Russell T Davies interview

Monday, 15 December 2008 - Reported by Marcus
Out - RTD Interview
The Christmas edition of outnorthwest, the free monthly magazine of the Lesbian and Gay Foundation, features an interview with Doctor Who Executive producer Russell T Davies.

The Magazine is available online.

PRESS RELEASE
To see big, noisy, public people being gay, and being happy, is a really important thing." - Russell T Davies.

Russell made his name as the creator and writer of the groundbreaking gay drama Queer as Folk; aired on late night Channel 4, it was the first UK TV drama to be centred around gay, bisexual and lesbian characters. Now, ten years later, he's prime time BBC 1, celebrated for reinventing Doctor Who, and is widely regarded as the most powerful writer in UK television.

In the interview, Russell talks openly about the responsibility he feels as a gay public figure to be as visible as possible, to highlight LGB people leading happy, positive and successful lives:

"Every interview I do I mention the fact that I'm gay, but I think that if your 15, to see big, noisy, public people being gay and being happy is a really important thing."

He also slams the critics who accuse him of bringing a gay agenda to Doctor Who: "If people genuinely see it as a problem, then the problem is theirs. Their life is small, inhibited, and stunted. They're not living fully, their heart isn' t open, their mind isn't open."

outnorthwest also gets the low down on Russell's career, from Queer As Folk to Doctor Who, his favourite TV shows and his celebrity crushes.

Russell has close contacts with Manchester; he still lives in the city, and many of his early shows were set there, he is also a patron of the Manchester based Lesbian and Gay Foundation. He stressed that talking to outnorthwest gave him the opportunity, "to pay something back."

Grahame Robertson, Editor of outnorthwest said:

"We first spoke to Russell nearly ten years ago, at the height of Queer As Folk-mania. Since then he's gone on to become the most influential person working in television today. I'm over the moon he's taken the time to speak to us again."

So, to find out if Russell spills the beans on any Doctor Who storylines, download or grab yourself a copy of outnorthwest!




FILTER: - People - Merchandise - Russell T Davies

Christmas Radio Times

Sunday, 7 December 2008 - Reported by Marcus

This year's Radio Times Christmas issue is now on sale across the UK. The magazine contains a written piece by Russell T Davies, where he previews the Christmas special and talks about plans for Doctor Who. There are also short interviews with both David Tennant and David Morrissey.

Also, the magazine features a special poster offer. Fans can collect a token from the Christmas issue and a token from the issue of Radio Times out on 27th December to get a double-sided A1-sized poster (supplied in a tube) with two Radio Times images. One side shows the Cyberleader and the Cybermen, while the reverse has the two Doctors, Miss Hartigan and the Cybermen. Postage and Packing costs apply.

To mark Doctor Who's 45th birthday, the Radio Times website is launching a comprehensive story guide, listing episodes, transmission dates, production details, cast and crew. It starts at the beginning with An Unearthly Child and will build week by week to cover all transmitted Doctor Who stories; the first ten up to and including The Dalek Invasion of Earth are already online. There will be in-depth RT Choice analyses by Radio Times journalists Patrick Mulkern and Mark Braxton, and links to original RT covers, articles, occasional billings and readers' letters. Radio Times historian Ralph Montague will also be assisting on the project.




FILTER: - Merchandise - Radio Times

E-Space Trilogy Boxset

Thursday, 4 December 2008 - Reported by Marcus
The Doctor Who Restoration Team website has published an article detailing the contents of the forthcoming E-Space Trilogy DVD box set, containing the linked stories "Full Circle", "State of Decay" and "Warriors' Gate" from season eighteen of the series.

The stories, which were originally broadcast between October 1980 and January 1981, introduced the companion Adric and saw the departure of the characters of Romana and K9. The three four-parters - along with various commentaries, documentaries and other extra features as detailed in the article - will be available on DVD in the UK in the new year. The actual date of release has yet to be confirmed.




FILTER: - Merchandise - UK - Blu-ray/DVD

New Book Explores Who's Locations

Sunday, 26 October 2008 - Reported by R Alan Siler
Freelance author Nick Griffiths has released a follow-up to his first Doctor Who-themed book Dalek I Loved You.

Who Goes There is a travel book of sorts that take the reader to the strange and off-the-beaten-path locations used in the television series.

Mr Griffiths got the idea for the book after watching old Doctor Who stories starring Tom Baker and Jon Pertwee and noticing the strange qualities of some of the locations.

"There was an old railway station in an episode I was watching and I suddenly thought 'I'd really like to go there, that looks really strange and unusual'," he said.

"I had a quite a lot of fun trying to find the place anyway and when I got there it was fantastic being able to stand in the spot where the Doctor had stood."

As the idea grew, Griffiths settled on a list of Doctor Who stories that he wanted to investigate. Beginning in London, he then spent four weeks on the road, not only visiting locations around England and Wales, but researching the particular history of each place, unearthing stories as strange and original as the episodes in which they appeared.

"As well as the places themselves being the most fabulous, evocative areas, getting to them took us through some of the most beautiful countryside."

In Wales Mr Griffiths visited Southerndown beach in the Vale of Glamorgan, Howells department store and Queens Arcade in Cardiff, Fields House and St Woolas Cemetery in Newport for the book.

Southerndown appeared in the 2006 episode Doomsday and the 2008 show Journey's End where it doubled for Bad Wolf Bay in Norway. The beach and the geology of the cliffs captivated Mr Griffiths.

"I did love Southerndown. The strata are incredible," he said.

"There was no one else there when we visited and as we wandered around you got totally taken in by it all.

"Doctor Who had been filmed there only about six months previously so there was a real "sense of Who" there."

While this book has a Doctor Who theme to it, it isn't intended to be read only by Doctor Who fans. "What I would love is for people to get in their cars and go out and visit these places," Griffiths said.

There is also a companion website that offers photographs from the trip, a Google map of the locations and details of the nearest pub. In this innovative way, readers are invited to follow in his footsteps.

Who Goes There is published by Legend Press and is available on Amazon and other online services.




FILTER: - Merchandise

Series Four Soundtrack Listing Announced

Thursday, 16 October 2008 - Reported by DWNP Archive
Posted By John Bowman

Silva Screen Records has announced the full listing of the forthcoming soundtrack CD for Series Four of Doctor Who. The information was sent out by e-mail today to people who subscribed to its newsletter.

The 27-track disc will be released on November 17 but can be downloaded earlier from the company's website. The tracks are as follows:
1. Doctor Who Season Four Opening Credits (0:46)
2. A Noble Girl About Town (2:14)
3. Life Among the Distant Stars (2:30)
4. Corridors and Fire Escapes (1:12)
5. The Sybilline Sisterhood (1:53)
6. Songs of Captivity and Freedom (4:03)
7. UNIT Rocks (1:11)
8. The Doctor's Daughter (1:38)
9. The Source (3:21)
10. The Unicorn and the Wasp (3:11)
11. The Doctor's Theme Season Four (2:47)
12. Voyage of the Damned Suite (10:21)
13. The Girl With No Name (2:45)
14. The Song of Song (2:14)
15. All in the Mind (1:18)
16. Silence In The Library (2:57)
17. The Greatest Story Never Told (6:17)
18. Midnight (3:07)
19. Turn Left (2:20)
20. A Dazzling End (2:22)
21. The Rueful Fate of Donna Noble (2:44)
22. Davros (2:07)
23. The Dark and Endless Dalek Night (3:44)
24. A Pressing Need to Save the World (4:55)
25. Hanging On The Tablaphone (1:07)
26. Song of Freedom (2:51)
27. Doctor Who Season Four Closing Credits (1:07)




FILTER: - Merchandise - Audio

Comic Con Special Releases

Sunday, 8 June 2008 - Reported by Jarrod Cooper
Underground Toys is set to release two more special edition figures this year at the San Diego Comic Convention being held July 24th to the 27th at the San Diego Convention Center. As with last years release of the Assault Dalek and Damaged Cyberman, this year's figures are limited to 3,000 pieces each. Each figure is individually numbered and include the unique SDCC 2008 logo.

The figures are:

A Ninth Doctor in the Green Jumper from "Father's Day" with full articulation.

A "Time Crash" Twin Pack featuring an exclusive Fifth Doctor figure with celery exclusive to this pack and Tenth Doctor figure in blue suit with red converse shoes and a new burgundy shirt.




FILTER: - Merchandise

Classic Series Toys Pics

Wednesday, 16 April 2008 - Reported by Jarrod Cooper
Character Options has released the first photos of the upcoming Classic Seriesrange of 5 inch toys. Each figure pack will include a different part of the giant K-1 robot from the fourth Doctor's first story, Robot in 1974. When all eight packs are collected, the giant robot will be complete.

The first wave will include The Fourth Doctor, The Fifth Doctor, The Sixth Doctor, a Sea Devil, a Zygon, Magnus Greel and Mr Sin, SV7 and D84 (Robots of Death).

Also being launched is a Doctor Who 5 inch Classic Dalek Set – this set will include Daleks from The Dead Planet, (1963), The Planet of the Daleks, (1973) and Genesis of the Daleks (1975).

More information on this line can be found at DoctorWhoToys.net

Thank You to John Davies from the Doctor Who Forum for assistance with this story!!




FILTER: - Merchandise

Doctor Who Computer Game

Sunday, 9 March 2008 - Reported by DWNP Archive
Posted By Brigadier Bill

In a statement to Sci-Fi Wire Eidos has confirmed that it is preparing to announce a release date for a video game based on Doctor Who, according to gamer site videogaming247. Details on the game are still under wraps, but it is known that the company has the rights to the franchise and has been developing a game for the PC, PS2 and DS platforms.

A source told the site that work has started on the title and an announcement of a potential release date is forthcoming. Nothing else is known of the game thus far, the site said.




FILTER: - Merchandise

WETA Launches Doctor Who Mini Helmet Range

Saturday, 16 February 2008 - Reported by DWNP Archive
Posted By Michael Regina

New Zealand's WETA Collectibles has announced a miniature helmet line featuring products from the classic and new series.

From the press release: 'From the Classic Doctor Who series comes a 'Cyberman Leader Helmet,' from the episode Earthshock, and 'Lord President Borusa Head-dress' from Arc of InfinityPeter Davison plays the Doctor in both episodes, while from the Patrick Troughton episode Seeds of Death comes an 'Ice Warrior Helmet'. 'Sontaran Officer Linx Helmet', rounds out the classic series selection from the episode entitled The Time Warrior, starring Jon Pertwee.' Follow the link for more




FILTER: - Merchandise

The Master reborn... in polystone

Friday, 21 December 2007 - Reported by Josiah Rowe

Weta Collectibles has revealed the latest in their line of Doctor Who statuettes. The statue depicts the Master, as played by Roger Delgado in the character's first appearance, Terror of the Autons. The one-sixth scale miniature shows the Master in his black suit, holding his Tissue Compression Eliminator and standing over the body of an inanimate Auton.

Weta has previously released a Dalek and Cybercontroller from the new series; the Master statuette is the first Weta release to depict an element from classic Doctor Who.

To see larger photographs of the statue, please click on the thumbnails below.

Thanks to Paul McDermott.




FILTER: - Merchandise