Press Notes: Late Thursday

Thursday, 10 March 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Interestingly, the Guardian has posted a second and far more upbeat review of the new series, perhaps suddenly realizing theirs was the only negative review... and including quotes from some of the people who attended the press launch. "They've kept the feeling of the show. It's still Doctor Who and I think Christopher Eccleston is very good," former script editor Terrance Dicks is quoted as saying. "I'm so pleased. The last Who, I hated it. It was aimed at the mid-Atlantic; I've always said it should be made in England. They've kept the feeling of the show. I think Christopher Eccleston is very good. There's a gap in the market for something both good and popular. There's stuff that's critically acclaimed and stuff that's popular, like reality TV. But this does both." Says Barry Letts, the producer of the series during the Jon Pertwee era, "I was desperate for it to work and it has. Russell T Davies said what he was doing was carrying on the torch from our time. He's a big fan. It's a relay race, you stagger on for so many years, then pass the baton on when you're exhausted. They've managed to give a few nods to the past, which the old Doctor Who fans will appreciate, without making it confusing for anybody coming to it fresh. They've done a brilliant job of updating it." And Tom Spilsbury, deputy editor of DWM, notes that he "really enjoyed it. Chris and Billie were great. It was great to see everyone else enjoying it. They laughed at the funny bits and were scared by the scary bits. It bodes very well for the series. I think kids will love it. It's exactly the sort of thing I fell in love with as a child. Christopher Eccleston still feels like a Doctor Who. He'll be looked back on by kids in 20 years' time as their doctor."

The Guardian's Media Monkey column posted some quips regarding the press launch, including the following. "BBC1 controller Lorraine Heggessey was very much the regal Time Lady at the launch of Doctor Who - and deservedly so. Monkey is sure the series will be a huge smash for a Saturday teatime audience, and probably be the crowning glory of Heggessey's reign at BBC1 - she certainly had to battle for years to get it on air. Heggessey showed she could mix it with rabid Whovians in an impeccably pitched speech to the audience gathered in a Cardiff hotel last night. After a little bit of Welsh, she won over fans by quoting from no less than the good Doctor in an episode from way back in 1964 after he had defeated the dalek invasion of London. ... As many know, Lorraine Heggessey is shortly to give up her BBC1 post and regenerate into the chief executive of Talkback Thames. But will one of her last BBC1 acts be to recommission Doctor Who for a second series? Many in the commercial arm of the BBC certainly hope so and executive producer Russell T Davies attested last night that he had already worked out the storylines. When Monkey put the question, all the great lady could offer was a enigmatic, Gallifreyan-style smile." Regarding any possible unflattering articles or reviews: "it may well be due to the fact that many hacks were exhausted after returning to London via an uncomfortable coach that took three hours to reach London from Cardiff. One reporter was overheard asking if it had really been worth it as he hunted for a cab in the vicinity of Baker Street station at 2am." Also noted were some of the guests that turned up: "Matt Lucas, from Little Britain, Charlotte Church and Robson Green. But one unexpected attendee was Beryl Vertue, the stately executive producer of the sitcom Men Behaving Badly. Vertue told Monkey that her son in law, Steven Moffat, had written two episodes of the new Doctor Who series and was currently in Australia and desperate for a report about the launch and first episode. Vertue then revealed that in the 1960s she has been the agent of Who legend and daleks' creator Terry Nation when he had negotiated his copyright agreement with the BBC, the one that caused the BBC all that trouble last year when Nation's estate refused to allow the metallic monsters into the new series. Everyone was all smiles last night, but there must have been times over the last year when the BBC wished it had driven a harder bargain back in 1963."

BBC News today collected several of the various news stories seen in today's papers in an article entitled "Papers feature Dr Who's monsters". (We spend all this time collecting and collating a couple of hundred stories in a couple of days, and then BBC News goes and does the job for us!)

Richard Wilson, who plays the role of Dr. Constantine in the two-parter written by Steven Moffat, was interviewed byManchester Online regarding the upcoming Red Nose Day charity event. Says the article: "During the launch, he spent a morning chatting with a group of teenagers there who suffer from a variety of stress and anxiety disorders, and gave them an insight into his imminent appearance on our screens again - this time in Dr Who. 'I play a doctor in an episode set in the Second World War and am in two episodes. I was excited when I was approached to play a part and as soon as I read the script for the episodes they wanted me to feature in I made my mind up that I wanted the role. As well as the kudos of starring in Dr Who, it was also good to play alongside Christopher Eccleston, because although I know him socially I'd never had the opportunity to work with him until now. He's made a very good Dr Who and has brought a fresh touch to the role.'"

Also in today's Manchester Online: a feature with several new comments. "I'd like to see an episode set in Salford in the sixties," Christopher Eccleston says, referring to his home town, and noting his northern accent. "It's good that we say to kids: `Actually people who sound like this can also be heroic and very intelligent.' It's a good message to send." On whether he's prepared for the role and to be identified with it: "The death scene in Cracker has been that for me. But I intend to keep busy and keep doing very different things. If people remember me just for this - I'd be happy to be remembered." Bruno Langley, who plays Adam in at least one episode (the reprot notes he's in two, as Outpost Gallifrey has always maintained), notes that he had nightmares about being chased by Daleks. But he says it was a price worth paying: "It's probably one of the biggest gags in the series. I was very privileged to be given that line," referring to the term "Elevate!" when the Daleks fly. The report also suggests that "a second series is already in development, although Eccleston is undecided about whether he'll return to the role."

Sky Showbiz today quotes Billie Piper, in terms of how co-star Christopher Eccleston helped her "get over her broken marriage." "Christopher and I have shared a lot during the past eight months. We had heavy schedules and personal lives and we're joined at the hip. ... We get on famously. It was instant - it just worked straight away. ... Me and Chris had a great time while we were together and that's all that concerns me. We're best buddies and always will be." The story was also picked up on Ananova

Today's Steve Wright show on Radio 2 at 3:25pm featured a radio trailer for the series, which starts "Coming soon..." and uses the "I'm the Doctor, by the way" exchange; Wright reckons Eccleston looks like a really cool Doctor - "he might go to gigs"; and a Dalek voice (Nicholas Briggs, perhaps?) proclaiming "Doc-tor Who-oo on BBC Radio 2!"

The Independent noted that the BBC invited several MPs to the press launch, and it was a "hot ticket - until, that is, the Government decided to hold yet another debate on its draconian anti-terror Bill." "Several guests are reported to be gutted, not least the Tory education spokesman, Tim Collins, a lifelong fan who has appeared on TV documentaries about the Time Lord. 'Terror debate or not, I'll be very surprised if Tim misses the screening,' reckons a colleague. 'As for the rest of us, we'll have to decide which is more important: the invasion of the Daleks, or the invasion of al-Qa'ida.' Best leave it to your consciences, chaps."

The latest edition of the BBC's in-house magazine / paper Ariel ( Week 9, dated 8.3.05 ) has a two page feature spread on the return of Doctor Who by Clare Bolt. There's precious little material that's new, although there's a little bit about the filming of "The Empty Child / The Doctor Dances," as well as mentions of 'a sub-aquatic monster' and 'a multi-tentacled Victorian submarine'. There are also a handful of behind-the-scenes photos, including the TARDIS prop being erected at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium and a rooftop being blasted with fake snow.

There were various inconsequential reports (but still fascinating due to the number) popping up all over the internet about the impending return of Doctor Who, including the New York TimesWaveguide and a variety of papers such as the Aberdeen Press and Journal, Fort McMurray Today (Alberta) and the Liverpool Daily Echo. There's also a two page interview with Billie Piper in "Now magazine", the March 16 issue. Lots of press coverage today!

Finally, the photos below are all press release photos, some from the second episode, including a larger version of one of the Tree People (Yasmin Bannerman), a group of alien monks, the Moxx of Balhoon (Jimmy Vee), the Face of Poe, an attack by Autons, and Eccleston's card trick.

(Thanks for submissions today to Paul Engelberg, Steve Tribe, Andrew Harvey, Chuck Foster, Paul Hayes, Daniel Northover, Andrew Farmer, Lorna Mitchell, Tom Beck, Andrew Foxley, John Bowman)




FILTER: - DWM - Press - Radio Times

Press Launch Recaps, Today's Press Notes

Wednesday, 9 March 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
There are many newspaper stories out there regarding the press launch and screening of the first episode last night at the St David's Hotel and Spa in Cardiff Bay, with selections from interviews with Christopher Eccleston, Billie Piper, Russell T Davies, Julie Gardner and others. Here's a recap:

Eccleston admitted he was not a fan of the "old" series but it may have been the previous Time Lords' posh accents that put him off. "I'm different from the other Doctors," he said. "All the others spoke with this RP accent - maybe it was that that put me off. I think that it's good that we teach kids that people who speak like that can be heroic too." About Davies, he said, "I am a huge fan of his. IÆve tried to capture his speed of thought and the pace of his words, and of course they are his words."

Eccleston "revealed" that he and assistant Rose will "fall in love" but not the way you think. "It will be the first time the doctor has had a romance in the show's 40-year history," says one clip. However, Eccleston himself says, "They love each other. It's very much love at first sight. It's not a conventional love affair. It's far more mysterious than that." Billie Piper noted, "At the end of the first show when the doctor invites Rose to come with him in the Tardis I suppose it's very much like asking her out on a date. They have a very interesting dynamic and there are times when you can't put your finger on their relationship. But there's lots of holding hands throughout the series." Viewers will apparently see them saying things like: "I could save the world, but I'd lose you" and "I'm so glad I met you". About his companion, Eccleston says "There has been no heroine for 12-year-old girls before and Billie pulled that off just like that. She saves the Doctor in the first episode, she is a heroine."

Piper likes being a new role model. "When I was singing I was a role model then and when you are in that position you can do some good." Billie says she doesn't want to go back to her singing career and described herself as being "in a great place right now" with new acting projects on the horizon. She admitted that she didn`t watch the series as a child. "It was in our house and I remember freaky music and a man running around in a long scarf, but I could never make head nor tail of it." When she took the role she said she made the decision not to watch previous series for fear of confusing her own performance, but she said Mr Eccleston took on a far more difficult role than she had. "I don`t know how Chris does it but he did it. It`s like playing James Bond the Doctor he`s established there`s nothing he doesn`t know and there`s nothing he can`t do, as an actor that must be most frustrating."

However, an article in today's The Sun swears that Billie Piper is planning to relaunch her pop career after the airing of the new Doctor Who series, but she will only agree to a deal if she is happy with the style of music. A Sun "insider" is quoted as saying, "Billie would love to make a return to the music scene but she has to be happy with whatÆs being offered. She has been having talks with a number of labels, including Sony BMG, but hasnÆt put pen to paper yet. She wants a lot of input in and outside of the studio." All of which Billie Piper has flatly denied.

One or two articles mention "fifteen episodes" being broadcast (instead of the actual 13) and that each episode is a self-contained story (some of them are actually two parters.)

Davies said he wrote it with a family audience in mind: "If you chase a cult you just become a smaller cult. If a cult fan hates this series it means they will only watch it 20 times instead of 30 times. When they brought Crossroads back and made it a bit camp it was a turkey of disasterous proportions."

Gardner said about the show's future, "We just donÆt know what to expect, there is no real yardstick. Of course IÆm nervous." She also denied that the leak of the first episode had anything to do with the BBC. "We were devastated."

Musician Charlotte Church, who we reported yesterday showed up with a Dalek from The Sun, said "It was brilliant. I have never seen Doctor Who before. I would have been two when it was last on but this was like a mini-movie."

BBC Radio 4 has a link to an interview conducted this morning with Davies and DWM editor Clayton Hickman; you can listen to it for the next day or so by clicking here.

GMTV had a feature on its programme this morning before 8:30 with Ben Sheppard who attended the press launch yesterday; the clips shown were longer than those on BBC news.

Some links to various reports: BBC Radio 1Times OnlineScotsmanChannel 4MegastarITVicNews,Edinburgh News




FILTER: - DWM - Christopher Eccleston - Press - Radio Times

Today's Press Clips and News: Updated

Tuesday, 8 March 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
So far, today's (March 8) press clips, with more to be added as the day progresses:

This morning's (March 8) Radio Times features a one-page colour feature called "Doctor Who watch" with brief comments from RTD and Julie Gardner and small summaries of the Doctor, Rose, the TARDIS and 'the monsters'. As well as one of the standard publicity shots of Eccleston and Piper, there is a large photo of the 'blue meanie' from the cover of the latest DWM, which is caption and therefore confirmed as "the Moxx of Balhoon". The article also trails: "Next week: Doctor Who, the first words..." Also in the Radio Times, the listing for Thursday 17 March confirms that The Culture Show (BBC Two, 7pm and 11.25pm) will preview "the imminent return of Doctor Who". "Will it stay true to the spirit of the past series?" This is illustrated with one of the shots of Eccleston standing outside the TARDIS.

An article in the Belfast Telegraph "looks back at some memorable moments and opponents from the past 40 years" of Doctor Who, including the Daleks (featuring an interview with Cy Town), the Zygons, the Cybermen, the Yeti, the Daemons, the Zarbi, the Kandyman, and even the giant maggots of "The Green Death".

The Dark Horizons website, another movie industry gossip site, also features a brief review of "Rose," largely positive.

icWales has a mention of the leak, and also features quotes with Russell T Davies (lifted from elsewhere).

The Mirror features an article today called "EXTER BINATE," asking "The first episode of new Dr Who ..and can Billie save the world from Wheelie Bin aliens?" referring to a very minor plot point about the first episode, mentioning the episode leak and also a few plot points. (Don't read the article if you don't want to see a few spoilers for the first story.)

The downloading of Doctor Who made the front page of today's Guardian newspaper (link is to the story itself). The story mentions the "Ain't It Cool" online website which posted some scathing reviews of the episode (to which there are complaints that positive reviews were ignored; however, one eventual positive review by Warren Ellis was eventually posted in their "Coaxial" section). Ironically, the Guardian site focuses on the negative reviews, while reactions to the leaked episode have been overwhelmingly positive elsewhere.

A ton of reports on the leak of "Rose" to the Internet, so here's a quick guide to all of the links so far we've been able to compile (with thanks to Steve Tribe, Paul Engelberg, Paul Hayes): Evening TimesDigital LifestylesBBC News TechnologyDisinfo.comCBBC NewsroundBrisbane Courier MailThe AustralianMelbourne Herald SunNews.com.auAdvertiser AdelaideDaily TelegraphManchester Evening NewsThis Is London,Financial Express IndiaChannel 4U TVReutersTimes of OmanZDNetScotsmanManchester OnlineTimes OnlineITVThe RegisterAnanova




FILTER: - Magazines - DWM - Press - Radio Times

Weekend Press Clips, Including Episode Leak

Sunday, 6 March 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
The rumor mills have been working overtime this weekend on news that the first episode of the series, Rose, has been leaked on the internet, courtesy an unidentified employee of a foreign broadcaster of the show. We weren't going to mention it originally, in order to help keep this from becoming even more widely known, but BBC News and other news services made that a moot point. Obviously, Outpost Gallifrey isn't going to tell you how or where to download it, but don't be surprised if you find reviews all over the web.

BBC News itself addresses the leak of "Rose" in a story that also reveals that Christopher Eccleston emailed Russell T Davies about the role. "He e-mailed me and said if we were looking for a Doctor Who, he'd be interested," Davies told Radio Times according to the news article. "It was gobsmacking because you think he's going to be doing Hamlet all the time. Which, come to think of it, he was." It says that episodes 1 and 2 were written before he was cast. "So I'd established a template for what I wanted, which fitted Chris perfectly. That was a happy accident - we both wanted to strip it down, make it more down-to-earth."

In an interview with today's Media Guardian, new series producer Russell T Davies explains how producing the new series of Doctor Who is a lifelong dream come true. When they approached him, "I worried they meant a cheap pastiche version, or an ironic version, but it was the real deal - Saturday night, proper budgets. All those things you think you'd have to fight for. Astonishing." The interview discusses his work on previous shows such as Children's Ward, Queer as Folk and Mine All Mine, as well as his thoughts on being a child transfixed by Doctor Who. "When I was eight, walking home from school down Hendrefoilan Avenue, I always used to think 'I could turn round the corner and the Tardis would be there - and I would run inside and I would fight alongside the Doctor.' It was the one programme that encouraged you to make up stories. The Tardis could land in the everyday world and no other science-fiction programme would do that. You were never going to be a member of the crew on the Enterprise when you were eight years old: it was in the future and they were the navy. Even if we don't get an audience, I hope there will be some eight-year-olds sitting there thinking the same thing. That's when I fell in love with it. I was transfixed." Read the full interview at the website.

A report in today's Observer discusses the obsession of fans with Doctor Who, framed in the context of the return of the series. It includes comments from Russell T Davies ("If we had tried to be ironic we would have died a death") and notes that there are only a few thousand fans of Doctor Who that are considered active or interested. (Strange, Outpost Gallifrey's front page got over 17,000 unique visitors last Thursday!) The report talks about websites and fandom and Doctor Who Magazine (in fact, noting DWM's circulation is "around 30,000") and how the new show, based on a preview is "not, and never will be - how shall I put this? - Doctor Who." You can read the whole article at that site.

The Ain't It Cool website, a major source of online film gossip, has published several negative reviews of the first episode of the new series along with a positive one, based upon the recent leak of an episode on the Internet.

An article in today's Times discusses the Daleks who apparently are upgraded: "In previous series of Doctor Who, the Daleks were warlike metal aliens engineered by the evil Davros on the planet Skaro. They were beings of ruthless logic with one small but significant flaw: you could evade them by running up a flight of stairs. The upgraded versions take to the air using rocket-boosters, enhancing their ability to exterminate, exterminate. The new Daleks are also bigger than the ones last seen in 1989 and have more lethal weaponry than the old guns that resembled sink plungers. But fans will have to wait: the evil forces do not appear in the first episode, to be shown on BBC1 on Easter Saturday." It also contains ver minor spoilers about the first episode.

Another Times article, much more in depth, discusses the upgrading of the Doctor Who series itself. "For 25 years, Doctor WhoÆs creaky charm captivated a nation," the article says. "Now Russell T Davies has polished it up, with slick effects and an even slicker script." It notes that the scripts themselves are "slick, witty and, most important of all, fresh. They also have Davies the MouthÆs fingerprints all over them. The DoctorÆs slightly deranged monologue sounds suspiciously like Russell T himself." The article notes that the new series has "about 800" special effects. Says The Mill's Robin Shenfield, "I'm pretty sure nothing of this scale has ever been attempted ù certainly nothing British." Mike Tucker, who's doing miniature-effects on the series, says the original show "was always pushing against the boundaries of its budget, trying to do stuff it couldnÆt possibly achieve. They would try to make the Loch Ness monster attack a village, or theyÆd have an attack with a horde of Daleks when they had only three Dalek props. It was one of its great charms. But then Star Wars came along and raised the game. These days, kids are so effects-literate." The article discusses how CGI effects have been implemented, and gives some spoilers about the new show (protected by our Spoiler tag, below), as well as noting that "Doctor Who is a huge gamble for the BBC. It will probably go out in its old slot, early on Saturday evening," noting that it will happen at the end of March.
According to the Times article, the character Cassandra in "The End of the World," is all that remains of the purely human species, several billion years in the future, and has "has definitely overdone the dieting, having become no more than a stretched film of skin with a face. Voiced by Zo? Wanamaker, sheÆs like Patsy in Ab Fab: bitchy and randy. But she turns out to be murderous, and has a fantastic death." Another episode -- the two parter started by "Aliens of London," in fact, deals with the takeover of the bodies of the British cabinet by aliens. This produces "unfortunate amounts of gas." And there are the Daleks. "The big issue, of course, is the Daleks. They are back, and they look much the same, except that they now have a harsh bronze sheen and are plainly better built. They still have the sink-plunger weapon, which, on the originals, really was a sink plunger, and they still appear to be severely restricted in their evil work by their inability to climb stairs. Davies, typically, has turned both these attributes into roguish gags. The sink plunger kills somebody horribly ù a sort of face-sucking operation, I gather ù and when Piper runs up a staircase to escape a Dalek, she discovers, to her horror, that they can fly. Obvious, really."




FILTER: - Production - DWM - Series 1/27 - Press - Radio Times

The Crusade

Friday, 4 March 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
DWM confirms the release of "The Crusade" on Monday 2 May from the BBC Radio Collection. It's narrated by William Russell, who is also interviewed as a 20-minute bonus feature on the second disc.




FILTER: - Audio - DWM - Classic Series

Davies Interviews

Friday, 4 March 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
BBC Four will be broadcasting a documentary on new series producer Russell T Davies in mid-March, around the same time as Davies' series Casanova begins on BBC Three; according to DWM and other sources; it will include interviews with Christopher Eccleston. Davies will also be interviewed by Sian Williams BBC2 Wales Digital on Thursday 17 March at 9pm. The program he appears on is an irregular interview series regarding Welsh celebrities discussing their life and works. (This doesn't appear to be the same as the program airing on BBC4 as this format is usually studio based chat with a few 'career' clips, though it's possible it is the same one getting a BBC Wales-first transmission.) The BBC2 digital regional variation is available on satellite only. (Thanks to David Brunt, Steve Tribe)




FILTER: - Russell T Davies - Documentary - DWM

Project Who? Update

Friday, 4 March 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
A BBC Press Office document now in circulation states that the forthcoming Project Who? two-part radio show airing on March 22 and 29 on BBC Radio 2 will "feature newly recorded interviews with the cast and creative team behind Doctor Who. With exclusive excerpts from the new series, starring Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper, the programmes examine how the format of the show has been developed and shaped for a new audience, how the character of the Doctor was cast, and how the series will be launched and marketed around the globe." The opening installment, "Bigger On The Inside," takes listeners back (without the aid of a Tardis) to September 2003, when Lorraine Heggessey, Controller of BBC One, announced that a new series of Doctor Who was being planned with Russell T Davies at the helm. The programme considers how the creator of Queer As Folk and The Second Coming approached the task of recreating one of the most popular and enduring formats on television." The document also notes that the new series will be complemented by BBC ThreeÆs "Doctor Who Confidential" documentary and the BBC Two Doctor Who night special. The BBC Radio 2 broadcast will happen on those days ôat approximately 8.33 pmö, with an extended double-CD release on May 2. DWM reports that Russell T Davies, Julie Gardner, Mal Young, Jane Tranter, Mark Gatiss, Nicholas Briggs, Clayton Hickman and Dave Golder (of SFX magazine) are among those interviewed. (Thanks to Tim Harrison, David Whittam)




FILTER: - Documentary - DWM

A Second Series?

Friday, 4 March 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Interviewed in the latest issue of DWM, executive producer Julie Gardner says that both she and Russell T Davies want to do a second series of Doctor Who with Christopher Eccleston, should it be commissioned, and that they were having a meeting at the start of February to talk about what they'd do if they got the go-ahead. "We're already behind [because] to go again with the same number of episodes [...] we'd need to start filming at the same time as we did last year. On the first series, we were having those conversations in December [... but] I think there are lessons from the first series that we could implement to speed things up." Davies also mentions in his Production Notes that he and Gardner discussed his outline for 13 episodes for Series 2 during a train journey to London. "If Series Two ever exists, then these scripts will happen." Importantly, Russell prefaces this with "Of course, Series Two isn't commissioned yet - I suspect we won't know until a good few weeks into transmission of Series One - but we've got to plan ahead regardless." It's also noted that the BBC Four documentary on Davies shot footage of Russell and the production team watching "our very first viewing of The Long Game". So there is a chance that clips from that episode might be shown several weeks ahead of its actual broadcast (the documentary being scheduled for mid-March). For more on this, pick up Issue 354 of DWM, now on sale.




FILTER: - Production - Magazines - DWM

New Series Update

Friday, 4 March 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
The latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine reports that "the exact date of transmission can't yet be confirmed - schedules can change up to a fortnight in advance - [but] it is still likely that the new series will begin transmission on Saturday 26 March." Both the BBC and BBC Worldwide are said to be "gearing up for a major launch of the show this Spring." This includes UK press screenings in early March, probably Tuesday 8 March, "which will coincide with the start of major television advertising campaign", with photographs and interviews following in UK newspapers and magazines. There may be a specially written television trailer, as well as radio trailers and a nationwide poster campaign. ChildrenÆs BBC will run "special behind-the-scenes reports" on both Newsround and Blue Peter.

Joe Ahearne has been confirmed as the director of episode 11, which bears the confirmed title "Boom Town"according to DWM, confirming Outpost Gallifrey's report last month that Ahearne had signed on to the additional episode. Episode 11 is therefore no longer a separate block from 12 and 13, as "it made sense for Joe to cover the whole thing", according to producer Phil Collinson. The magazine also confirms "The Doctor Dances" as the title of episode 10, again confirming the reports made online some time ago.

Regarding casting, some new updates: Episode 10 has Vilma Hollingberry as Mrs Harcourt. Episode 11 includes Aled Pedick as Idris and Will Thomas (previously seen on television in Belonging) as Mr Cleaver. Episodes 12 and 13 starPaterson Joseph as Rodrick, who apparently "shares some very unusual scenes with Rose Tylerà but will he live to tell the tale?" The same story includes Jamie Bradley as Strood and Abi Eniola as Crosbie, with Sebastian Armesto, Kate Loustau, Dominic Burgess and Karren Winchester in unconfirmed roles. Episode 13, The Parting of the Ways, also sees the return of Camille Coduri as Jackie Tyler and Noel Clarke as Mickey Smith.

The issue gives details for Episodes 4 to 7 of Doctor Who Confidential, which match the information given on the SFX site and reported here last week. One small additional detail is that Episode 5, Life on Earth, as well as looking at the DoctorÆs links to Earth, also "examines the new seriesÆ first cliffhangerà" See also the BBC website news below. There's also a foretaste from James Goss of the changes coming to the official website, a "teaser version" of which will launch in early March, with the full site beginning "with the first episode". The site will include "an astonishing amount of video û including 30 short films about the making of the showà WeÆre looking at clearing Doctor Who Confidential as well." There will also be broadband clips from the original run, desktop wallpapers, screensavers, sound files, hundreds of behind-the-scenes pictures, including "design sketches and photostories showingà how the TARDIS was built" and "some great games û including one where you get to drive a Dalek and anotherà how Monopoly would be if it were set in space, had tentacles, big weapons and a sense of humour. Some of itÆs written by Gareth Roberts". Also promised: "Some surprises".

There is a competition open to readers of DWM to see one of three exclusive preview screenings of the first episode on Monday 21 March in London. Entrants need to fill in a form on page 7 of the magazine and send it in; subscribers can e-mail their entries, giving their subscription numbers. The closing date and draw is on Wednesday 16 March. And the next issue, DWM 355à will include previews of The End of the World, The Unquiet Dead and Aliens of London, a set report on Rose, an interview with Simon Callow and behind-the-scenes on the creation of the TARDIS. ItÆs published on Thursday 31 March.

For further information on all of this, plus several exclusive interviews and all the regular features, pick up DWM 354 now on sale!




FILTER: - Production - DWM - Series 1/27

DWM 354

Tuesday, 1 March 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Issue #354 of Doctor Who Magazine is out this week. Attached is the press release and cover illustration; click on the image for a larger version.
Doctor Who Magazine are counting down the last days before the new series starts with a wealth of features.

This issue, they track down Doctor Who's extraordinarily busy executive producer Julie Gardner for an in-depth chat about what to expect over the coming months on BBC One.

"I genuinely believe that I'm working on something that has the best dramatic format in the world. To have a structure where you can go anywhere in time, and you've got an alien and a human girl discovering things about each other, facing death each week with humour and action and tragedy... it's the most glorious format that I could ever hope for and I absolutely love it!"

That's not all, though - the magazine also take a sneaky peek at the first episode, Rose, in the first of their new series previews.

Meanwhile, Gallifrey Guardian reveals exclusive casting updates for Episodes 11, 12 and 13 - and there's a huge competition where you can win the chance to see Episode One before its television broadcast!

And if all that still isn't enough to get you excited, Russell T Davies pops up to give some hints about series two in his unmissable Production Notes.

Fact of Fiction feature tackles Spearhead from Space, there's an Archive Extra on Daleks Invasion Earth: 2150AD, and a preview of BBC Audio's Doctor Who and the Daleks release.

Finally, the mag bids a fond farewell to Paul McGann's Eighth Doctor, Gareth Roberts takes a look at what's been going on in the world since Doctor Who was last regularly on TV and the Time Team continue their Doctor Who viewing with The Robots of Death and The Talons of Weng-Chiang.

Oh, and there's a lovely blue monster on the cover. Hooray!

DWM 354 goes on sale from Thursday 3 March.




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