Both the US broadcast on BBC America and the Australian broadcast on ABC1 of the new series of Doctor Who have included an additional introduction before the main opening titles. This has been presented in a form of a reprise through the eyes of Amy of her adventures with the Doctor to date.


(with thanks to Anthony Swan

Australia joins the list of countries that have now confirmed the broadcast date for Matt Smith's second series of Doctor Who. TV Tonight have reported that ABC1 will premier The Impossible Astronaut on Saturday 30th April at 7:30pm. The show will also be made available on the company's iView service (though there is no confirmation of if episodes will premier on the service like last year).

An ABC spokesperson told the site:

The BBC have yet to reveal when The Impossible Astronaut will premier in the UK - this is likely to be confirmed in a week's time via the Press Office's Programme Information Page, if not sooner.

BBC Australia and Roadshow Entertainment have launched a competition to give fans the change to win a trip to the UK to visit the Doctor Who Experience in the London. Visit bbcondvd.com.au/doctorwhoexperience for the entry form.

TV Tonight blog reports Torchwood: Miracle Day will be fast-tracked to Australia on UKTV Australia in early July, immediately following its global premiere on Starz.

Jana Bennett, the new President for BBC Worldwide Networks and Global iPlayer, said:Julie Dowding, Sales Director for BBC Worldwide Australia, added:

ABC in Australia have confirmed they plan to screen the 2011 series of Doctor Who shortly after the series is screened in the UK.

The plan was confirmed by Brendan Dahill, Network Programmer for ABC1, in an interview with TV Tonight.

The Christmas Special was shown in Australia on Boxing Day evening, less than 24 hours after it made its début on BBC One in the UK.

BBC America has also indicated it will screen the 2011 series within hours of its UK broadcast.

A Christmas Carol has debuted in Australia to good ratings. TV Tonight reports that Carol averaged 880,000 viewers in the five major capital cities, despite stiff competition from the commercial networks. It won its time-slot, was the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's top-rating drama of the day and was the eighth highest rating programme of the day overall. Doctor Who at the Proms also rated a respectable 141,000 viewers at the early timeslot of 5pm.

The fast-tracking of the Christmas special has also attracted considerable local media, including a number of interviews with Matt Smith and Karen Gillan. Gillan has been interviewed by the Sydney Morning Herald and the Canberra Times, while Smith has spoken to the Herald-Sun, the Sunday Telegraph and the Sun-Herald where he expresses the hope of visiting Australia.

The Sydney Morning Herald has also rated 'A Christmas Carol' its 'show of the week' with Michael Idato writing that it 'is sure to be the firmest and finest footprint in the life of the 11th doctor so far.'

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Boxing Day shoppers and restaurant goers got an unexpected surprise in the middle of Melbourne when the giant screen in Federation Square switched from the end of Australia's tragic day's play in the Ashes to a live feed from ABC TV showing the entirety of the 2010 Christmas Special!

Australia's National Institute of Dramatic Art is once again offering young people in the Commonwealth the chance to experience the world of Doctor Who as part of its Summer Programme 2011.

A number of courses are being run in the Summer Holiday in association with BBC Worldwide, teaching students skills associated with the making of the television series.

January's courses take place around the Country and can be booked Online

SYDNEY

• DESIGNING DOCTOR WHO 9-11 YRS
12 to 14 January - Be inspired by stories from the universe as you create your own props and model landscape inspired by Doctor Who. Develop design and craft skills in model making with professionals. Display your work in the NIDA foyer at the end of the week.
• DOCTOR WHO ON LOCATION @ COCKATOO ISLAND 12-16 YRS
11 to 14 January - Create your own Doctor Who episode using the atmospheric landscape of Cockatoo Island as inspiration. Develop screen acting and film making skills and discover the world of on-location shooting. Travel each day from Circular Quay to Cockatoo Island by ferry is included. Participants receive a DVD copy of their short film.
• DOCTOR WHO: ACTING ON SCREEN 12-16 YRS
10 to 14 January - Identify and experience the essentials of screen acting as you work on scripts from the Doctor Who series. Discover how to work with green screen technology, develop skills in characterisation and rehearse and film scene work to camera. This course will also examine the different acting styles of the past and present Doctors. For committed young people wanting to explore strategies for approaching acting on screen.
• DOCTOR WHO: ADVENTURES IN TIME & SPACE @ BLACKTOWN ARTS CENTRE 9-11 YRS
10 to 11 January - Travel through time and space with the Doctor and his companions. Open doors to new realities and meet the characters that live there. Create your own mini Doctor Who adventure.
• DOCTOR WHO: ADVENTURES IN TIME & SPACE 6-8 YRS
15 to 16 January - Travel through time and space with the Doctor and his companions. Open doors to new realities and meet the characters that live there. Create your own mini Doctor Who adventure.
• DOCTOR WHO: ACTING ON SCREEN ADVENTURES 12-15 YRS
22 to 23 January - Identify and experience the essentials of screen acting as you work on scripts from the Doctor Who series. Discover how to work with green screen technology, develop skills in characterisation, and rehearse and film scenes to camera.
• DOCTOR WHO: ACTING ON SCREEN ADVENTURES 9-11 YRS
17 to 18 January - Identify and experience the essentials of screen acting as you work on scripts from the Doctor Who series. Discover how to work with green screen technology, develop skills in characterisation and rehearse and film scenes to camera.
• DOCTOR WHO: ACTING ON SCREEN ADVENTURES 9-11 YRS: WEEKEND
22 to 23 January - Identify and experience the essentials of screen acting as you work on scripts from the Doctor Who series. Discover how to work with green screen technology, develop skills in characterisation and rehearse and film scenes to camera.

BRISBANE

• DOCTOR WHO: ACTING ON SCREEN 12-16 YRS
17 to 21 January - Identify and experience the essentials of screen acting as you work on scripts from the Doctor Who series. Develop skills in characterisation, and rehearse and film scene work to camera. This course is designed for committed young people who want to explore strategies for acting on screen.
• DOCTOR WHO: ACTING ON SCREEN ADVENTURES 9-11 YRS
10 to 14 January - Identify and experience the essentials of screen acting as you work on scripts from the Doctor Who series. Develop skills in characterisation, and rehearse and film scenes to camera.

MELBOURNE

• DOCTOR WHO: ACTING ON SCREEN ADVENTURES 9-11 YRS
17 to 21 January - Identify and experience the essentials of screen acting as you work on scripts from the Doctor Who series. Develop skills in characterisation, and rehearse and film scenes to camera.

CANBERRA

• DOCTOR WHO: ACTING ON SCREEN ADVENTURES 9-11 YRS
24 to 28 January - Identify and experience the essentials of screen acting as you work on scripts from the Doctor Who series. Develop skills in characterisation, and rehearse and film scenes to camera.

ABC have confirmed they will be showing the 2010 Doctor Who Prom on Boxing Day at 5pm, the same day they show the 2010 Christmas Special A Christmas Carol.

The BBC Proms are an eight-week summer season of daily orchestral classical music concerts and other events which have been held annually since 1895. Taking place mainly in the Royal Albert Hall in London, the BBC took over responsibility for the Proms in 1927. The first Doctor Who Prom took place in 2008.

The Doctor Who Prom features the music of Murray Gold performed by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, who record the soundtrack for the television series. The Prom took place Saturday 24 July and was hosted by Matt Smith, Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill.

The Prom was shown in the UK last September. It was announced last month that it will be shown in the United States on BBC America on Christmas Day.

Australian viewers can now see all episodes of Doctor Who Series 1 and 2 and all episodes of the first two series of Torchwood via Yahoo!7's catchup TV service.

Australian PlayStation 3 owners will find a "Plus7" button on their crossmedia bar (same place as the ABC iView button), and computer users can access the site here.

The episodes are available as a result of a deal between BBC Worldwide Australia and Yahoo!7. The ongoing deal will see future quality BBC content air on the service, either in catch-up following transmission on the Seven Network, or as part of PLUS7’s dedicated library of TV shows.

Other shows included are The Catherine Tate Show and Little Britain as well as classic comedy programs like Fawlty Towers and The Young Ones.

Kath Hamilton, Director of Audience, Yahoo!7 said
PLUS7 is free to access via www.yahoo7.com.au/plus7 and is available across Australia.

The TV Tonight blog confirms that the Doctor Who 2010 Christmas special, A Christmas Carol, will make its Australian debut on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on Boxing Day, Sunday 26 December 2010 at 7.30pm on ABC1. As TV Tonight reports, this will be the first time ever an episode of Doctor Who will air in Australia within 24 hours of its UK debut.