New Zealand channel Prime have announced that it will broadcast the Doctor Who Christmas Special The Snowmen on 26th December 2012, less than twenty-four hours after its premiere in the United Kingdom.

Reported via their Facebook page, this news also marks the closest transmission of a new episode of Doctor Who in the country to its UK transmission since the series returned in 2005.


In summary, transmission of The Snowmen is now confirmed for these dates:

United Kingdom : Tuesday   25th December, time tbc     BBC One
United States  : Tuesday   25th December, 9:00pm ET    BBC America
Canada         : Tuesday   25th December, 9:00pm ET    SPACE
Australia      : Wednesday 26th December, 7:30pm       ABC1
New Zealand    : Wednesday 26th December, time tbc     Prime

In the annual tradition, the next edition of the Radio Times (8th-14th December 2012) celebrates the Doctor's latest Christmas adventure with a front cover.

This issue features a three page article on the forthcoming episode. Talking about his new costume, Matt Smith said:
Talking about his role, guest star Tom Ward mentioned:
Not to be missed out, Jenna-Louise Coleman also commented about Clara and how she relates to her prior appearance in Asylum of the Daleks:
You can read the full interviews in the new issue of the Radio Times, out today (1st December).


The next issue (15-21 Dec) is published on 6th December, with the 'legendary double issue' of the Radio Times for the Christmas period (22 Dec - 4 Jan) following on 12th December.

The Covers of Christmas Past

The BBC have launched their traditional Adventure Calendar for 2012, which will once again feature videos, interviews, games, wallpapers, cards, quizzes, an original story by Joseph Lidster, and other items for fans to enjoy in the lead up to Christmas Day and The Snowmen on television.

In Day One, Jenna-Louse Coleman talks about her auditions for the role of Clara, plus some tantalising scenes from upcoming The Snowmen:

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Meanwhile, Doctor Who News is again pleased to be presenting Willy Phantom's Illustrated Advent Calendar, which will feature a new festive Doctor Who image in the sidebar every day until Christmas! Those reading news through other media will also be able to view these via our Facebook Album.

After the success of their Christmas decorations last year, the BBC have once again released some festive figures to hang on your Christmas tree!

This year K9 and a yellow Dalek join the Red Dalek and TARDIS in a special presentation set, available exclusively from the BBC Shop.

Where would the United Kingdom be without the traditional Christmas pantomime, and this year is no exception with a variety of Doctor Who names back on the stage to entertain during the festive season.


Other names associated with Doctor Who include: Nigel Havers (Peter Dalton, The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith) in Jack and the Beanstalk at the Southampton Mayflower; Christopher Pizzey (Eddie Smith, The Sarah Jane Adventures) in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Tunbridge Wells Assembly Hall Theatre; Paul Lavers (Farrah, The Androids of Tara) in Mother Goose at the Gorleston Pavilion; Royce Mills (Dalek operator) in Aladdin at the Guildford Yvonne Arnaud Theatre; Marshall Lancaster (Buzzer, The Rebel Flesh) in Jack and the Beanstalk at the Leeds Carriageworks; Lynda Bellingham (The Inquisitor, The Trial of a Time Lord) in Cinderella at the Bradford Alhambra Theatre; Warwick Davis (The Last Cyberman) in Snow White at the New Wimbledon Theatre; Floella Benjamin (Professor Rivers, The Sarah Jane Adventures) and Andrew Hayden-Smith (Jake Simmonds, Rise of the Cybermen) in Cinderella at the Broadway Theatre, Catford; Bruno Langley (Adam in Dalek) in Jack and the Beanstalk at the Brindley Arts Centre, Runcorn; Eric Potts (Oliver Charles, Aliens of London) in Dick Whittington at the New Victoria Theatre, Woking; Nichola McAuliffe (Vivien Rook, The Sound of Drums) in Snow White at the Theatre Royal, Bath; Barney Harwood (Totally Doctor Who) in Peter Pan at Llandudno's Venue Cymru; Lily Savage aka Paul O'Grady (himself, The Stolen Earth) in Aladdin at the O2; Ann Widdecombe (herself, The Sound of Drums) in Snow White at the Wycombe Swan; and Christopher Biggins (The One Doctor, Big Finish) in Dick Whittington at the Plymouth Theatre Royal.

Character have announced the release of the third series of their Character Building micro-figures:
There are twelve figures to collect in this series, which as well as those mentioned above also includes a Sontaran, Cyberleader, Handbot, Judoon and Madame Kovarian.

The packs will be available to buy from a number of retailers, including Forbidden Planet, from next week.

The Doctor Who Experience has announced a number of activities that will take place during December.

On the two weekends leading up to Christmas (15th/16th, 22nd/23rd), Doctor Who's make-up and prosthetic artist Bethan Harris will be on-hand to transform visitors into their favourite monster.

Iconic props from previous Christmas adventures will also be on display, including the pyjamas worn by the Tenth Doctor, the Sycorax and Robot Santas from the first festive outing, The Christmas Invasion, and Abigail's cryogenic chamber from A Christmas Carol. Additionally, from Boxing Day onwards, props from the latest adventure, The Snowmen, will go on exclusive display at the Experience.

In addition, the Doctor Who Experience Shop will be selling a limited edition t-shirt which features a "TARDIS star" logo; these are available in red and purple (ladies only).


The Doctor Who Experience's Christmas displays run from 5th December until 6th January; it will be closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but open for the rest of the festive period.

David Tennant has been talking to STV's Moviejuice about his starring roles in the new seasonal film Nativity 2: Danger In The Manger! in which he plays twins Donald and Roderick Peterson. Not only was the film improvised in its entirety, it was also shot in sequence, and Tennant said of the improvisational nature of the film: "It was terrifying. But that's why you do certain things, isn't it? 'I've never done that before, that'll be utterly terrifying – so I'll have a go.'" The film also stars Jessica Hynes as Angel Matthews, Ian McNeice as Mr Peterson senior, and Jason Watkins as Mr Shakespeare. [STV Entertainment, 26 Nov 2012]

Katy Manning will be on tour in the Agatha Christie murder-mystery A Murder Is Announced early next year. Performances are as follows: Thursday 17th to Saturday 19th January: Capitol Theatre, Horsham; Tuesday 22nd to Saturday 26th January: Buxton Opera House; Tuesday 29th January to Saturday 2nd February: The Derby Theatre; Monday 4th to Saturday 9th February: Lincoln Theatre Royal; Tuesday 12th to Saturday 16th February: The Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage; Wednesday 27th February to Saturday 2nd March: Haymarket Theatre, Basingstoke; Tuesday 5th to Saturday 9th March: Lyceum Theatre, Crewe.

Meanwhile, Colin Baker will be in the touring production of the Wilkie Collins thriller The Woman In White, starting at The Lighthouse Theatre, Poole, from Tuesday 22nd to Saturday 26th January. From Monday 28th to Thursday 31st January it will be at The Grand Theatre, Blackpool; Thursday 14th to Saturday 23rd February, Lincoln Theatre Royal; Tuesday 26th February to Saturday 2nd March, Garrick Theatre, Lichfield, finishing its run at the Theatre Royal, Windsor, from Monday 4th to Saturday 9th March.

Baker was voted off I'm A Celebrity . . . Get Me Out Of Here! earlier this week. He was the fourth contestant to go. As previously reported, he joined the ITV1 reality show, based in a jungle in Australia, earlier this month.

Bernard Cribbins narrates the CBeebies panto Jack And The Beanstalk, which airs as a simulcast on the CBeebies channel and BBC One on Friday 21st December at 4.30pm. Featuring all the CBeebies presenters, it was performed at The Palace Theatre in Manchester. [BBC Media Centre, 27 Nov 2012]

Sheila Hancock will be among the new celebrity contestants on this year's Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Day special on BBC One, with previous contestant Ann Widdecombe making a guest appearance. [BBC Media Centre, 28 Nov 2012]

David Morrissey has begun filming the second series of BBC Scotland's crime drama Field Of Blood in Glasgow. He plays editor Murray Devlin. Filming will continue until late December, with the thriller to be shown next year. [BBC Media Centre, 29 Nov 2012]

Director Farren Blackburn has his first feature film released in the UK and USA next spring. Hammer Of The Gods, which stars Charlie Bewley and James Cosmo, is set in Britain of 871AD and tells the story of a young Viking warrior sent by his father, the king, on a quest to find his estranged brother, who was banished from the kingdom years earlier. [Bleeding Cool, 27 Nov 2012]

A six-part spy thriller by Toby Whithouse has been commissioned by BBC Cymru Wales for BBC One. Set in the world of 1970s espionage, The Game will tell the story of the invisible war fought by MI5 to protect the nation from the threats of the Cold War. The drama is to be executive-produced by Whithouse, Brian Minchin, and Faith Penhale (head of drama at BBC Cymru Wales). [BBC Media Centre, 30 Nov 2012]

Adam Simmonds, the newly-elected police and crime commissioner for Northamptonshire, wants to see police boxes back on the county's streets. He said: "I would like to bring a focal point back into villages. It's all about putting the police back on to the streets and I would love to be able to put Tardises back in every community." He added that he hoped to work with Northampton-born Matt Smith to launch his Blue Box Initiative. [Northampton Chronicle & Echo, 25 Nov 2012]

In Memoriam:

The actor Roger Hammond has died at the age of 76. A contemporary of Waris Hussein, Derek Jacobi, and Clive Swift at Cambridge University, he trained at RADA and had a varied and accomplished career on the stage and TV as well as in film and on radio. Hammond appeared in three episodes of Doctor Who, firstly as the Elizabethan philosopher, statesman, scientist, author, and jurist Francis Bacon in The Executioners (episode 1 of The Chase) in 1965 and then as Doctor Runciman - the resident physician at Brendon School - in the first and final parts of Mawdryn Undead in 1983. [The Stage obituary by Martin Jarvis, 23 Nov 2012]

The new edition of Doctor Who Adventures comes with a free art kit so you can build and paint a TARDIS model.

Also in issue 297:

The latest edition of the Radio Times (1-7 Dec) features TV editor Alison Graham's 12 Treats for Christmas, the twelve programmes she recommends over the festive period. This year's selection includes Call The Midwife, Ripper Street, Downton Abbey, Restless and The Girl, but her number one is - as it should be - Doctor Who!


Meanwhile, the next issue (8-14 Dec) is published on Saturday 1st December, and will 'cover' Doctor Who and the best kids' shows this Christmas.