Murray Gold included in new Who's Who

Wednesday, 11 December 2013 - Reported by John Bowman
The composer and dramatist Murray Gold has received the prestigious accolade of being included in the 2014 edition of Who's Who.

The publication, which has been brought out annually since 1849, is a directory and source of information about living noteworthy and influential people who are considered to have an impact on British life. It now has more than 33,000 biographies, with about 1,000 new entries added every year. Each entry is written by the subject themselves, and an invitation to appear in Who's Who is seen as the recognition of lasting distinction and influence.

Some entrants, eg, MPs and senior judges, are invited to be included as a matter of course, since their appointments are considered to be of general public interest. Others, for example in the arts field, are chosen by a selection board.

The website of Who's Who states:
Prominent figures in numerous fields are considered by the Board on the basis of their continuing achievements, and ultimately selected due to their exceptional pre-eminence.
The Wall Street Journal once wrote:
What is it that really puts the stamp of eminence on a modern British life? Two things count today: having an entry in Who's Who and being asked to choose your eight favourite records on BBC's Desert Island Discs.
Once a person has been included in Who's Who, they remain in it for life, with their entry updated over the years. It is then transferred to Who Was Who when they die.

Among his film and TV work, Gold rearranged the theme for Doctor Who when it returned in 2005 and has composed its incidental music ever since. He also created, arranged, and orchestrated the special live concert Doctor Who: A Celebration at the Millennium Centre in Cardiff in 2006, while the Doctor Who Proms of 2008, 2010, and 2013 - at the Royal Albert Hall in London - featured his music for the series. In addition, he composed the theme for spin-off series The Sarah Jane Adventures plus the theme and incidental music for Torchwood.

In January this year at the BBC Audio Drama Awards, his BBC Radio 3 drama script Kafka the Musical, starring David Tennant, won the Tinniswood Radio Drama Award 2012 for best original radio drama.

His radio play Electricity won the 2001 Imison Award for best original radio drama script by a writer new to radio after its broadcast on Radio 3 in December 2000. It then transferred to the West Yorkshire Playhouse in 2004, with Christopher Eccleston in the lead role.

Gold also provided the music for Russell T Davies' TV series Queer As Folk, The Second Coming (starring Eccleston), and Casanova (with Tennant as the lead).

His work for Queer As Folk, Casanova, Doctor Who, and the 1998 BBC adaptation of Vanity Fair - with cast members including David Bradley - has been BAFTA-nominated, and in 1999 Gold was nominated in the Royal Television Society Awards for Best Music - Original Score for both Vanity Fair and Queer As Folk, winning it for the latter.

In addition, he provided the music for the 2000s revival of Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased), co-starring Tom Baker.

Gold's entry reads as follows:
GOLD, Murray Jonathan; writer and freelance composer; b Portsmouth, 28 Feb.

1969; s of Lenny and Suzanne Gold. Educ: Corpus Christi Coll., Cambridge (BA

Hons Hist. 1991). Composer: for films: Beautiful Creatures, Wild About Harry, 2000;

Miranda, 2002; Kiss of Life, 2003; Alien Autopsy, Mischief Night, 2006; Death at a

Funeral, I Want Candy, 2007; for television: Vanity Fair, 1998; Queer As Folk, 1999

(RTS Award for Best Original Score); Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased), 2000–01;

Clocking Off, 2000–02; Shameless, 2004–11; Casanova, 2005; Dr Who, 2005–12;

Torchwood, 2006–11; Sarah Jane Adventures, 2007–11; The Devil's Whore, 2008;

Single Father, 2010; Scott & Bailey, 2011–13; Last Tango in Halifax, 2012; writer:

plays: Resolution, Battersea Arts Centre, 1994; 50 Revolutions, Whitehall, 2000;

Electricity, Radio 3, 2001[sic], W Yorkshire Playhouse, 2004 (Michael [sic] Imison Award for

Best New Radio Play, 2002); radio play, Kafka the Musical, 2011 (Tinniswood

Award for Best Original Radio Drama, 2013). Address: c/o Cathy King, Independent

Talent Group Ltd, 40 Whitfield Street, W1T 2RH; c/o Becky Bentham, Hot House

Music, Abbey Road Studios, 3 Abbey Road, NW8 9AY.




FILTER: - People - Murray Gold - Books

The Time of The Doctor: latest images

Wednesday, 11 December 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster
A variety of new images have been released by BBC America to promote the forthcoming The Time of The Doctor, featuring Matt Smith and Jenna Coleman, Orla Brady as Tasha Lem, Rob Jarvis as Abramal, Tessa Peake-Jones as Marta and Jack Hollington as Barnable, plus a number of old enemies ...

The Doctor and Clara (played by Matt Smith and Jenna Coleman). Image: BBC/Adrian RogersThe Doctor (played by Matt Smith). Image: BBC/Adrian RogersBarnable (played by Jack Hollington). Image: BBC/Adrian RogersVillagers. Image: BBC/Adrian RogersAbramal and Marta (played by Rob Jarvis and Tessa-Peake Jones). Image: BBC/Adrian RogersAbramal (played by Rob Jarvis). Image: BBC/Adrian RogersMarta (played by Tessa-Peake Jones). Image: BBC/Adrian RogersWeeping Angel. Image: BBC/Adrian RogersTasha Lem (played by Orla Brady). Image: BBC/Adrian RogersDaleks. Image: BBC/Adrian RogersDaleks. Image: BBC/Adrian RogersDaleks. Image: BBC/Adrian RogersCybermen. Image: BBC/Adrian RogersCybermen. Image: BBC/Adrian RogersSilent. Image: BBC/Adrian RogersSilent. Image: BBC/Adrian RogersDoctor art. Image: BBC/Adrian RogersDoctor art. Image: BBC/Adrian RogersDoctor Puppet Show. Image: BBC/Adrian RogersDoctor Puppet Show. Image: BBC/Adrian Rogers




FILTER: - BBC America - Time and the Doctor - Publicity

The Time of the Doctor - New Zealand transmission confirmed

Tuesday, 10 December 2013 - Reported by Paul Scoones
Prime New Zealand logo
New Zealand's Prime television channel will screen the 2013 Christmas Special The Time of the Doctor on Boxing Day, 26th December, at 8:30pm.

The New Zealand showing will commence exactly twelve hours after the special first screens in the UK.

Prime will also screen two 'marathons' comprising the two most recent Christmas specials and the whole of Series Seven, on 25th and 26th December.

The Christmas Day marathon runs from 9:45am to 3:45pm and includes The Doctor, The Widow And The Wardrobe, the first five episodes of Series Seven (Asylum Of The Daleks to The Angels Take Manhattan) and The Snowmen.

The Boxing Day marathon runs from 8:05am to 4:00pm and includes the remaining eight episodes of Series Seven (The Bells of Saint John to The Name of the Doctor).




FILTER: - Time and the Doctor - New Zealand

Petition to name planet Gallifrey

Monday, 9 December 2013 - Reported by Marcus
A petition to name a recently discovered planet Gallifrey has received more than 26,000 supporters.

The planet, known as HD 106906 b, was discovered earlier this year by a team working at the University of Arizona. The planet is a gas giant that is estimated to be approximately eleven times the mass of Jupiter and orbits its star at a distance of nearly sixty billion miles, or about 650 times the distance between Earth and the Sun.

A petition has been started by Australian Sam Menhennet to ask the International Astronomical Union to rename the planet Gallifrey, in honour of Doctor Who's 50th Anniversary.
Doctor Who is legendary, award winning, record breaking, and global, and this planet deserves something special and supernatural as its name, How better to honor its existence than by dubbing it the home planet of our beloved time travelling alien, The Doctor?
The petition can be viewed at change.org




FILTER: - Press

Capaldi discusses the Doctor

Sunday, 8 December 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Steven Moffat and Peter Capaldi at the 2013 WFTV Awards (Credit: Press Association)The Press Association caught up with incoming Doctor Peter Capaldi at the Sky Women in Film & Television Awards in London on Friday, during which he reflected on becoming the long-lived Time Lord and of his predecessors in the role:
I'm like 1,995 years too young for the part, really! No, I think he's going to be quite happy to look his age at last! ... They are just one, but they're all of those actors, and they're all a delight, I think they're all fabulous, and I'm lucky to have them in my DNA, because I've watched it from year dot, so they're great.
The actor was attending the event alongside the show's head writer Steven Moffat.





FILTER: - Steven Moffat - Peter Capaldi - Press

Editorial

Saturday, 7 December 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster
We are looking for new volunteers to assist with the Doctor Who News and News in Time and Space websites, taking on responsibility for reporting news items and/or writing reviews of related merchandise. Reporters from any country are welcome, but we are especially interested in those from outside the main five (UK, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand) who will be able to provide 'regional' news or details on events that is not necessarily available or obvious to English-speaking countries.

In addition we are also interested in hearing from anyone who is able to assist in compiling our broadcasting schedules for This Week in Doctor Who, updating with when Doctor Who or related shows are on air in their regions.

As well as current items, there is a wealth of legacy data that is still being incorporated into our Guide and This Week in Doctor Who, and if you are able to help in updating entries such as cast/crew biographies, broadcasts etc. we'd also like to hear from you.

If you are interested in becoming part of the team please do drop us a line outlining what you can help out with to applications@newsintimeandspace.com.




FILTER: - Editorial

Early Canadian DVD release for The Enemy of the World and An Adventure in Space

Saturday, 7 December 2013 - Reported by Mike Doran
Canadian consumer electronics chains Future Shop and Best Buy Canada have announced an exclusive early release of The Enemy of the World and An Adventure in Space and Time exclusively in Canada on Tuesday, December 10th. For this early release both titles will only be available from these two retailers as well as from their websites. Retail price is $19.99 for each DVD.


Enemy of the World from Future Shop Canada
An Adventure in Space and Time from Future Shop Canada

Enemy of the World from Best Buy Canada
An Adventure in Space and Time from Best Buy Canada




FILTER: - Canada - Second Doctor - Blu-ray/DVD

The Time of The Doctor: further promotional images

Saturday, 7 December 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster
With less than three weeks to go before The Time of The Doctor, the BBC have released a new set of images to promote Matt Smith's final adventure as the Doctor. Images feature Smith, Jenna Coleman as Clara and Orla Brady as Tasha Lem, plus two of his known adversaries:


The Doctor, played by Matt Smith (Image: BBC/Adrian Rogers)Clara, played by Jenna Coleman (Image: BBC/Adrian Rogers)The Doctor, played by Matt Smith (Image: BBC/Adrian Rogers)The Cybermen (Image: BBC/Adrian Rogers)The Cybermen (Image: BBC/Adrian Rogers)The Cybermen (Image: BBC/Adrian Rogers)The Daleks (Image: BBC/Adrian Rogers)The Daleks encounter The Doctor, played by Matt Smith (Image: BBC/Adrian Rogers)The Doctor, played by Matt Smith (Image: BBC/Adrian Rogers)Tasha Lem, played by Orla Brady (Image: BBC/Adrian Rogers)Tasha Lem, played by Orla Brady (Image: BBC/Adrian Rogers)Clara (Image: BBC/Adrian Rogers)The Doctor (Image: BBC/Adrian Rogers)




The Time of The Doctor has now been confirmed for the following regions:

CountryChannelDayTime
United KingdomBBC1Christmas Day7:30pmGMT
GermanyFOXChristmas Day9:35pmCET
Latin/South AmericaBBC HDChristmas Day2:00pmCST *
CanadaSPACEChristmas Day8:00pmEST
United StatesBBC AmericaChristmas Day9:00pmEST
AustraliaABC1Boxing Day7:30pmAEST
South AfricaBBC Entertainmenttime tbcSAST **
Scandinavia/PolandBBC Entertainment29th December7:00pmCET

  • * time reported on the BBC HD website (may well be 3:00pm in reality - also repeated on BBC Entertainment at 7:00/8:00pm)
  • ** time to be confirmed, BBC Entertainment currently has a "Programme to be Confirmed" slot for 11:30am
  • PRIME in New Zealand is expected to announce the time of broadcast next week.




FILTER: - Time and the Doctor - Matt Smith - Jenna Coleman - Publicity - Broadcasting

Barry Jackson 1938 - 2013

Friday, 6 December 2013 - Reported by Marcus
The actor Barry Jackson has died at the age of 75.

Jackson played three roles in Doctor Who, appearing in six episodes of the series. In 1965 he played Ascaris in the William Hartnell story The Romans, a mute assassin who tried to kill the Doctor believing he was the lute player Maximus Pettulian. He returned to the series in Mission to the Unknown where he played Jeff Garvey, a member of the expedition to the planet Kembel.

His final appearance in the series was as Drax - a renegade Time Lord and previous friend of the Doctor on Gallifrey - in the 1979 story The Armageddon Factor.

Away from Doctor Who, Jackson was best known for playing pathologist Dr George Bullard in Midsomer Murders for more than 10 years. He appeared in the first episode of the detective drama, staying until 2011.

His long career on television began in 1960, with the role of the Earl of Surrey in the BBC series An Age of Kings. Countless roles followed in other shows, including Doctors, Heartbeat, The Bill, A Touch of Frost, Bernard's Watch, Three Seven Eleven, All Creatures Great and Small, Hard Cases, Coronation Street, The Onedin Line, Blake's 7, Crown Court, Secret Army, Poldark, Z Cars, Dixon of Dock Green, The Adventures of Black Beauty, Harriet's Back in Town, Spy Trap, Adam Adamant Lives! and A for Andromeda.

Films that he appeared in included Ryan's Daughter and Barry Lyndon.

Jackson's agent said the actor died at home in north London surrounded by his family.




FILTER: - Obituary - Classic Series

Ratings Roundup

Friday, 6 December 2013 - Reported by Marcus
Full UK ratings are now available for the week of programmes leading up to the 50th Anniversary of the Doctor Who.

The final consolidated ratings include those who watch the programme within one week of transmission. iPlayer figures are also available where available.

The 50th anniversary episode Day of the Doctor, has set a new iPlayer record for getting the most requests in 24 hours, 1.27m which beats the previous high held by the 2012 Olympic opening ceremony. It is also 2013's most-watched drama and the most tweeted-about drama, generating 442,692 tweets.

The fifty year old repeat of An Unearthly Child gained impressive ratings for BBC Four, four times the average for the time slot and making Doctor Who the 4th, 6th and 8th highest rated programmes on the network for the week. All episodes had an excellent Appreciation Index score.

Date Time Network Programme Final Rating Share iPlayer Appreciation Index
Thursday 14th 21:00 The Science of Doctor Who 3.19 Million 13.3% 0.62 Million 85
The Night of the Doctor 0.89 Million 0.60 Million
Monday 18th 20:03 The Ultimate Guide to Doctor Who 0.78 Million 2.8% 0.69 Million 86
Tuesday 19th 00:39 The Ultimate Guide to Doctor Who (R) 0.34 Million 11.4% --
Thursday 21st 21:02 An Adventure in Space and Time 2.71 Million 10.8% 0.52 Million 88
Thursday 21st 22:31 An Unearthly Child 0.83 Million 4.7% N/A 85
Thursday 21st 22:55 The Cave of Skulls 0.71 Million 5.3% N/A 86
Thursday 21st 23:20 The Forest of Fear 0.52 Million 5.1% N/A 86
Thursday 21st 23:44 The Firemaker 0.46 Million 6.0% N/A 87
Friday 22nd 19:02 The Ultimate Guide to Doctor Who (R) 0.59 Million 2.5% -- 87
Friday 22nd 21:31 Me, You and Doctor Who 0.99 Million 4.1% 0.05 Million 85
Saturday 23rd 19.50 Day of the Doctor 12.80 Million 40.9% 2.81 Million 88
Saturday 23rd 21.07 Doctor Who Live: The Afterparty 1.58 Million 5.6% 0.14 Million 69
Behind The Lens 0.10 Million --
The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot 0.49 Million 0.61 Million
Saturday 23rd 22:09 The Ultimate Guide to Doctor Who (R) 0.83 Million 4.8% -- 85
Sunday 24th 19.12 Day of the Doctor (R) 0.68 Million 2.5% -- 92
Sunday 24th 20:31 Doctor Who Live: The Afterparty (R) 0.27 Million 0.9% -- 74




FILTER: - Ratings - UK