Buzzcocks Ratings

Thursday, 17 December 2009 - Reported by Marcus
The Doctor Who themed edition of Never Mind The Buzzcocks got an audience of 2.9 million viewers according to unofficial overnight figures. The programme, which was presented by David Tennant, and starred Bernard Cribbins and Catherine Tate, got a share of 14% or the total audience.

The rating is much higher than usual for the programme, which, this series, has averaged around 2.1 million viewers per programme. It is the highest rating for the programme since November 2007.

Never Mind The Buzzcocks is repeated on BBC Two next Tuesday and is available in the UK on the BBC i-Player.




FILTER: - Special Events - Bernard Cribbins - Ratings

Doctor Who items on sale at Bonhams

Sunday, 13 December 2009 - Reported by Anthony Weight

Auctioneer Bonhams has a number of lots related to Doctor Who in its entertainment memorabilia sale on Wednesday 16th December at Knightsbridge in London.

Going under the hammer are the following (estimate in brackets):

Two vampire guard costumes from State of Decay (£150-£200 and £200-£300)

A Tetrap costume (pictured) from Time and the Rani (£4,000-£4,500)

Thawn's costume from The Power of Kroll labelled with actor Neil McCarthy's name (£650-£750)

Four rehearsal scripts from The Robots of Death (£250-£300) with a short, typewritten letter dated 14th October 1976 indicating that the part of SV7 was originally offered to the actor Hilary Minster.The role was eventually played by Miles Fothergill. Minster appeared in Planet of the Daleks and Genesis of the Daleks.

A Time Lord robe believed to have been used in The Deadly Assassin and Arc of Infinity (£500-£600)

A partial Cyberman costume worn by Ken Barker in Attack of the Cybermen (£2,500-£3,000)

A Shrivenzale foot from The Ribos Operation (£400-£450)

The auction begins at midday.





FILTER: - Special Events - UK - Classic Series

The End of Time Parties

Thursday, 10 December 2009 - Reported by Chuck Foster
David Tennant's Doctor Who finale, The End of Time Part Two, will be celebrated by two free pub events, both running from 3pm to 10:30pm on New Year's Day. One takes place in London in Farringdon, with the other taking place in Manchester at The Lass O'Gowrie pub on Charles Street.

Says Doctor Who fan and Lass O'Gowrie publican Gareth Kavanagh: "We'll be using all our big screens and pub system to create a fantastic atmosphere befitting the end of an era. It's free to attend - however, it's first come, first served. Under-16s are fine to stay until 9.30pm but they must be accompanied by an adult." For more details contact Gareth at info@thelass.co.uk.

The London event is organised by Jeremy Bentham, who has arranged parties for the premiere of all four series of 21st Century Doctor Who to date; for more details on where the party will take place, contact him at jjbentham@aol.com.




FILTER: - Specials - Special Events - Series 4/30 Specials

Doctor Who Adventure Calendar

Wednesday, 2 December 2009 - Reported by Chuck Foster

The Doctor Who Adventure Calendar returns to the official Doctor Who website for another year, and will feature a mix of games, videos, quizzes, interviews and stories. Visit every day for the next Christmas goodie!




FILTER: - Special Events - Online

Children in Need Ratings

Saturday, 21 November 2009 - Reported by Marcus
Over 12 million tuned into BBC One to see the 3 minute preview of The End of Time on Children in Need last night.

The quarter hour beginning at 8pm had an average audience of 11.9 million viewers on BBC One, the highest peak of the evening on any of the channels. The share was 49.5%. Once the Doctor Who clip had been shown the audience dropped off by 2 million with some viewers switching to ITV1 for Coronation Street. Overall the first section of Children In Need had an average audience of 9.8 million. An additional 260,00 viewers watched the Doctor Who clip on BBC HD, taking the total above 12 million.

Meanwhile the final part of The Sarah Jane Adventures, The Gift, finished its strong run with an audience of 0.8 million and a share of 6.4%, far above the average for the channel at this time.




FILTER: - Special Events - Ratings - UK - Sarah Jane

Charity Auctions

Sunday, 15 November 2009 - Reported by Marcus
Two rare sets of pre-production UK release ‘Time Crash’ figures, featuring the fifth and tenth Doctors are being auctioned for charity on Ebay. Both sets are signed by David Tennant and Peter Davison and have been donated to the Lynn North memorial fund by the Doctor Who Art Department.

Meanwhile doctorwhotoys.net has launched its annual auction for Children in Need with a Real Time action figure of Colin Baker up for grabs.




FILTER: - Special Events

Never Mind The Buzzcocks Special

Wednesday, 4 November 2009 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Phil Jupitus with David Tennant
Photo by Phil Jupitus
posted on YFrog
Comedian Phil Jupitus has announced a Doctor Who Special edition of the comedy panel music show Never Mind The Buzzcocks, which will feature David Tennant as the guest presenter; the show will also sees Bernard Cribbins on Phil's own team, alongside presenter Jo Whiley, whilst Noel Fielding's team will have Catherine Tate with singer Jamie Cullum.

No broadcast date has been announced as yet, though it is expected to be in the week leading up to Christmas Day.

(announced by Phil Jupitus on twitter)






FILTER: - Special Events - Catherine Tate - David Tennant

Christmas preview on Children in Need

Friday, 23 October 2009 - Reported by Anthony Weight
The BBC Press Office has published details of the line-up for this year's BBC Children in Need charity appeal, with which Doctor Who has long had an association. This year the programme is once again featured, with what the release describes as "An exclusive preview of the Doctor Who Christmas special." Last year there was a similar preview for the 2008 Christmas special, "The Next Doctor", with the pre-titles sequence for this episode being shown, a month in advance of its broadcast.

This year's Children in Need night takes place on Friday 20th November, broadcasting from 7pm on BBC One.





FILTER: - Specials - Special Events - Series 4/30 Specials - Broadcasting

Water on the Lens

Friday, 28 August 2009 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Pinewood Studios have announced a new exhibition featuring images that have been captured of filming at its prestigious Underwater Stage. Amongst the many photographs represented are sets from Casino Royale, The Da Vinci Code, Eastenders and Doctor Who – where it was used in The Impossible Planet for shots of Scooti floating in space.

The inspiring pictures were captured by Phoebe Rudomino, commercial diver and underwater photographer of Diving Services UK. “U Stage provides such a secure and comfortable water filming environment that we're able to produce almost any type of underwater production shoot,” says Phoebe. “From working with horses and fire to the world’s top actors and models, the scenes are truly fascinating to capture.”

The exhibition forms part of The Movieum of London, at the Riverside Rooms, County Hall, on London’s South Bank, and runs from 1st–28th October.




FILTER: - Special Events

The Torchwood Experience

Tuesday, 9 June 2009 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Experience Design, the team behind the Doctor Who Up Close exhibition in Cardiff Bay, have announced plans to open a Torchwood-themed exhibition in the Bay area.

The ambitious plan aims to reconstruct sets from the Torchwood Hub seen in the series, based across two levels, including an upstairs recreation of the Cardiff Bay watertower with lift to the "hub" below! It is also hoped that costumes from the series will also be on show.

Head designer of Experience Design, Martin Wilkie, said: "A Torchwood Exhibition would be a great addition to the Bay area. We have looked at several sites for a Torchwood Exhibition but we are hoping that this one might be available soon. The appeal of Torchwood brings many visitors to Cardiff Bay, especially to see the Torchwood Water Tower. The building we are hoping to use for the Torchwood Exhibition is near this famous TV landmark."

A Georgian building in Bute Crescent has been identified as a possible location for the exhibition, and Cardiff council are currently reviewing the application, which is hoped to open in July.

In the news: BBC South Wales, South Wales Echo.




FILTER: - Torchwood - Special Events - UK