K9 comes to Five

Thursday, 22 April 2010 - Reported by Marcus
The K9 series is coming to Five in the UK this Autumn.

The series, developed by Bob Baker and Paul Tams, is currently showing in the UK on the Disney XD channel. The broadcast on Five will bring the show to a much wider range of viewers. Disney XD is only available on subscription to digital viewers, whereas Five is a terestrial channel available free to air in most of the UK.

The 26 part series was made by Stewart & Wall Entertainment in Australia.




FILTER: - K9 - Broadcasting

Fox withdraw from American Torchwood

Thursday, 22 April 2010 - Reported by Marcus
TorchwoodThe Fox Network has decided not to continue with plans for a US version of Torchwood.

BBC Worldwide have issued a statement saying that
BBC Worldwide Productions and the FOX Broadcasting Company have mutually agreed not to progress together with a 13-episode serialized 'Torchwood' format. We are currently in discussion with several interested networks.

Fox's involvement in developing an American version of the series was first reported in January. Russell T Davies was reported to be writing a pilot script, with Julie Gardner and Jane Tranter acting as executive producers. Tranter said that despite the withdrawal of Fox from the project, it is "still very much ongoing and very much alive."

Tranter has also dismissed rumours that an American version of Doctor Who was being planned. "It may well be confusing to have a British Doctor and an American Doctor at the same time" she said, "there is only one Doctor, so I don't see that happening".




FILTER: - Torchwood

Daleks Invade Sheffield

Wednesday, 21 April 2010 - Reported by Marcus
The new versions of the Daleks were spotted at Sheffield Railway Station on Wednesday morning, at a special event to make the launch of the new Doctor Who Adventure Games.

The first of these interactive episodes will be available to download from 5 June. At the Sheffield event a number of journalists and children were able to test the games for the first time.

Nick Briggs was on hand to provide the Dalek Voices.

Dalek Storm was also spotted at the event. Dalek Storm is a special weapons Dalek built by fan Alan Clark.

Thanks to Jason Smedley for the video




FILTER: - Special Events

Telegraph Giveaway Update

Wednesday, 21 April 2010 - Reported by Marcus
The Telegraph has released more details of its Audio Adventures give-away starting this weekend, first reported here.

On Saturday the paper will include a brand new adventure for the Eleventh Doctor, The Runaway Train read by Matt Smith, followed on Sunday by part one of Pest Control, read by David Tennant.

Over the following week the paper will print vouchers which can be exchanged in WH Smith for a range of Doctor Who Audio Adventures.
The Runaway TrainSaturday 24th April

Free with paper

The Runaway Train - An original story, read by Matt Smith.

Arriving on Earth in the midst of the American Civil War, the Doctor and Amy must get a posse together to help them retrieve an alien artefact. The duo are chased across the Wild West by the alien race, their only hope of escape catching the 3.25 to Arizona.


Pest ControlSunday, April 25th

Free with paper

Pest Control – Part One. An original BBC audiobooks story, read by David Tennant.

The Doctor and Donna face monstrous insects and a ruthless robot exterminator in this thrilling story and the TARDIS is lost in battle on a distant planet.

Monday, April 26th

Pest Control - Part Two. An original BBC audiobooks story, read by David Tennant.

Voucher

The Doctor and Donna face monstrous insects and a ruthless robot exterminator and the TARDIS is lost in battle on a distant planet in this thrilling story.
Tuesday, April 27th

Slipback – Colin Baker, Nicola Bryant and Valentine Dyall star in this BBC Radio 4 adventure from 1985.

Voucher

The Doctor and Peri board an alien craft which the TARDIS has materialised inside, to investigate time experimentation. Which turns out not to be the only illegal activity onboard.
Wednesday, April 28th

Exploration Earth – Tom Baker and Sarah Jane Smith star in this special BBC School Radio episode from 1976.

Voucher

The Doctor and Sarah witness the Earth’s development. But, as the Earth evolves from a mass of heat and gas, Megron the High Lord of Chaos has his own designs on our homeworld.
Thursday, April 29th

Geneisis of the Daleks – Tom Baker narrates an abridged audio version of the 1975 television adventure.

Voucher

The Doctor, Sarah and Harry are sent to Skaro, where crippled scientist Davros has created protective casings for the genetic mutations with his race will become as a result of the 1,000-year war of attrition between the Kaleds and the Thals.
Friday, April 30th

Mission to the Unknown – The soundtrack to a Doctor Who adventure from 1965, but which famously does not feature the Doctor himself, with linking narration by Peter Purves.

Voucher

In this one-off prelude to The Daleks’ Master Plan, can Special Space Service Agent Marc Cory survive the vegatation on the planet Kembel and prevent the Daleks’ plans for galactic domination?




FILTER: - Audio - Press

Katy Manning talks to SFX

Wednesday, 21 April 2010 - Reported by Marcus
Katy Manning has been talking to SFX about her feelings on returning to the role of Jo Grant 37 years after she made her television farewell to the character in The Green Death.

In the interview she talks about her delight in being asked to work on the show.
I don’t think that anything nicer could have been offered to me. It is an absolute gift. And that Matt. Ooh, what a little darling he is! And as an actor, y’know, lovely actor. You get it straight away.

The magazine also contains a report on the read through which took place last Monday. They describe the script as very moving, with echoes of School Reunion and absolutely stuffed to the gills with in-jokes and little nods for the fans.




FILTER: - People - Magazines - Sarah Jane

Cybermen for DVD

Tuesday, 20 April 2010 - Reported by Marcus
The British Board of Film Classification has cleared a trailer for a forthcoming double DVD release of Revenge of the Cybermen and Silver Nemesis.

Revenge of the CybermenRevenge of the Cybermen is a fourth Doctor story first shown in 1975. As well as Tom Baker it stars Elisabeth Sladen as Sarah Jane Smith and Ian Marter as Harry Sullivan. Written by Gerry Davis, the co-creator of the Cybermen, and Robert Holmes, the story is set on Nerva Beacon and on Voga the fabled planet of gold. It was the first story for the Cybermen since they appeared in the 1968 second Doctor story The Invasion and their last until Earthshock in 1982. Other cast members include Ronald Leigh-Hunt, Christopher Robbie, Jeremy Wilkin, William Marlowe, Michael Wisher, Kevin Stoney and David Collings. This story was the first Doctor Who story to be released on VHS in October 1983 with a retail price of £39.99.

Silver NemesisSilver Nemesis was a seventh Doctor story, first shown in 1988. Alongside Sylvester McCoy as the Doctor, the story starred Sophie Aldred as Ace. Written by Kevin Clarke the story was part of the 25th year celebrations for the series. Other cast members included David Banks, Mark Hardy, Anton Diffring, Courtney Pine, Fiona Walker and a special appearance from film star Dolores Gray. In 1993 an extended version of this three-part serial was released on VHS. It is understood that this special edition will not be included on the DVD release, nor, due to rights issues, will the accompanying VHS documentary.

There is no date announced for this release, but the classification of the trailer indicates the stories are likely to be available in July.




FILTER: - UK - Tom Baker - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD - Sylvester McCoy

Canadian Ratings

Tuesday, 20 April 2010 - Reported by Marcus
SpaceThe premier Canadian showing of The Eleventh Hour, was watched by an average of 0.47 million viewers according to BBM Canada. It was the number 1 non-sports specialty program of the day.

The programme had nearly a million viewers who watched at least part of the episode. During the broadcast, SPACE hosted a live chat on spacecast.com featuring a panel of Doctor Who experts, including Innerspace reporter Natasha Eloi, Sanctuary star Robin Dunne and award-winning artist Pia Guerra. The two and a half-hour chat clocked up 1,300 comments, paralleling the number of comments made in The Juno Awards chatroom the previous night on CTV.ca. The episode is available for the next four days on demand at spacecast.com.




FILTER: - Canada - Ratings - Series 5/31

BBC America Ratings

Tuesday, 20 April 2010 - Reported by Marcus
Doctor Who on BBC America has broken records for the channel with 1.2 million viewers watching the series premier, The Eleventh Hour last Saturday evening.

The audience was for those watching Live or Same Day and aged above 2.

The programme also gave the channel its best Live + Same Day audience in the 25-54 age group and ranked BBC America number 2 among all ad-supported cable networks in its time period for this age group. The rating is higher than that achieved by the SyFy channel in this age group for the season premiers of Series 1-4.

Doctor Who is also currently the Number 1 TV series in the US and Canadian iTunes store.





FILTER: - USA - Ratings - Series 5/31

Eleventh Doctor and Jo Grant to visit Sarah Jane Adventures

Monday, 19 April 2010 - Reported by Josiah Rowe
Sarah Jane AdventuresThe BBC Press Office has announced that The Sarah Jane Adventures will have two special guests when it returns for a fourth series this autumn. In a special two-part story written by Russell T Davies, Matt Smith will appear as the Doctor, and Katy Manning will guest as the Doctor's former companion Jo Grant. Manning starred in Doctor Who opposite the Third Doctor, Jon Pertwee, from 1971 to 1973. Manning has recorded audio adventures for Big Finish Productions, but this will be the first time she has played Jo Grant on television in thirty-seven years.

The press release includes reactions from Elisabeth Sladen, who plays Sarah Jane Smith, Manning, and Sarah Jane Adventures executive producer Nikki Wilson:
Elisabeth Sladen, who plays Sarah Jane comments: "It's a fantastic script and I can't wait to work with another Doctor and hope Matt has fun with us. I've known Katy for ages and I am delighted to be working with her. I last met her in LA but this time we will be in Cardiff. LA was good but Cardiff is better."

Katy Manning, who recently returned to live in the UK again, adds: "Playing Jo Grant again is something I never really considered. I was gob-smacked when they told me and I am over the moon. What an incredible little treat. I come home and this is one of the first things that happens."

Executive producer Nikki Wilson says: "We are absolutely thrilled to be introducing Sarah Jane and the gang to both The Eleventh Doctor and Jo Grant, and to have a script penned by Russell T Davies is the icing on the cake!

"Viewers are in for a real treat, with an action-packed story full of Russell's usual wit and warmth, which takes the gang inside a secret base beneath Snowdon and introduces brand-new vulture aliens, the mysterious Shansheeth. All this, plus a trip to an alien planet – a first for The Sarah Jane Adventures."






FILTER: - Guest Stars - Russell T Davies - Matt Smith - Classic Series - Sarah Jane

Beast Below - Final Figures

Monday, 19 April 2010 - Reported by Marcus
Beast BelowFinal figures for The Beast Below published today by BARB show the story was watched by 8.42 million viewers.

The total is once more much higher than the initial overnight reported figure, implying many time-shifted the episode.

On BBC One the story had 7.93 million watching, enough to make the story the fifth most watched on the channel for the week, behind four editions of EastEnders, and the eleventh most watched on all British television. However an additional 494,000 people watched the simulcast on BBC HD, the identical audience to the week before. This gave the story a total audience 8.42 million, making it the tenth most watched overall.

On BBC Three the Sunday repeat had 0.82 million watching and was the sixteenth most watched programme on multi-channel for the week.





FILTER: - Ratings - UK - Series 5/31