This week's Doctor Who Adventures comes with a Dalek Attack Set – including a keyring, a bouncy ball and a paint-your-own Dalek kit!

Also in this issue:

• New Who excitement! – We take a look at the latest Doctor Who trailer. So, if you're crazy about Daleks, dinosaurs and destruction you'd better check it out! We've even got a section for you to fill out and guess who's who and what will happen.
• Interview – Matt Smith tells us his thoughts on Daleks.
• Create a companion competition – Your companion will join the Doctor in our comic strip!
• Crazy comic fun! – Join the Doctor, Amy and Rory for more comic adventures!
• TARDIS Fast Facts!

Plus the usual comic strip adventures, exclusive posters and puzzles.

Issue 283 of Doctor Who Adventures is out in the UK now.

Doctor Who: The Eleventh Hour has finally lost its position as the most accessed programme on the BBC iPlayer since the launch of the service in 2007.

Matt Smith's debut episode as the Doctor had clung to the top of the list since May 2010, shortly after it was shown on BBC One. The episode has seen off attempts by other dramas such as Sherlock, comedies such as Come Fly with Me and documentaries like Frozen Planet to dislodge it from the top spot, to retain the title of the most popular programme on iPlayer, ever.

The two year reign at the top came to an end a couple of weeks ago when BBC Sport claimed the crown with the Opening Ceremonies of London 2012 which has been accessed around 3.4 million times, overtaking The Eleventh Hour which currently stands at 2.85 million requests.

Doctor Who still retains the second place in the table, comfortably ahead of the third placed Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia.

BBC Worldwide have confirmed full details on the forthcoming DVD release of The Ambassadors of Death, due for 1st October.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation has confirmed via Twitter that Asylum of the Daleks will have its Australian premiere on ABC1 on Saturday 8th September 2012 at 7.30pm. It will also be repeated on ABC2 on Tuesdays at 9.30pm starting from 11th September.

As previously reported, Asylum of the Daleks will debut in the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States on 1st September.

Tea-Lady Design have revealed two striking pieces of artwork that have been prepared for BBC Worldwide to promote the forthcoming 50th Anniversary year of Doctor Who:


You can find other pieces of artwork from the company including clean artwork for DVD covers via their Facebook Page.

Big Finish have released information for two of the stories due to come out in October, featuring one character's debut and another's final adventures.

First up is the two-disc full cast audio play version of the Virgin New Adventure Love and War, which stars Sylvester McCoy as the Doctor with Sophie Aldred as Ace, and introduces the (novel) Doctor's other long term companion Bernice Summerfield - a character that first launched Big Finish back in 1998 with Oh No It Isn't!, and still portrayed by Lisa Bowerman.

Producer Scott Handcock said:


Sadly, the month will also see the release of The Last Post, featuring the final performance of Caroline John as Liz Shaw, who died in June. Series producer David Richardson said:

More details have been released regarding the special online story Pond Life.

The mini-adventure, starring Matt Smith, Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill, will be available from the BBC's website from Monday 27th August, with each of the five parts expected around midday on consecutive days throughout the week; the entire story will then be made available on the BBC's digital television Red Button service on Saturday, 1st September.

The story is directed by Saul Metzstein, and written by Chris Chibnall, who said:

Executive producer Caroline Skinner added:

Some Publicity photos have been released for the special:

The BBC have also released a video featuring Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill introducing the story:

The new series of Doctor Who will premiere on Saturday 1st September, with the show being broadcast on BBC One in the UK at 7:20pm, and on BBC America in the USA at 9:00pm(ET).

United Kingdom (BBC):

For the UK, this places Asylum of the Daleks into the heart of Saturday prime time television, going head to head against the Ant and Dec ITV game show Red or Black?. The Doctor has faced the Geordie duo before, most notably for the return of the series in 2005 when Rose beat Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway by 2.5 million viewers. The Doctor faced Red or Black? last year when ITV1's HD ratings helped Red or Black? edge slightly ahead of Doctor Who, although the latter outrated the game show for the period the programmes were in direct opposition.

On BBC Two the Doctor will be up against BBC Proms 2012 where conductor John Wilson and his orchestra pay tribute to the composers and arrangers responsible for creating the Broadway Sound; meanwhile Channel 4 continues its coverage of the Paralympic Games.

The series will be preceded by a new mini-adventure, Pond Life, which kicks off online from Monday 27th August.

The time of broadcast for Asylum of the Daleks of 7.20pm is one of the latest for the series since it returned in 2005, with only Gridlock in 2007, School Reunion, and Rise of the Cybermen in 2006 being later in the evening.

Trivia: the Daleks have been used to launch the show a few times in its past, with Day of the Daleks in 1972, Destiny of the Daleks in 1979, and Remembrance of The Daleks in 1988 - Destiny also coincidentally premiered on 1st September!

United States (BBC America):

For BBC America, the premiere forms part of the channel's Supernatural Saturday themed evening.
The full press release can be read on BBC America's website. Meanwhile, BBC America have also released a new trailer to promote the series:


The announcement of 1st September confirms that the trailer witnessed by viewers earlier in the week citing the 8th as the launch was accidentally broadcast rather than being the finalised date.

Canada (SPACE):

SPACE have also confirmed a 1st September premiere, at 9:00pm(ET).

The BBC have released some new images to promote the forthcoming Asylum of the Daleks


Further images are to be released next week.


In addition, a new video has been released entitled Ask The Execs, featuring a Q&A with executive producers Steven Moffat and Caroline Skinner on the origin of the Weeping Angels and how they joined Doctor Who (video may not play outside the United Kingdom).

Speculation continues over the launch date of the new series of Doctor Who, which, despite a number of Internet expectations, has yet to be confirmed by the BBC.

The return of the series was originally anticipated in the UK for the August Bank Holiday weekend, based upon the pattern of preview screenings of Let's Kill Hitler at the BFI and Edinburgh last year; this date had also been suggested by a number of US media outlets, though it seems that these reports were picked up through fan enthusiasm rather than official sources, especially with BBC America having already announced their series of four Doctor Who documentary specials over the August weekends. Also, when asked at the Asylum of the Daleks screening last week lead writer Steven Moffat would only indicate that the show will return "soon".

With the the 25th August ruled out, focus turned to the 1st September. BBC America have devoted an entire day to Doctor Who, showing the entirety of last year's series plus The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe - the latter's scheduling of two hours (8-10pm) suggested that perhaps there was a missing programme to show at 9pm. The date was also reinforced by iTunes listing the series as being available from 1st September. However, early morning viewers were treated to a trailer on BBC America earlier this week which specifically mentioned an on air date of the 8th September - however, the channel has now reverted to trailers saying the series is coming soon. It is unsure whether the trailer was a mistake or if BBC America jumped the gun on an announcement.

Meanwhile, in the UK the new edition of listings magazine Radio Times announces that "Doctor Who is back!", with the next issue (1-7 Sep) promising a free Dalek wallchart, plus interviews with Matt Smith, Karen Gillan and Steven Moffat - the latter also providing an episode guide to the new series. However, the magazine has in recent months carried a number of front-covers/coverage of new shows that aren't necessarily in the week of publication so it isn't clear-cut that Doctor Who will premiere in the UK on the 1st September, and the show is currently absent from the BBC Media Pack for that week, implying the series may have a later debut.


As soon as the date is confirmed it will be reported by Doctor Who News.