Big Finish releases for September

Thursday, 10 September 2015 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Today sees the launch of Big Finish's latest series of tie-in adventures, this time focussing on the Doctor Who spin-off, Torchwood; the first in the series, The Conspiracy, features John Barrowman, reprising his role as Captain Jack Harkness. Meanwhile, the three earliest Doctors all have an outing this month, with the First and Vicki's perceptions tested in Short Trips: Etheria, the Second, Ben, Polly and Jamie encounter The Yes Men, and the Third returns (in the form of Tim Treloar) alongside Jo and Mike Yates in the Third Doctor Adventures (Vol 1). Finally, the Seventh Doctor and Mel are caught up in diminutive shenanigans in Terror of the Sontarans ...

Torchwood (Credit: Big Finish)Torchwood: The Conspiracy [order]
Written by David Llewellyn
Directed by Scott Handcock
Starring John Barrowman as Captain Jack Harkness

Captain Jack Harkness has always had his suspicions about the Committee. And now Wilson is also talking about the Committee. Apparently the world really is under the control of alien lizards. That’s what Wilson says. People have died, disasters have been staged, the suspicious have disappeared.

It’s outrageous.

Only Jack knows that Wilson is right. The Committee has arrived.

Competition

We're pleased to be able to offer readers with an active Big Finish registration the chance to win a digital download of Torchwood: The Conspiracy: to enter, simply answer the following question:
Jack has been 'reborn' many times over the course of his career with Torchwood, but name a colleague to similarly 'return from the grave'.
Please send your answer along with your name and the email address you have registered with Big Finish, plus where you heard about the competition (news site, news app, other website, etc.) to comp-conspiracy@doctorwhonews.net with the subject "Committed to the cause". The competition is open worldwide, closing date: 30th September 2015. Note: entrants must have an active registration with Big Finish in order to be eligible to receive the prize - new registrations can be easily created on the website for free and with no financial obligation.

Short Trips: Etheria (Credit: Big Finish)Short Trips: Etheria [pre-order]
Written by Nick Wallace
Directed by Lisa Bowerman
Narrated by Peter Purves

Having escaped an ambush by pirates, the Doctor and Vicki are stranded on a strange world, in the shadow of vast rock formations and islands in the sky. The only way home is through the treacherous Etherlands, where the invisible Ether alters the perception of anyone who enters...
The Yes Men (Credit: Big Finish)The Early Adventures: The Yes Men [pre-order]
Written by Simon Guerrier
Directed by Lisa Bowerman
Starring Anneke Wills as Polly Wright/Narrator, Frazer Hines as Jamie McCrimmon/The Doctor), and Elliot Chapman as Ben Jackson

The Doctor, Jamie, Polly and Ben arrive on New Houston, an Earth colony in the Fourth Sector, which the Doctor previously saved from an alien invasion. He wishes to pay his respects to his late friend Meg Carvossa, but something is not quite right with New Houston’s subservient robots...
The Third Doctor Adventures: Volume 1 (Credit: Big Finish)The Third Doctor Adventures: Volume One [pre-order]
Written by: Justin Richards and Andy Lane
Directed by Nicholas Briggs
Starring Tim Treloar as the Narrator/The Doctor, Katy Manning as Jo Grant, and Richard Franklin as Mike Yates

Prisoners of the Lake

Captain Mike Yates is investigating the disappearance of artefacts from an archaeological site deep below Dunstanton Lake. It’s hardly a job for UNIT. But when the team discover a mysterious ancient structure buried deep underwater, all that changes.

When chief archaeologist Freda Mattingly ventures inside, she soon realises that her skills do not begin to equip her to deal with what she finds. As an ancient menace begins to stir the Doctor, Jo Grant and Mike Yates must dive down to the lake bed and discover the secrets hidden there. Secrets that could mean the end of all life on Earth…

The Havoc of Empires

The Doctor and Jo take Mike Yates on his first trip in the TARDIS, but instead of the historical cricket match they were aiming for they end up on a futuristic space station in the middle of a diplomatic crisis that might escalate into galactic war.

The alien leader of the Chalnoth Hegemony is marrying the human Director of the Teklarn Incorporation, but there are forces that will stop at nothing to disrupt the ceremony. The Doctor is accused of murder while explosions occur across the station, and only Jo Grant, pretending to be a security consultant, can save the day.

But then, there’s the Eels to consider…
Terror of the Sontarans (Credit: Big Finish)Terror of the Sontarans [pre-order]
Written by John Dorney and Dan Starkey
Directed by Ken Bentley
Starring Sylvester McCoy as the Doctor and Bonnie Langford as Melanie Bush

Once it was a mining facility. Then later its corridors rang with screams generated by grotesque military experiments. However when the Doctor and Mel arrive on a hostile alien world after detecting a distress signal, the base they find themselves in is almost deserted.

But not for long. Soon the Doctor's old enemies, the Sontarans, have landed, and are searching for the remnants of their previous research team. Before long they uncover evidence of strange occurrences on the planet. Of madness and death.

They are warriors bred for war, strong of spirit and unafraid of death. To fear the enemy is an act of betrayal. Nothing holds terror for the Sontarans.

Until now...





FILTER: - Audio - Big Finish - Competitions - Doctor Who - First Doctor - Second Doctor - Seventh Doctor

BBC Audio: September releases

Wednesday, 2 September 2015 - Reported by Chuck Foster
This month sees two classic Target novelisations released as audio books: the sixth/second Doctor adventure The Two Doctors by Robert Holmes, originally published in December 1985 and read here by the sixth Doctor himself, Colin Baker; and The Curse of Fenric by Ian Briggs, featuring the seventh Doctor and originally published in November 1990, here read by "Davros" actor Terry Molloy (this latter release having been brought forward in the schedule from November, swapping places with Royal Blood).

Further audio books based on novelisations will continue into the next year. December sees the first historic pairing of Sarah Jane Smith and K-9 in Terence Dudley's K-9 And Company, whilst in the new year the fourth Doctor encounters an ancient Time Lord menace in Doctor Who and the State of Decay (by Terrance Dicks). February then jumps a time track back to the first Doctor's visit to The Space Museum (by Glyn Jones), followed in March by an exploration of one the seven wonders of the universe by the third Doctor in Death to the Daleks (also by Terrance Dicks). In April its 'friends reunited' as the second Doctor and the Brigadier face the Cybermen in The Invasion (by Ian Marter), and then in May the fifth Doctor becomes one of "The King's Demons" and confronts an old adversary in 13th Century England (also by Terence Dudley). Note: schedules for these and other BBC Audio releases are subject to change.

The Two Doctors (Credit: BBC Audio)The Two Doctors
Written by Robert Holmes, read by Colin Baker
Released 3rd September 2015 [order]

Colin Baker reads this exciting classic novelisation of a Sixth Doctor TV adventure

Disturbed by the time travel experiments being conducted on Space Station J7, the Time Lords send the second Doctor and Jamie to investigate. Arriving on the station in deep space, they are attacked by a shock force of Sontarans, and the Doctor is left for dead.

Across the gulfs of Time and Space, the Sixth Doctor discovers that his former incarnation is very much alive. Together with Peri and Jamie he must rescue his other self before the plans of scientist Dastari, and the ruthless augmented Androgum Chessene, reach their deadly and shocking conclusion...

Colin Baker, who played Sixth Doctor in the BBC TV series, reads Robert Holmes' complete and unabridged novelisation, first published by Target Books in 1985.

Competition

To be in with a chance to win a copy of the audio book The Two Doctors courtesy of BBC Audio, answer the following question:
What race does Jamie first mis-identify Chessene as, before the (sixth) Doctor corrects him?
Please send your answers along with your name, address and where you heard about the competition (news site, news app, other website, etc.) to comp-twodoctorscd@doctorwhonews.net with the subject "Yes, Jamie, it is a big one...". The competition is open world-wide, closing date: 27th September 2015. Only one entry per household will be accepted.
The Curse Of Fenric (Credit: BBC Audio)The Curse of Fenric
Written by Ian Briggs, read by Terry Molley
Released 3rd September 2015 [order]

Terry Molloy reads this exciting classic novelisation of a Seventh Doctor TV adventure

At a North Yorkshire naval base in 1943, Dr Judson is using his ULTIMA code-breaking machine to decipher the runic inscriptions in the crypt of the nearby church.

Meanwhile, Commander Millington is obsessed with his research into the toxic bombs that he insists will hasten the end of World War Two. When a squad of the Russian Red Army lands on the nearby coast, with instructions to steal the ULTIMA machine, they are unaware that Millington had turned it into a devastating secret weapon.

Into this scenario materialises the Doctor and Ace. Ace isn't impressed with the security arrangements or the fashions - but the Doctor had graver matters on his mind. Beneath the waters at Maidens Point, an ancient evil stirs. The Doctor uncovers mysteries concealed within villainous plots - but what connects them all to a thousand-year curse?

Terry Molloy, who played Davros in Doctor Who, reads Ian Briggs' complete and unabridged novelisation, first published by Target Books in 1990.

Competition

To be in with a chance to win a copy of the audio book The Curse Of Fenric courtesy of BBC Audio, answer the following question:
What is the trigger word to release the toxin hidden inside the ULTIMA machine?
Please send your answers along with your name, address and where you heard about the competition (news site, news app, other website, etc.) to comp-fenriccd@doctorwhonews.net with the subject "Flip Flops are ace!". The competition is open world-wide, closing date: 27th September 2015. Only one entry per household will be accepted.




FILTER: - Audio - BBC Audio - Competitions - Seventh Doctor - Sixth Doctor

Bernice Summerfield to feature in 12th Doctor novel

Wednesday, 26 August 2015 - Reported by Harry Ward
The character of Bernice Summerfield will be appearing in Big Bang Generation, a new Twelfth Doctor novel written by Gary Russell. Paul Cornell, the creator of the character tweeted earlier today: "I might as well say it. [Gary Russell's] forthcoming 12th Doctor novel Big Bang Generation features Prof. Bernice Summerfield!". The voice of the Big Finish character, Lisa Bowerman tweeted: "Does this make me canon?". The character first appeared in Cornell's 1992 novel Love and War, which was turned into a Big Finish audio play in 2012 and featured the voice of Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield. The character has been a regular fixture in Big Finish's output since 1998's Oh No It Isn't!, the very first Bernice Summerfield audio story. Bowerman will lend her voice to the audiobook version of Big Bang Generation.
Big Bang (Credit: BBC Books) Doctor Who: Big Bang Generation
Written by Gary Russell
Read by Lisa Bowerman
Release date: 8 September 2015 (Paperback Book) (available for pre-order)
1 October 2015 (Audiobook) (available for pre-order)

“I'm an archaeologist, but probably not the one you were expecting.”

Christmas 2015, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Imagine everyone's surprise when a time portal opens up in Sydney Cove. Imagine their shock as a massive pyramid now sits beside the Harbour Bridge, inconveniently blocking Port Jackson and glowing with energy. Imagine their fear as Cyrrus 'the mobster' Globb, Professor Horace Jaanson and an alien assassin called Kik arrive to claim the glowing pyramid. Finally imagine everyone's dismay when they are followed by a bunch of con artists out to spring their greatest grift yet.

This gang consists of Legs (the sexy comedian), Dog Boy (providing protection and firepower), Shortie (handling logistics), Da Trowel (in charge of excavation and history) and their leader, Doc (busy making sure the universe isn't destroyed in an explosion that makes the Big Bang look like a damp squib).

And when someone accidentally reawakens The Ancients of the Universe - which, Doc reckons, wasn't the wisest or best-judged of actions – things get a whole lot more complicated…




FILTER: - Big Finish - Books - Merchandise - Twelfth Doctor

UK to get individual Series 1-4 Blu-ray sets

Wednesday, 26 August 2015 - Reported by Harry Ward
BBC Worldwide are releasing individual Blu-ray sets for Series 1-4 of Doctor Who in the UK on 31 August 2015. The discs, upscaled to 1080i HD originally formed part of the Series 1-7 box set in 2013. Australia have had the individual Series 1-4 Region B sets since 2013.

Doctor Who News has been informed that the new 1-4 releases are identical in specifications as the 1-7 set. This means the discs will play at 24fps instead of the native 25fps.
Doctor Who - The Complete First Series (Credit: BBC Worldwide / 2entertain) Doctor Who - The Complete First Series
Region B Blu-ray
Release date: 31 August 2015 (available for pre-order)

All 13 episodes from the first series of the relaunched sci-fi adventure drama, written by Russell T. Davies and starring Christopher Eccleston as the legendary Time Lord.

In this series, the Doctor meets new companion Rose Tyler (Billie Piper) while saving her from the living-plastic Nestene Consciousness, before taking her on adventures through time and space, where she meets Charles Dickens (Simon Callow), tries to save her father from dying when she was a child, and helps the Doctor and Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) battle the evil Daleks and save the world.

The episodes are: 'Rose', 'The End of the World', 'The Unquiet Dead', 'Aliens of London', 'World War Three', 'Dalek', 'The Long Game', 'Father's Day', 'The Empty Child', 'The Doctor Dances', 'Boom Town', 'Bad Wolf' and 'The Parting of the Ways'.
Doctor Who - The Complete Second Series (Credit: BBC Worldwide / 2entertain) Doctor Who - The Complete Second Series
Region B Blu-ray
Release date: 31 August 2015 (available for pre-order)

All 14 episodes from the second series of the relaunched sci-fi adventure drama, starring David Tennant as the latest incarnation of the legendary Time Lord.

In this series, the tenth Doctor takes companion Rose Tyler (Billie Piper) to New Earth and struggles to overcome the effects of regeneration. In the opening Christmas episode London is deluged by Santa Claus impersonators and Christmas trees intent on malice. Mankind is threatened by a planetary invasion and there's only the Prime Minister to battle it out.

The episodes are: 'The Christmas Invasion', 'New Earth', 'Tooth and Claw', 'School Reunion', 'The Girl in the Fireplace', 'Rise of the Cybermen', 'The Age of Steel', 'The Idiot's Lantern', 'The Impossible Planet', 'The Satan Pit', 'Love and Monsters', 'Fear Her', 'Army of Ghosts' and 'Doomsday'.
Doctor Who - The Complete Third Series (Credit: BBC Worldwide / 2entertain) Doctor Who - The Complete Third Series
Region B Blu-ray
Release date: 31 August 2015 (available for pre-order)

All 14 episodes from the third series of the relaunched sci-fi adventure drama, starring David Tennant as the latest incarnation of the legendary Time Lord.

In this series, the Doctor is joined by new companion Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman) as he encounters old enemies including the Daleks and the Master (Derek Jacobi).

The episodes are: 'The Runaway Bride', 'Smith and Jones', 'The Shakespeare Code', 'Gridlock', 'Daleks in Manhattan', 'Evolution of the Daleks', 'The Lazarus Experiment', '42', 'Human Nature', 'The Family of Blood', 'Blink', 'Utopia', 'The Sound of Drums' and 'Last of the Timelords'.
Doctor Who - The Complete Fourth Series (Credit: BBC Worldwide / 2entertain) Doctor Who - The Complete Fourth Series
Region B Blu-ray
Release date: 31 August 2015 (available for pre-order)

All 14 episodes from the fourth series of the relaunched sci-fi adventure drama, starring David Tennant as the latest incarnation of the legendary Time Lord.

In this series, the Doctor is joined by new companion Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) as the pair venture through time and space, visiting ancient Pompeii and the planet of the Ood while also meeting the mysterious River Song (Alex Kingston).

The episodes are: 'Voyage of the Damned', 'Partners in Crime', 'The Fires of Pompeii', 'Planet of the Ood', 'The Sontaran Stratagem', 'The Poison Sky', 'The Doctor's Daughter', 'The Unicorn and the Wasp', 'Silence in the Library', 'Forest of the Dead', 'Midnight', 'Turn Left', 'The Stolen Earth' and 'Journey's End'.




FILTER: - Blu-ray/DVD - Doctor Who - Merchandise - Ninth Doctor - Series 1/27 - Series 2/28

Lethbridge-Stewart: exclusive pre-order release

Wednesday, 26 August 2015 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Candy Jar Books have announced an exclusive release for those who pre-order the next book in their Lethbridge-Stewart series, The Schizoid Earth:

Lethbridge-Stewart: Legacies (Credit: Candy Jar Books)Legacies
Written by Norma Ashley

Random chance. That’s all it takes to change everything. What would happen had Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart and the Doctor failed to stop the Great Intelligence?

A free 34-page story exclusive for those who pre-order The Schizoid Earth directly from Candy Jar Books. The offer ends September 24th 2015, and only applies to pre-orders for the paperback. The Schizoid Earth by David A McIntee is released on September 25th 2015.




FILTER: - Books - Candy Jar Books - Lethbridge-Stewart

Germany: Pandastorm Pictures changes DVD release schedule

Monday, 24 August 2015 - Reported by Pascal Salzmann
Pandastorm Pictures (Credit: Pandastorm Pictures)German DVD distributor Pandastorm Pictures sent out a newsletter today announcing changes to the DVD format and to the release schedule.

Instead of the previously reported two volumes of Sixth Doctor adventures (containing Season 22 plus The Twin Dilemma and Season 23), Pandastorm is going to release three sets now, splitting Season 22 in two parts.

Here is the complete newsletter, translated from German:

Dear Doctor Who fans,
while many of you are still waiting in excitement for the release of The Five Doctors this week, we are currently working on the releases of the sixth Doctor. The first volume will be out on 27th November 2015.

We originally planned to release the dubbed episodes of the sixth Doctor in two volumes. At the time we didn't know that the included bonus features of Volume 1 would make it 10 DVD's instead of the planned 7 DVD's. Because of very expensive authoring, post-production and production of this set, we would have to increase the price - which would lead to lower sales in the retail stores.

That is why we decided to produce a 5-disc-set for Volume 1, making it three volumes instead of two. We hope you understand.

This is the new release schedule:


Release
Discs
Content
Release date
Sechster Doktor  – Volume 1
5 DVD's
Zweimal Einstein (The Twin Dilemma)
Angriff der Kybermänner (Attack of the Cybermen)
Revolte auf Varos (Vengeance on Varos)
Die Rache des Meisters (The Mark of the Rani)
27th Nov 2015
Sechster Doktor  – Volume 2
5 DVD's
Androiden in Sevilla (The Two Doctors)
Das Amulett (Timelash)
Planet der Toten (Revelation of the Daleks)
26th Feb 2016
Sechster Doktor  – Volume 3
tba

27th May 2016
Pandastorm's current release Fünf Doktoren (The Five Doctors) will be out this week on 28th August 2015 and can be pre-ordered via Amazon Germany.




FILTER: - Blu-ray/DVD - Germany - Pandastorm - Sixth Doctor

Lethbridge-Stewart: books update

Tuesday, 18 August 2015 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Candy Jar Books have released a revised schedule for Lethbridge-Stewart, their range of books that follow the career of the character prior to him becoming UNIT's most memorable operative.

Unforeseen circumstances have led to a delay in publishing the second in the series, The Schizoid Earth. Author David A McIntee explained:
I'm sorry nobody's had a chance to read the book yet. I had hoped to be able to finish it earlier than originally planned so that it could be brought forward somewhat. A family bereavement has negated that hope (my mother-in-law died a few weeks ago) leading to all the irritating practical and bureaucratic interruptions you might imagine. The book, however, is nearly finished and will be coming very soon.
Hayley Cox, publishing co-ordinator at Candy Jar Books, said:
We are determined to not let this setback affect the rest of this year’s releases, and we are committed to getting four titles out by the end of 2015 as originally intended.

The revised publication dates are listed below, alongside their respective covers (including a new version of The Schizoid Earth by Adrian Salmon). The titles can all be pre-ordered directly from the Candy Jar Books website.

Lethbridge-Stewart: The Schizoid Earth (Credit: Candy Jar Books)The Schizoid Earth
Written by David A McIntee
Cover by Adrian Salmon
Published on 25th September 2015

Lethbridge-Stewart was supposed to be in the mountains of the east. Things didn't quite go according to plan.

On the eve of war, something appeared in the sky; a presence that blotted out the moon. Now it has returned, and no battle plan can survive first contact with this enemy.

Plagued by nightmares of being trapped in a past that never happened, Lethbridge-Stewart must unravel the mystery of a man ten years out of his time; a man who cannot possibly still exist.

Why do the ghosts of fallen soldiers still fight long-forgotten battles against living men? What is the secret of the rural English town of Deepdene? Lethbridge-Stewart has good reason to doubt his own sanity, but is he suffering illness or injury, or is something more sinister going on?”

David A McIntee has written novels for Star Trek, Final Destination and Space: 1999 and over fifteen books and audio dramas for Doctor Who since 1993, including the Brigadier-centric novel, The Face of the Enemy. David said: “To be honest it (the series) is something I'm amazed hasn't been done before – it’s just such a natural and obvious thing. The form it's taking is also cool because it has the flexibility to move between styles and genres – thriller, SF, horror, etc – while maintaining a definite identity. As for the Brig himself, he's one of those characters where the casting was so perfect that it just made the character so memorable, and who (usually) feels so right.”
Lethbridge-Stewart: Beast Of Fang Rock (Credit: Candy Jar Books)Beast of Fang Rock
Written by Andy Frankham-Allen
Cover by Colin Howard
Published on 23rd October 2015

’There’s always death on the rock when the Beast’s about.’

Fang Rock has always had a bad reputation. Since 1955 the lighthouse has been out of commission, shut down because of fire that gutted the entire tower. But now, finally updated and fully renovated, the island and lighthouse is once again about to be brought back into service.

Students have gathered on Fang Rock to celebrate the opening of the ‘most haunted lighthouse of the British Isles’, but they get more than they bargained for when the ghosts of long-dead men return, accompanied by a falling star.

Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart is brought in to investigate what he believes to be signs of alien involvement. But it is not only Lethbridge-Stewart who has an interest in Fang Rock. Anne Travers is called to her family solicitor’s, who have in their possession a letter from Archibald Goff, the paranormal investigator who once visited Fang Rock back in the 1820s, and along with it a piece of alien technology.

What connects a shooting star, ghosts of men killed in 1902 and the beast that roamed Fang Rock in 1823? Lethbridge-Stewart and Anne Travers are about to discover the answer first hand...

With a foreword by Louise Jameson, who played Leela, the Doctor’s companion from 1976-1978.

Andy Frankham-Allen is the deputy editor at Candy Jar Books and has been a Doctor Who fan since his childhood. Andy is the former line editor of Untreed Reads Publishing’s series Space: 1889 & Beyond, and has penned several Doctor Who Short Trip stories for Big Finish and Candy Jar’s Lethbridge-Stewart: The Forgotten Son, as well as Companions: Fifty Years of Doctor Who Assistants. He said: “There’s been such a warm reception to the first book I must thank everybody for all their kind words. My next book is a dream come true. It’s an idea I’ve had rattling around in my head since 1998, so it’s great privilege to be able to make it a reality, and even more so due to Terrance Dicks’ involvement with it.”
Lethbridge-Stewart: Mutually Assured Domination (Credit: Candy Jar Books)Mutually Assured Domination
Written by Nick Walters
Cover by Adrian Salmon
Published on 20th November 2015

The late ‘60s. Global power balances are shifting and the peace movement, preoccupied with the Vietnam War after the Tet offensive, has perhaps taken its eye off the nuclear ball.

Certain ‘outside interests’ take advantage of this situation and soon the world is poised on the brink of nuclear armageddon.

It’s up to Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart and uneasy ally journalist Harold Chorley to fight the forces of darkness and save the day.

Featuring the return of the Dominators and their weapons of mass destruction, the Quarks! Also features a forward by novelist Paul Finch.

Nick Walters has written five novels for Doctor Who since 1998. Nick said: “After the Doctor himself the Brigadier is the best-loved character in Doctor Who. I met Nick Courtney a number of times and he really is a splendid fellow. He brought a real humanity and vulnerability to the role without compromising the essential toughness of the character. Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart is the chap you'd want on your side in a fight – any fight – and it is a real privilege to be exploring what made him into the character we came to know and love.”

The story of Colonel Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart is fully licensed by the Executor of the Haisman Literary Estate, Mervyn Haisman’s granddaughter Hannah Haisman, and endorsed by Henry Lincoln.





FILTER: - Books - Candy Jar Books - Lethbridge-Stewart

People Roundup

Monday, 17 August 2015 - Reported by Chuck Foster
A roundup of recent news relating to Doctor Who cast and crew:
  • Matt Smith has begun filming for a new drama for Netflix, The Crown, due to be broadcast in 2016. The ten-part series, based on the play The Audience, will follow the relationship between Queen Elizabeth (Claire Foy) and the prime ministers who have served during her monarchy, with Smith portraying her husband, Prince Philip. [Northampton Herald and Post, 11 Aug]

  • David Tennant will be portraying the character of 'baddy' Zebediah Killgrave in the television adaptation of the Marvel comic Jessica Jones. Jeff Loeb, Marvel's Head of Television, said: "In the same kind of way Vincent D’Onofrio owned his half of Daredevil, you’ll see David Tennant own his half of Jessica Jones… What you get out of Jessica is a sort of hold-your-breath tension as to what’s going to happen. When you see the dynamic between Krysten Ritter and David Tennant… that question of ‘What’s going to happen next?’ and ‘What could happen next?’ and how that’s driven by character is something that is so important to not just the scripts but also the way the show is shot, and the way that everyone reacts, and the way those two react with each other." [Science Fiction, 14 Aug]

  • Christopher Eccleston led this year's tribute in Manchester to mark the anniversary of the Peterloo Massacre, where 15 protesters were killed when troops charged a political meeting there in 1819. The actor read from a speech delivered by Henry ‘Orator’ Hunt from the day. [Manchester Evening News, 16 Aug]

  • Colin Baker will be on hand to officially unveil a display of copies of the Doctor Who scripts by the show's first writer Anthony Coburn at Spoon Web (The DVD Shop) in Whitstable, Kent on Sunday 23rd August. The event also coincides with a Kickstarter campaign aimed to provide funding for the ongoing maintenance, improvement and promotion of the police box replica for Herne Bay TARDIS for Children in Need. [Facebook]

  • Tom Baker may be about to take on a role in the Star Wars franchise. A guest at the recent Day of the Doctors convention, he is reported as saying: "I'm going to be in this new Star Wars thing, you know? I'm going down to record some voices for this new character they've created for me, very soon" [various, including Sci-Fi Fantasy Network, Inquistr, 15 Aug]

  • Frazer Hines has been appearing in Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, which this week reaches the Leeds Grand Theatre. Talking about portraying his character, Rogers, he said: "I suppose it’s my experience of being in the show business for over forty years that many could assume that Rogers, being just a butler, could be played just as a butler. But I worked out that he was in the First World War, in the army, so he has this straight-backed walk and respects the general in the play and respects the copper. So I’ve brought those little nuances into the character."

    He also mentioned that the most common question he gets asked is what was it like to work with second Doctor Patrick Troughton: "A lovely man. Some of the happiest years of my show business career were working with Patrick Troughton in Doctor Who. But they all ask me that and I wish I had a pound for every time I’m asked that question. He was a lovely, lovely man and we had great fun working together. If I had an idea he wouldn’t say, “I’m the Doctor, you just shut up and be the assistant.” He’d turn and say, “Frazer, what a marvellous idea. Let’s do it.” I’d worked with him before in 1964, before Doctor Who had started and I was the star of that show, Smuggler’s Bay, and he was playing the part of an old smuggler. But a year or so later he was the star of Doctor Who and I was just joining in as Jamie for four episodes so the role was reversed. It was great, we just gelled straight away." [(Entertainment Focus, 14 Aug]

  • Speaking of And Then There Were None, a new BBC One production of the play has been announced, whose cast will feature Burn Gorman as William Blore and Anna Maxwell Martin as Ethel Rogers. [BBC Media Centre, 10 Jul]

  • Jenna Coleman has revealed one of the tricks of the trade employed during filming scenes with her co-star Peter Capaldi: I have to stand on an apple box when we’re filming - it’s called ‘Jenna’s Box’ and it gets brought out when I need to fit into a particular shot." [Express, 15 Aug]

  • Sir John Hurt can be heard as the lead role in Jeffrey Bernard Is Unwell, broadcast this weekend on BBC Radio 4; the play is described as "A dying Soho, seen through the eyes of the notorious columnist of The Spectator - plain-speaking drinker, gambler, wit and raconteur." It also features Nichola McAuliffe and Jeff Rawle. [BBC Radio 4, 15 Aug]

    Speaking of his recent diagnosis of having pancreatic cancer, the actor observed: I can’t say I worry about mortality, but it’s impossible to get to my age and not have a little contemplation of it. We’re all just passing time, and occupy our chair very briefly. But my treatment is going terrifically well, so I’m optimistic." [Radio Times, 15 Aug]

  • Talking about his role in new film Pleasure Island, Samuel Anderson said: "I've played a lot of love interests - those kind of romantic roles, 'sweet boy' kind of thing - so it was brilliant to come in and just play an idiot. From when I read the script, I was hooked. Just the way Mike (Doxford, writer/director) had laid his characters out. You could feel it - each character was grounded and had a bit of weight to them. It was like, 'If I don't get the part, I can't wait to see the film'." [Digital Spy, 15 Aug]

  • On a possible return to Doctor Who, Anderson commented: "Maybe in an alternate universe? I wouldn't mind approaching him in a different way. Or maybe just come back as Orson Pink because then it changes the dynamic between him and the Doctor. If it's Orson Pink I think the relationship would be totally different because instead of a soldier – which is the kind of person the Doctor can't bear – you've got another scientist who could be quite interesting with their relationship. And then instead of it being a love interest with Clara and Danny, it would be a family affair with grandmother and grandson but at the same age." [Radio Times, 13 Aug]

  • Amidst speculation that he may be a future successor to Steven Moffat as the lead writer on Doctor Who, Toby Whithouse responded: "No-one at the BBC has ever had this conversation with me! No-one has asked me, no-one has approached me about if Steven leaves, when Steven leaves. These are conversations that happen purely among fans, not on any official level."

    On writing for the show in general: "There’s a reason I go back to Doctor Who every year, and that’s because I absolutely love working on it! There is something so magical, so ludicrous about that show! ... The appeal never fades: I’m 45 now, and writing: ‘Interior: TARDIS’ at the top of a scene is still really, really exciting. You also get to tell these extraordinary stories that you couldn’t write for any other show." [The London Economic, 11th Aug]

  • Many media publications focussed on the casting of Bethany Black as being the first transgender actress to appear in the show. The comedian herself reflected on filming for the new series: "It is genuinely the greatest job I could ever have imagined getting. Everything about it is magical. I'm enjoying every day of filming and cherishing it, because you never know if you'll ever get to do anything like this again. I only hope that I do the role and the show justice, and that you all enjoy it. For me it's the gig of a lifetime." [Facebook]

  • A new series of Who Do You Think You Are? has started on BBC One, which this year will also include the exploration of the family history for Sir Derek Jacobi, Anne Reid and writer Mark Gatiss.

  • Arthur Darvill will be playing Rip Hunter in DC's Legends Of Tomorrow, with the character described as "a time-traveler tasked with assembling a group of villains and heroes together after he sees a future that could destroy everything. This unlikely squad must now stop these devastating future events from happening, but it won’t be easy." [Hollywire, 12 Aug]

  • Darvill can also be seen in the forthcoming fictional account of Lenny Henry's early life, Danny And The Human Zoo, which also features Richard Wilson and Mark Benton.

  • Colin Morgan will star in a new drama for BBC One, The Living And The Dead. [BBC Media Centre, 10th Aug]

  • A number of names previously associated with Doctor Who have been making appearances at Roath Lock Studios of late and getting their photos taken alongside the TARDIS's current 'owner' Peter Capaldi, including Waris Hussein, Georgia Moffett, David Tennant and Russell T Davies.






FILTER: - Arthur Darvill - Colin Baker - David Tennant - Frazer Hines - Jenna Coleman - John Hurt

Tenth and Eleventh Doctor Comics - Sneak Preview

Wednesday, 12 August 2015 - Reported by Marcus
This week sees the release of the penultimate Doctor Who: Tenth Doctor by Nick Abadzis and Rachael Stott with Leonardo Romero, and the finale of Doctor Who: Eleventh Doctor penned by Al Ewing and Rob Williams and art by Simon Fraser.

DOCTOR WHO: TENTH DOCTOR #14

Separated by an ancient force from the centre of the galaxy, the Doctor takes a cosmic trip into the history of the universe, while Gabby must negotiate with an unearthly intelligence for the sake of the planet!
DOCTOR WHO: TENTH DOCTOR #14 (Credit: Titan)DOCTOR WHO: TENTH DOCTOR #14 (Credit: Titan)DOCTOR WHO: TENTH DOCTOR #14 (Credit: Titan)DOCTOR WHO: TENTH DOCTOR #14 (Credit: Titan)
DOCTOR WHO: ELEVENTH DOCTOR #15

It's the end... But the moment has been prepared for! The first year of the Eleventh Doctor finishes on an astounding high!
DOCTOR WHO: ELEVENTH DOCTOR  #15  (Credit: Titan)DOCTOR WHO: ELEVENTH DOCTOR  #15  (Credit: Titan)DOCTOR WHO: ELEVENTH DOCTOR  #15  (Credit: Titan)DOCTOR WHO: ELEVENTH DOCTOR  #15  (Credit: Titan)




FILTER: - Comics - Eleventh Doctor - Tenth Doctor

Doctor Who: Glamour Chronicles

Monday, 10 August 2015 - Reported by Marcus
BBC Books have announced three new novels in the Doctor Who: Glamour Chronicles series, featuring the 12th Doctor Peter Capaldi.

The novels Royal Blood by Una McCormack, Big Bang Generation by Gary Russell, and Deep Time by Trevor Baxendale, are all released on Septmeber 10th
DOCTOR WHO: ROYAL BLOOD

AN ORIGINAL NOVEL BY UNA McCORMACK, PART OF THE GLAMOUR CHRONICLES

“The Grail is a story, a myth! It didn’t exist on your world! It can’t exist here!”

The city-state of Varuz is failing. Duke Aurelian is the last of his line, his capital is crumbling, and the armies of his enemy, Duke Conrad, are poised beyond the mountains to invade. Aurelian is preparing to gamble everything on one last battle. So when a holy man, the Doctor, comes to Varuz from beyond the mountains, Aurelian asks for his blessing in the war.

However, all is not what it seems in Varuz. The cityguards have lasers for swords, and the halls are lit by electric candlelight. Aurelian’s beloved wife, Guena, and his most trusted knight, Bernhardt, seem to be plotting to overthrow their Duke, and Clara finds herself drawn into their intrigue...

Will the Doctor stop Aurelian from going to war? Will Clara’s involvement in the plot against the Duke be discovered? Why is Conrad’s ambassador so nervous? And who are the ancient and weary knights who arrive in Varuz claiming to be on a quest for the Holy Grail?

Una McCormack is a New York Times bestselling author. She has written two Doctor Who novels featuring the Eleventh Doctor, Amy and Rory: The King's Dragon and The Way through the Woods, as well as several audio dramas for Big Finish. She lives in Cambridge with her partner, Matthew, and their daughter, Verity.
DOCTOR WHO: BIG BANG GENERATION

AN ORIGINAL NOVEL BY GARY RUSSELL, PART OF THE GLAMOUR CHRONICLES

“I'm an archaeologist, but probably not the one you were expecting.”

Christmas 2015, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Imagine everyone's surprise when a time portal opens up in Sydney Cove. Imagine their shock as a massive pyramid now sits beside the Harbour Bridge, inconveniently blocking Port Jackson and glowing with energy. Imagine their fear as Cyrrus "the mobster" Globb, Professor Horace Jaanson and an alien assassin called Kik arrive to claim the glowing pyramid. Finally imagine everyone's dismay when they are followed by a bunch of con artists out to spring their greatest grift yet.

This gang consists of Legs (the sexy comedian), Dog Boy (providing protection and firepower), Shortie (handling logistics), Da Trowel (in charge of excavation and history) and their leader, Doc (busy making sure the universe isn't destroyed in an explosion that makes the Big Bang look like a damp squib).

And when someone accidentally reawakens The Ancients of Time, things get a whole lot more complicated...

Gary Russell has worked widely as an actor, magazine editor, reviewer, novelist, audio producer and script editor. His non-fiction work includes books on the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy, The Simpsons and Frasier. He is a former editor of the official Doctor Who Magazine, the author of several Doctor Who novels and non-fiction books, and was producer for Big Finish Productions of the monthly New Doctor Who Adventures from 1998 to 2006. He is now a member of the script-editing team on Doctor Who and Torchwood.
DOCTOR WHO: DEEP TIME

AN ORIGINAL NOVEL BY TREVOR BAXENDALE, PART OF THE GLAMOUR CHRONICLES

‘I do hope you’re all ready to be terrified!’

The Phaeron disappeared from the universe over a million years ago. They travelled among the stars using roads made from time and space, but left only relics behind. But what actually happened to the Phaeron? Some believe they were they eradicated by a superior force. Others claim they destroyed themselves.

Or were they in fact the victims of an even more hideous fate?

In the far future, humans discover the location of the last Phaeron road – and the Doctor and Clara join the mission to see where the road leads. Each member of the research team knows exactly what they are looking for – but only the Doctor knows exactly what they’ll find. Because only the Doctor knows the true secret of the Phaeron: a monstrous secret so terrible and powerful that it must be buried in the deepest grave imaginable...

Trevor Baxendale has written both Doctor Who and Torchwood novels for BBC Books, including Eater of Wasps, The Undertaker's Gift and the award-winning Prisoner of the Daleks. His novel Fear of the Dark was reprinted in 2013 as part of Doctor Who's 50th Anniversary celebrations. He has also written scripts for Big Finish's Doctor Who, Robin Hood and Highlander audio plays, and most recently the full cast audio drama Blake’s 7: Scimitar. His Blake's 7 novel, Criminal Intent, was published in November 2014. He has also written various adaptations for schools in Pearson’s Bugclub range. Deep Time is his 10th novel.




FILTER: - Books - Twelfth Doctor