Torchwood Ratings – Day One

Tuesday, 7 July 2009 - Reported by Marcus

Torchwood: Children of Earth was watched by 5.9 million viewers, according to unofficial overnight figures. The programme was the 5th most watched programme of the day and the 2nd highest rated on BBC1, being beaten by the three main soaps. The programme won its timeslot with an audience share of 25.8%.

An additional 97,000 people watched the programme in HD on the BBC HD channel.

The BBC Three repeat at 2345 was watched by 214,000 viewers, a 3.9% share.

Final figures will be available in two weeks time.

Torchwood continues Tuesday evening on BBC1.

FILTER: - Torchwood - Ratings - UK - Children of Earth (Series 3)

Torchwood Blog

Saturday, 4 July 2009 - Reported by Marcus

With the transmission of the three Torchwood Radio plays now complete, the BBC has published an article on the Radio 4 blog, written by producer Kate McAll, looking at how the series was created.

The blog entry looks at how the programme was cast and how the series was put together. It features several pictures from the recording session.

All three of the Torchwood Plays can be heard on the BBC iPlayer and, for the first time, listeners in the United Kingdom can download permanent copies of the programmes as MP3 files.

FILTER: - Torchwood - Radio

Doctor Who Adventures Issue 122

Friday, 3 July 2009 - Reported by Chuck Foster

The new edition of Doctor Who Adventures is now out, and this week the magazine includes 3D glasses, a giant double-sided 3D poster, and Dalek Stickers.

FILTER: - Magazines - DWA

Russell T Davies Interview

Tuesday, 30 June 2009 - Reported by Marcus

Outgoing showrunner Russell T Davies has given an interview to BBC Radio Four's Front Row.

He talked about Doctor Who, Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures.

The programme can be heard on the BBC iPlayer for the next six days.

FILTER: - Russell T Davies - Production

New Radio Times

Tuesday, 30 June 2009 - Reported by Chuck Foster

The new edition of the Radio Times has been published in the UK, and features a foldout cover for Torchwood: Children of Earth. The magazine includes a four-page article on the five-part story, including a "script-to-screen" section.

There is also an interview with John Barrowman, in which he criticises the BBC for cutting the series to five episodes following its move to BBC1.

Barrowman said: "We were the most successful show on BBC3, ever. We moved to BBC2 because the ratings were so good, the ratings were great again and we were beating shows that had been on BBC2 for a long time. The decision was made to go to BBC1, and then we were cut. From 13 episodes down to five.

"The five episodes, the miniseries as I call it, are incredible, I have no doubt about that, but personally, I felt like we were being punished. Other shows move from BBC3 and 2 to 1, and they don't get cut. So why are we? It felt like every time we moved we had to prove ourselves."

A BBC spokesman has denied Torchwood was being "punished", saying they wanted to create an "event" to launch the show on BBC1, with the new series stripped across one week.

Radio Times editor Gill Hudson:

"They are faced with their fiercest threat to date – one which throws the future of Torchwood and the entire human race spiralling into danger. Do they stand a chance of saving mankind?" Even if you've never seen Torchwood in your life, the brief description from its official website should at least make it clear that Last of the Summer Wine this is not.

"But it will be a new experience for die-hard fans, too: as well as moving to primetime BBC1 from BBC2, it's also switched from the usual 13-part weekly format to five parts to be run on consecutive nights.

"It's a trick that's been used to good effect before – last year's Criminal Justice and the recent Occupation, for example – and it's something we can expect more of. As increasing numbers of us watch what we like, when we like, 'event TV' will be needed to ensure we keep having compelling reasons to tune in on particular nights.

Not that Torchwood star John Barrowman is entirely happy. Find out why – and what it takes to produce a a drama like this – on page 14."

FILTER: - Torchwood - UK - Magazines - Children of Earth (Series 3) - Radio Times

Torchwood on Radio 4

Monday, 29 June 2009 - Reported by Marcus

Torchwood comes to BBC Radio Four this week with a specially commissioned series of three plays occupying the long running Afternoon Play slot.

Starring John Barrowman, Eve Myles and Gareth David-Lloyd the 45 minute plays will be transmitted at 2.15pm on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Once transmitted they can be downloaded from the BBC iPlayer for a period of 1 week.

Asylum Wednesday 1 July 2009
When PC Andy arrests a teenager for shoplifting, he thinks it is going to be a routine case. Then he sees the weapon she is carrying and decides to call in the Torchwood team.
By Anita Sullivan.

Golden Age Thursday 2 July 2009
The Torchwood team are led to Delhi on the trail of a dangerous energy field.
By James Goss.

The Dead Line Friday 3 July 2009
When a Cardiff hospital is inundated with patients who have fallen into coma – like trances, Torchwood move in to investigate.
By Phil Ford.

FILTER: - Torchwood - UK - Radio

Torchwood: Children of Earth - BBC Trailer

Friday, 26 June 2009 - Reported by Chuck Foster

FILTER: - Torchwood - UK - Children of Earth (Series 3)

Torchwood: Children of Earth Scheduling

Wednesday, 24 June 2009 - Reported by Chuck Foster

A roundup of news for the broadcast of Torchwood: Children of Earth around the world.

United Kingdom (BBC1, 6th-10th July)
BBC Press Pack

The Radio Times website has now listed Torchwood as being broadcast from Monday 6th July from 9:00pm, and will be broadcast over consecutive nights.
The Guardian used Children of Earth's broadcast as the basis for an article on the role of the story-arc in science fiction.
The Examiner reports on the soundtrack for Children of Earth to be released in the UK on 7th July.
Press Pack coverage from io9, who also commented on the UK broadcast of Children of Earth ahead of the US broadcast (and spoilers revealed in the BBC Week 27 Information. Other articles on broadcast date from C21Media, Brand Republic, Rapid Talent, SF Crow's Nest, Coventry Telegraph, and Fantasy France.

United States (BBC America, 20th-24th July)

BBC America have provided an Inside Look video for the series. Details on the series that they produced were covered by Pop Culture Zoo
SF Universe carry an interview with John Barrowman; they also have an article of
'fun facts' about Torchwood. Another interview with John Barrowman from the Chicago Tribune, whilst Eve Myles was the subject of Wired.

Canada (SPACE, 20th-24th July)

Channel Canada report that the SPACE channel will broadcast the five-part series on consecutive days from the 20th July, and will be followed on the Saturday by the Canadian premiere of Planet of the Dead.

Australia (UKTV, BBC HD, 7th-11th July)
Trailer 1 Trailer 2

FILTER: - Canada - Torchwood - USA - UK - Children of Earth (Series 3) - Radio Times - Broadcasting

Target on the Radio

Saturday, 20 June 2009 - Reported by Marcus

In a new documentary, Mark Gatiss explores the history of the incredibly popular Target book range.

In the days before domestic video players and multi channel Television, the only way for fans to relive Doctor Who episodes, or catch up with stories they had missed, was through the hugely popular Doctor Who novelisations, published throughout the 70's and 80's.

Gatiss, a self-confessed Doctor Who fan, who has written and stared in the revived series, presents On the Outside it Looked Like an Old Fashioned Police Box. The documentary features some of the best excerpts from the books and interviews with publishers, house writers, illustrators and the actors whose adventures the books depicted.

The programme is on Radio Four on Tuesday 23rd June at 1130 BST. Radio Four can be heard across the UK and around the world via the BBC iPlayer. Once broadcast the programme will be availabe to listen again for seven days.

FILTER: - Documentary - Classic Series - Radio

Torchwood: Children of Earth UK Airdate

Thursday, 18 June 2009 - Reported by Chuck Foster

The BBC Press Office has released details for week 27, and confirms that Torchwood: Children of Earth will be broadcast during that week, 4th-10th July. The show is currently listed as "unplaced", meaning that the exact time and days have yet to be finalised.

Captain Jack Harkness, Gwen Cooper and Ianto Jones (John Barrowman, Eve Myles and Gareth David-Lloyd) return for a new adventure in Torchwood – Children Of Earth, a five-part series for BBC One.

An ordinary day becomes one of terror, as every single child in the world stops. A message is sent to all the governments of Earth: "We are coming." But, as a trap closes around Captain Jack, the sins of the past are returning and long-forgotten events from 1965 threaten to reveal an awful truth.

Torchwood is forced underground as the government takes swift and brutal action. As members of the team are hunted down, Britain risks becoming a rogue state. Meanwhile, the mysterious and powerful 456 draws ever-closer.

Captain Jack, Gwen and Ianto are helpless as events escalate to such a degree that mankind faces the end of civilisation itself.

John Barrowman plays Captain Jack Harkness; Eve Myles plays Gwen Cooper; and Gareth David-Lloyd plays Ianto Jones. Torchwood also stars Kai Owen as Rhys Williams; Peter Capaldi (Doctor Who, Skins) as John Frobisher; Paul Copley (Coronation Street, The Bill) as Clem; Liz May Brice (Bad Girls, The Bill) as Johnson, Lucy Cohu (Forgiven) as Alice Carter; Nicholas Farrell (Casualty 1909) as Brian Green; Susan Brown (Brideshead Revisited) as Bridget Spears; and Cush Jumbo (Harley Street) as Lois Habiba.

FILTER: - Torchwood - UK - Children of Earth (Series 3) - Broadcasting

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