Blink - Overnight Ratings

Sunday, 10 June 2007 - Reported by Marcus
Unofficial overnight figures show that episode ten, Blink, was watched by 6.1 million viewers, a 36.1% share of the total audience.

The programme was the third most watched of the day, being beaten by the two parts of the talent show Any Dream Will Do. It was a good night for the BBC, with the Joseph show achieving nearly double the audience of its Danny and Sandy opposition. Up against the Doctor the feature film Grease got just 3.2 million viewers.

Doctor Who is currently the sixteenth most watched programme of the week with just Sunday ratings to be added, making another top twenty place very likely.

The children's audience to Blink was down to 1.1 million, a 50.7% share of the 4-15 audience, possibly due to the advance publicity about the scary nature of the Episode and the advice to parents to tape the show. The show is still the most watched programme of the week by children.

On multichannel television, Doctor Who Confidential was watched by 0.68 million viewers, making it the second most watched programme on multichannel TV, being beaten by Britain's Got More Talent on ITV2. The share was 4.5%.




FILTER: - Ratings - UK - Series 3/29

Friday Night Ratings

Saturday, 9 June 2007 - Reported by Marcus
According to unofficial overnight figures, the Friday repeat of episode nine, The Family of Blood, was watched by 309,000 viewers, making it the ninth most watched programme of the day on multichannel television.




FILTER: - Ratings - UK - Series 3/29

John Barrowman in Pantomime

Saturday, 9 June 2007 - Reported by Marcus
The Birmingham Hippodrome has announced that John Barrowman, Captain Jack, will star in this year's pantomime Aladdin from Wednesday 19 December 2007 to Sunday 27 January 2008.

Barrowman is no stranger to Pantomime having previously stared in productions of Cinderella and Jack and the Beanstalk.

Aladdin will feature a special appearance by the Daleks making their pantomime debut, prompting many cries of "It's behind you".

The production promises breathtaking special effects, costumes and sets and a spectacular 3D digital Genie and carpet ride viewed by the audience with 3D glasses.

Appearing alongside John Barrowman is ex Crackerjack star Don Maclean as Widow Twankey, the Grumbleweeds as The Chinese Policemen and Masashi Fujimoto from the BBC sitcom Roman’s Empire as The Emperor.




FILTER: - People

More Benny Missing Adventures

Saturday, 9 June 2007 - Reported by Jarrod Cooper

Big Finish Productions have released more information on the stories and writers for the upcoming Bernice Summerfield short story collection,Missing Adventures.
One day she will bring down empires and decide the fate of the universe. One day she will be feared by the creatures of evil and revered wherever people have had just a little bit too much to drink.

But all that is yet to come…

This very special collection celebrates 15 years of Bernice Summerfield. It explores her early life and the events that shaped the archaeologist and space-adventuress we know today.

A circus offers solace for the loss of her father; boarding school will try anything to make her behave; and when the military catch up with runaway Benny, her freedom will cost her dearly…

Missing Adventures features 12 all-new stories, many of them by those who played a formative part in Benny's development, including Ben Aaronovitch, Andrew Cartmel, Peter Darvill-Evans and Andy Lane.

There's also a genuine puzzle to be solved – with a prize hidden somewhere in the UK!

Stories Include:
Biology Lesson on Mal Oreille by Xanna Eve Chown
The Evacuation of Bernice Summerfield Considered as a Short Film by Terry Gilliam by Ben Aaronovitch
The Tunnels To Heaven by Andy Bodle
Benny and Louise by Cavan Scott and Mark Wright
Charged by John Binns
Prime Five by Jason Arnopp
Home by Peter Darvill-Evans
The Slight Façade by Magnus Anderson
Bernice Summerfield and the Library of Books by Andrew Cartmel
Postcards From the Edge of Reason by Andy Owens
Blood On The Tracks by Andy Lane
Thirty Love by Eddie Robson




FILTER: - Audio

Views From Behind The Sofa

Saturday, 9 June 2007 - Reported by Marcus
A new book due to be released in August looks at Doctor Who from a fan's point of view.

Views From Behind The Sofa is compiled by David May using contributions from Doctor Who fans around the globe. It promises individual stories of how fans got hooked, their experiences of being a fan, their views of the various characters and stories, and their memories of not just watching the series but collecting the merchandise and attending events.

The book is published by Lulu.




FILTER: - Books

Week Eleven - Schedule

Saturday, 9 June 2007 - Reported by Marcus
Doctor Who moves to 7.15pm for the transmission of Episode Eleven, Utopia. The programme is sandwiched between The People's Quiz and The National Lottery Draws with the hospital drama Casualty following at 8.10pm.

Against the first part of the show, ITV1 offers the 2002 feature film Scooby-Doo, the live action version of the cartoon about a gang of teenage sleuths and their cowardly dog. Against the last fifteen minutes it offers Ant and Dec with the last of the live semi-finals of Britain's Got Talent.

On BBC2 there is the latest in the The Culture Show where Lou Reed talks about his upcoming UK tour, while Channel4 continues with Lie Labinvestigating new lie-detection technology. Channel 5 once more offers Cricket on five.




FILTER: - UK - Series 3/29 - Broadcasting

Doctor Who - A Blue Peter Special

Friday, 8 June 2007 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Next Wednesday sees a special Blue Peter programme which will go behind-the-scenes of Doctor Who with David Tennant. The show will be on before the regular programme, and is broadcast at 4:35pm.

(Though not mentioned in the Radio Times write-up for the programme, it is likely that this special will feature the winner of their competition last year to appear in an episode of the current series - see our news from 3rd December for more details).




FILTER: - Special Events - Radio Times

Doctor Who Back In Time

Friday, 8 June 2007 - Reported by Chuck Foster

A further run of the BBC Radio Wales programme Doctor Who Back In Time begins this coming Saturday for the next three weeks, once again delving behind the scenes of the series being made in Wales.

The shows are on at 1:00pm, and will be available on the BBC's Listen Again service for seven days thereafter.
Saturday 9 June, 1pm: Top Tennant
Julian Carey meets David Tennant and gets the lowdown on life as the tenth Doctor.

Saturday 16 June, 1pm: Made in Wales
Julian Carey discovers the benefits and knock-on effects of having the Doctor Who series made in Wales and explores the Who HQ in downtown Pontypridd.

Saturday 23 June, 1pm: Interrogation
In March BBC Radio Wales opened up its email address to thousands of Doctor Who fans, challenging them to ask the cast and crew any question they liked about the show - these are the results. Featuring David Tennant, Freema Ageyman, Russell T Davies... and a Dalek.




FILTER: - Production - Radio

Sea Devil Sale Cancelled

Friday, 8 June 2007 - Reported by Marcus
We understand that the Sea Devil costume that was to be auctioned at Bonhams later this month, as reported by Outpost Gallifrey on May 27, has now been withdrawn from sale.




FILTER: - Merchandise

CBC: Runaway Bride Schedule Change

Friday, 8 June 2007 - Reported by Mike Doran

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation have changed their plans to air
The Runaway Bride on Monday June 11th. Earlier this week a representative from the CBC confirmed for Outpost Gallifrey that if the National Hockey League Stanley Cup playoffs were completed before that date the 2006 Christmas special would be aired. This is no longer the case.

An announcement on the CBC Doctor Who web site now states that The Runaway Bridewill now air on CBC on the night of Monday June 18th at 12am midnight (12:30am in Newfoundland).




FILTER: - Canada - Broadcasting