Davies Interviews

Friday, 4 March 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

BBC Four will be broadcasting a documentary on new series producer Russell T Davies in mid-March, around the same time as Davies' series Casanova begins on BBC Three; according to DWM and other sources; it will include interviews with Christopher Eccleston. Davies will also be interviewed by Sian Williams BBC2 Wales Digital on Thursday 17 March at 9pm. The program he appears on is an irregular interview series regarding Welsh celebrities discussing their life and works. (This doesn't appear to be the same as the program airing on BBC4 as this format is usually studio based chat with a few 'career' clips, though it's possible it is the same one getting a BBC Wales-first transmission.) The BBC2 digital regional variation is available on satellite only. (Thanks to David Brunt, Steve Tribe)

FILTER: - Russell T Davies - Documentary - DWM

Project Who? Update

Friday, 4 March 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

A BBC Press Office document now in circulation states that the forthcoming Project Who? two-part radio show airing on March 22 and 29 on BBC Radio 2 will "feature newly recorded interviews with the cast and creative team behind Doctor Who. With exclusive excerpts from the new series, starring Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper, the programmes examine how the format of the show has been developed and shaped for a new audience, how the character of the Doctor was cast, and how the series will be launched and marketed around the globe." The opening installment, "Bigger On The Inside," takes listeners back (without the aid of a Tardis) to September 2003, when Lorraine Heggessey, Controller of BBC One, announced that a new series of Doctor Who was being planned with Russell T Davies at the helm. The programme considers how the creator of Queer As Folk and The Second Coming approached the task of recreating one of the most popular and enduring formats on television." The document also notes that the new series will be complemented by BBC ThreeÆs "Doctor Who Confidential" documentary and the BBC Two Doctor Who night special. The BBC Radio 2 broadcast will happen on those days ôat approximately 8.33 pmö, with an extended double-CD release on May 2. DWM reports that Russell T Davies, Julie Gardner, Mal Young, Jane Tranter, Mark Gatiss, Nicholas Briggs, Clayton Hickman and Dave Golder (of SFX magazine) are among those interviewed. (Thanks to Tim Harrison, David Whittam)

FILTER: - Documentary - DWM

BBC2 Doctor Who Night

Friday, 4 March 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

According to the official Doctor Who site today, to mark the launch of the new series, BBC Two will celebrate Doctor Who with a special television night. "In a one-off Mastermind Doctor Who Special, four Doctor Who aficionados will be put through their paces by Mastermind host, John Humphrys, to find out who will be crowned the UK's top Doctor Who fan. The prize will be presented by the new Doctor, Christopher Eccleston. Some Things You Need To Know About Doctor Who will be packed full of Doctor Who trivia, plus there is another chance to see The Story of Doctor Who - a nostalgic archive documentary about the longest running TV drama series."

FILTER: - Documentary - Broadcasting

Doctor Who Confidential Update

Thursday, 24 February 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

SFX Magazine revealed today on their official website the details of the forthcoming documentary series Doctor Who Confidential, which will air over thirteen weeks in half-hour installments on BBC3 immediately after transmission of each episode of the new series. Narrated by actor Simon Pegg (who appears in episode 7 of the new series), the show "will combine behind-the-scenes footage with interviews with the cast, the production team, and past Doctors." Seen above is the official logo of "Doctor Who Confidential," as revealed to SFX. To keep some details out of our readers' view, the information is spoiler protected; click on the spoiler tag for full details. (Thanks to Ian Berriman of SFX Magazine)

DOCTOR WHO CONFIDENTIAL

EPISODE 1: Back From The Future
To link with the first sighting of the Doctor and first sighting of the TARDIS and, of course, the Doctor saving the world again. This episode reminds us of all the elements of Who that make his return so mouth-wateringà

EPISODE 2: Aliens û The Good, The Bad And The Ugly Making convincing aliens - behind the scenes of the space station, "Platform One" - behind the scenes making the prosthetics - showing how they work - we visit The Mill to show the CGI for the new series and take a look back at aliens from the past.

EPISODE 3: TARDIS Tales
From behind the scenes of the Dickens set in Swansea we take a good long look at the TARDIS and its vital role in the DoctorÆs adventures. We look at all the different worlds that the present and past doctors visit and visited.

EPISODE 4: I Get A Side-kick Out Of You
Rose and her predecessors. What does it take to make the grade as the Doctor's companion? We look back at companions from the past: Why does the Doctor need Rose? What does she add to the mix?

EPISODE 5 : Life On Earth
The Doctor's links to Earth/relationships with humans/his humanity/ what makes him alien and why he appeals to us all.

EPISODE 6 : The Daleks
Following the return of the Doctor's most feared foe. We watch the tests, see how they work, and meet the men behind the metal.

EPISODE 7: The Dark Side
Evil genii and sudden death - the vital ingredients of Doctor Who.

EPISODE 8 : A Time And A Place
Looking at each Doctor as a product of his time, and looking at how the Doctor has evolved over the last forty years.

EPISODE 9: FX
Following the director in a meeting with The Mill (CGI), model makers and prosthetics people and looking at the first stages of talking through the FX through til they're finally finished. We follow the start to the finish of the making of episode nine - creating the look and sound of aliens and alien worlds. How do you light a spaceship? How do you make space?

EPISODE 10: The Weird Science of Doctor Who
Starting with the sonic screwdriver's appearance, we look into the weird science that is Doctor Who. From "a hole in the time vortex" to "I'll tell you later"; from flying a helicopter to arguing with a small metal dog.

EPISODE 11: Unsung Heroes And Violent Death
Coming off the back of an episode that deals mainly with death and justice, we look at the importance of death to Doctor Who and look at his moral code.

EPISODE 12: The Cult Of Who
The conventions, the reactions, the anticipation of the fans who have had a feast of sci-fi treats over the past 12 weeks. We will look at the fans on-set, the clamour for sci-fi facts, the problems with confidentiality, through to the success of merchandising.

EPISODE 13: Finale
Review of the past 13 weeks - the highs and lows of life with the Doctor and Rose.

FILTER: - Documentary - Magazines

20 Years of Eastenders

Tuesday, 8 February 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

Tonight on Radio 2, the first of two one-hour episodes of this documentary airs, looking at the British TV viewing public's obsession with soap operas. Verity Lambert is one of those mentioned in the Radio Times listing as being interviewed, presumably concerning her work on The Newcomers and later Eldorado. It airs tonight at 8:30pm; you can listen online here. (Thanks to Paul Hayes)

FILTER: - Documentary - Radio - Radio Times

Doctor Who Confidential Update

Saturday, 5 February 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

News regarding the new documentary series Doctor Who Confidential, broadcasting on BBC3 following each episode's transmission in the UK on BBC1: Each edition will have a title and a theme "covered by that week's episode [of Doctor Who] and looking back at how that theme has been developed in previous episodes with past Doctors." (The ratio of "New" to "Classic" Doctor Who will be about 60: 40, according to the report in DWM.) Interviews featured include Christopher Eccleston, Billie Piper, Russell T Davies, past Doctors and assistants, DWM and Big Finish, as well as interviews from fans (including, Outpost Gallifrey is aware, footage and interviews from several Doctor Who conventions.) The first edition is titled "Back from the Future" and examines "how the BBC approached the task of bringing back the Doctor." The second is "Aliens - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly", going behind the scenes on "The End of the World", including "making convincing aliens... prosthetics, and a visit to the Mill". The third - "TARDIS tales" - "looks at the role of the TARDIS, and the past times the Doctor has visited." Future editions will cover the return of the Daleks, the role of the companion and the possibility of time travel.

FILTER: - Documentary - DWM

Project: Who

Thursday, 3 February 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

BBC Publicity has issued the following press release concerning the two-part documentary about the return of the series, airing on Radio 2 in March, as follows (with thanks to Stephanie Hardwick of BBC Radio 2 for sending it to us):

Project: Who? - BBC Radio 2 goes behind the scenes of the new Doctor Who

As BBC One launches an all new Doctor Who for the 21st Century, Radio 2 examines the continuing fascination with one of the BBC's best loved and most enduring characters in Project: Who?, a two part documentary presented by Patrick Stewart on Tuesdays 22nd and 29th March.

Radio 2 goes exclusively behind the scenes of the BBC Television series to discover how Doctor Who has been "recreated" by BAFTA award-winning writer Russell T Davies.

The hour-long documentaries feature newly recorded interviews with the cast and creative team behind Doctor Who, and include special contributions from celebrity Who fans.

Featuring exclusive excerpts from the new series, Project: Who? is a reassessment and reappraisal of the ever-popular enigmatic time traveller.

The programmes examine why the BBC decided to launch a new television series nearly a decade after the Doctor's last small screen adventure, how the format of the show has been developed and shaped for a new audience, how the character of the Doctor was cast, and how the series will be launched and marketed around the globe.

Featuring a dramatic mix of interviews, clips, archive and music, Project: Who? is part of Radio 2's Countdown To Who? season which commences in March. The network's website - bbc.co.uk/radio2 - will offer a dedicated mini-site about Doctor Who and Steve Wright's weekday afternoon show, 2.00-5.00pm, will celebrate the series with interviews with the cast and specially themed 'Factoids'.

Written and produced by Malcolm Prince, Project: Who?, presented by Patrick Stewart will broadcast on BBC Radio 2 on Tuesdays 22nd & 29th March at 8.30pm. Doctor Who starring Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper is currently filming on location in Cardiff. The new 13-part series is a BBC Wales production for BBC One.

FILTER: - Documentary - Radio

Merchandise Release Updates

Sunday, 23 January 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

As we reported on December 19, Project Who is "a two-part BBC Radio 2 program that will air around the time of the new series" and will be released on CD. Originally scheduled for April, the new release date is currently May 2. As noted in our previous report, the contents are as follows: "Tying in with transmission of the new BBC1 Saturday night series of Doctor Who, this two-part BBC Radio 2 programme takes a look at the Doctor Who phenomenon. Why is now the right time for it to return? There will be interviews with the stars and producers of the new series, location and set visits, and interviews with famous people who are fans of Doctor Who. This CD release will feature additional material not included in the Radio 2 broadcast." (Thanks to Steve Tribe)

Galaxy 4 is reporting the release of Doctor Who At the BBC: Volume 3 due on September 5; this would presumably be the third in the series of audio clips from BBC Radio interviews and features, possibly narrated by one of their earlier narrators, Nick Courtney or Elisabeth Sladen.

Newly listed on Amazon is Doctor Who, Novella No. 1 from BBC Audio for release on June 6; there's no information but it seems likely that the Ninth Doctor books will be released as audiobooks (Eccleston/Piper being obvious candidates to read them). Also, as previously corrected on our Releases guide, the Ninth Doctor novel formerly "Death Players" is now called Winner Takes All. It and the other two Ninth Doctor books ("Clockwise Man" and "Monsters Inside") as well as the non-fiction book "Monsters and Villains" are all out on May 19.

Various sources are reporting different additional DVDs for the summer and fall of 2005 in the UK, including possible boxed sets of "Trial of a Time Lord" or "The Beginning" (which includes the first three stories), plus "Attack of the Cybermen," "Mawdryn Undead," "The Web Planet," "Revelation of the Daleks" and "Survival," but nothing has been confirmed as yet by BBC Worldwide.

Finally regarding merchandise, according to the Doctor Who Appreciation Society, the media firm Orange 20 (whose logo appears in the magazine credits of DWM) has "planned a coordinated approach to Doctor Who marketing in the run up to the series launch, tying the new series and 'Classic Who' together in DVD and book schedules, magazine features and media promotion." The same article also talks about the Pertwee/McGann logo being retained for 'Classic Who' and the new logo being exclusively for Ninth Doctor stuff; it's not clear whether this is any more than the speculation that's been doing the rounds for ages.

FILTER: - Merchandise - Documentary - DWM - Radio

Project Who?

Sunday, 19 December 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

According to Amazon.co.uk, BBC Audiobooks will be releasing a CD version of a two-part BBC Radio 2 program that will air around the time of the new series. Entitled Project Who?, the synopsis is as follows: "Tying in with transmission of the new BBC1 Saturday night series of Doctor Who, this two-part BBC Radio 2 programme takes a look at the Doctor Who phenomenon. Why is now the right time for it to return? There will be interviews with the stars and producers of the new series, location and set visits, and interviews with famous people who are fans of Doctor Who. This CD release will feature additional material not included in the Radio 2 broadcast." The current date of release on the CD is April 4, though of course this will be subject to change. (Thanks to Steve Tribe)

FILTER: - Documentary - Radio

Who Monsters on NPR

Tuesday, 2 November 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

Doctor Who scored a mention this weekend on the US radio network, National Public Radio, during its program "All Things Considered"; author David Elliott discussed his book, "A Field Guide to Monsters" on the program. During the program, Elliott discussed various monsters seen on television. "There was a TV show, which I think has aired occasion on PBS here, called 'Doctor Who,'" Elliott told host Jennifer Ludden. "And there was Doctor Who, and he had these villains that went around with--they're basically--they look like upside down dustbins called the Daleks. And I would regularly hide behind the couch. But like any kid, I'd hide behind the couch, but my eyes would be peering over the top unable to, you know, tear away from the screen."

FILTER: - Documentary - Radio

Previous 10 Stories

Davies Interviews

Project Who? Update

BBC2 Doctor Who Night

Doctor Who Confidential Update

20 Years of Eastenders

Doctor Who Confidential Update

Project: Who

Merchandise Release Updates

Project Who?

Who Monsters on NPR

This Week in Doctor Who

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