Doctor Who Adventures 306

Friday, 8 February 2013 - Reported by John Bowman
The latest edition of Doctor Who Adventures is guaranteed to raise a stink as it takes a look at the universe's whiffiest creatures!

Also in issue 306:
  • The winner of the design-a-gadget competition is revealed
  • There's a free mystery gift
  • Choose your own adventure game
  • Comic-strip adventures with the Doctor and Decky Flamboon - what are they investigating and why is Decky in danger?
  • Honking jokes
  • Trump facts
  • Posters
  • Puzzles
As well as being available in print form, the publication can also be downloaded as an app for the iPhone and iPad from the App Stores in the UK and USA.




FILTER: - Magazines - DWA

An Adventure in Space and Time: Jamie Glover to play William Russell

Friday, 8 February 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Jamie Glover, who will play William RussellThe actor Jamie Glover is to play the role of William Russell in the drama An Adventure in Space and Time, agent Curtis Brown has confirmed. Jamie (the son of Julian Glover and Isla Blair) has made a number of theatre and television appearances, most recently on television as Dr. Michael Evans in Father Brown and on the stage as Garry Lejeune in Noises Off. However, he is perhaps most recognisable from television as deputy head Andrew Treneman in the BBC series Waterloo Road.

With the role of Carole Ann Ford confirmed to be Claudia Grant earlier this week, Jacqueline Hill is now the only member of the original TARDIS crew still to have an actress announced.

Production-wise, Philip Kloss has now been confirmed as the Film Editor for the drama - his Doctor Who credentials include the David Tennant episodes The Doctor's Daughter, Midnight and The End of Time, and also Day One of Torchwood: Children of Earth. Meanwhile, Suzanne Cave is Costume Designer - her credits include Bert and Dickie (which featured Matt Smith), both The Hour and The Hour 2, Cricklewood Greats and Silent Witness.

Filming

Filming has continued this week in a private residence in Chipstead made up to look like a 1960s home; writer Mark Gatiss teased followers with a profile of the actor David Bradley who plays William Hartnell and was present at scenes shot here. Today marked the first day filming for Brian Cox, who plays Sydney Newman, with scenes being filmed at the 1950s-style Rivoli Ballroom in Brockley.

David Bradley as William Hartnell. Photo: Mark Gatiss, via Twitter 1960s Interior. Photo: Mike O'Donnell, via Twitter Film crew at the Rivoli Ballroom, Brockley. Photo: Debra Moyce, via Twitter




FILTER: - WHO50

UK DVD schedule confirmed to September

Thursday, 7 February 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster
BBC Worldwide have announced the Doctor Who stories that will be released on DVD in the United Kingdom up to September this year. As well as the titles known previously, the list confirms the inclusion of the colourised Third Doctor adventure The Mind of Evil, the incomplete Second Doctor tale The Ice Warriors, and also the animated 2003 story Scream of the Shalka - which starred Richard E Grant as the (very) short-lived online 'Ninth' Doctor.

The complete list of dates are as follows:

25th February The Ark in Space: Special Edition
11th March The Aztecs: Special Edition (plus Galaxy 4 reconstruction)
6th May The Visitation: Special Edition
27th May Inferno: Special Edition
3rd June The Mind of Evil
24th June Terror of the Zygons
15th July Spearhead from Space Blu-Ray
5th August The Green Death: Special Edition
26th August The Ice Warriors
16th September Scream of the Shalka

Unlike last month's release of The Reign of Terror, there has been no word on whether August's The Ice Warriors will also feature animated episodes, with only the condensed reconstruction of episodes two and three that accompanied its original VHS release in 1998 confirmed so far. No new information on features to accompany other releases in the list have been revealed since our previous updates.

As yet there has been no indication of how the final four existing episodes - The Tenth Planet(1-3) and The Underwater Menace(2) - are to be presented.

The Visitation

In addition to above, the BBFC have now classified the features that will be presented on the second disc of The Visitation Special Edition, due in May:
00:45:08:13 GRIM TALES   -  REVISITING THE VISITATION
00:27:29:06 DR. FOREVER! - THE APOCALYPSE ELEMENT
00:32:11:20 DOCTOR WHO - THE TELEVISION CENTRE OF THE UNIVERSE
The main disc will contain the original features from the 2004 release, though has revised production notes compiled by Nicholas Pegg, and (of course) newly remastered episodes.





FILTER: - Third Doctor - Second Doctor - First Doctor - Classic Series - Fourth Doctor - Fifth Doctor

BBC AudioGo: Vengeance of the Stones

Thursday, 7 February 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Details are now available for the third release in BBC AudioGo's Destiny of the Doctor series, due out in March. Set during the Third Doctor's exile on Earth and introducing Mike Yates, the audio stars Richard Franklin with Trevor Littledale.

Destiny of the Doctor: Vengeance of the StonesDestiny of the Doctor: Vengeance of the Stones
Written by Andrew Smith
Starring Richard Franklin, with Trevor Littledale
Released 7th March 2013 (pre-order)

Two RAF fighter jets are on a training flight over North East Scotland when one of them is plucked from the air and promptly disappears. UNIT are called in, and the Doctor and Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart are soon on the scene. They enlist the help of a local military officer - a young lieutenant by the name of Mike Yates.

The Doctor discovers a link to the recumbent stone circles that are plentiful in this part of Scotland. The stones are thousands of years old, and are soon revealed to hold a terrible secret. Then Mike Yates disappears, abducted by an alien race that has a grievance with humanity. Their intention is to harness the power of the stones in order to take their revenge. For the Doctor and the Brigadier, the race is now on to save their new friend Mike and the entire planet Earth.

The second in the series, Shadow of Death with Frazer Hines, is out now.




FILTER: - Merchandise - Audio - Third Doctor - WHO50

Dr.Who @ The Movies

Wednesday, 6 February 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Riverside Studios are to present the digitally remastered versions of the two 1960s cinematic outings for the Daleks on the big screen. Starring Peter Cushing, both Dr Who and the Daleks and Daleks' Invasion Earth: 2150AD are to be shown in high definition on Sunday 26th May from 2:00pm.

Movie Poster Movie Poster

The Dalek-themed afternoon is being presented in association with the Doctor Who Appreciation Society - further details including how to book can be found via their website.




FILTER: - Special Events

Doctor Who Magazine 457

Wednesday, 6 February 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Doctor Who Magazine Issue 457The latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine - in shops from tomorrow - features an extensive interview with the Third Doctor, Jon Pertwee, conducted by two young reporters in 1994 and for the most part previously unpublished!

On joining the show, Pertwee said:
I had no preconceptions about the programme when I joined it. I only knew I did not want to be like the Doctors who had gone before. However, the old producers wanted me to play it for laughs, you can see that in the first episode. The hat business. The shower. I had already decided I want to play it straight. Luckily those producers left after the first story and were replaced by Barry Letts who let me play it my way...

Also in this issue:
  • These are a few of my Favourite Things: Doctor Who's showrunner and head writer, Steven Moffat, replies to DWM readers' questions on Vastra's lips, River's name and his favourite story from each and every Doctor. Some of his answers will surprise you...!
  • It must be Love: Amy and Rory. The Doctor and Rose. Captain Jack and everyone. Yes, just in time for Valentine's Day, Jonathan Morris turns down the lights, gets out the choccies and takes a romantic look at Doctor Who's greatest love stories!
  • Old School: The Eleventh Doctor has the surprise of his lives, as he's reunited with Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright in Coal Hill School! And the shocks don't stop there, as the latest comic strip, Hunters of the Burning Stone by Scottt Gray, with art by Martin Geraghty, continues...
  • Oh, what a Night! DWM uses its beryllium atomic clock to turn back time to 1996, and the momentous evening that Doctor Who returned to TV, starring Paul McGann, as Countdown to 50 continues.
  • Walking on the Moon: There's a plasma-sucking pensioner and Judoon on the Moon, as The Time Team settle down to watch the Tenth Doctor meet Martha in Smith and Jones. What will Chris, Emma, Will and Michael make of it all...?
  • Creepy Crawlies: The Third Doctor faces certain death, while giant arachnids plot to invade the Earth! The Fact of Fiction brushes off the cobwebs from 1974's Planet of the Spiders, Jon Pertwee's final adventure as the Time Lord, and uncovers a wealth of new information and rare photos.
  • Gifts for All! Remember last Christmas? It can be fun time if you're a fan, with Doctor Who goodies galore – but what if you're a parent? Will your kids share your passion? Jacqueline Rayner reveals what happened to her and her family over the festive season in Relative Dimensions.
  • Know Me! Am I... The Doctor? The all-seeing Watcher discusses the delights of Jon Pertwee's seminal single, Who is the Doctor?, challenges readers with a poptastic Six Faces of Delusion and celebrates another Supporting Artist of the Month, in Wotcha!

PLUS! All the latest official news, reviews and previews, a prize-winning crossword and competitions and much, much more!




FILTER: - Merchandise - Magazines - DWM

Regional roundup

Wednesday, 6 February 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster

United Kingdom

Marc Stonham with his Dalek in Helston. Photo: Falmouth PacketThe recent snowfall across the United Kingdom brought forth an array of snow sculptures, including Daleks! Areas reported include Leicester and Faversham, plus a number of photos published by the official Doctor Who Facebook page.

Speaking of Daleks, another was to be found at a chip shop in Helston! It was built by proprietor Marc Stonham, who said: "I've been thinking about it on and off for the last 40 years. It wasn’t until last (year) that I actually did it. People do mention it and come and have a look." [Falmouth Packet, 17 Jan 2013]

The islanders of Cumbrae in Scotland hope that John and Carole Barrowman's Hollow Earth books will boost tourism. Paul Watling, of Visit Cumbrae, reported: "We've had visits from a number of Hollow Earth fans and last week, a group of about 14 came over. They were from all across France and Germany and were very keen to see the island. I showed them some of the locations used in the book and they loved their visit. We hope the books will do for Cumbrae what (tv series) Balamory did for Mull." [Daily Record, 13 Jan 2013]

The Rainbow pub in Digbeth has been re-opened with a retro theme, including a photo booth masquerading as a police box! Other features include a "Del Boy" cocktail bar and a Scalectrix set to play with! [Birmingham Mail, 1 Feb 2013]

United Kingdom / Australia

A Doctor Who postcard has sailed the seven seas from Sunderland (England) to Perth (Australia)! Schoolboy Cade Scott released the card in a bottle in August 2011, and was found by Matthew Elam this last Christmas Day, who responded back in January. Cade said: "I had got some Doctor Who postcards in a magazine and decided to use one of them to put in the bottle. I was just amazed it had gone so far. I thought it had sunk in the North Sea." [Sunderland Echo, 18 Jan 2013]

United States

Two special screenings of Doctor Who are to take place at the Rockland Public Library in Maine, as part of a series of literary, film and music evenings. The Sun Makers is to be shown on the 7th February, with Blink the following 14th. Admission is free. [Penobscot Bay Pilot, 28 Jan 2013]

The Eleven (Crochet) Doctors. Photo: Allison HoffmanCrochet versions of each of the Doctors have been made by Allison Hoffman from Austin, Texas; she explained: "I made the dolls for a woman that wanted to give her husband a Christmas present that would blow him away. He is a huge Doctor Who fan and she knew he’d love these toys. He’s actually building a custom cabinet to display them now! Before taking on this project I had only seen the newer Who and not very many episodes, but now I feel like I know all of these people personally!". No prizes for guessing her favourite: "Tom Baker - I loved making that scarf!" [Metro, 29 Jan 2013]

Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson recently discussed "What is Time?" on his StarTalk Radio, comparing views of how Time travel is portrayed as linear, branching and, in Doctor Who's case, wibbly wobbly! [StarTalk Radio via YouTube, Jan 2013]




FILTER: - USA - UK - Miscellaneous - Australia

Costume Designer Howard Burden To Give Talk At BFI

Wednesday, 6 February 2013 - Reported by John Bowman
Current costume designer Howard Burden will be giving a talk about his work later this month.

He will be at the BFI in London on Wednesday 20th February for an afternoon seminar entitled Designing For Science-Fiction, which will examine "how various screen craft disciplines work to realise fantastical science-fiction visions."

The event - the first in a new series looking at what it takes to succeed as a designer in the film and TV industries - is being presented in association with Wimbledon College of Art.

Burden has been the costume designer on Doctor Who since Asylum of the Daleks. His sci-fi pedigree also includes working on Red Dwarf from series three onwards as well as on the 1998 six-part series Invasion: Earth, which was a BBC Scotland/Sci-Fi Channel co-production.




FILTER: - Special Events - UK - BFI

An Adventure in Space and Time: Ford announced as filming gets underway

Wednesday, 6 February 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Claudia Grant. Photo: Jessica Carney AssociatesPrincipal Photography for the Mark Gatiss drama exploring the creation of Doctor Who, An Adventure in Space and Time, kicked off on Sunday 3rd February, with the writer proclaiming: It begins!, executive producer Caroline Skinner exclaiming: "I am on set - in 1963!!! An Adventure in Space and Time begins..........", and producer Matt Strevens commenting: "Standing on the set, day 1. Very exciting.".

As previously reported, the show's first Doctor is being played by David Bradley (with producer Matt Strevens describing him as "what a lovely man he is. Being very gentle. He's going to blow people's socks off in this.") Another of the original cast, Carole Ann Ford as Susan, has now been confirmed to be played by newcomer Claudia Grant - as reported by the agency run by William Hartnell's real-life granddaughter Jessica Carney! The actors to play the roles of William Russell and Jacqueline Hill have yet to be announced.

The set in question mentioned by Strevens was the lobby of BBC Television Centre itself, which had been made up to resemble the BBC Club as seen in the iconic photograph of producer Verity Lambert alongside the original season cast.
Script Cover. Photo: Mark Gatiss, via Twitter BBC Television Centre filming. Photo: Jake Humphrey, via Twitter BBC Television Centre filming. Photo: Andrew Mark Sewell, via Facebook Verity Lambert with the original Doctor Who cast. Photo: BBC Publicity

Day One's filming was successfully completed, with the producer concluding: "That's day 1 of An Adventure' in the bag. A very good day, lovely vibe on set. Outdoors all day tomorrow. Winter draws on." Outdoors Monday turned out to be on Wimbledon Common, where a police box prop was spotted during the day.

Wimbledon Common filming. Photo: darcylotr, via Twitter Wimbledon Common filming. Photo: James and Pierre, via Twitter Wimbledon Common filming. Photo: Joel Ormsby via Twitter Wimbledon Common filming. Photo: Joseph Burne via Twitter Wimbledon Common filming. Photo: Ann Marie Stephenson, via Twitter

Filming for Tuesday was reported as taking place on a residential street, Wilton Road in Merton, with further filming to take place inside a house made up to resemble a residence suitable for the 1960s.


Talking about the casting of David Bradley, Mark Gatiss told the Radio Times:
I’ve had David in my head for years. I’ve been trying to do this [project] for years – I tried to do it for the 40th anniversary! And before that, really – it’s taken about 12 years.
Though details of the scope of the drama have yet to be formally announced, actor Peter Purves suggested at last weekend's William Hartnell Years convention that the drama would focus on Verity Lambert's time as producer (which would also encompass the start of his time on the show). Talking about the drama itself, Mark Gatiss also told the Radio Times:
It’s mostly the personal journey of William Hartnell and his relationship with [Doctor Who producer] Verity Lambert. Eventually he had to leave, and none of us like to find that we are replaceable.




FILTER: - WHO50

Puffin Books: The Nameless City

Tuesday, 5 February 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster
The second in Puffin's range of Doctor Who books to celebrate the 50th Anniversary has now been announced:
The Nameless City, by Michael ScottThe Nameless City
Written by Michael Scott
Published 23rd February 2013 (pre-order UK / USA)

When Jamie McCrimmon brings the Second Doctor a mysterious book, little does he realise the danger contained within its pages. The book transports the TARDIS to a terrifying glass city on a distant world, where the Archons are intent on getting revenge on the Time Lord for an ancient grudge.

Eleven Doctors, eleven months, eleven stories: a year-long celebration of Doctor Who! The most exciting names in children's fiction each create their own unique adventure about the time-travelling Time Lord.
 

Michael Scott is the author of the Nicholas Flamel range of children's books, whose debut book in the series, The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, made the New York best sellers list in 2007. The author said of his Doctor Who assignment:
Everyone has their "own" Doctor – usually the one they first started watching. Patrick Troughton, the Second Doctor, was mine and so writing this story was an opportunity to revisit a really important part of my childhood. There are elements of Patrick Troughton in every Doctor who followed – that's how influential and important he is.

A promotional video about Scott will be released by BBC Worldwide via their YouTube channel on Monday 11th February, and an extract from the book can be read via the Guardian. The e-book itself will be released on Saturday 23rd February on Amazon (UK/USA) and iTunes.





FILTER: - Online - Second Doctor - Books - BBC Worldwide - WHO50