The BBC has announced Mission DALEK, a new project which gives fans the chance to create their own adventures for the Doctor.

Mission DALEK is part of the BBC’s Make it Digital season and the aim is to get fans of the series to use their imagination and digital skills to create an adventure for the Doctor. The aim is to unleash your digital creativity, whether it is in video, animation or image editing. You can use some of the range of clips and images supplied by the BBC or create your own story from scratch. Animation is allowed, as are voice overs and Cosplay. All you need to do is to tell your story digitally.

For UK participitents there is an added bonus of a chance to win a trip to the Doctor Who set, and to meet the Peter Capaldi.

Full details and resources are on the Mission Dalek Homepage.

A roundup of recent news relating to Doctor Who cast and crew:

• Matt Smith has begun filming for a new drama for Netflix, The Crown, due to be broadcast in 2016. The ten-part series, based on the play The Audience, will follow the relationship between Queen Elizabeth (Claire Foy) and the prime ministers who have served during her monarchy, with Smith portraying her husband, Prince Philip. [Northampton Herald and Post, 11 Aug]
  
  
• David Tennant will be portraying the character of 'baddy' Zebediah Killgrave in the television adaptation of the Marvel comic Jessica Jones. Jeff Loeb, Marvel's Head of Television, said: "In the same kind of way Vincent D’Onofrio owned his half of Daredevil, you’ll see David Tennant own his half of Jessica Jones… What you get out of Jessica is a sort of hold-your-breath tension as to what’s going to happen. When you see the dynamic between Krysten Ritter and David Tennant… that question of ‘What’s going to happen next?’ and ‘What could happen next?’ and how that’s driven by character is something that is so important to not just the scripts but also the way the show is shot, and the way that everyone reacts, and the way those two react with each other." [Science Fiction, 14 Aug]
  
  
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  Photo: Manchester Evening News
  Christopher Eccleston led this year's tribute in Manchester to mark the anniversary of the Peterloo Massacre, where 15 protesters were killed when troops charged a political meeting there in 1819. The actor read from a speech delivered by Henry ‘Orator’ Hunt from the day. [Manchester Evening News, 16 Aug]
  
  
• Colin Baker will be on hand to officially unveil a display of copies of the Doctor Who scripts by the show's first writer Anthony Coburn at Spoon Web (The DVD Shop) in Whitstable, Kent on Sunday 23rd August. The event also coincides with a Kickstarter campaign aimed to provide funding for the ongoing maintenance, improvement and promotion of the police box replica for Herne Bay TARDIS for Children in Need. [Facebook]
  
  
• Tom Baker may be about to take on a role in the Star Wars franchise. A guest at the recent Day of the Doctors convention, he is reported as saying: "I'm going to be in this new Star Wars thing, you know? I'm going down to record some voices for this new character they've created for me, very soon" [various, including Sci-Fi Fantasy Network, Inquistr, 15 Aug]
  
  
• Frazer Hines has been appearing in Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, which this week reaches the Leeds Grand Theatre. Talking about portraying his character, Rogers, he said: "I suppose it’s my experience of being in the show business for over forty years that many could assume that Rogers, being just a butler, could be played just as a butler. But I worked out that he was in the First World War, in the army, so he has this straight-backed walk and respects the general in the play and respects the copper. So I’ve brought those little nuances into the character."
  
  He also mentioned that the most common question he gets asked is what was it like to work with second Doctor Patrick Troughton: "A lovely man. Some of the happiest years of my show business career were working with Patrick Troughton in Doctor Who. But they all ask me that and I wish I had a pound for every time I’m asked that question. He was a lovely, lovely man and we had great fun working together. If I had an idea he wouldn’t say, “I’m the Doctor, you just shut up and be the assistant.” He’d turn and say, “Frazer, what a marvellous idea. Let’s do it.” I’d worked with him before in 1964, before Doctor Who had started and I was the star of that show, Smuggler’s Bay, and he was playing the part of an old smuggler. But a year or so later he was the star of Doctor Who and I was just joining in as Jamie for four episodes so the role was reversed. It was great, we just gelled straight away." [(Entertainment Focus, 14 Aug]
  
  
• Speaking of And Then There Were None, a new BBC One production of the play has been announced, whose cast will feature Burn Gorman as William Blore and Anna Maxwell Martin as Ethel Rogers. [BBC Media Centre, 10 Jul]
  
  
• Jenna Coleman has revealed one of the tricks of the trade employed during filming scenes with her co-star Peter Capaldi: I have to stand on an apple box when we’re filming - it’s called ‘Jenna’s Box’ and it gets brought out when I need to fit into a particular shot." [Express, 15 Aug]
  
  
• Sir John Hurt can be heard as the lead role in Jeffrey Bernard Is Unwell, broadcast this weekend on BBC Radio 4; the play is described as "A dying Soho, seen through the eyes of the notorious columnist of The Spectator - plain-speaking drinker, gambler, wit and raconteur." It also features Nichola McAuliffe and Jeff Rawle. [BBC Radio 4, 15 Aug]
  
  Speaking of his recent diagnosis of having pancreatic cancer, the actor observed: I can’t say I worry about mortality, but it’s impossible to get to my age and not have a little contemplation of it. We’re all just passing time, and occupy our chair very briefly. But my treatment is going terrifically well, so I’m optimistic." [Radio Times, 15 Aug]
  
  
• Talking about his role in new film Pleasure Island, Samuel Anderson said: "I've played a lot of love interests - those kind of romantic roles, 'sweet boy' kind of thing - so it was brilliant to come in and just play an idiot. From when I read the script, I was hooked. Just the way Mike (Doxford, writer/director) had laid his characters out. You could feel it - each character was grounded and had a bit of weight to them. It was like, 'If I don't get the part, I can't wait to see the film'." [Digital Spy, 15 Aug]
  
  
• On a possible return to Doctor Who, Anderson commented: "Maybe in an alternate universe? I wouldn't mind approaching him in a different way. Or maybe just come back as Orson Pink because then it changes the dynamic between him and the Doctor. If it's Orson Pink I think the relationship would be totally different because instead of a soldier – which is the kind of person the Doctor can't bear – you've got another scientist who could be quite interesting with their relationship. And then instead of it being a love interest with Clara and Danny, it would be a family affair with grandmother and grandson but at the same age." [Radio Times, 13 Aug]
  
  
• Amidst speculation that he may be a future successor to Steven Moffat as the lead writer on Doctor Who, Toby Whithouse responded: "No-one at the BBC has ever had this conversation with me! No-one has asked me, no-one has approached me about if Steven leaves, when Steven leaves. These are conversations that happen purely among fans, not on any official level."
  
  On writing for the show in general: "There’s a reason I go back to Doctor Who every year, and that’s because I absolutely love working on it! There is something so magical, so ludicrous about that show! ... The appeal never fades: I’m 45 now, and writing: ‘Interior: TARDIS’ at the top of a scene is still really, really exciting. You also get to tell these extraordinary stories that you couldn’t write for any other show." [The London Economic, 11th Aug]
  
  
• Many media publications focussed on the casting of Bethany Black as being the first transgender actress to appear in the show. The comedian herself reflected on filming for the new series: "It is genuinely the greatest job I could ever have imagined getting. Everything about it is magical. I'm enjoying every day of filming and cherishing it, because you never know if you'll ever get to do anything like this again. I only hope that I do the role and the show justice, and that you all enjoy it. For me it's the gig of a lifetime." [Facebook]
  
  
• A new series of Who Do You Think You Are? has started on BBC One, which this year will also include the exploration of the family history for Sir Derek Jacobi, Anne Reid and writer Mark Gatiss.
  
  
• Arthur Darvill will be playing Rip Hunter in DC's Legends Of Tomorrow, with the character described as "a time-traveler tasked with assembling a group of villains and heroes together after he sees a future that could destroy everything. This unlikely squad must now stop these devastating future events from happening, but it won’t be easy." [Hollywire, 12 Aug]
  
  
• Darvill can also be seen in the forthcoming fictional account of Lenny Henry's early life, Danny And The Human Zoo, which also features Richard Wilson and Mark Benton.
  
  
• Colin Morgan will star in a new drama for BBC One, The Living And The Dead. [BBC Media Centre, 10th Aug]
  
  
• A number of names previously associated with Doctor Who have been making appearances at Roath Lock Studios of late and getting their photos taken alongside the TARDIS's current 'owner' Peter Capaldi, including Waris Hussein, Georgia Moffett, David Tennant and Russell T Davies.
  
  

  Earlier this week we were delighted that the legendary Waris Hussein - http://t.co/KxpbDk7SP7 - visited the TARDIS! pic.twitter.com/DqlCDwh4O1

  — Doctor Who Official (@bbcdoctorwho) August 14, 2015

  
  

BBC America have now confirmed that they will broadcast the premiere of the next series of Doctor Who, The Magician's Apprentice at 9:00pm Eastern time (8:00pm Central) on Saturday 19th September.


BBC America is the first to announce a time for the episode, which sits in its now traditional evening prime-time slot on the channel; the BBC One premiere itself is unlikely to be confirmed until a couple of weeks before transmission, but is expected to be broadcast either before or after the channel's other big Saturday evening show, Strictly Come Dancing.

Denmark is the latest country to have scheduled the 3D version of the Series 8 finale Dark Water & Death in Heaven in cinemas. The two episodes, plus the Series 9 preview, will be shown at Cinemaxx cinemas in Copenhagen, Odense and Aarhus on the 16th September (two showings at 6:00pm and 8:45pm).


Denmark joins the United States (Fathom Events) and Canada (Front Row Centre Events/Cineplex Entertainment) in presenting the episodes in 3D in cinema.

The episodes are not currently planned to be shown in the United Kingdom, with a quote from BBC Worldwide to Sci-Fi Bulletin stating: “Due to the number of events taking place for Doctor Who this year including the Symphonic Spectacular and the Doctor Who Festival, we decided against showing the episodes in UK cinema."


The 3D special is expected to be released on Blu-ray in North America on 22nd September:
A release of the story in the UK and other regions has yet to be announced (it is currently unknown if the North American version will be region-free).

The BBC have this evening released a second trailer for new series of Doctor Who.

This week sees the release of the penultimate Doctor Who: Tenth Doctor by Nick Abadzis and Rachael Stott with Leonardo Romero, and the finale of Doctor Who: Eleventh Doctor penned by Al Ewing and Rob Williams and art by Simon Fraser.

BBC Books have announced three new novels in the Doctor Who: Glamour Chronicles series, featuring the 12th Doctor Peter Capaldi.

The novels Royal Blood by Una McCormack, Big Bang Generation by Gary Russell, and Deep Time by Trevor Baxendale, are all released on Septmeber 10th

Paul Cornell has been talking to Doctor Who News, prior to the launch of Titan's Doctor Who Summer event, which sees four Doctors take part in the 5-part weekly comics series written by Cornell and illustrated by Neil Edwards.

Cornell told us he approached by Titan's editor Andrew James to work on the series. He was introduced to artist's Neil Edward's prior work and was 'blown away' by the all-round quality including 'body language' and 'special effects'. He said that meant he was able to really be 'free' with the all-important dialogue and interaction between the three (and more!) Doctors.

With Cornell being as knowledgeable a writer as any for the TV series, as well as being keen to please the comic readership, he has focused on letting the Doctors be with one another as much as possible. Ten doesn't trust Twelve at all, and Twelve can't or won't explain how he can even exist. Eleven tries to moderate between them.

He also said he was going to pay the due care and attention for major companions Gabby and Alice (who have been in the respective 10th and 11th Doctor strips), as well as contemporary TV companion Clara Oswald. Each female assistant has the honour of "[narrating] at least one issue, [thus providing] a good way for new readers to meet them. "

Paul Cornell wisely kept some of his cards to his chest, knowing that surprise and dramatic effect is vital. However he did confirm that the plot is a bit of a summer blockbuster, in that it's more a timey-wimey rollercoaster, with a few old monsters, but it's all about how the Doctors react to what's being thrown at them.  And how their companions react to other Doctors.  "

He also was quite positive that this major event would have its own consequences for the ongoing Titan lines. As to the key event or device shaping the story: "[It is] a photograph that could destroy the universe."

In closing, Cornell agreed that the incredible comeback Doctor Who enjoyed was simply more than any casual TV viewer or die hard fan could have hoped for, back when he was helping 'keep the flame alive' by writing his groundbreaking New Adventures novels in the 1990s. He paid tribute to both main showrunners Russell T Davies and Steven Moffat for making anything possible for the TV show.

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The full interview can be read on Doctor Who Reviews

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Doctor Who: Four Doctors launches on Wednesday August 12, supported by Doctor Who Comics Day on Saturday August 15. In addition to the previously announced covers, a number of variant covers are available to pick up on Doctor Who Comics Day from stores including: Alien Entertainment; Books-A-Million; Borderlands; Cafe Anime; Forbidden Planet; Geppi's Entertainment Museum; Hastings; Hot Topic; Jester Comics; Newbury Comics; Third Eye; Twilight Comics; and The Who Shop.

Strax, the Sontaran butler to Victorian investigator Vastra and her wife Jenny, will be swapping the Paternoster Gang for a short spell with Jago and Litefoot in a new audio special from Big Finish Productions, produced under licence from BBC Worldwide.

In Jago & Liitefoot & Strax, the Sontaran suffers a disorienting attack, mistakes the two Victorian investigators for Jenny and Vastra. Together, they are on the trail of a creature that is stealing brains, which may or may not be linked to a haunted house in London.

The characters of Jago and LItefoot, played by Christopher Benjamin and Trevor Baxter, were created by Robert Holmes and first appeared opposite Tom Baker’s Fourth Doctor in The Talons of Weng Chiang in 1977. Over 30 years later they were reunited on audio by Big Finish, with a tenth series due for release in October.

Producer David Richardson said Dan Starkey, who first played Strax on TV opposite Matt Smith in A Good Man Goes to War, says: Jago & Litefoot & Strax will be released as a two-disc special in November 2015 and will be launched at the Doctor Who festival which takes place at the Excel On November 13, 14 and 15. It is available for pre-order.

Jago & Litefoot: Series 10 will be available in October. Series 1-9 are available now.

Actor, comedian and award winning writer Reece Shearsmith is to join Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman in a guest role in an upcoming episode of Doctor Who, written by Mark Gatiss.

Shearsmith has previously played Patrick Troughton in a docu-drama about the conception and making of Doctor Who, An Adventure in Space and Time. He returns to Cardiff for a part in the adventure, directed by Justin Molotnikov and produced by Nikki Wilson.

Most famously known for his work as part of The League of Gentlemen along with fellow performers Steve Pemberton, Mark Gatiss and co-writer Jeremy Dyson, Shearsmith comments on his casting: Mark Gatiss, writer of the episode, added: Shearsmith will be joined by Elaine Tan (Eastenders, Entourage), Neet Mohan (All in Good Time, Desert Dancer), Bethany Black (Cucumber, Banana) and Paul Courtenay Hyu (Dalziel and Pascoe, Coronation Street), in the episode, currently the ninth in the new series.

Series Nine begins Saturday 19th September.