UK DVD release update

Monday, 8 August 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster

2|Entertain have released cover art and content details for the forthcoming UK DVDs of Third Doctor adventures Day of the Daleks (due 9th September) and Colony in Space (Amazon reports 3rd October, DWM reports 24th October).

Day of the Daleks
Release Date: 9th September 2011 (available for pre-order)

Starring Jon Pertwee as Doctor Who, with Katy Manning as Jo Grant
Written by Louis Marks
Directed by Paul Bernard

Broadcast: 1st January - 22 January 1972

World peace hangs in the balance and Sir Reginald Styles, a high-ranking diplomat, is the only person that stands between mankind and a third and final World War. But a mysterious and savage guerrilla force from the 22nd Century believe Styles is the agent that shaped their terrifying future and therefore must die...

The Doctor and Jo find themselves flung into the guerrillas’ world; a brutal dictatorship policed by the merciless and ape-like Ogrons. The Daleks have invaded Earth, enslaved the population and face certain triumph unless the Doctor betrays all he believes in and condones the cold-blooded murder of Styles in an attempt to change the course of history... forever.

Special Features

Disk 1

4 x 25 mins approx colour episodes with mono audio (Original Version).
Commentary - stereo. With actors Anna Barry and Jim Winston, producer Barry Letts, script editor Terrance Dicks and vision mixer Mike Catherwood.
Blasting the Past (dur. 30’ 30”) – cast and crew look back on the making of this story. With actors Katy Manning, Jimmy Winston and Anna Barry, producer Barry Letts, script editor Terrance Dicks, monster maker John Friedlander, Dalek operator Ricky Newby, Dalek voice artiste Nicholas Briggs, classic series writer Ben Aaronovitch, new series writer Paul Cornell and Doctor Who Magazine writer Dave Owen.
A View from the Gallery – producer Barry Letts and vision mixer Mike Catherwood talk about the art of vision mixing on a multi-camera studio show like Doctor Who.
Nationwide – a report from a primary school on the day they took delivery of a Dalek, first prize in a Radio Times competition.
Blue Peter – presenter Peter Purves remembers his time as a companion to William Hartnell’s Doctor and is joined in the studio by a trio of Daleks.
Photo Gallery - production, design and publicity photos from the story.

Disk 2

4 x 25 mins approx colour episodes with mono audio (Special Edition).
The Making of Day of the Daleks – Special Edition – producer Steve Broster guides us through the creation of his Special Edition of this story. With voice artiste Nicholas Briggs, audio engineer Mark Ayres, cameraman John Kelly, Dalek builder Toby Chamberlain, UNIT soldier Kevan Looseley and Ogron Nick Nicholson.
Now and Then – the latest instalment of our long-running series revisits the locations used in Day of the Daleks to see how much or little they have changed over the years. Narrated by Toby Hadoke.
The UNIT Family – Part Two – the second instalment of our series looking at the Doctor’s years on Earth as scientific advisor to the United Nations Intelligence Taskforce and the strong family bonds created during that time. With Katy Manning, Barry Letts, Terrance Dicks, actors Nicholas Courtney, John Levene, Richard Franklin and Fernanda Marlowe, stuntman Derek Ware.
The UNIT Dating Conundrum – over the years, many fans have tried to rationalise the chronological setting of the UNIT stories from clues within the narrative, despite the obstacles seemingly put in their way by the production team. Narrator Toby Hadoke explains why dating the stories is so difficult, assisted by Terrance Dicks, Dave Owen, Nicholas Briggs and Ben Aaronovitch.
The Cheating Memory – Special Edition producer Steve Broster tries to discover why the reality of Day of the Daleks doesn’t quite live up to the memory he has of first seeing it, aged six. With psychologist Dr. Sarita Robinson, Nicholas Briggs and Ben Aaronovitch.

Colony in Space
Release Date: 3rd or 24th October 2011 (available for pre-order)

Starring Jon Pertwee as Doctor Who, with Katy Manning as Jo Grant
Written by Malcolm Hulke
Directed by Michael Briant

Broadcast: 10th April - 15 May 1971

The Time Lords discover that the Master has stolen their secret file on the Doomsday Weapon and decide to send the Doctor to retrieve it for them.

The TARDIS takes the Doctor and Jo to the desolate planet Uxarieus in the year 2472. There they become involved in a dispute between some beleaguered colonists and the crew of an Interplanetary Mining Corporation (IMC) spaceship over the ownership rights to the planet. The Doctor learns that the indigenous Primitives and their High Priests worship a large machine tended by a creature called the Guardian.

The single disc release features remastered versions of all six episodes, and includes the restoration of four seconds of material missing from the original VHS release of the story.

Special Features

Commentary - cast members Katy Manning (Jo Grant), Bernard Kay (Caldwell), Morris Perry (Dent), plus Michael Briant (director), Terrance Dicks (script editor), and Graeme Harper (assistant floor manager); moderated by Toby Hadoke
IMC Needs You! - documentary on the making of the story, featuring Katy Manning, Bernard Kay, Michael Briant, Graeme Harper, plus producer Barry Letts.
From the Cutting Room Floor - trims from the location and model filming, including annotations
Coming Soon - a trailer for a forthcoming DVD release
Programme subtitles
Subtitle Production Notes
Photo Gallery - production, design and publicity photos from the story
Radio Times Listings in Adobe PDF format

The BBFC have passed a trailer for a 2012 boxed set, The UNIT Box; no other details are known about this at present.

The remaining stories involving the Doctor's "earth-based family" that have yet to be announced include The Ambassadors of Death, The Mind of Evil, The Daemons, Invasion of the Dinosaurs, Terror of the Zygons and The Android Invasion.

11 Jul Ed Stradling: Article on March's filming of the #doctorwho Android Invasion DVD here

http://t.co/5zaHIXR

11 Jul ClassicDW: Lee Binding provides first drafts of R1 and R2 COLONY IN SPACE sleeves.

12 Jul ClassicDW: A lot of Qs coming in re REVISITATIONS 4. No current plans for this.

Are there other early releases buyers would like to see revisited?

13 Jul Ed Stradling: starting prep work today on an obituary #doctorwho DVD feature for Barry Letts

14 Jul ClassicDW: Signed off enjoyable doc about DEATH TO THE DALEKS from Chris Chapman

14 Jul Chris Chapman: Have just been commissioned to put together a VERY exciting making-of!

14 Jul Chris Chapman: Anyone ever hear what became of the small boy in Reign of Terror -

Peter Walker? He'd be nearly 60 now and we're trying to track him down!

15 Jul RTnewsfeed: Gearing up for heavy workload next week, delivering VAM packages for

four Doctor Who releases. Two full days in grading at TV Centre!

17 Jul RTnewsfeed: Busy times ahead for the Restoration Team's Mark Ayres with two

new 5.1 surround mixes commissioned.

18 Jul RTnewsfeed: The RT's Steve Roberts sitting down to edit Hon Sarah Ward's meeting

with Michael Aspel for a future release.

20 Jul ClassicDW: Finished stock for the SUN MAKERS has just arrived! That was early!!

20 Jul RTnewsfeed: The RT's Steve Roberts is sitting in a grading suite at TV Centre with

colourist Paul Warren, grading VAM for Nightmare of Eden.

21 Jul Mark Ayres: Commentaries for #drwho #doctorwho The Sensorites DVD uploaded to

ClassicDW for checking. Hopefully he'll just tick the box!

21 Jul ClassicDW: Rough of SENSORITES commentary in from Mark Ayres. That's much of

Thursday all used up!! Lovely to hear W.Russell &amp; C.A.Ford together.

21 Jul Chris Chapman: DVD of Colony in Space due out in October - featuring my next

Who documentary 'IMC Needs You!' lots of lovely quarry anecdotes!

22 Jul Ed Stradling: A RTnewsfeed ClassicDW grading day at BBC TV Centre - various extras

for #drwho Dragonfire, H Patrol &amp; Face of Evil. http://t.co/UxLMJBl

22 Jul RTnewsfeed: The Sensorites DVD commentaries signed off. Audio files

ftp'd from Mark Ayres to Peter Crocker for layback to video masters.

25 Jul Ed Stradling: Watched good DVD feature by Thomas Guerrier on Sun Makers

DVD. Excellent use of clips.

26 Jul Chris Chapman: The mystery of Peter R Newman, eh? Hey... that might make a

good subject for a DVD documentary...

28 Jul Mark Ayres: DVD commentary for #drwho #doctorwho The Face of Evil submitted to

ClassicDW for review. It contains the word "fettling"

28 Jul ClassicDW: Rough version of THE FACE OF EVIL comm in from Mark Ayres. Sounds like

a tremendous full studio: "I'm out to kill Leela!"

28 Jul Mark Ayres: "Fettling" passed muster; Face of Evil DVD masters uploaded

to ftp. I will now attempt to take a couple of weeks off #drwho

28 Jul ClassicDW: What a troupe! @Tobyhadoke and team at the comm recording for

COLONY IN SPACE. #DoctorWho http://t.co/uHgrUv3

28 Jul ClassicDW: Oh, DAY OF THE DALEKS Disc 2 is WONDERFUL!!!

1 Aug Steve Roberts: A day of ClassicDW paperwork awaits. Writing up asset notes for

four titles delivering very soon!

1 Aug Steve Roberts: Paperwork just about done, pending Ed getting his ass into gear

and delivering his clearance forms. ;)

2 Aug Chris Chapman: Ok, fingers crossed that August 31st works for all my interviewees-

if so, that'll be my filming day for Greatest Show and Reign.

2 Aug Chris Chapman: Am wondering if I can squeeze 10 interviews into a day...

normally do nine... my brain may bubble out by the end... aw, go on!

5 Aug Ed Stradling: Some more graphics &amp; editing today on that political #doctorwho

feature for happiness patrol dvd

8 Aug Ed Stradling: Looking through long interview with Nick Courtney and Tom Baker

which Michael McManus did last year. So many funny but un-usable gags from Tom!

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

Colony in Space DVD release for October

Thursday, 21 July 2011 - Reported by Marcus

The 1971 Jon Pertwee story Colony in Space, has been scheduled for release on DVD in the UK on 3rd October this year.

The story by Malcolm Hulke, sees the third Doctor, along with companion Jo Grant, sent to the planet Uxarieus by the Time Lords, where they discover a struggling colony being terrorised by giant reptiles.

The six part story was originally shown between 10th April and 15th May 1971. Katy Manning plays Jo Grant and Roger Delgado appears as the Master.

Other members of the cast include John Ringham in his third role in the series, Helen Worth, who went on to play Gail McIntyre on the soap opera Coronation Street, Bernard Kay and Tony Caunter.

The single disc release will contain 4 seconds which were missing from VHS & US masters of the story and which restores 2 lines of dialogue.

FILTER: - Jon Pertwee - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

The Tom Baker Years on Sci Fi in Australia

Sunday, 17 July 2011 - Reported by Harry Ward

The Australian Sci Fi Channel is to air Doctor Who episodes from the Tom Baker era, starting with his first story, Robot on 17 August.

In 1974 an unknown actor called Tom Baker was cast in the lead role of Doctor Who, and turned an already popular show into a phenomenon. For a generation, the Fourth Doctor is the definite article– warm, witty, clever and sometimes very strange indeed. Clad in his trademark overlong scarf and with a bag of jelly babies to hand, he strode confidently through some of the show’s most memorable adventures. Over seven exciting years this Doctor met old adversaries - like the Daleks, Cybermen and Sontarans –with some help from much-loved friends like Sarah Jane Smith, Leela, Romana and the faithful K-9.

If you’re a fan of the incredible new series of Doctor Who, then this is a great chance to check out where the legend began. If you saw it back in the day then you won’t need reminding what awesome fun it was to go travelling with the Fourth Doctor every weeknight. Get on board the TARDIS and have yourself some all-time classic adventures in time and space with Doctor Who: The Tom Baker Years – only on SCI FI!

Schedule for Robot
Wednesday, August 17
06:30-06:55 - Episode 1
06:55-07:20 - Episode 2

Thursday, August 18
06:30-06:55 - Episode 3
06:55-07:20 - Episode 4
(times are shown in AEST)

A full schedule for the rest of Season 12, including repeats can be found here.
(with thanks to Matthew See)

FILTER: - Tom Baker - Classic Series - Broadcasting - Australia

UK Classic DVD update: The Sun Makers

Friday, 8 July 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster

2|Entertain have now released details on next month's DVD release, The Sun Makers; this story marks the completion of Season 15 on DVD, the penultimate adventure under producership of Graham Williams, and brings the remaining list of Fourth Doctor adventures still to be released down to four (five if the incomplete Shada is included).

The Sun Makers
Release Date: 1st August 2011 (available for pre-order)

Starring Tom Baker as Doctor Who, with Louise Jameson as Leela
Written by Robert Holmes
Directed by Pennant Roberts

Broadcast: 26th November 1977 - 17th December 1977

Far in the distant future, Earth has become uninhabitable, forcing mankind to colonise first Mars, and then Pluto...

No longer the coldest planet in the Solar System, Pluto is now warmed by a series of artificial suns. But access to the sunlight is limited to a select few... The majority of the citizens of the vast Megropolis cities are being overworked and overtaxed by the ruling elite, led by the Gatherer, and the sinister Collector.

When the Doctor, Leela and K9 arrive they discover that all is not well on Pluto. The human population is being totally exploited, while deep in the Undercity, a small band of rebels seeks to overthrow the mysterious 'Company' that controls all aspects of everyday life.

As the situation gets more desperate, the Doctor is forced to fight the oppression of the evil corporate rulers of Pluto. And their taxes...!

Special Features

Commentary with actors Tom Baker, Louise Jameson and Michael Keating, director Pennant Roberts.
Running from the Tax Man – a retrospective look at the making of the story and the science behind it. With actors Louise Jameson and Michael Keating, director Pennant Roberts, writer and historian Dominic Sandbrook and astronomer Marek Kukula.
Outtakes
Trailer – the original BBC1 trailer for the story.
The Doctor’s Composer – Part Two – the concluding part of the series looking at the career of prolific composer Dudley Simpson, covering his work on the show in the seventies.
Photo Gallery – production, design and publicity photos from the story.
Coming Soon – a trailer for a forthcoming DVD release.
Radio Times Listings in Adobe PDF format.
Programme subtitles
Subtitle Production Notes

Meanwhile, the Classic Doctor Who team have continued to keep readers appraised with the developments on future releases over Twitter (summary over the last month detailed below). Amongst the tidbits are the completion of Revisitations 3 - due to be released next year, and that while Elisabeth Sladen sadly hadn't recorded any further commentaries, Nicholas Courtney will feature on The Ambassadors of Death, and Barry Letts on The Mind of Evil.

05 Jun Mark Ayres: 4 seconds missing from VHS & US tx masters returned to @classicdw
Colony in Space for DVD. Restores 2 lines of dialogue.
06 Jun ClassicDW: Cracking doc on THE DAEMONS from Chris Chapman signed off.
Sue Hedden worth the price of DVD alone. What a great character!
06 Jun Mark Ayres: Colony in Space - restored soundtracks and mixed commentaries for
@classicdw DVD release done and delivered via ftp.
08 Jun ClassicDW: Enjoyable doc from James Goss signed off.
First in a series, and featuring Louise Jameson.
08 Jun Ed Stradling: Happiness Patrol making-of being heavily cut down today. Some of cut
material may be uploaded by @classicdw on youtube if you ask him nicely
08 Jun ClassicDW: Many have asked whether there are any unreleased commentaries featuring
N Courtney, L Sladen or B Letts.
08 Jun ClassicDW: Sadly there are none unreleased Elisabeth comms.
Nick appears on AMBASSADORS OF DEATH, and Barry on MIND OF EVIL.
08 Jun Ed Stradling: @classicdw worth RTing that Barry will also appear in vision discussing all
of his serials except 'Death to the Daleks', and other features
08 Jun ClassicDW: Final PARADISE TOWERS sleeves approved and off to the printers!
09 Jun Mark Ayres: Much of the week so far spent working on @classicdw @Thetamation @bigfinish
Reign of Terror. Now: a day-trip to Svartos.
12 Jun Ed Stradling: I am crap at deciding programme titles. I have "Studio Svartos" for the
Dragonfire making-of. Can any #doctorwho fans think of a better one?
13 Jun Ed Stradling: @Xander, @Babelcolour and @NicholasPegg "Fire and Ice" is now the title
of the Dragonfire doc.
14 Jun Ed Stradling: Shooting with Shaun Ley for a feature on the Happiness Patrol DVD
@classicdw http://t.co/4HWOQ0A
15 Jun ClassicDW: REVISITATIONS 3 completed! Sterling work from the team. Looking at release
first half 2012. VidFIRED TOMB looking great. :)
16 Jun Ed Stradling: Very very busy on graphics and title bumpers for DW Happiness Patrol.
17 Jun James Loosemore: Just finishing off the final mixes of my arrangement of the
Doctor Who Theme for @classicdw
18 Jun Chris Chapman: Seems like my next @classicdw shoot will be in late July - all
outdoors on location, always a bonus!
21 Jun Chris Chapman: Have a feeling that our Reign of Terror @classicdw doco could be
one of the best topics we've tackled - now just need a bit of good luck!
22 Jun Ed Stradling: krotons already commissioned for a making-of. Not sure about ice warrs.
23 Jun Ed Stradling: Dragonfire DVD doc finished and playing out to tape.
24 Jun Mark Ayres: Mastered audio for @classicdw Dragonfire and The Happiness Patrol DVDs
all complete and delivered.
25 Jun ClassicDW: Changes made to the VAM packages for KROTONS and PLANET OF GIANTS
following suggestions from @edstradling. Should be good! :)
26 Jun ClassicDW: Some lovely First Doctor character tests through from @thetamation
for REIGN OF TERROR.
27 Jun ClassicDW: Signed off menus for DAY OF THE DALEKS - Special Edition DVD.
27 Jun ClassicDW: Signed off cracking promo for ACE BOX featuring DRAGONFIRE and HAPPINESS PATROL.
New graphics in there, marvellously "Breakdance"!
28 Jun Chris Chapman: Opening animation for my @classicdw Death to the Daleks doco shaping up
nicely! Nice and moody...
28 Jun Mark Ayres: It's very hot in the studio today.
I put it down to unstable matter interfaces. Nightmare!
29 Jun Ed Stradling: Up bright and early for some GV shots! @classicdw http://t.co/BhbzhzV
01 Jul Chris Chapman: Our @classicdw Death to the Daleks doco is into the home stretch -
running at around 27mins at present. Feels like a good one!
01 Jul Chris Chapman: Quotes from @classicdw Death to the Daleks doco include:
"I think Terry Nation was taking the mickey!"
06 Jul Mark Ayres: Given that I have aleady restored this @classicdw title for audiobook,
DVD mastering should be easy...
07 Jul Chris Chapman: @0tralala I've done what you asked for! The Death to the Daleks Target book
is in the @classicdw DVD doco - ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?? :-)
07 Jul Chris Chapman: I'm taking requests (caveat: which I can totally ignore) for things YOU
want to see in the @classicdw GreatestShow and ReignOfTerror docos!
08 Jul Chris Chapman: Right! I've just sent @classicdw my nearly-final cut of our
Death to the Daleks doco - 'Beneath the City of the Exxilons'. Hope he likes it!

Some artwork has also been released for Italian versions of classic Doctor Who stories, which are distributed by DNC Entertainment; a number of titles have been mentioned including I Dalek Invadono La Terra, Gli Inizi, I Semi Della Morte, L'Invasione and Il Lardo Di Menti.

via Twitter	via Twitter	via Twitter	via Twitter
via Twitter	via Twitter	via Twitter	via Twitter

FILTER: - Italy - UK - Tom Baker - International Broadcasting - Classic Series - Latin America -

Day of the Daleks: Special Edition preview event

Wednesday, 22 June 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster

The Doctor Who Appreciation Society are organising a special launch day to tie in with the release on DVD of Pertwee tale Day of the Daleks.

Taking place at Riverside Studios on the 4th September, the event will see the new, CGI-enhanced version shown on the big screen, plus guest panels with both members of the original cast and those working on this new version of the story. There is also the chance to buy the DVD and have its sleeve signed by those present during autograph sessions.

This event is being presented by permission of 2|Entertain, and tickets are free to anybody wishing to apply - full details on how to get tickets and more information about the afternoon may be found via the DWAS website. Please note that guests will be announced nearer the event.

The Day of the Daleks special edition was originally announced by 2|Entertain at last year's DWAS event, Time and Space.

Update 27th June: the event is now full - all applications received up to today are being processed, but no others can be accepted.

FILTER: - Special Events - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

The Reign of Terror - animation update

Tuesday, 21 June 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Theta-Sigma, animation partners with Big Finish for the recreation of missing episodes in 2|Entertain's The Reign of Terror DVD release, have provided an update on how the project is progressing:

We are now two days into production. After a fantastic preproduction period, images are pouring out of the studio. Meticulous research has been done, even involving the help of Paris University's Archaeology Department to get some of the period features, which do not appear in the extant episodes, correct. 3D models of every set used have been built as guides for our artists. Model sheets of the main characters and key backgrounds are now being painted. There's a fantastic buzz surrounding the project. Every member of the team is focused on getting detail and accuracy to the highest possible level.

The company have also sent a copy of a promotional poster created for 2|Entertain's ClassicDW Twitter account.

(with thanks to Austen Atkinson, Theta-Sigma)

FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

Roy Skelton (1931-2011)

Wednesday, 8 June 2011 - Reported by Anthony Weight

Voice actor Roy Skelton, who contributed to dozens of Doctor Who episodes across the eras of all seven of the classic series Doctors, has died at the age of 79. BBC News reports that the actor suffered from a stroke.

Best known in Doctor Who circles for his Dalek and Cyberman voices, he was also well-known in British television for his voice work on the famous children's series Rainbow, where he famously provided the vocal characterisation of the puppets George and Zippy.

Born in Oldham in July 1931, Skelton's first involvement with Doctor Who came when he provided voices for the Monoids in the 1966 William Hartnell serial The Ark. He returned to the series later that year to provide voices to the first ever Cybermen in Hartnell's finale as the Doctor, The Tenth Planet. It was in 1967 that he first took on the role he became most associated with on Doctor Who, when he voiced the Daleks in Evil of the Daleks, lining up against Second Doctor Patrick Troughton. He then provided Dalek voices right through until their final classic series appearance in 1988's Remembrance of the Daleks, starring Sylvester McCoy. He also made the occasional on-screen appearance, such as briefly playing the body of the Spiridon Wester, whose voice he had provided, when the character became visible on his death in the Jon Pertwee serial Planet of the Daleks in 1973.

Skelton's ability to provide Dalek voices in different registers which he could switch between as recording was in progress enabled a variety of characterisation and conversation to be played in Dalek scenes. This ability to quickly switch between voices also served him well on Rainbow, a series he stayed with from its origins in the early 1970s through to the 1990s, where he was frequently called on to voice quick-fire conversations between his two characters of George and Zippy.

His association with two such long-lasting series fondly remembered by the British public meant that Skelton often appeared in documentaries and interviews, and he even returned to voice Zippy for a surreal guest appearance in a 2008 episode of the BBC One drama series Ashes to Ashes, set in an illusory version of the early 1980s.

His Rainbow co-star Geoffrey Hayes told the BBC:

The most wonderful thing was if Zippy and George were having an argument between themselves, it sounded like he'd double-tracked it as they seemed to be talking over each other. It was a wonderful technique and I don't know how he did it. Although he was known for Zippy and George he was actually a fabulous actor with a great singing voice and a wonderful raconteur - he used to tell us some wonderful stories.

FILTER: - Obituary - Classic Series

Obituary Roundup

Sunday, 5 June 2011 - Reported by Marcus

DONALD HEWLETT 1922-2011

The actor Donald Hewlett has died at the age of 88.

Hewlett appeared in the 1971 story, The Claws of Axos where he played Sir George Hardiman, the head of the Nuton Power Complex. He was best known for his role in the 1970s BBC sitcom It Ain't Half Hot Mum where he played Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Reynolds. He died at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in west London on Saturday,and is survived by his wife, Therese, and daughter Siobhan.

Newslinks: BBC News

BILL HUNTER 1940-2011

The actor Bill Hunter has died at the age of 71.

Hunter was one of the best known Australian actors, appearing in over 60 films and winning won two Australian Film Institute Awards. His movie roles included Newsfront, Gallipoli, Strictly Ballroom, Muriel's Wedding, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and Australia. He provided the voice of the dentist in the Pixar animated film Finding Nemo. In 2007, he reprised the role of Bob in the Australian touring stage production of Priscilla.

After training as an actor in Melbourne he won a two-year scholarship to the Northampton Repertory Company in England. It was while in England that he made his television debut in an uncredited role in two episodes of The Ark, alongside First Doctor William Hartnell.

Newslinks: ABC News, BBC News, Australian

ROGER HANCOCK 1931-2011

The agent Roger Hancock has died at the age of 79.

Hancock was for many years the agent of writer Terry Nation, one of Doctor Who's first script writers and creator of the Daleks.

Hancock met Nation through his brother, the comedian Tony Hancock who commissioned Nation to write material for his ATV television series and later for his stage show. Roger Hancock was Tony's agent at the time, having taken over from the comedian's long-term agent Beryl Vertue, now the mother-in-law of current showrunner Steven Moffat, whom he replaced in 1961 when Hancock also split with writers Alan Galton and Ray Simpson.

Roger Hancock was tenacious in defending the intellectual property rights of his clients. He was involved in many protracted negotiations with the BBC and others over their use of the Daleks, refusing any use which was thought inappropriate. In July 2004 it was reported that talks between the BBC and Hancock, representing the estate of Terry Nation, had broken down over issues of editorial control and as a result the Daleks would not appear in the relaunched series. An agreement was later reached which saw the return of the iconic monsters to the series.

Newslinks: Telegraph

YOLANDE PALFREY (1957 – 2011)

Born on 29th March 1957, Yolande Palfrey's career spanned the 1970/80s, during which she appeared in a number of serials; her first major performance was as the blind girl raped and murdered in the controversial serial by Dennis Potter, Pennies from Heaven. She also appeared as Sassy in the ITV drama Love in a Cold Climate, and Lady Sophia in Nanny.

Her sci-fi credentials include playing Veron in Gan's swansong episode of Blake's 7, Pressure Point, and also a part in the Disney film Dragonslayer. However, for Doctor Who fans she'll be best remembered for her appearance as stewardess Janet in Season 23's The Trial of a Time Lord (9-12) (aka Terror of the Vervoids, one of the few survivors of the Vervoid incident on board the starliner Hyperion III.

Yolande Palfrey died on 9th April, having suffered from a brain tumour.

JOHN MASON

John Mason had a prolific career in the Lighting department at the BBC, a position that saw him working on a variety of shows and drama, including The Two Ronnies, The Young Ones, Sense and Sensibility, Beau Geste, By The Sword Divided and Century Falls.

He worked on two Doctor Who serials in his early career, coincidentally seeing out two producers: Robot saw Tom Baker take up the reins of the Doctor as Barry Letts departed; later, The Talons of Weng-Chiang concluded Philip Hinchcliffe's tenure on the show.

Mason won two BAFTA awards for Best Video Lighting; in 1985 for his work on The Box of Delights, and in 1989 for The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe; he was nominated in consecutive years for followups Prince Caspian/The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and The Silver Chair.

John Mason died from a heart attack on 26th March.

Newslinks: Eltham College

FILTER: - Obituary - Classic Series

The Reign Of Terror episodes to be animated

Thursday, 2 June 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Early character study from REIGN OF TERROR based on available promotional still (2|Entertain, via yfrog)

2|Entertain have announced that the missing episodes four and five of the William Hartnell adventure The Reign of Terror are to be animated as part of the forthcoming DVD, which the company previously reported would provisionally be released late 2012.

The animators for the project have been named as Big Finish - long-term Doctor Who audio producers, and whose Real Time and Shada adventures were animated for the BBC Doctor Who website - and animation company Theta Sigma, whose Thetamation is described as "a totally new style of animation, a hybrid of the classic anime styles of the 80s and high-technology".

The release of this story's surviving episodes on DVD leaves only those of the incomplete The Tenth Planet and The Ice Warriors still to be scheduled. Prior to this, The Invasion received a similar treatment in 2006 when its missing episodes one and four were re-created by award-winning animators Cosgrove Hall.

FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

Earth Story: DVD Cover Art

Monday, 16 May 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster

United Kingdom

2|Entertain have released the cover art for the upcoming DVD boxed set Earth Story; featuring the William Hartnell story The Gunfighters and Peter Davison story The Awakening, it is due out in the United Kingdom on the 20th June:

Full details for Earth Story can be found in our April article on the DVD schedule.

United States/Canada

BBC/Warner have released the cover art for The Gunfighters and The Awakening, which are due out individually in the United States and Canada on 12th July: