The Trial of a Time Lord DVD

Wednesday, 20 February 2008 - Reported by Anthony Weight
DVD bonus material listed as classified by the British Board of Film Classification on their website reveals that the 1986 14-episode Doctor Who storyThe Trial of a Time Lord is to be released on DVD later this year. The serial, which saw the Doctor being placed on trial by his fellow Time Lords, encompassed the entire twenty-third series of Doctor Who, and was the last to star Sixth Doctor Colin Baker.

So far only the extras for the second segment of the serial, popularly known as Mindwarp, have been classified. These include a 20-minute "Making Of" feature; the 1985 Children in Need night feature which saw the largest ever single gathering of regular cast members from the series; and a Lenny Henry Doctor Who sketch.




FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD - Colin Baker

Davison, Jameson and Aldred Interviews

Tuesday, 19 February 2008 - Reported by DWNP Archive
Posted By John Bowman

The Den of Geek website has published interviews with Peter DavisonLouise Jameson and Sophie Aldred.

In the individual pieces, Davison talks about wobbly sets, Time Crash, typecasting, and his opinion on the worst Doctor Who monster ever, Jameson chats about working with Tom Baker, why she turned down returning to play Leela on TV, her view on her character now, and meeting David Tennant, while Aldred discusses working with John Nathan-Turner, along with her career spanning the pre- and post-Who days.




FILTER: - People - Classic Series - Peter Davison

Terrance Dicks Interview (Updated)

Monday, 18 February 2008 - Reported by R Alan Siler
EADT (Suffolk and Essex Online) is currently running an interview with Doctor Who legendTerrance Dicks.

Few people have been as active in the world of Doctor Who as author and former script editor Dicks, and in this interview he talks about his long career with the series as well as his most recent project, the Quick Reads book series, featuring his newest title Revenge of the Judoon.

In the interview, Dicks talks about his first writing jobs (with an advertising agency), how his landlord Malcolm Hulke got him started in writing for television, the new projects that he currently has on his plate, and his feelings about the current state of Doctor Who starring David Tennant.

You can read the article here.

UPDATE: Terrance Dicks will be visiting Brentwood County High School on March 12 as part of the Essex Book Festival.

Assistant headteacher Richard Davies said: "With Doctor Who so popular once again, this is a real coup for the local area and a great opportunity to listen to and meet an author who has had a big impact on the science-fiction genre."

The ticket-only event starts at 7.30pm.

(Additional reporting by John Bowman.)




FILTER: - People - Production - Classic Series

Louise Jameson Interview

Sunday, 17 February 2008 - Reported by R Alan Siler
The Digital Spy website is currently featuring an interview with Louise Jameson, the actress who portrayed the companion Leela in the mid-70s alongside Tom Baker's Doctor. The interview mainly focuses on Louise's return to the role of Leela in the Big Finish audios. She talks about the differences in playing Leela now and in the '70s, working with Lalla Ward, and her desire to be invited to work on the new series.

You can read the interview here.




FILTER: - People - Classic Series

Beneath the Surface in North America

Wednesday, 13 February 2008 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Our friends at TV Shows on DVD have acquired cover illustrations for the North America (US/Canada) release of theBeneath the Surface Boxed Seton DVD, due on June 3. Below are the individual covers for "The Silurans," "The Sea Devils" and "Warriors of the Deep", the three releases in the boxed set; larger covers will be made available when we get them. Click on each for a larger version. Says TVShowsonDVD, "Costs are confirmed to be $34.98 SRP for the 2-DVD release of Doctor Who - Story #052: Doctor Who And The Silurians (CA$43.98 SRP in Canada); the single-disc releases of Doctor Who - Story #062: The Sea Devils and Doctor Who - Story #131: Warriors of the Deep will be $24.98 SRP each (CA$30.98 SRP each in Canada); and the 4-DVD box set of Doctor Who - Beneath The Surface will be $59.98 SRP (CA$74.98 SRP in Canada)."




FILTER: - USA - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

Steve Pemberton in Series Four

Wednesday, 13 February 2008 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
The latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine confirms that Steve Pemberton, star of "The League of Gentlemen," will make an appearance in the forthcoming fourth series of Doctor Who. The Sun takes it further, reporting that "insiders said Steve will play a mysterious character called Lux who meets the Doctor during an expedition to uncover the secrets of an abandoned library." The Sun notes that the episode "also stars ER actress Alex Kingston and James Bond star Colin Salmon," confirming Pemberton will be in the same story. The new season of Doctor Who premieres this April.




FILTER: - Production - Series 4/30

Invisible Enemy and K9 on DVD

Thursday, 7 February 2008 - Reported by Anthony Weight
Further information about the DVD extras of the forthcoming release of The Brain of Morbius has today been revealed on the BBFC website. Along with a documentary, "Getting a Head", and features such as "Designs on Karn", "A Letter to Robert Holmes" and "Set Tour", the disc contains a trailer for the forthcoming releases of 1977's The Invisible Enemy - which saw the first appearance of the robot dog K9 in Doctor Who - and the 1981 spin-off K9 and Company, which stars Elisabeth Sladen as Sarah Jane Smith.

It is not yet clear whether or not this joint trailer indicates that the two stories will be released together in a double pack.




FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

Invasion Of Time DVD Extras Passed

Thursday, 7 February 2008 - Reported by DWNP Archive
Posted By John Bowman

The British Board of Film Classification today passed more than 32 minutes of extra features for the release of the six-part Fourth Doctor story The Invasion of Time, giving them a U rating.

Among them are five deleted scenes: one from episode five and four from episode six.

There will also be two mini-documentaries: The Elusive David Agnew and The Rise and Fall of Gallifrey.

'David Agnew' was a pseudonym for producer Graham Williams and script editor Anthony Read, who wrote the story together.

This site reported last month that a release of The Invasion of Time was in the pipeline. A date for it has yet to be announced.




FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

Brain Of Morbius DVD On Its Way (Updated)

Wednesday, 6 February 2008 - Reported by DWNP Archive
Posted By John Bowman

The Fourth Doctor story The Brain of Morbius is to be released on DVD in the UK.The British Board of Film Classification today passed three episodes of the 1976 four-part story, giving them a PG rating.

They were passed without any cuts ordered. Consumer advice given for episodes one and two was that each had "scary scenes".

The fourth episode will, undoubtedly, be passed shortly.

A release date for the DVD has yet to be announced.

UPDATE (February 7): Episode four of The Brain of Morbius was today passed uncut with a PG rating by the BBFC, with the consumer advice that it contained "mild fantasy violence and horror".

(With thanks to Tony Clark)




FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

Sci Fi confirms April debut for Who and SJA

Monday, 4 February 2008 - Reported by Josiah Rowe
The Sci Fi Channel has confirmed earlier reports that both Doctor Who Series Four and The Sarah Jane Adventures will begin airing on the channel in April. The channel's news service, Sci Fi Wire, has the confirmation, and Sci Fi's full press release is below.

(Thanks to "GracieLizzy" of the Doctor Who Forum.)
DOCTOR WHO SEASON FOUR AND THE SARAH JANE ADVENTURES COMING TO SCI FI CHANNEL IN APRIL

NEW YORK - February 4, 2008 - SCI FI Channel has acquired the fourth season of People's Choice Award-nominated Doctor Who and the phenomenally popular series' new spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures from BBC Worldwide America. Both series are slated to premier on SCI FI in April 2008.

The Sarah Jane Adventures is written and produced by the same creative team behind Doctor Who, including multi-award winning writer Russell T. Davies. Having traveled the universe with The Doctor, Sarah Jane is used to alien encounters. Accompanied by her new young friends Maria, Luke and Clyde, she becomes embroiled in an offbeat world of mystery and danger.

In season four of Doctor Who, David Tennant reprises his role as the tenth Timelord. For his latest adventures he is joined by a brand new companion, Donna Noble, played by award-winning actress Catherine Tate (The Catherine Tate Show, BBC AMERICA) who appeared as 'the runaway bride' in the previous season. 'Martha Jones,' played by Freema Agyeman, the Doctor's most recent companion, who had a dramatic role last season's finale, makes a triumphant return in the middle of season four.

"We are excited to have Doctor Who back on SCI FI for its 4th season," said Chris Regina, Vice President of Programming, SCI FI Channel. "It's an exciting franchise that continues to reinvent itself for new generations of viewers. The youthful appeal of The Sarah Jane Adventures will no doubt attract even younger new viewers."

Candace Carlisle, EVP Sales and Co-productions, BBC Worldwide Americas commented, "The imagination of Russell and the rest of the production team in Cardiff who have produced these two incredible shows is outstanding. We are so pleased that the loyal fans of the SCI FI Channel will be able to meet a whole new range of characters and aliens that are intrinsically linked to the Doctor's history. Both 'Sarah Jane Adventures' and the new season of 'Doctor Who' are jam packed with some of the most creative storylines ever produced by the BBC's brilliant team."

The third season of the new Doctor Who averaged 1.3 million weekly viewers on SCI FI.

The deals were brokered by Lisa Hofer, Vice President of Co-Production & Sales, BBC Worldwide Americas. Executive Producers for The Sarah Jane Adventures are Russell T Davies, Head of Drama, BBC Wales, Julie Gardner and Phil Collinson. The series producer is Matthew Bouch. Doctor Who season four is produced by Phil Collinson; Executive Producers are Julie Gardner and Russell T Davies. Doctor Who season four is a BBC production in association with CBC.

SCI FI Channel is a television network where "what if" is what's on. SCI FI fuels the imagination of viewers with original series and events, blockbuster movies and classic science fiction and fantasy programming, as well as a dynamic Web site (www.scifi.com ) and magazine. Launched in 1992, and currently in 93 million homes, SCI FI Channel is a network of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies.

BBC Worldwide Americas incorporates the U.S., Canadian and Latin American arms of BBC Worldwide, a commercial and wholly owned subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). With offices in New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, Sao Paulo and Miami, BBC Worldwide Americas has five core businesses: Channels, TV Sales, Content & Production, Home Entertainment and Digital Media. Profit from BBC Worldwide is returned to the BBC public service.




FILTER: - Series 4/30 - Sarah Jane - Broadcasting