Following on from his recent appearance this week in the BBC's series True Love, former Doctor David Tennant has a number of new projects to keep him busy in the coming months.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service:

The actor will be reading a new adaptation of the James Bond novel On Her Majesty's Secret Service as part of 007 Reloaded, a series of audio books to be released in September. The series will be released by BBC Audio Go, with Ian Fleming's niece Lucy saying: "I am delighted to say that Ian Fleming Publications and AudioGO are thrilled to be working together to present some of Britain’s best-known actors reading Ian’s classic Bond novels, for your ears only..."

Other readers include Bill Nighy for Moonraker and Hugh Bonneville for Goldfinger.
[Ian Fleming official website, BBC AudioGo, 16 June 2012]

The Politician's Husband:

For BBC television, he is to star in a new BBC serial with Emily Watson entitled The Politician's Husband:
Writer/creator Paula Milne said: "It is said that all power corrupts but the power balance within a marriage can be unspoken and subtle whereas the power games in politics are more overt and manipulatory. The drama explores the personal realm of a political marriage played against the ruthless hubris of Westminster politics - and what can happen when those two realms collide." The serial has begun filming this week, with London as a location.
[BBC Media Centre, 19 Jun 2012]

Broadchurch:

Switching channels, Tennant has signed up to play a cop in a new show for ITV1 inspired by the Danish detective series The Killing. Broadchurch is written by Chris Chibnall, will be produced by Richard Stokes and directed by James Strong for Kudos (Spooks, Hustle). The show is described thus:
It is due to go into production later this year, and broadcast next January.
[The Sun, 2 Jun 2012]

Sunshine on Leith:

Finally, he has also been tipped to play a key role in a film version of the musical Sunshine on Leith, based on songs by The Proclaimers; the actor is a big fan of the band and has previously expressed interest in such a project. Fellow Scot Billy Connolly has also been suggested as a co-star, though the film has yet to be cast.
[Deadline, 17 June 2012]

The annual Portal Awards have been announced by Airlock Alpha, and sees Doctor Who represented in a number of categories:

• Matt Smith is once again nominated as Best Actor - as with last year he faces Andrew Lincoln (The Walking Dead) and Eddie McClintock (Warehouse 13), plus this year's nominees Jensen Ackles (Supernatural) and Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones).
• Similarly, Karen Gillan is nominated in the Best Actress - she again faces last year's winner Anna Torv (Fringe) and runner-up Lena Headey (Game of Thrones), plus Joanne Kelly (Warehouse 13) and Amanda Tapping (Sanctuary).
• The third member of TARDIS crew, Arthur Darvill, also gets a look-in this year as he is nominated in the Best Supporting Actor; he'll face Robert Carlyle (Once Upon a Time), Aidan Gillen (Game of Thrones), last year's winner John Noble (Fringe), and Saul Rubinek (Warehouse 13).
• Series regular Alex Kingston is also nominated again in the Best Special Guest(TV) category for her appearance in Let's Kill Hitler - she out last year to Leonard Nimoy, who's in the list again this year for Fringe. The other nominees are Misha Collins (Supernatural), Jaime Murray (Warehouse 13) and Zachary Quinto (American Horror Story).
• The representative for Best Episode this year is taken up by A Good Man Goes To War, which will face Brave New World from Fringe, Emily Lake from Warehouse 13, Ghost of Harrenhal from Game of Thrones, and Slash Fiction from Supernatural. (Last year's nomination was also from the sixth series, The Doctor's Wife, with the nomination criteria for this year being shows broadcast since 1st June 2011!)
• This year's Best Series include Doctor Who, last year's winner Game of Thrones, Fringe, Supernatural and Warehouse 13.
• Elisabeth Sladen was nominated for the Gene Roddenberry Award last year, but lost out to J.J. Abrams; the late actress is nominated again this year and faces Doctor Who/Sherlock maestro Steven Moffat, as well as Edgar Rice Burroughs, DeForest Kelly, and George R.R. Martin.

The full list of categories are available from Airlock Alpha, and fans will be able to vote once a day between 25th June and 25th July.

Actress Jean Marsh has been awarded an OBE for services to drama in the 2012 Queen's Birthday Honours List published today. She has appeared in Doctor Who three times: firstly as Joanna in The Crusade (pictured right), then as Sara Kingdom in The Daleks' Master Plan, and finally as Morgaine in Battlefield. As well as acting, Marsh - who was married to Jon Pertwee between 1955 and 1960 - also co-created the drama series Upstairs, Downstairs (in which she played Rose Buck) and The House of Eliott.

Also in the honours list from the world of Doctor Who is former stuntman Eddie Kidd, who appeared in Survival as a double for William Barton. Kidd has been given an OBE for services to the charitable giving sector in the UK.

In addition, the comic book writer and playwright Grant Morrison, who wrote the stories Changes, The World Shapers, and Culture Shock for Doctor Who Magazine between 1986 and 1988, has been made an MBE for services to film and literature.

Big Finish continues its month of special offers this weekend with a celebration of the popular duo Jago and Litefoot; both their first audio appearance in The Companion Chronicles: The Mahogany Murderers and the first complete series of adventures are available at a reduced price between now and 8:00am 18th June.

This is followed by a celebration of The Celestial Toymaker, with the character featuring in The Lost Stories: The Nightmare Fair, The Magic Mousetrap, and The Companion Chronicles: Solitaire; the three stories are available to purchase separately or in a special bundle deal between 6:00pm 17th June and 8:00am 20th June.

Sara Kingdom (as played by Jean Marsh) is the focus of the next offer, with Home Truths, The Drowned World and The Guardian of the Solar System available on offer between 6:00pm 19th June and 8:00am 22nd June.

Finally, Doctor Who: Short Trips volumes one, two, three and four will be on special offer between 6:00pm 25th June and 8:00am 28th June. The series features tales read by William Russell, David Troughton, Katy Manning, Louise Jameson, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sophie Aldred and India Fisher.


Note: All times are cited in BST

Planet of Giants:

The British Board of Film Classification has passed the special features for the forthcoming DVD release of the final complete William Hartnell story to be released, Planet of Giants:

00:28:01:16 DOCTOR WHO - CRISIS
00:24:31:18 DOCTOR WHO - THE URGE TO LIVE
00:08:27:11 REDISCOVERING THE URGE TO LIVE
00:15:17:10 SUDDENLY SUSAN
00:13:58:23 THE LAMBERT TAPES - THE DOCTOR
00:03:20:22 PLANET OF GIANTS - PHOTO GALLERY

As previously reported, the release will feature a recreation of the original four-part story based on the original scripts and featuring newly recorded dialogue and animation. The commentary by Clive Doig, Brian Hodgson, Sonia Markham and David Tilley was also passed on 6th June.

A clean version of the cover art by Lee Binding for the DVD has been published via the Tea-Lady Design Facebook page.

Future Release Updates:

Lee Binding has reported that an announcement about The Ambassadors Of Death will be made in the next week or so. The graphic designer recently completed the DVD cover, saying: "Ambassadors sleeve submitted to @classicdw. No Liz Shaw on the front, sadly. No decent pics. Rest: kinda classy, which is nice. « I'm sure the usual #doctorwho ming-mongs will complain anyway. 'It's not GREEN. Ambassadors is a GREEN story!' *rolls eyes* «" Meanwhile, an image of the colourisation process for the story undertaken by Richard Russell was shared on Twitter by Stuart Humphryes (aka @Babelcolour), who himself is working on episode one of The Mind of Evil.

Brian Hodgson recently mentioned that he had recorded a commentary for the incomplete Patrick Troughton adventure The Moonbase. It is currently unknown if this is for a Revisitations makeover of the 2004 Lost In Time collection of existing, isolated episodes, or if it will form part of a special release of the story with an animated reconstruction of the missing episodes one and three. The Special Sound Designer also mentioned a commentary for Fury From The Deep, though this seems more likely to be for The Underwater Menace, of which episode two was recovered last year - again, the context of such a release is currently unknown.

Behind The Scenes:

Producer Chris Chapman tantalised the Twitter community this week with updates on extras being made for the series: "Heading back to London after a day of exciting Doctor Who stuff - storyboard complete! « About to start the edit proper on Secret Project 5 (our 31st Who doco) - this one's a bit mad, a bit Louis Theroux and a bit golf-y.. « SP5 is presented by Toby Hadoke and is intended for the same DVD release as SP6 (which hits the edit next week)! «"

Finally, a small event in the history of the range was marked on 29th May, reported by the BBC's Classic Series Twitter feed: "Many thanks to Ed Stradling for all his hard work, as he delivers his final documentary. Hope to persuade him back for the odd special!"

Actor, writer, and comedian Toby Hadoke has penned a sequel to his acclaimed show Moths Ate My Doctor Who Scarf.

My Stepson Stole My Sonic Screwdriver is to tour on preview before being taken to the Edinburgh Fringe.

Teasing the new show, Hadoke, who also acts as a moderator on classic Doctor Who DVD releases and is a contributor to the Doctor Who Magazine column A Battle of Wits, said: "It mentions Vernon Dobtcheff, Meglos, genocide, and Fear Her - and it is nice about two of them."
Directed by Mark Attwood, it will be previewing as follows:

• Thursday 28th June: Tara Theatre, Earlsfield, London

• Sunday 1st July: The Beacon, Tunbridge Wells (NB: Free entry to ticket-holders of Friday 29th June performance of Moths Ate My Doctor Who Scarf)

• Thursday 5th July: Lantern Theatre, Sheffield

• Thursday 19th July: The Magnet, Stockport

• Friday 20th July: Bedford Fringe, The Howard Room, Bedford Corn Exchange

• (to be confirmed) Sunday 22nd July: New Diorama Theatre, Triton Street, Regent's Place, London

• (to be confirmed) Monday 23rd July: XS Malarkey, Fallowfield, Manchester

The 60-minute production will then transfer to the Edinburgh Fringe, where Hadoke will be performing it at The Gilded Balloon Teviot every afternoon from Wednesday 1st August to Sunday 26th August, except for Wednesday 15th.

This week's Doctor Who Adventures comes with a free Secret Message Kit where you'll be able to write your own invisible notes.

Also in this issue:

• Sontaran story! – Prepare to Sontar-ha ha ha as we embark on the hilarious history of the spud-headed clone horrors in issue 273!
• Deadly Davros quiz! – How well do you know Davros? Give our MEGA quiz a go and see if you're as sharp as one of his horrible pointy claw fingers!
• Doctor, Doctor – The Doctor answers your bonkers questions with even more bonkers replies
• Martha Jones – Top companion information on the brainy and brilliant companion
• TARDIS Fast Facts!

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

Issue 273 of Doctor Who Adventures is out in the UK now.

Tickets for the Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff Bay went on sale today.

The attraction, which had been in London for a year, closing in February, opens in Cardiff on Friday 20th July, where it will be based for at least five years.

Philip Murphy, the managing director of BBC Worldwide Live Events, said: The BBC describes the Experience as the first interactive Doctor Who exhibition, which invites visitors to star in their very own adventure. Arriving at the venue they step through a crack in time to become the Doctor's companion, taking on the challenge of reuniting the Doctor with the TARDIS while fending off threats from some of his most fearsome foes - entering a Dalek spaceship and finding a way through a maze of Weeping Angels.

Featuring a replica of the Eleventh Doctor's TARDIS, which visitors get to fly themselves, the interactive walk-through section culminates in a 3D finale that sets the scene for the exhibition, which boasts the world's most extensive collection of original Doctor Who costumes and artefacts stretching back almost 50 years to the first series.

The content of the exhibition will be updated constantly with new items from the TV series to ensure that it is ever-changing, offering fans the chance to get up close to the sets, costumes, and props that feature in the show. New items to be shown to the public for the first time in Cardiff will include the Doctor's cradle seen in A Good Man Goes to War, the Silence spaceship, and the Doctor's sonic cane from Let's Kill Hitler, with many more items being kept under wraps until the doors open next month.

As well as the relaunched website, the Experience can also be followed on Twitter.

The BBC has released two clips featuring Matt Smith talking about his role in the new BBC One drama Bert and Dickie.

Smith plays Bertram Bushnell in the drama about two rowers who were thrown together just five weeks before the final of the 1948 Olympics, the last games to be held in London. Their personal battle reflects a much greater struggle as London prepares to host the post war Games in a London that is half-destroyed.

The UK transmission date has not been confirmed, but the drama is expected to be shown shortly before the start of the 2012 games towards the end of July. BBC America has confirmed it will show the drama on Wednesday 25 July at 8/7C

K9 series producer Paul Tams has kindly provided us with an update on how things are progressing with the second series:


Meanwhile, the first series is to be broadcast from September on the Canadian channel BBC Kids, which will see the show running alongside The Sarah Jane Adventures! An announcement is also to be made soon about the show's premiere within the United States during the Autumn.

You can follow updates etc. about the series via the K9 Official website and through Facebook.