Big Finish announce New Series UNIT Spin-off

Monday, 9 February 2015 - Reported by Marcus

Big Finish have announced that Kate Stewart and her UNIT team from the Doctor Who Television series will be starring in a brand new series of audio dramas

The deal with BBC Worldwide gives Big Finish the right to use a character from the revived series of Doctor Who for the first time.

Kate is the daughter of Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, and Head of Scientific Research at the Unified Intelligence Taskforce, which investigates and confronts alien attacks on the planet Earth. The role is portrayed by Jemma Redgrave (Dracula, Frankie, Cold Blood) who has appeared opposite Matt Smith and Peter Capaldi on television, and returns for the audio series.

Big Finish series producer David Richardson says

We’re thrilled that Jemma is on board for our brand new UNIT adventures, and we feel privileged to work within the universe of New Series Doctor Who for the first time. UNIT: Extinction will showcase all the excitement, drama and wit that viewers of Doctor Who love.

Executive producer Jason Haigh-Ellery added

Having worked with the greatly missed Nicholas Courtney and his magnificent portrayal of the Brigadier since the early days of Big Finish, it is wonderful to see the return of UNIT under the Brig’s daughter. We are all very excited about bringing UNIT back to Big Finish with the next generation and look forward immensely to working with Jemma again, who appears in this month’s Doctor Who main range release Doctor Who - Mistfall.

Executive producer Nick Briggs says

I’m really excited to hear Jemma and her team battling to save the Earth. They’ve been such an important part of the many exciting things to come out of the Doctor Who TV series in recent years.

The first box set release, due in November, comprises four hours of adventure, in which Kate and her team confront an alien invasion by the Nestene Consciousness and its army of plastic Autons. Three additional box sets will be available at six monthly intervals.

FILTER: - Big Finish

Archive Interviews on DVD

Monday, 9 February 2015 - Reported by Marcus

Two archive interviews are to be released on DVD and are available from Galaxy 4.

An interview with Tom Baker, conducted in 1989, was originally available on Video Cassette, published by Reeltime Pictures. It is released on DVD for the first time. Also available is a brand new title, an interview with Anthony Ainley from April 2000.

Both are released on 27th February.

Myth Makers Tom Baker

The Doctor will never change. He may grow old and fade away, but he will always be the same … so the fun is – how do you colour that?

Ask Doctor Who fans who their favourite Doctor is and the majority are likely to name Tom Baker’s portrayal above all others.

Much of Baker’s popularity has been fuelled by his reticence to appear in public to discuss his time in the programme. Little is actually known about the man or his memories of being the longest running Time Lord troubleshooter!

At last this has changed. In an exclusive interview with Nicholas Briggs, at the location used for The Android Invasion, Baker discusses frankly his life and career.

First released 1989

Myth Makers Anthony Ainley

I was always surprised when he (John Nathan Turner) rang me and called me back, because an actor always thinks a job is his last job!

Anthony Ainley had carved out a successful career as an actor in the theatre, films and television before being asked to play THE MASTER in Doctor Who.

A very private man, Ainley rarely did interviews and died before recording any extensive videos about his thoughts and feelings playing the evil nemesis of THE DOCTOR.

In this special Myth Makers, we are delighted to feature a rare interview with Ainley, recorded in 2000 at an event run by the Galaxy 4 shop in Sheffield.

Together with the memories of the organisers, this Myth Makers is very revealing of the man behind the role, proving Ainley was a very different man to the character we saw on our TV screens.

Recorded 2000

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

Sneak Peek: The Eleventh Doctor #8

Sunday, 8 February 2015 - Reported by Marcus

Next Wednesday, February 11th, sees the release of Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor #8, uniting writer Al Ewing (2000AD, Judge Dedd) and artist Warren Pleece (2000AD, Vertigo comics).

Interstellar dogfights still rage in the skies over London!

When Alice is forced into a high-stakes solo challenge that could end the conflict, she'll need to muster everything she's learned on her travels with the Doctor in order to succeed – and even that might not be enough!

Has the Doctor made a grave mistake – or is it all part of a larger plan?

FILTER: - Comics - Eleventh Doctor

Bedford Who Charity Con

Saturday, 7 February 2015 - Reported by Marcus

A Bedford charity is raising money for the homeless, by organising a Doctor Who Convention, with a special discount for readers of Doctor Who News.

Bedford Who Charity Con is being held on Saturday 11th April, to raise funds for Bedford Foodbank, who provide emergency food for local people in crisis. The organisers do not make money from the event; once costs are covered, all the money raised goes to the Foodbank.

Confirmed guests – subject to work commitments – are Nicola Bryant, Sophie Aldred, Anneke Wills, John Leeson, Terry Molloy, Mike Tucker, Paul Cornell, and Doctor Who’s choreographer Ailsa Berk, who will be leading an Alien Movement Workshop. As choreographer, Berk is responsible for teaching movement to the actors playing the aliens. If you want to learn how to stomp like Cybermen, lollop like scarecrows, lurch like Other Dave when he’s possessed by the Vashta Nerada, or frighten the neighbours by adopting the pose of a Weeping Angel, then this is for you. There’ll also be on stage interviews with the guests, who’ll also be signing autographs and BAFTA award-winning Mike Tucker will be doing a presentation on the special effects in Doctor Who. Plus there’ll be the chance to mingle with the Daleks and other aliens.

Prices are £40 for adults, £20 for those aged 14-18 and £12 for under 14s. Family tickets are available. If you tell the organisers you read about the convention on Doctor Who News you'll receive a 10% discount on these prices.

You can order tickets from the convention website

FILTER: - Charities - Conventions

Doctor Who Comic to launch in the UK

Friday, 6 February 2015 - Reported by Marcus

BBC Worldwide and Titan have announced a new UK based Doctor Who Comic will be launched later this month

The comic, featuring the Tenth, Eleventh and Twelfth Doctors in every issue, will be available from 26th February with three on-going stories in the first issue, bringing to the UK the set of stories that have previously not been available in the country. A new issue will be released every four weeks

Join the Tenth Doctor as he deals with the aftermath of Donna Noble’s heart-breaking farewell. The Doctor feels he may never again have another companion, but maybe an adventure with some psychic aliens, a New York laundrette operator and the Mexican Day of the Dead festival can help change his mind.

Then, while Amy and Rory are away, the Eleventh Doctor will play. Experience a time-twisting adventure as he hurtles down a collision course into a terrifying cosmic threat. Can the Doctor save the day once more with a grieving young woman, a 70s’ musician, and an amnesiac alien? Find out in this issue!

Finally, Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor and Clara Oswald set off on a brand new adventure in the TARDIS. The Doctor is off to his most challenging destination yet. Whether he’s battling a fearsome, millennia-old entity on a freshly-terraformed planet or fighting the forces of an ancient alien, expect shocks, surprises and time-shaking revelations.

Every issue features respected writers and artists, including Eisner Award-winning Nick Abadzis (Laika), fan-favourite Elena Casagrande (Angel, Star Trek), Al Ewing (Loki: Agent of Asgard) and Rob Williams (Trifecta), Simon Fraser (Grindhouse), Eagle award-winning writer Robbie Morrison (The Authority, 2000AD) and Dave Taylor (Batman: Death By Design, 2000AD).

And every issue comes with an original humour strip and competitions. In issue one, readers can win a set of the Tenth, Eleventh and Twelfth Doctor Vinyl figures. The first issue will also feature an exclusive code to download comic strip characters into the Doctor Who Legacy free-to-play game.

Nicholas Brett, Director of UK Publishing, BBC Worldwide, said:

We’re delighted that Titan will be bringing fans the Doctor Who Comic from next month and extending the relationship BBC Worldwide already enjoys with Titan.

Issue one of BBC Doctor Who Comicwill be available on the 26th February and will be available every four weeks in supermarkets, WH Smiths and independent newsagents. Every issue is 84 pages and retails at £3.99.

FILTER: - Comics - Eleventh Doctor - Tenth Doctor - Twelfth Doctor - UK

Doctor Who Magazine 483

Wednesday, 4 February 2015 - Reported by Chuck Foster

The new issue of Doctor Who Magazine is officially out tomorrow, and features the first major interview with Paul Wilmshurst, director of the recent Doctor Who episodes Kill the Moon, Mummy on the Orient Express and Last Christmas.

We were all very proud of the fact that the Mummy was so scary they wouldn't put it in the series trailer. It's always about how far can you go? I think the old joke is true: how complicated can you make it to hold a child's attention, and how simple can you make it for adults? Can you make it scary enough for the children to be satisfied, but not too scary for the adults to be worried?

Also inside this issue:

Doctor Who's very first director, Waris Hussein, reveals how the classic 1964 adventure Marco Polo was made – with the help of unique documents unseen for 50 years!
Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat answer readers’ questions – including one from former showrunner Russell T Davies! – in his exclusive column.
Peter Purves, who played companion Steven Taylor in the 1960s, looks back at some of his most memorable adventures in the second part of an exclusive interview.
DWM presents an exclusive prelude to the new series of books featuring Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart, in the form of a complete short story by Andy Frankham-Allan: The Ambush.
Bernard Kay, the much-loved actor who appeared in four Doctor Who stories, is remembered by his friend Toby Hadoke.
The Doctor and Clara tackle both Sontarans and Rutans in the concluding part of The Instruments of War, a brand-new comic strip written and illustrated by Mike Collins.
En garde! Discover fascinating new facts about the swashbuckling Fourth Doctor adventure The Androids of Tara in The Fact of Fiction.
The Time Team watch the Tenth Doctor take a bus to alien world, as they visit the Planet of the Dead.
Jacqueline Rayner demonstrates the fun to be had in spotting Doctor Who actors in other roles in Relative Dimensions.
The DWM Review assesses the very latest Doctor Who audio and book releases.
The Watcher examines the changing nature of history in Doctor Who, in the latest Wotcha!
The DWM Crossword, prize-winning competitions, official news and much more!

FILTER: - DWM - Merchandise

Doctor Who LEGO® will be released later this year

Wednesday, 4 February 2015 - Reported by Chuck Foster

BBC Worldwide and LEGO® have announced a deal to produce a range of Doctor Who Lego, based around a proposal made by fan Andrew Clark last year:

The 12th Doctor - Lego Concept (® 2015 The LEGO Group)

Doctor Who and LEGO® fans around the world received exciting news today as The LEGO Group announced that it would be producing a LEGO Doctor Who set.

The concept for a Doctor Who set came from the LEGO® IDEAS website where fans can submit ideas for a set and vote for their favourite idea to be produced.

Doctor Who began in 1963 on BBC Television and is the world’s longest running sci-fi drama. Starring Peter Capaldi as the Doctor and Jenna Coleman as his companion, the hit BBC One show has become a global phenomenon with a loyal and passionate fan base.

The Doctor Who concept from fan Andrew Clark received the 10,000 votes requisite for The LEGO Group to consider it for production.

A licensing agreement between BBC Worldwide and The LEGO Group will see the new set available in all of The LEGO Group’s key markets before the end of the year.

Andrew’s winning design featured a range of Doctors, companions and monsters across the show’s history, but fans will have to wait until later this year to discover what will be produced.

Marcus Arthur, MD of BBC Worldwide UK said:

Both Doctor Who and LEGO enjoy a particularly close relationship with their fans and I can’t wait to see what LEGO produce.

Emma Owen, UK spokesperson for LEGO Ideas commented:

We’re extremely excited to announce that a Doctor Who and a WALL-E set will be released as our next LEGO Ideas fan based sets, congratulations to the designers Andrew Clark and Angus MacLane!

After receiving over 10,000 votes from the online community and having gone through rigorous toy testing from our expert panel, these awesome sets are on track to be on shelves later this year. The final set designs, pricing and availability are being worked out as we speak, so watch this space for the final details!

LEGO® Ideas Second 2014 Review Results

There is a Twitter hashtag associated with the announcement, #LEGODoctorWho

You can read about Andrew Clark's proposals in our news article last year.

FILTER: - Lego - Merchandise

Doctor Who Adventures - Issue 361

Friday, 30 January 2015 - Reported by Marcus

The new issue of BBC Doctor Who Adventures, the magazine for all young Doctor Who fans, is out now – and it’s full of Cyber secrets.

To find out why Cybermen are one of the ultimate monsters, the magazine decided to ask them why. Find out what they said in the latest issue.

With upgraded posters and puzzles, it’s essential reading for readers who are considering upgrading to Cyber kind…

The magazine comes with two Dalek gifts – a pencil and writing set.

ALSO:

· The Alien Babies are attacked by the Dream Crabs…

· There’s an comic strip written by Richard Cookson.

· A guide to the 2014 episodes of Doctor Who.

· Turn your self into a Cyberman with the Cyber mask.

· Cut out and keep our fact monster fact figures.

· Plus win an Xbox 350 and Doctor Who Minecraft goodies.

The new issue of BBC Doctor Who Adventures, Issue 361, is out from 28 January – 24 February, priced £3.99.

FILTER: - DWA

William Hartnell interview found

Thursday, 29 January 2015 - Reported by Marcus

A long lost interview, featuring William Hartnell, has been recovered in part by the BBC.

Hartnell was interviewed by Roy Plomley, for the Home Service radio programme Desert Island Discs in 1965. The edition was transmitted on 23 August while Hartnell was at the height of his powers as the Doctor.

The recording was thought lost, erased by the BBC. However it is understood that a 16 minute section has been recovered and will shortly be available on the BBC iPlayer. The recording was available for a short period earlier today, but was removed pending an official announcement.

Desert Island Discs celebrates its 73rd Anniversary today, having been running continuously on BBC radio since 1942. In the programme guests chose the music they would take to a desert island if they were stranded there alone. Jon Pertwee and David Tennant have both also appeared in the series.

FILTER: - William Hartnell

The Essential Book of K-9

Wednesday, 28 January 2015 - Reported by Chuck Foster

A campaign is currently in progress to raise funds to publish a new book about the Doctor's second best friend^*, K-9. The initiative is being driven by K-9 series co-creator Paul Tams, and will explore the character's many lives through Doctor Who, K-9 and Company, The Sarah Jane Adventures, and in his own series.

Paul Tams says:

It's amazing there has never been a book dedicated to the full story of K9; his adventures in Time and Space and beyond and the making of the TV shows in which he appeared. We aim to correct this oversight and present an amazing volume of features, photos and behind the scenes information. We also aim to have several new stories and comic strips from classic writers including his original co-creator Bob Baker himself.

The book will become a lasting tribute to the people who created, acted alongside, designed and built K9 throughout the years and an insight into the world of TV production. Plus a look behind the scenes at plans for K9's further adventures on screen!

Funding for the book is being organised through IndieGoGo, and there are a number of perks that can be chosen by those who participate in the campaign.

Details on the modern series of K-9 can be found at the K9 Official website.

(with thanks to Paul Tams)

FILTER: - Books - K9

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