaded from their website.

Talking about The Case of the Missing Fairy, range editor Andy Frankham-Allen says:
When Shaun told me he wanted a Christmas story, I groaned and said, ‘well, I don’t have time to write one,’ but then I re-thought and realised that I may have a man who did. So I turned to a young writer I know who wanted to write for the series. Enter Steven Walton. He jumped on board with barely a second’s hesitation, and I then tasked him with sending me a few ideas set within the period that Lethbridge-Stewart served as maths teacher in Brendon School, a period of his life we’ve not really touched upon yet. Steve sent me a few ideas, but that one that appealed to me the most was the whimsical notion of Lethbridge-Stewart investigating the disappearance of a Christmas tree fairy.
Steven Walton says:
I’ve always considered the Brigadier to be the Doctor’s Watson, but as this range has him in the lead role I thought why not make him Sherlock Holmes? Set in a time when he can’t remember the Doctor, the story focuses on those mini adventures in his everyday life. And what a better time to do a silly but fun detective story than at Christmas.
Shaun Russell, head of publishing at Candy Jar, says:
Our seasonal short stories have become something of a tradition, and it was important to me that this year be no different. Steven had produced a lovely, and amusing, little ditty for Christmas, and in quick time, too. Perfect reading after a hearty Christmas dinner!

Further news from Candy Jar Books:
  • A limited edition range of series five novels will be available early 2018, beginning with A Very Private Haunting by Sharon Bidwell. And later in the year the novella range continues with The Lost Skin by Andy Frankham-Allen. Both are available for pre-order.

  • Candy Jar Books recentlry announced that, for the forseable future, there will be no new editions of The HAVOC Files. Editor Andy Frankham-Allen has issued this statement those who submitted story ideas through this year’s open submisson window:
    There are several logistic and legal reasons behind our decision, however, please note we are not cancelling the range, just resting it for the forseeable future. So to anybody who submitted a story idea to us, please be aware that there are two options open to you; you can either retain your idea and repurpose it for other use, or you can allow us to hold on to it and look at it again if/when we do another HAVOC Files release. Please drop us an email (havoc@candyjarbooks.co.uk) to let us know which option you wish to take.

  • Candy Jar currently has a Christmas sale, covering many of their varied titles, including several Lethbridge-Stewart titles.




FILTER: - Books - Candy Jar Books - Lethbridge-Stewart

Advent Calendar - Day Sixteen

Saturday, 16 December 2017 - Reported by Willy Phantom


Willy Phantom, 16th December 2017





FILTER: - Advent

Doctor Who Magazine Issue 520

Thursday, 14 December 2017 - Reported by Marcus
Doctor Who Magazine Issue 520 (Credit: Panini)
Issue 520 of Doctor Who Magazine includes a free Thirteenth Doctor poster/Twelfth Foctor wallchart and a revealing preview of the Christmas special.

Also in this issue...
  • PEARL MACKIE
  • Pearl talks to DWM about saying goodbye to companion Bill Potts.
  • MARK GATISS
  • An interview with Mark Gatiss, who plays the Captain in the 2017 Christmas Special.
  • STEVEN MOFFAT
  • Doctor Who’s outgoing showrunner previews his final story, Twice Upon a Time.
  • EARL CAMERON
  • Actor Earl Cameron – 100 years old this year! – recalls playing astronaut Glyn Williams in the 1966 story The Tenth Planet.
  • PHILIP HINCHCLIFFE
  • The legendary Doctor Who producer explains how the series’ feature-length omnibus repeats were created in the 1970s.
  • PADDY RUSSELL
  • A tribute to the late Paddy Russell, Doctor Who’s first female director and one of British television’s pioneers.
  • INSIDE SHADA
  • The team behind the new version of Shada reveal how Douglas Adams’ ‘lost’ 1979 story was finally completed.
  • DANIEL HILL AND OLIVIA BAZALGETTE
  • Actor Daniel Hill and production assistant Olivia Bazalgette tell DWM how the filming of Shada marked the beginning of their long relationship.
  • SHADA ON LOCATION
  • Memories of the making of Shada from special effects assistant Steve Cambden, along with rare and previously unseen images from the 1979 location shoot.
  • THE FACT OF FICTION
  • This issue’s festive Fact of Fiction explores the 2011 Christmas Special The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe.
  • THE PHANTOM PIPER
  • Part Two of the Doctor and Bill’s latest comic strip adventure, written by Scott Gray and illustrated by Martin Geraghty.
PLUS... The Blogs of Doom, previews, book and audio reviews, news, the DWM Christmas Quiz and competitions.

Doctor Who Magazine 520 is on sale now, price £5.99.

Doctor Who Magazine Issue 520 (Credit: Panini)Doctor Who Magazine Issue 520 (Credit: Panini)Doctor Who Magazine Issue 520 (Credit: Panini)Doctor Who Magazine Issue 520 (Credit: Panini)




FILTER: - DWM - Series Specials - Twelfth Doctor

Advent Calendar - Day Fourteen

Thursday, 14 December 2017 - Reported by Willy Phantom


Willy Phantom, 14th December 2017





FILTER: - Advent

Time Vortex VR

Thursday, 14 December 2017 - Reported by Marcus
Time Vortex (Credit: BBC Worldwide)A new game has been released by the BBC. Doctor Who Time Vortex VR gives players the chance to pilot the TARDIS through the depths of the space-time vortex inside a virtual reality version of the show’s title sequence.

The game is a VR reboot of the successful Time Vortex 360 mobile game released earlier this year. As they speed through time, players will tackle hazards and obstacles emerging from the future ahead of them and will need to quickly react by physically turning around to evade threats from the past. As players progress through the game, they are transported into different time zones from past eras, from the current vortex to re-imagined designs from the 1960s and 1980s.

The game is available to play using cardboard headsets, Google Daydream, Samsung Gear VR and HTC Vive via your web browser. However, those without headsets can play the game with mobiles and tablets running newer versions of Android or iOS and the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox or Safari. A full list of all supported devices is available here.

To play, fans simply need to visit bbc.in/TimeVortexVR. Like the 360 game, the VR version is an endless runner, which gets more and more difficult the longer people play, taking them on a visually intense journey through the iconic vortex from the show's opening credits. Using the device's accelerometer, players control the game by physically moving around, even giving the player the ability to turn around and travel backwards in time.

Jo Pearce, Creative Director, BBC Digital Drama, said:
This game allows you to step inside one of the most iconic title sequences in TV history, as you pilot the TARDIS through modern, 80s and 60s versions of the vortex. Digital innovation is at the very heart of Doctor Who – and this new game combines casual, arcade-style gaming with virtual reality to create an unforgettable experience.

After releasing the 360 version of the game, we had lots of comments from players suggesting it would make a great VR experience. For this re-boot we wanted to offer a VR gaming experience that is as accessible as possible and test the limits of what is possible to develop using WebVR.
Developed for the BBC by Goodboy Digital, the game has been created using the WebVR API and combines cutting-edge HTML5 and WebGL using PixiJS v5.0 to create a breath-taking journey that works on a wide range of hardware.


Time Vortex (Credit: BBC Worldwide)Time Vortex (Credit: BBC Worldwide)Time Vortex (Credit: BBC Worldwide)Time Vortex (Credit: BBC Worldwide)Time Vortex (Credit: BBC Worldwide)Time Vortex (Credit: BBC Worldwide)Time Vortex (Credit: BBC Worldwide)


TARDIS Time Vortex VR Game - Doctor Who




FILTER: - Doctor Who - Games

Advent Calendar - Day Thirteen

Wednesday, 13 December 2017 - Reported by Willy Phantom


Willy Phantom, 13th December 2017





FILTER: - Advent