The Thirteenth Doctor's sonic screwdriver revealed

Thursday, 19 July 2018 - Reported by Chuck Foster
The BBC have released a new promotional image for the forthcoming series of Doctor Who:

Series 11 - Promotional Image (19 Jul 2018) (Credit: BBC/Elliot Wilcox)

Eleventh Doctor Sonic Screwdriver (Credit: BBC Worldwide/Seven20/Character Options)As can be seen in the above image the Doctor is sporting a new sonic screwdriver - designer Arwel Wyn Jones said:
It’s a privilege to have been asked to redesign the iconic sonic screwdriver for the Thirteenth Doctor and a new generation of audiences. I can’t wait for people to see how the Doctor acquires it!

It was revealed at today's San Diego Comic Con that it will be available to purchase in August - the can be pre-ordered shortly in the UK from Forbidden Planet/Character Options and in the USA from the BBC Shop.

The US and UK toy versions of the Sonic Screwdriver have been created by Seven20 and Character Options, respectively. The new, electronic 8” collectible is a perfect replica of the Doctor’s device, features a light crystal and haa two buttons which control the light and sound elements of the Sonic.


Eleventh Doctor Sonic Screwdriver (Credit: BBC Worldwide/Seven20/Character Options)




FILTER: - Doctor Who - Press - series 11/37

Doctor Who Back On BBC iPlayer

Monday, 4 June 2018 - Reported by Marcus
Rose (Credit: BBC)The BBC has announced it is making every episode of Doctor Who made since 2005 available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

Ahead of Jodie Whittaker taking up the mantle of the Thirteenth Doctor, all ten series will be available to watch as box sets, plus every special from the past 13 years of the Doctor’s adventures, including mini-episode The Night of the Doctor.

Fans can take the TARDIS back to 2005 to enjoy every moment from Christopher Eccleston’s Ninth Doctor first meeting Rose right up to Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor’s final moments in last Christmas’s Twice Upon A Time.

The series has been one of the BBC’s biggest successes since returning in 2005, and has seen an extraordinary number of big names appear on the show. In addition to Eccleston and Capaldi, David Tennant and Matt Smith both had star-making turns as the Tenth and Eleventh Doctor respectively, and big-name guest stars include Carey Mulligan, Simon Pegg, Derek Jacobi, Kylie Minogue, Andrew Garfield, Felicity Jones and Bill Nighy.

The inituative followes recent trials where former series of Our Girl and The Bridge were brought back to BBC iPlayer before the new series aired. The BBC says the returning series of Doctor Who will help to ensure BBC iPlayer is a must-visit destination for viewers this summer.

Dan McGolpin, controller of programming for the BBC, said
We’re reinventing the BBC for a new generation and BBC iPlayer is key to that. Bringing back these series of Doctor Who is just part of our offer this summer giving viewers the chance to uncover or rediscover the Doctor’s previous adventures. You can also watch the World Cup live in UHD, catch-up on the latest stories unfolding in Albert Square and binge-watch box set drama like Our Girl or comedy like This Country. BBC iPlayer will have something for everyone.




FILTER: - BBC - Broadcasting - Doctor Who - UK

Work Experience on Doctor Who

Saturday, 2 June 2018 - Reported by Marcus
Doctor Who 2018: Landscape (Credit: BBC/BBC Worldwide)
BBC Studios are offering a seven week training & development opportunity working on Doctor Who in Cardiff.

The offer is aimed at those aiming to work in Television drama, but who lack the knowledge to know how to achieve this.

Full details are available by contacting Hannah.Williams05@bbc.co.uk.

Closing date for applications is Wednesday 6 June.
The BBC is also looking for an Assistant Producer, a Content Producer and a Senior Content Producer, to work on the digital output supporting Doctor Who.

Duties include designing and creating assets to support the Doctor Who franchise. The jobs are being offered as 3 month contracts. Closing date for applications is Wednesday 6 June.




FILTER: - BBC - Doctor Who - Production

Doctor Who: Series Three Steelbook

Tuesday, 13 March 2018 - Reported by Chuck Foster
BBC Worldwide have announced that Series Three of the revived series of Doctor Who will be the latest to receive the blu-ray Steelbook treatment, with the release due on 7th May. The three-disc set features HD-upscaled episodes of the series plus the extras originally released with the 2007 DVD collection.

Doctor Who - Series 3 Steelbook - Back Cover (blu-ray) (Credit: BBC Worldwide) Doctor Who - Series 3 Steelbook - Cover (blu-ray) (Credit: BBC Worldwide) Doctor Who - Series 3 Steelbook - Front Cover (blu-ray) (Credit: BBC Worldwide)




FILTER: - Blu-ray/DVD - Doctor Who - Series 3/29

Doctor Who Experience leaves Cardiff with £1 Million Bill

Friday, 23 February 2018 - Reported by Marcus
Doctor Who Experience Logo - 2014Cardiff council taxpayers have been left with a 1.1 million pound bill following the closure of the Doctor Who Experience, which ran in the city for five years.

The building housing the experience was built by Cardiff City Council, using money from the Welsh Government's Invest to Save Fund, which provides financial support, on a competitive and repayable basis, to public service organisations across Wales. The cost of £2.4 million, was intended to be repaid by receiving a percentage of the exhibition ticket sales. However, it appears that ticket sales were not sufficient for the council to cover its costs, leaving ratepayers to pick up the shortfall.

Councillor Russell Goodway, Cardiff's cabinet member for investment and development, said
In 2011 when the deal was done to subsidise the Doctor Who attraction in order to bring it to Cardiff, the then-administration worked on the basis of ambitious projections for visitor numbers. Unfortunately the projected visitor numbers failed to materialise leaving the shortfall which should have been made up in ticket sales. This has left the council having to make up the £1.1m which will have to be absorbed by the council's budget. We are, however, working on plans for the building with the Welsh Government although nothing has yet been finalised.
The building, next door to the BBC Studios at Cardiff Bay, has been empty since the exhibition closed last September.

A spokeswoman for BBC Worldwide said:
The Doctor Who Experience was enjoyed by fans for five years in Cardiff Bay during its lease with Cardiff Council.The lease ran for its full, five year term and there was no additional loan agreement. We cannot comment on Cardiff Council's own business plan in relation to the site.
Adrian Robson, leader of the Conservative opposition on Cardiff Council said:
I still don't know how we managed to lose over a million pounds on Doctor Who. Somewhere the council and [BBC Worldwide] have not got their projections right for visitor numbers. It's very strange because this is a global brand.
Thanks to Laura Clements




FILTER: - Doctor Who - Exhibitions

New Logo Revealed

Tuesday, 20 February 2018 - Reported by Chuck Foster
BBC Worldwide have revealed the new logo to accompany Jodie Whittaker's incarnation of the Doctor.

Doctor Who 2018: Landscape (Credit: BBC/BBC Worldwide)

Thirteenth Doctor Jodie Whittaker today teased the new series of Doctor Who by unveiling a new logo and insignia for the brand to over 700 of the world’s top TV buyers and international press at BBC Worldwide’s annual showcase event in Liverpool. In an evening devoted to the new incarnation of Doctor Who, Whittaker built excitement in anticipation of the new era of The Doctor, leaving global broadcasters in no doubt as to the sense of wonder, joy and mystery the forthcoming series promises audiences.

The Doctor Who logo is an iconic and powerful trademark for the franchise that is recognised all around the world. The updated logo and insignia mark a new era of WHO. BBC Worldwide commissioned creative agency Little Hawk to create the brand new designs, working closely with Showrunner Chris Chibnall and Executive Producer Matt Strevens.

BBC Worldwide Executive Creative Director, Rafaela Perera says:
The Doctor Who logo and insignia are the quintessential signifier for the brand. Our aim was to create modern and elegant designs that were anchored in the things that we love most about Doctor Who.

Doctor Who 2018: Insignia (Credit: BBC/BBC Worldwide)
The sound for the animated logo is created by Matthew Herbert. It will launch with a 10 second animation which features the TARDIS blazing a trail through the logo. All official Doctor Who merchandise featuring the new logo will be available at selected retailers from 20th February 2018.





FILTER: - Doctor Who - Jodie Whittaker - Leading News - Press

Doctor Who tops Twitter trends

Monday, 25 December 2017 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Twice Upon a Time: The Doctor (Peter Capaldi) (Credit: BBC/BBC Worldwide (Simon Ridgway))Doctor Who has topped the worldwide trends on Twitter this evening, reaching the number one spot within minutes after Peter Capaldi's finale aired on BBC Television.

At 7:00pm, the hashtag #DoctorWho proved most popular topic, with "Jodie" and "Capaldi" in third and fourth places respectively - only the topic "Happy Christmas" split the subjects in second place. Outgoing show writer "Steven Moffat" also featured in fourteenth place.


Overnight viewing figures for the episode should be available tomorrow morning.




FILTER: - Doctor Who - Jodie Whittaker - Peter Capaldi - Ratings - Steven Moffat

Access All Areas Doctor Who Special - Tonight - Radio 2

Thursday, 21 December 2017 - Reported by Marcus
A reminder that Jo Whiley’s Access All Areas Doctor Who Special, airs at 8pm tonight on BBC Radio 2.

The programme features an interview with Peter Capaldi as he films his last appearance as the Twelfth Doctor.
On working with David Bradley

David’s absolutely fantastic; I’ve always admired David as an actor. He’s extraordinarily powerful and skilled. He’s been around for so long and really knows what he’s doing but that’s great. The way that he’s sort of created this version of the first Doctor is incredible because he really looks like him but he also acts like him, he acts like William Hartnell.
On working with Steven Moffat

He’s one of the wittiest, funniest people that I’ve ever met. I think Steven could have easily been a stand-up comedian in another life. One of the most entertaining things I will always remember about Doctor Who is at the start of each season, he asks me around to his house and he will tell me what’s going to happen to the Doctor and he will go through all twelve episodes, just himself in his kitchen describing it all and it’s absolutely hilarious. It’s doubly hilarious as you go on because obviously some of the episodes don’t turn out quite as well as he’s described them, or don’t have quite as much money and are a little less focused. But he’s just a brilliant, brilliant writer. Just today we’re doing a scene which is close to the end… we’re all very concerned about how the twelfth Doctor leaves us so we’re hypersensitive about trying to make it the best we possibly can. I had expressed a little discomfort about one of the scenes leading towards the end and he re-wrote it, he re-wrote completely and quite brilliantly overnight which is fantastic; the down side is I have to learn it.
On why he decided to leave leaving Doctor Who

I realised that there’s only so much you can do and keep it fresh. I’ve never really been in a long running television series…. I’ve never been in something where you work every day for nine months of the year filming and I’ve loved it but I sort of thought if I do another year I might just start getting used to everything and that’s not the way I’ve been. I’ve always been somebody who wanted to have artistic challenges, enjoy myself and do new things.
When asked by Jo if he feels blessed for being a part of Doctor Who

I can’t even begin to tell you. Blessed isn’t a big enough word. It’s extraordinary, I keep saying privileged isn’t even a big enough word. It’s just a magical thing, to have had this time it’s just been amazing and extraordinary because there are only twelve of us so far who have been in this position. But it is a place where you see such kindness and you see such love and you see how good people are and also you can enter people’s lives in a very very positive way and you see great things. That will never happen again, there isn’t another part where that can happen and so that has been an extraordinarily privileged place to be.
His advice to the next Doctor

Strap yourself in because it’s a rollercoaster but enjoy every second because it’s brilliant.
Jo Whiley also catches up with the stars of the series on the set including Pearl Mackie, David Bradley, Exec Producer Steven Moffat. Plus, she hears from outgoing companion, Matt Lucas, and digs into the BBC Doctor Who archive.

There will be stories from behind the scenes including how Matt approaches being recognised by fans, the radical ways in which Pearl’s life has changed, Pele’s reaction to signing a Brazil shirt for the Doctor and how Doctor Who has always been with Peter Capaldi – from dressing up as a Dalek as a child, to karaoke singalongs to The Killers all in the name of getting into character.

Plus, Radio 2 listeners will find out which member of the team has a penchant for Chas and Dave!

The programme can be heard at 2000 GMT on BBC Radio 2, which is available worldwide on the BBC iPlayer. After transmission, it will be available to listen again for one month




FILTER: - Doctor Who - Documentary - Twelfth Doctor

Time Vortex VR

Thursday, 14 December 2017 - Reported by Marcus
Time Vortex (Credit: BBC Worldwide)A new game has been released by the BBC. Doctor Who Time Vortex VR gives players the chance to pilot the TARDIS through the depths of the space-time vortex inside a virtual reality version of the show’s title sequence.

The game is a VR reboot of the successful Time Vortex 360 mobile game released earlier this year. As they speed through time, players will tackle hazards and obstacles emerging from the future ahead of them and will need to quickly react by physically turning around to evade threats from the past. As players progress through the game, they are transported into different time zones from past eras, from the current vortex to re-imagined designs from the 1960s and 1980s.

The game is available to play using cardboard headsets, Google Daydream, Samsung Gear VR and HTC Vive via your web browser. However, those without headsets can play the game with mobiles and tablets running newer versions of Android or iOS and the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox or Safari. A full list of all supported devices is available here.

To play, fans simply need to visit bbc.in/TimeVortexVR. Like the 360 game, the VR version is an endless runner, which gets more and more difficult the longer people play, taking them on a visually intense journey through the iconic vortex from the show's opening credits. Using the device's accelerometer, players control the game by physically moving around, even giving the player the ability to turn around and travel backwards in time.

Jo Pearce, Creative Director, BBC Digital Drama, said:
This game allows you to step inside one of the most iconic title sequences in TV history, as you pilot the TARDIS through modern, 80s and 60s versions of the vortex. Digital innovation is at the very heart of Doctor Who – and this new game combines casual, arcade-style gaming with virtual reality to create an unforgettable experience.

After releasing the 360 version of the game, we had lots of comments from players suggesting it would make a great VR experience. For this re-boot we wanted to offer a VR gaming experience that is as accessible as possible and test the limits of what is possible to develop using WebVR.
Developed for the BBC by Goodboy Digital, the game has been created using the WebVR API and combines cutting-edge HTML5 and WebGL using PixiJS v5.0 to create a breath-taking journey that works on a wide range of hardware.


Time Vortex (Credit: BBC Worldwide)Time Vortex (Credit: BBC Worldwide)Time Vortex (Credit: BBC Worldwide)Time Vortex (Credit: BBC Worldwide)Time Vortex (Credit: BBC Worldwide)Time Vortex (Credit: BBC Worldwide)Time Vortex (Credit: BBC Worldwide)


TARDIS Time Vortex VR Game - Doctor Who




FILTER: - Doctor Who - Games

The Doctor regenerates on BBC iPlayer

Wednesday, 29 November 2017 - Reported by Chuck Foster
The Doctors (Credit: BBC)The BBC have announced that all of the modern Doctors' regeneration can be seen over Christmas via the BBC iPlayer in the run up to this year's Christmas Special premiering on BBC One on Christmas Day.

The Parting of the Ways (Eccleston), The End of Time (Tennant), The Time of The Doctor (Smith) will be available, and also includes The Day of the Doctor (Hurt). The McGann regneration minisode, The Night of the Doctor, has yet to be confirmed, but remains available via the BBC's YouTube channel.


The episodes form part of an initiative from the BBC to present a wide range of "boxed sets" from 16th December to enjoy over the festive period; Charlotte Moore, Director of Content at the BBC, explains:
There is no need to go anywhere else this Christmas because we have an even richer offer across the BBC than ever before. We are always home to the very best British programmes during the festive season but with so much content to fit in, it’s fantastic to give audiences a special gift on iPlayer to complement our schedules; with boxsets of some of this year’s biggest shows and a selection of more recent hits to binge on with family and friends together this Christmas.

Sit back and indulge, as we curate some of the most loved shows you may have missed first time round or favourites you want to watch again.

As well as Doctor Who, shows include the original Blue Planet from 2001, previous series of Peaky Blinders, and full series of acclaimed drama like Line Of Duty and Happy Valley, and comedies like Gavin and Stacey, Miranda and Inside Number 9. There will also be other archive programming available, such as five EastEnders Christmas Specials, which includes 1986's episode featuring Den serving Angie divorce papers - the highest rated non sport/news programme shown on British television at 30.2m viewers.




FILTER: - BBC - Doctor Who - Series Specials - UK