New "Pop-Up" Shop for Sydney

Wednesday, 4 November 2015 - Reported by Chuck Foster

BBC Worldwide have announced a new "pop-up" shop to open in Sydney, Australia for the rest of the year:

DOCTOR WHO POP UP SHOP RETURNS TO SYDNEY

The Doctor Who pop up shop will materialise in Sydney today, BBC Worldwide Australia & New Zealand (ANZ) has announced.

The pop-up shop will be open at Broadway Shopping Centre from Wednesday, 4th November until January 2016, and follows the overwhelming popularity of previous stores in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

The pop up shop comes ahead of the first ever official Doctor Who Festival Australia, taking place at the Royal Hall of Industries and Hordern Pavilion on Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd November, which will be attended by a host of Doctor Who talent including Twelfth Doctor, Peter Capaldi.

The shop will stock a host of Doctor Who merchandise, including the new Twelfth Doctor Who Sonic Screwdriver Universal remote, and a brand new range of Pop! Vinyl figures.

Other products will include Doctor Who apparel such as skater dresses, shirts and t-shirts, stationary, and homewares such as mugs and teapots.

Fans also have the chance to step inside the famous blue box with the TARDIS photo booth, where they can have their photo taken on a choice of backgrounds to share with friends via social media.

In addition to Doctor Who merchandise, the pop-up shop will also host a ‘Sherlock Corner’, stocking a range of Sherlock goods including a brand new Pop! Vinyls, as well as featuring a Sherlock dress up box for fans to disguise themselves as their favourite TV sleuth.

Merchandise from other BBC brands, such as Top Gear, Sarah & Duck and Sooty, will also be available.

The Doctor Who Pop Up Shop will be located at:
Ground Floor (next to Aldi), Broadway Shopping Centre, 1 Bay Street, Sydney
From 4th November until January 2016

Opening Hours:
Monday: 10:00am - 7:00pm
Tuesday: 10:00am - 7:00pm
Wednesday: 10:00am - 7:00pm
Thursday: 10:00am - 9:00pm
Friday: 10:00am - 7:00pm
Saturday: 9:00am - 6:00pm
Sunday: 10:00am - 6:00pm
Public Holidays: 10:00am - 6:00pm

FILTER: - Australia - Merchandise

William Byrd Wilkins 1965-2015

Tuesday, 3 November 2015 - Reported by Marcus

The actor William Byrd Wilkins has died at the age of 50.

William Byrd Wilkins played The Preacher in the 2012 Doctor Who story A Town Called Mercy.

Other TV roles included playing a crack dealer in 2006 Wayne Cramer film Running Scared and playing a bouncer in the 1998 comedy Overnight Delivery.

William Byrd Wilkins was born in Louisburg, North Carolina. After seeing the acclaimed African-American theatre company Penumbra perform locally, he moved to the company's base, Saint Paul, Minnesota, where he was determined to join the company, something he achieved after two years. His memorable roles at Penumbra included playing Boy Willie, a brother who wants to sell a family heirloom to fund a land-buying scheme, in August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson.

In recent years, he returned to his home town, teaching drama at Louisburg College.

Earlier this year he was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. Wilkins declined chemotherapy saying he wanted to live out his days without Doctors and toxic chemo, and a fund was set up to raise money to allow him to enjoy his final few months.

William Byrd Wilkins died last Saturday, 31 October. He is survived by his mother, sister and two brothers.

Thanks to Tim Brown; Star Tribune

FILTER: - Obituary

Doctor Who Festival update

Tuesday, 3 November 2015 - Reported by Chuck Foster

BBC Worldwide have provided an update on guests who will be attending the forthcoming Doctor Who Festival, that takes place over the weekend of 13th-15th November:

Doctor Who Festival (Credit: BBC Worldwide)

BBC Worldwide are thrilled to announce that Jenna Coleman is now confirmed as attending both Saturday and Sunday of this year’s official Doctor Who Festival. This will be the last chance fans will see Jenna in the official Doctor Who universe before her exit as the much loved Clara Oswald.

The Doctor Who Festival is the only official event this year to include appearances from Peter Capaldi, Michelle Gomez and Ingrid Oliver as well as Executive Producer Steven Moffat. An event for fans of all ages, the Festival offers a fantastic opportunity to get the inside track from the cast and crew of Doctor Who in this extravaganza of immersive and interactive opportunities.

We are also pleased to announce that Mark Gatiss will be joining the Festival for all three days, as well as joining the team from Millennium FX each day in its theatre show, revealing to guests how they create and build many of the monsters on Doctor Who. Mark and the team will take an in depth look at the new monsters that appeared on the screens for Series 9.

As well as Mark Gatiss and MFX, theatre shows will also include Meet The Cast and Meet The Writers panels, featuring all seven Series 9 writers over the three days.

The daily Meet The Cast panel will see Peter Capaldi, Jenna Coleman, Michelle Gomez and Ingrid Oliver discuss their experiences behind the scenes on the set of Doctor Who.
The minds behind Doctor Who will be quizzed in the Writer’s Panel; Steven Moffat, Mark Gatiss, Sarah Dollard, Toby Whithouse, Catherine Tregenna, Peter Harness and Jamie Mathieson will talk through the development and design of some of the show’s favourite characters and compelling storylines over the three days.
Special Effects supervisor Danny Hargreaves and his team at Real SFX reveal what happens on a typical day’s filming and wow fans with their impressive live show.
Fans of the show can also enter the Doctor Who Festival Cosplay Showcase and be put to the test in the Fan Challenge.
Photo opportunities with Jenna Coleman are now on sale. There are also photos with Ingrid Oliver, Michelle Gomez, Mark Gatiss, Danny Hargreaves and Nick Briggs still available for purchase via the website. Photos opportunities with Peter Capaldi are now sold out.
Visitors will experience what it’s really like to be on the Doctor Who set in front of and behind the camera in the Drama School and Production Village featuring Big Finish, Nick Briggs and Douglas MacKinnon, giving ticket holders the opportunity to learn voice acting from the voice of the Dalek himself and discover how to act with CGI.
Two of the iconic sets from Series 9 will be on open display to all ticket holders, and the set of Clara’s Living Room will be available to ticket holders for photo opportunities.

The ticket price includes day entry to the Festival, access to three theatre shows, lanyard, show planner and access to all the activity in the Festival Hall. TARDIS tickets also include the brochure, lounge access, front block theatre show seats and a Limited Edition Doctor Who Festival 2015 T-shirt.

Tickets are still available to purchase from the Doctor Who Festival website.

The Festival will also be travelling to Australia a week later (21st-22nd November 2015), which will also be attended by Peter Capaldi and Steven Moffat.

FILTER: - Special Events

Publicity: The Zygon Inversion

Tuesday, 3 November 2015 - Reported by Chuck Foster

A roundup of publicity for the next episode in the current series of Doctor Who, The Zygon Inversion.

Shapeshifting Zygons are everywhere in the UK, and there is no way of knowing who to trust. With UNIT neutralised, only the Doctor stands in their way. But how do you stop a war? And what can the Doctor do to save his friends?

Writer/ Peter Harness
Director/ Daniel Nettheim
Producer/ Peter Bennett

The Zygon Inversion: Known Broadcast Details
United Kingdom	BBC One	Sat 8 Nov 2015	8:00pm
United States of America	BBC America	Sat 8 Nov 2015	9:00pm EDT	(2:00am GMT)
Canada	SPACE	Sat 8 Nov 2015	9:00pm EDT	(2:00am GMT)
Asia Pacific	BBC Entertainment	Sun 9 Nov 2015	10:00am SGT	(2:00am GMT)
New Zealand	PRIME	Sun 9 Nov 2015	7:30pm NZDT	(6:30am GMT)
Australia	ABC	Sun 9 Nov 2015	7:40pm AEDT	(8:40am GMT)
Europe (Benelux)	BBC First	Tue 11 Nov 2015	9:00pm CEST
United Kingdom	BBC Two	Fri 13 Nov 2015	1:45am	(British Signed Language)
India	FX	Sun 15 Nov 2015	11:00pm IST
Finland	YLE2	Mon 16 Nov 2015	6:05pm EEST
South Africa	BBC First	Sat 14 Nov 2015	6:00pm SAST
Germany	FOX	Jan 2016	9:00pm CET	(dubbed into German)

BBC Trailer on YouTube

FILTER: - Publicity - Series 9/35

Competitions Roundup

Tuesday, 3 November 2015 - Reported by Chuck Foster

The following Doctor Who News competitions are currently available to enter, all of which have a closing date of the 8th November 2015.

Torchwood: Fall to Earth

To be in with a chance to win a digital download of the Torchwood audio adventure Fall to Earth courtesy of Big Finish, simply answer the following question:

Ianto actor Gareth David Lloyd appeared in another television series with a very similar character name - what was that name and the series?

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-fall@doctorwhonews.net with the subject "A decent cup of coffee". The competition is open worldwide. 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.

Doctor Who: The Underwater Menace

To be in with a chance to win a DVD of The Underwater Menace courtesy of BBC Worldwide, simply answer the following question:

Who was the director originally slated to make The Underwater Menace?

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-fishy@doctorwhonews.net with the subject "You're not turning me into a fish!". The competition is open to UK residents only. Only one entry per household will be accepted.

The Glamour Chronicles

To be in with a chance to win a set of the three stories that make up the audio series The Glamour Chronicles courtesy of BBC Audio, simply answer the following question:

Big Bang Generation features Keri, an old friend of Bernice's. Name the novel in which the characters first met.

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-glamour@doctorwhonews.net with the subject "Heart's desire". The competition is open worldwide. Only one entry per household will be accepted.

Time Lord Fairy Tales

To be in with a chance to win a copy of the book Time Lord Fairy Tales courtesy of Penguin, simply answer the following question:

Name a televised Doctor Who story that featured fairy-tale characters.

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-tales@doctorwhonews.net with the subject "Once upon a time...". The competition is open to UK residents only. Only one entry per household will be accepted.

The Dangerous Book of Monsters

To be in with a chance to win a copy of the book The Dangerous Book of Monsters courtesy of Penguin, simply answer the following question:

On television, the Doctor encountered a device that housed a collection of 'monsters' for entertainment - name the device and the story in which it featured.

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-monsters@doctorwhonews.net with the subject "You're beautiful!". The competition is open to UK residents only. Only one entry per household will be accepted.

K9 Essentials

To be in with a chance to win a copy of the book The Essential Book of K9, courtesy of the authors, simply answer the following question:

In the television series, who was the original creator of K9?

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-k9essential@doctorwhonews.net with the subject "Affirmative!". The competition is open world-wide. Only one entry per household will be accepted.

FILTER: - Competitions

Doctor Who Adventures - Issue 8

Monday, 2 November 2015 - Reported by Marcus

Doctor Who Adventures - Issue 8, is published this Thursday, 5th November

Doctor Who Adventures issue 8 (Credit: Panini)

November a time of fireworks… and the biggest lightshow in the galaxy is at your fingertips! Prepare to be blown away as you settle down to Doctor Who Adventures #8, the most exciting magazine this side of the Medusa Cascade!

TIME & PR IN SPACE
TOUGH, WILD & UNPREDICTABLE
CLARA’S CRAFT STUDIO
UNIT ALIEN ARCHIVES
THE PATERNOSTER GANG INVESTIGATES…

Issue 8 comes with free Daleks and Cybermen patrols, so you can finally find out for yourselves who would win as you stage your own battles! All this and much, much more! On sale 5th November 2015!

FILTER: - DWA

The Woman Who Lived - Official Rating

Monday, 2 November 2015 - Reported by Marcus

Doctor Who: The Woman Who Lived had an official consolidated rating of 6.11 million viewers.

The rating issued by the Broadcasters' Audience Research Board, or BARB, includes all those who watched the programme within one week of transmission. It does not include those watching online via iPlayer

Doctor Who was the 8th most watched programme on BBC Television, and third overall on Saturday. The episode finished at 25th in the chart.

Top of the week was Strictly Come Dancing with 10.42 million watching.

FILTER: - Ratings - Series 9/35 - UK

Then and Now: Doctor Who In Review

Monday, 2 November 2015 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Long term historian and collector David J Howe has announced a new book that looks into the Doctor's travels in his ninth and tenth incarnations:

Then and Now: Doctor Who in Review (Credit: Telos)

THEN AND NOW: DOCTOR WHO IN REVIEW: 1
Written by David J Howe (order from UK / USA)

Doctor Who is one of the most reviewed and talked about shows that the BBC has ever broadcast. It has enjoyed over fifty years of popularity, and continues to thrill children and adults all over the world. Now, noted Doctor Who historian and writer David J Howe, presents his own views and thoughts on the ‘second incarnation’ of the series, which started in March 2005 with Christopher Eccleston playing the Doctor, and then continued until January 2010 with David Tennant at the helm.

Every episode, including some of the special mini-episodes, are analysed and reviewed, and the path of the Doctor’s adventures through the series is charted. From the highlights to the low points, David J Howe considers the show against its broad history both as a viewer at the time, and also with the benefit of hindsight, with a current re-watch of the episodes.

A marvellous romp through four years of time travel ... come along and enjoy the ride!

A piece about the writing of the book can also be found on the author's website.

FILTER: - Books - Merchandise - Non-Fiction

The Zygon Invasion - AI:82

Monday, 2 November 2015 - Reported by Marcus

The Zygon Invasion (Credit: BBC / Simon Ridgway)

Doctor Who: The Zygon Invasion had an Audience Appreciation or AI score of 82.

The Appreciation Index or AI is a measure of how much the audience enjoyed the programme. The score, out of a hundred, is compiled by a specially selected panel of around 5,000 people who go online and rate and comment on programmes.

The highest score of the weekend went to the Rugby World Cup Final on ITV which scored 87.

With Sunday's overnight viewing figures now available, Doctor Who finished as the 46th most watched programme of the week. Consolidated figures will be published next week.

FILTER: - Ratings - Series 9/35 - UK

Australian overnight ratings for The Zygon Invasion & final ratings for The Girl

Monday, 2 November 2015 - Reported by Adam Kirk

The Zygon Invasion has debuted in Australia, averaging 430,000 viewers in the five major capital cities. It was the highest rating ABC drama of the day and the thirteenth highest rating program of the day overall. These ratings do not include iview, regional or time-shifted viewers.

Meanwhile, including time-shifted viewers, The Girl Who Died averaged 644,000 consolidated viewers in the five major capital cities. With 149,000 extra viewers, it was, with Quantico, the equal highest time-shifted program of the day (the third highest time-shifted program had an extra 131,000 viewers) and the tenth highest rating program of the day overall. These ratings do not include iview or regional viewers.

Media Links: TV Tonight (The Zygon Invasion ratings); TV Tonight (The Girl Who Died ratings)

FILTER: - Australia - Broadcasting - Ratings - Series 9/35

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