Today's Doctor Who Adventure Calendar has revealed four Christmas card designs for you to download, print and send to your friends! The PDF files are A4 sized, folded twice to create the card.

Matt Smith has recorded a video extolling the virtues of Cardiff and Welsh locations for VisitBritain, as part of their Great Britain - You're Invited promotion to encourage more visitors to the UK.

The video sees the actor speaking from the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff Bay (seen most recently in The Girl Who Waited), enthusing about his 'second' home of Cardiff, its people, social activities and their passion for sport (such as the rugby at weekends!).

As well as Cardiff itself, the actor also reflects upon being the Doctor, and the varied locations in the surrounding area that have featured in the show:


The video is one of a number that have been recorded to promote the United Kingdom, with others featuring notable names like actor Luke Evans talking about Wales, actress/director Asha Gill on music, and Dame Judi Dench on Hever Castle, the childhood home of Anne Boleyn.

The BBC have released a number of new promotional images for the forthcoming Christmas Special, The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe, featuring the principal guest stars for the festive story.

As well as Matt Smith as the Doctor, the cast includes Claire Skinner as Madge, Holly Earl as Lily, Maurice Cole as Maurice, Alexander Armstrong as Reg, Arabella Weir as Billis, Bill Bailey as Droxil, and Paul Bazely as Ven-Garr.


SPACE in Canada have now confirmed transmission of the hour long special at 9.00pm ET on Christmas Day. The episode has already has been confirmed for 7:00pm in the UK on BBC1/BBC1HD, 9:00pm ET in the US on BBC America and 7.30pm in Australia on ABC1.

A clip from the forthcoming DVD of The Android Invasion has been released on the BBC Classic Doctor Who YouTube channel, featuring producer Philip Hinchcliffe discussing the design of the Kraals' costumes in the story.


Several clips from the accompanying Pertwee story in the UNIT Files Boxed Set, Invasion of the Dinosaurs, are also available to watch via the company's YouTube channel.

Arthur Darvill has contributed to Amnesty International's Write for Rights campaign, asking people to write on behalf of a group of activists called WOZA (Women of Zimbabwe Arise) who protest on various issues in the country and are regularly met with violence and police brutality.

For full details see the Amnesty International website.

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What's On Stage have announced the nominations for their 2012 Awards, in which a number of related names from Doctor Who appear. David Tennant is up for the Best Actor in a Play award for Much Ado About Nothing, and his pairing with Catherine Tate has also made the Theatre Event of the Year list; Tate has also been nominated for Best Supporting Actress alongside Mark Gatiss for Best Supporting Actor reflecting their roles in Season’s Greetings. Arthur Darvill is also nominated for the latter award for his role in Dr Faustus. Others include Simon Callow (Jo Hutchison Best Solo Performance for Being Shakespeare), Sheridan Smith (Best Supporting Actress in a Play for Flare Path), Sarah Lancashire (Baby Grand Best Actress in a Musical for Betty Blue Eyes), Tamsin Greig (Best Actress in a Play for Jumpy) and James Corden (Best Actor in a Play for One Man, Two Guvnors). [What's On Stage, 1 Dec 2011]

Noel Clarke (Mickey Smith) has been awarded an doctorate by the University of East London; the actor/writer/director received a Doctor of Arts at a ceremony at the O2. Clarke said: "This is an amazing feeling, it’s such a great honour to receive this award. I love doing what I do and to get an honour for that seems strange, but I'm also very thankful. My advice to students, young people and anyone else who has a dream is to follow your instincts and to always give 100 per cent." You can watch him receive his award via the university's YouTube channel. [Fulham and Hammersmith Chronicle, 30 Nov 2011]

Karen Gillan spoke about where she'd like to settle down: "I want to live in splendid isolation when I’m 40 and then come back to acting when I want. I will live in Drumnadrochit (by Loch Ness), which is the weirdest name ever but is the most beautiful place." [Deadline News, 1 Dec 2011]

Tracy-Ann Oberman (Yvonne Hartman, Army of Ghosts/Doomsday) is to host a new soap opera themed quiz show for BBC Radio 2. Suds Law will see a mixture of soap stars and comedians battle it out over games and rounds based upon the characters, storylines and cliches that make the soaps popular. The first episode will be recorded on the 11th December, with tickets available from the BBC Tickets Website. [BBC Audience, 1 Dec 2011]

Children's presenter Ed Petrie talks about what he'd like to do in the future: "I have always wanted to be in 'Doctor Who', I know quite a few CBBC presenters who have appeared on the programme and I’m hoping that one day my chance might come. I’m such a fan – I’ve seen every single episode. If anyone should be on it, it should be me. I would make a brilliant Doctor Who." [BH Beat, 29 Nov 2011]

Director David Yates attended the BAFTA Los Angeles 2011 Britannia Awards on Wednesday evening, where he was awarded the John Schlesinger Britannia Award for Excellence in Directing in recognition of his work on the Harry Potter series of films.

Speaking after the ceremony, Yates responded to questions about his involvement and fan interest with the potential Doctor Who film, telling MTV News:

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Doctor Who's lead writer Steven Moffat has responded to the comments made by Yates via Twitter, saying:

Originally piloted for Western Europe, the BBC's iPlayer application has now been extended to iphone users in Canada. Jana Bennett, BBC Worldwide President of Worldwide Networks and Global iPlayer said:
The Canadian subscription fee is $8.99 a monthly or $84.99 annually. The service has also been made available in Australia, costing $9.49/$89.99 respectively. New users can test the application through carefully selected free content before subscribing.

As a special introduction, those who download the app this month can access a "free piece of festive content" every day until Christmas Day without having to sign up to the monthly or annual subscription.


Unlike the UK iPlayer, the global version provides both online streaming and downloading for offline viewing of programmes, with archives of popular shows available such as Only Fools and Horses and Spooks and of course Doctor Who - which is also a subject in the app's range of specially curated collections of programmes:

(newslink: BBC Worldwide Press Release)

Collinson PLC has been awarded the contract to build the new home for the Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff Bay.

Collinson will design and construct the 3000m³ tensile membrane building to form an iconic space-age shape containing the main exhibition hall and first floor mezzanine, and will also incorporate a glazed curtain wall to lend a futuristic feel to the project. Additional two storey accomodation will hold a reception area, café and classroom, plus office facilities.

Director Dan Collinson said:
The construction is in in conjunction with the BBC and Cardiff City Council, whose leader Rodney Berman said:

(newslinks: Collinson, Garstang Courier)

BBC America have confirmed that the 2011 Christmas Special, The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe will Premier on the channel Christmas Day at 9pm ET.

The episode has already been confirmed for transmission in the UK on Christmas Day at 7pm and for transmission in Australia on Boxing Day.

The BBC have launched their traditional Adventure Calendar for 2011, which will once again feature videos, interviews, games, wallpapers, cards, quizzes and other items for fans to enjoy in the lead up to Christmas Day and The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe.

Day One sees the return of The Game of Rassilon, an interactive quiz featuring clips and questions about the festive episode, as well as testing your memory about the adventures of Christmas past.

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Meanwhile, Doctor Who News is delighted to once again present Willy Phantom's Advent Calendar, featuring a new festive Doctor Who image in the sidebar every day until Christmas!