Panic Moon

Monday, 11 October 2010 - Reported by Marcus

The October 2010 issue of the fanzine Panic Moon is now available.

This issue covers Doctor Who from the 1960s through to the 2010 series and beyond. Subjects include: the 2011 series split; The Happiness Patrol, the Doctor Who Prom; a look at what was new and what familiar in series five; The Adventure Games, the design of TARDIS props; growing up with Doctor Who in Germany; Time and the Rani; Genesis of the Daleks; the origins and inspirations behind The Time of Angels/Flesh and Stone; the influence of Terry Nation’s earliest sci-fi on his Doctor Who work; Fear Her; reviews of the latest fanzines; Revenge of the Cybermen; Silver Nemesis; DVDs and the pursuit of the fan; The Dominators; The Massacre; Big Finish reviews; behind the scenes on Remembrance of the Daleks; plus an old-fashioned fanzine letters page.

The issue is A6 format, 36 pages, black and white, and fully illustrated.

Prices, including P&P:

UK: £1.20

Elsewhere in Europe (airmail): £2.00

Outside Europe (airmail): £2.50

Details on the Panic Moon Website

FILTER: - Fan Productions

US Filming Confirmed

Sunday, 10 October 2010 - Reported by Marcus

BBC America has reported that Doctor Who is to film part of the 2011 series in the United States.

The special two-part series opener will feature key scenes filmed in Utah, for a story set in the late ’60s in which the Doctor, Amy and Rory find themselves on a secret summons that takes them on an adventure from the desert in Utah – right to the Oval Office itself.

The news confirms reports taken from the online CV of Producer David Mason posted earlier this week.

The series has filmed in the country before, with parts of Daleks in Manhattan being filmed in New York City. However no scenes involving the Doctor have been shot in the country before.

The full Press Release can be seen at BBC America's website and media coverage at Doctor Who in the Media.

The BBC announced today that season six of Doctor Who, which delivered record ratings for BBC AMERICA earlier this year, will open with a spectacular two-parter set in the U.S. and penned by ‘Who supremo’ Steven Moffat.

Production on episodes one and two of the new season starts in Cardiff this month and Matt Smith, Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill will then travel to America in mid November to shoot pivotal scenes. They will also be joined by Alex Kingston who reprises her role as River Song.

Showrunner and lead writer, Steven Moffat, said: “The Doctor has visited every weird and wonderful planet you can imagine, so he was bound get round to America eventually! And of course every Doctor Who fan will be jumping up and down and saying he’s been in America before. But not for real, not on location – and not with a story like this one! Oh, you wait!”

Piers Wenger, Head of Drama BBC Wales and Executive Producer, added: “Steven’s scripts generally inspire us to go that extra mile – this time we’re going that extra four thousand. Thanks to our friends at BBC America and to the continuing ambition of our lead writer and production team, the first two episodes of Matt Smith’s second season as the Doctor are going global and look set to become Doctor Who’s most action-packed and ambitious season opener yet.”

2010 has been a breakthrough year for the Doctor Who franchise across all platforms since BBC America became the official home of the series. The series reached the number one spot on the “Top TV Seasons” chart on iTunes and now Doctor Who: The Complete Fifth Season hits stores on Blu-ray and DVD on November 9.

FILTER: - Series 6/32 - Production

Fish Fingers and Custard - Issue 2

Wednesday, 29 September 2010 - Reported by Marcus

Issue 2 of the fanzine Fish Fingers and Custard is out now and be downloaded or purchased in print from the website.

In the Issue:

Series 5 Reviews
Proms Report
Fives
Where Should Classic Doctor Who Have Ended?
Memories of PBS Pledge Drives
The Latest Tabloid Newspaper Rumours

And Much More.

FILTER: - Fan Productions

Casting News

Thursday, 23 September 2010 - Reported by Marcus

The official Doctor Who site has confirmed that former Coronation Street star Suranne Jones has been cast in the role of Idris in the third episode of the 2011 series of Doctor Who.

Jones is best known for playing the role of Karen McDonald in ITV1's soap over a period of four years. She has also appeared in the detective drama series Vincent, and on the West End stage in A Few Good Men opposite Rob Lowe. Other roles include the London based black comedy, Dead Clever. In autumn 2007, she toured the UK in the play Terms of Endearment and she has recently appeared in a number of plays for BBC Radio 4. In January 2009, she appeared in Unforgiven, a three-part drama on ITV1, where she plays Ruth Slater, a woman released from prison after serving a 15-year prison sentence for the murder of two policemen.

Last year Jones appeared in The Sarah Jane Adventures episode, Lisa's Revenge playing the Mona Lisa.

The third episode, which started filming this week is written by Neil Gaiman who said

Suranne is marvellous. She's beautiful, funny and strange. It's the kind of role that people will remember forever, so we needed someone who was able to pull that off, and to keep up with Matt Smith. And bite him. Suranne does all three.

Jones talked about how excited she was to be given the role.

As an actor, it's hugely exciting to be cast in Doctor Who. I'm a massive fan of the show and I was blown away when I read Neil's script and uncovered what's in store for my character. I'm sworn to secrecy so viewers will just have to wait until next year to find out any other juicy details!

FILTER: - Series 6/32 - Production

Martin Shaw on Doctor Who, Collinson on Coronation Street, Moffat on 2011

Wednesday, 22 September 2010 - Reported by Dean Braithwaite

A number of news outlets have picked up from the Radio Times that the British actor Martin Shaw (The Professionals, Inspector George Gently) turned down the chance to play James Bond in the late 1970s. Digital Journal, however, leads on the fact that Shaw would consider playing the Doctor, albeit if the commitment was a lot less than is currently expected of Doctor Who's leading actor!

Elsewhere in Radio Times, Phil Collinson is interviewed about his plans for Coronation Street as it approaches its 50th anniversary and beyond, which has been reported here. RT attributes Collinson's savviness on Who under Russell T Davies as being part of the reason ITV Studios have entrusted him with Corrie's birthday celebrations, which Digital Journal has picked up on, too.

Steven Moffat, meanwhile, has been talking in Doctor Who: The Brilliant Book and Doctor Who Magazine about the 2010 Christmas special and the cliffhanger between the two 2011 series (Easter and autumn) of Doctor Who. His comments have already been picked up by a number of outlets, including Den of Geek, Digital Journal and Digital Spy.

FILTER: - Steven Moffat - People - Doctor Who - Specials - Series 6/32 - Production - DWM - Press

BBC News

Wednesday, 15 September 2010 - Reported by Marcus

The controller of BBC One, Jay Hunt, is to leave the corporation to join Channel 4. No departure date has yet been announced but Hunt takes up her new role in January.

As controller of BBC One since 2008, Hunt was ultimately responsible for commissioning and scheduling of Doctor Who. She expressed her support for the series when speaking at the summer BAFTA showing of The Pandorica Opens and recently agreed with Executive Producer Steven Moffat to split the 2011 series in to two halfs. However there has been some criticism for the way Doctor Who was scheduled this year with varying start times and of the decision to show the animated Graham Norton over the end of The Time of Angels.

The BBC's director of vision, Jana Bennett, will take temporary charge of BBC One until a replacement is appointed.

Meanwhile the broadcasting unions have served notice to the BBC of four days of strike action to take place in October. The Unions are in dispute with the BBC over changes to the BBC staff pension plan. It is not known what effect, if any, strike action would have to the current filming schedule of Doctor Who.

FILTER: - Production

Finished Product - Issue Five

Tuesday, 14 September 2010 - Reported by Marcus

Issue Five of The Finished Product, the unofficial companion to the Big Finish audio series, is available from this week.

This issue kicks off with a look at the genesis of the Companion Chronicles, and first season stories Frostfire, Fear of the Daleks, The Blue Tooth and The Beautiful People, plus the full episode one of 'lost' story Psychomorph.

It then moves on to series three, season two will feature soon, and looks at Here There Be Monsters, The Doll of Death and Home Truths.

Interviewees include Nicholas Briggs, Mark J. Thompson, John Ainsworth, Ian Farrington, Alan Barnes, cover artist Simon Holub, writers Marc Platt, Patrick Chapman, Nigel Fairs, Jonathan Morris, David Richardson, Lisa Bowerman, Andy Lane and Simon Guerrier, sound designers and musicians David Darlington, Richard Fox and Lauren Yason, actors Jane Goddard and Niall Macgregor, and Katy Manning.

There's also Andrew Smith exclusively previewing The Invasion of E-Space, his first Doctor Who work since Full Circle and some rare Doctor Who pictures.

For more details and ordering information, email thefinishedproduct@hotmail.co.uk.

FILTER: - Fan Productions - Big Finish

Casting News

Saturday, 11 September 2010 - Reported by Marcus

News of some guest stars for Series Six comes via the Alphabet Kidz website which reports that one of their young actors, Jamie Oram, has won a role of Harry in episode four, currently being filmed in Cardiff. This will be Oram's first TV drama role although he has appeared in a number of commercials. Alphabet Kidz is a Children's and Young Performer's TV Acting, Modeling and Voice Over Agency.

The website also gives details of the actors playing his parents.

Emma Cunniffe, who plays the mother, has appeared in The Lakes, Great Expectations, All the King's Men, Clash Of The Santas, Appointment With Death, Clocking Off, and alongside Christopher Eccleston in Flesh and Blood. In 2004, she played Mozart's wife Constanze in the acclaimed BBC docu-drama about the life of the famous composer, The Genius of Mozart. On stage she won the Barclays Theatre Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance in The Master Builder in 1999.

Daniel Mays, who plays the father, appeared in the Mike Leigh films All or Nothing in which he played Jason, a thug who abused his girlfriend, and Vera Drake, in which he played Sid, the protagonist's son. He starred as Adam, a young heroin addict in the improvised BBC drama Rehab which saw him awarded the Best Actor award at the Palmare-Reims Television Festival in 2003. TV work includes Top Buzzer, Funland, Atonement, White Girl and Ashes to Ashes. In addition to his TV and film work, Mays has also starred in six stage plays at the Royal Court Theatre, London.

Information on the Spotlight website indicates the episode is titled What are Little Boys Made of?, although titles can change right up until transmission date.

Harry is described as a troubled young boy who has a nervous disposition. Shooting is for two weeks and is apparently taking place now, indicating it is actually for episode three, the Neil Gaiman episode.

FILTER: - Series 6/32 - Production

Filming starts for 2011 Series

Monday, 6 September 2010 - Reported by Marcus

Filming starts in Cardiff at 8am Monday morning, on the 2011 series of Doctor Who, the sixth since the series returned in 2005 and the 32nd since the series began in 1963.

The first production block is believed to consist of Episodes Three and Four, both directed by Richard Clark who returns to the series after a gap of three years. Production will start with Episode Three, penned by Neil Gaiman.

Gaiman attended the read through of the episode last month and wrote on his blog

The table read was pretty amazing, the guest star or stars will be fabulous, Matt's great, Arthur's wonderful and I never got to say hullo to Karen (who was amazing).

Filming for the series is expected to continue over the next few months at various locations in South Wales and Western England. For the latest infomation on the 2011 Series see our Series Guide.

Matt Smith has been spending the break since the filming of the Christmas Special holidaying on the Spanish island of Ibiza and looking for a new place to live on Barry Island, both activities heavily documented by the British tabloid press.

Karen Gillan has also had every move followed by the press with the Daily Mail reporting on such events as the actress dropping her phone while shopping in London.

FILTER: - Series 6/32 - Production

Mark Gatiss writes for Series Six

Saturday, 4 September 2010 - Reported by Marcus

Mark Gatiss has written a script for the 2011 Series of Doctor Who according to a tweet from Director Richard Clark who posted last month In the thick of Dr Who. New drafts coming along. Mark Gatiss story wonderful.

Gatiss has previously written three stories for Doctor Who. The Unquiet Dead in 2005 was the third story broadcast after the series returned and featured the Ninth Doctor meeting Charles Dickens. The Idiot's Lantern in 2006 saw the Tenth Doctor battle against The Wire in the guise of Maureen Lipman and Victory of the Daleks earlier this year saw the Eleventh Doctor join forces with Winston Churchill against the iconic Pepperpots. Gatiss has also appeared in the series playing Richard Lazarus in the Series Three story The Lazarus Experiment.

Away from Doctor Who he has co-created Sherlock along with Steven Moffat. Other television work includes The League of Gentlemen, Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased), SF:UK, Agatha Christie's Marple, The Quatermass Experiment, Fear of Fanny, The Wind in the Willows and The Worst Journey in the World. Gatiss has also appeared in many BBC Radio plays and written and performed in many Big Finish Doctor Who Audio Productions.

Other writers so far confirmed for Series Six are showrunner Steven Moffat and Neil Gaiman.

FILTER: - Series 6/32 - Production

Previous 10 Stories

Panic Moon

US Filming Confirmed

Fish Fingers and Custard - Issue 2

Casting News

Martin Shaw on Doctor Who, Collinson on Coronation Street, Moffat on 2011

BBC News

Finished Product - Issue Five

Casting News

Filming starts for 2011 Series

Mark Gatiss writes for Series Six

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