Sontaran Stratagem - Final Ratings

Wednesday, 7 May 2008 - Reported by Marcus

Final figures released by BARB give episode four of Series Four, The Sontaran Stratagem, an official rating of7.06 million viewers. The programme was the 17th most watched for the week on British Television.

On multi-channel television, the Sunday BBC3 repeat was watched by 1.04 million viewers and was the 6th most watched programme on multichannel for the week. The Saturday showing of Doctor Who Confidential got 0.59 million viewers. Also listed is Fridays repeat of Planet of the Ood which got 0.64 million viewers.

Full ratings data, including data for iPlayer downloads can be found in the Doctor Who Forum.

Top 20 Programmes (w/e 27 April 2008)

1 - CORONATION STREET (MON 2029) 10.81
2 - CORONATION STREET (MON 1933) 10.22
3 - BRITAIN'S GOT TALENT (SAT 2005) 9.86
4 - EASTENDERS (MON 2000) 9.66
5 - CORONATION STREET (FRI 1933) 9.41
6 - EASTENDERS (THU 1929) 9.19
7 - CORONATION STREET (FRI 2029) 9.14
8 - CORONATION STREET (WED 1931) 8.87
9 - EASTENDERS (FRI 1959) 8.79
10 - EASTENDERS (TUE 1929) 8.59
11 - UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (TUE 1928) 8.53
12 - MIDSOMER MURDERS (SUN 2002) 7.98
13 - THE APPRENTICE (WED 2100) 7.85
14 - EMMERDALE (MON 1901) 7.49
15 - EMMERDALE (FRI 1902) 7.20
16 - EMMERDALE (THU 1903) 7.15
17 - DOCTOR WHO (SAT 1819) 7.06
18 - EMMERDALE (TUE 1859) 6.77
19 - EMMERDALE (WED 1900) 6.72
20 - CASUALTY (SAT 2057) 6.56

Top Twenty Multichannel Programmes (we 27 April 2008)

1 - UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE LIVE (Wed 1900) 1.77m - Sky Sports 2
2 - LIVE FORD FOOTBALL SPECIAL-MATCH (Sat 1200) 1.39m - Sky Sports 1
3 - BRITAIN'S GOT TALENT (Sun 1959) 1.19m - ITV2
4 - EASTENDERS (Tue 2202) 1.09m - BBC3
5 - EASTENDERS (Thu 2201) 1.04m - BBC3
6 - DOCTOR WHO (Sun 2002) 1.04m - BBC3
7 - HEROES (Thu 2231) 990,000 - BBC3
8 - FORD SUPER SUNDAY (Sun 1533) 968,000 - Sky Sports 1
9 - BRITAIN'S GOT MORE TALENT AUDITIONS (Sun 2103) 921,000 - ITV2
10 - KATIE AND PETER: THE NEXT CHAPTER (Thu 2101) 876,000 - ITV2
11 - UEFA CUP (2007- 2008) (Thu 1859) 872,000 - ITV4
12 - EASTENDERS (Mon 2200) 810,000 - BBC3
13 - 60 SECONDS (Tue 2200) 807,000 - BBC3
14 - BRITAIN'S GOT MORE TALENT AUDITIONS (Sat 2204) 760,000 - ITV2
15 - HOME AND AWAY (Wed 1829) 710,000 - Fiver
16 - HOLLYOAKS (Mon 1900) 708,000 - E4
17 - HOME AND AWAY (Mon 1829) 706,000 - Fiver
18 - HOME AND AWAY (Thu 1829) 705,000 - Fiver
19 - HOME AND AWAY (Fri 1829) 700,000 - Fiver
20 - HOME AND AWAY (Tue 1829) 694,000 - Fiver

Source: BARB

FILTER: - Ratings - UK - Series 4/30

Sylvester McCoy stars in 'The Mikado'

Wednesday, 7 May 2008 - Reported by R Alan Siler

Seventh Doctor Sylvester McCoy will be playing the lead in Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado. The production opens at the Sheffield Theatre Lyceum following a successful run in the West End and features the Oscar-winning sets and costumes from Mike Leigh's film Topsy Turvy.

Starring alongside the Professor is Nichola McAuliffe, who will be reprising her role of Katisha from the West End run. McAuliffe previously appeared in Doctor Who as Vivien Rook in 2007's "The Sound of Drums" and was also the voice of James Bond's BMW in 1997's Tomorrow Never Dies.

Transporting you to the magnificent Japanese court of Titipu, this hilarious tale of love, marriage, executions and heroics brings to life some of Gilbert & Sullivan's most colourful and popular comic characters from Ko-Ko the Lord High Executioner, Pooh-Bah and Nanki-Poo, to the delightful three little maids.

The Mikado plays seven exclusive performances from Tuesday 27 May to Saturday 31 May, 2008. For more information, please visit http://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/

FILTER: - People

Freema Agyeman cast in BBC One's Dickens

Wednesday, 7 May 2008 - Reported by R Alan Siler

BBC Drama Production today announced the key cast for Little Dorrit, Andrew Davies' major adaptation of Dickens' novel, which will be broadcast on BBC One this autumn (date to be announced). Freema Agyeman, best known to audiences as Martha Jones from Doctor Who and Torchwood, has been cast as Tattycoram, the foundling companion of the Meagles' daughter Pet.

The Dorrit family are joined by a host of colourful characters who they encounter on their way from rags to riches in Dickensian society.

When the benevolent Arthur Clennam returns from overseas he is determined to solve the mystery of his father's dying words, "Put it right Arthur. Your mother. Put it right."

The 15-part drama series began filming last week (commencing 28 April 2008) and will film throughout the summer in locations in and around London, Buckinghamshire, Kent and Herefordshire.

Adapted by acclaimed writer Andrew Davies (Sense And Sensibility, Bleak House) Little Dorrit will play out in soap opera format with 14 half-hour episodes following an initial hour-long episode.

Kate Harwood, BBC Head of Series and Serials, says: "We are very proud to be presenting this wonderful line-up of cast who will be bringing to life one of Dickens' broadest range of characters in a gripping, witty and touching script by the inimitable Andrew Davies. Part-murder mystery, part-love story, and wholly entertaining, Little Dorrit promises to be an autumn treat."

FILTER: - People

Bernard Archard 1916 - 2008

Tuesday, 6 May 2008 - Reported by Marcus

Classic series actor Bernard Archard has died at the age of 91.

Archard created two memorable roles in the series. In 1966 he played the role of Bragen, the security chief seeking complete control of a colony of humans on the planet Vulcan, in Patrick Troughton's first story, The Power of the Daleks.

He returned to the series in 1975 to create the classic role of Marcus Scarman in the Tom Baker story Pyramids of Mars a story highly rated by fans.

Bernard Archard had a long and distinguished career appearing in such series as No Hiding Place (1962), The Avengers (1968), The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes (1971) and Bergerac. A detailed obituary is available in the Independent.

Thanks to Trevor Smith

FILTER: - People - Obituary

The Poison Sky - AI and Digital Ratings

Monday, 5 May 2008 - Reported by Marcus

Episode five of series four, The Poison Sky, achieved an Appreciation Index of 88. Not only one of the highest scores in the series history, but the joint highest score for the weekend on any of the five main channels.

With overnights now available for the whole week, Doctor Who is currently the 19th most watched programme of the week. Final figures will be released by BARB in 9 days time.

Saturday's edition of Doctor Who Confidential was watched by 0.58 million viewers, according to unofficial overnights. The programme, which had a share of 3.3%, was the 3rd most watched on multi channel television on Saturday.

Sunday's BBC3 repeat of The Poison Sky got an overnight audience of 0.63 million, a 3.1% share and was the 5th most watched programme on multi channel TV for Sunday. Doctor Who Confidential got an audience of 0.32 millionfor the repeat showing.

Meanwhile last Friday's repeat of The Sontaran Stratagem got an audience of 0.39 million and was the 11th most watched multi channel programme for the day.

FILTER: - Ratings - UK - Series 4/30

The Poison Sky - Overnight Ratings

Sunday, 4 May 2008 - Reported by Marcus

Unofficial figures show that episode five of Series Four, The Poison Sky, was watched by 5.9 million viewers, giving it a 32.5% share of the total television audience.

Although dipping below the 6 million mark, the programme was still the second most watched of the day, being beaten by ITV1's Britain's Got Talent, which got 8.5 million viewers. It was the highest rated programme on BBC1 for the day.

The programme is currently the 17th most watched of the week. Final figures will be released by BARB in ten days time.

FILTER: - Ratings - UK - Series 4/30

Doctor Who to Church's Rescue

Sunday, 4 May 2008 - Reported by R Alan Siler

As reported in the Telegraph today, leaders at a church conference were encouraged to study Doctor Who and to draw upon the themes that run parallel to Christian doctrine in their sermons as a means of reaching more young people.

Andrew Wooding, a spokesman for the Church Army, which organised the conference, said that its intention was to give vicars new ideas for conveying their message. "There are countless examples of Christian symbolism in Doctor Who, which we can use to get across ideas that can otherwise be difficult to explain," commented Wooding.

In sessions with titles like "Meaningful Monsters: Daleks Through the Decades", members of the clergy watched clips of various episodes and discussed the relevance of certain scenes to Christian teachings. The Rev Andrew Myers, vicar at St Aidan’s in Leeds, commented: "We saw the Doctor persuaded to save a family of Pompeians in one of the most recent episodes, surely a reference to Genesis and Abraham’s bargaining with God over the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah."

Former Doctor Who producer Barry Letts said it was right to look at the series for religious parables. "I think it’s inevitable because of Britain’s cultural heritage that a long-running programme about the fight between good and evil will have some Christian themes as a backdrop," he said.

FILTER: - Press

"Sontaran" Director Douglas MacKinnon Interview

Sunday, 4 May 2008 - Reported by R Alan Siler

Today's Sunday Mail carries an interview with Douglas MacKinnon, director of just-broadcast episodes "The Sontaran Stratagem" and "The Poison Sky".

Having grown up watching Doctor Who as a young man, and remembering the Sontarans' debut appearance in 1973's "The Time Warrior" starring Jon Pertwee and Elisabeth Sladen, directing these episodes was a dream come true for him.

"To get a two-parter with Catherine Tate and Freema Agyeman and the Sontarans was just fantastic. I'd personally put the Sontarans third after the Cybermen and the Daleks as big legends in the legacy of Doctor Who villains."

MacKinnon, a Scotsman, had nothing but praise for series lead David Tennant: "He's everything people say, generous, kind and, most importantly, a very, very good actor. The thing with Doctor Who is the leading actor sets the pace to an extent and David's enthusiasm for the role is infectious for everyone."

But the production was not without incident: at one point during the shoot, MacKinnon managed to break the TARDIS.

"During filming I was working on the TARDIS and I managed to break the bit in the middle which goes up and down. I wanted it to go too fast for a dramatic scene and it just stopped working. I couldn't believe I'd broken the TARDIS! Thankfully, we managed to fix it half an hour later but I had this surreal phone call with my nine-year-old son Thomas, who is a massive Doctor Who fan, back home in Fife and said: 'You'll never believe what I did today...' And he shouted to my wife Mandy: 'Mum, dad's broken the TARDIS!'"

FILTER: - Production - Press

Classic Series DVD Releases

Wednesday, 30 April 2008 - Reported by DWNP Archive

Posted By John Bowman

DVD site Zeta Minor has given UK release dates for various classic-era stories later this year. According to its newly updated releases page, they are as follows:

K-9 Tales - box set comprising The Invisible Enemy and K-9 plus Sarah Jane Smith spin-off story K-9 And Company: June 16

The Brain of Morbius: July 21

The Trial of a Time Lord box set: August 18

Four To Doomsday: September 15

The War Machines: October 13

Battlefield: November 17

In addition, Revenge of the Slitheen and Eye of the Gorgon, both from spin-off series The Sarah Jane Adventures, are slated to be released on one DVD on January 12, 2009.

Please note, however, that the information has been gathered from various sources and the dates could change.

(With thanks to Tony Clark.)

FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

Doctor Who Adventures 62

Wednesday, 30 April 2008 - Reported by DWNP Archive

Posted By John Bowman

The new edition of Doctor Who Adventures - out in the UK tomorrow - has the first part of a three-part competition to win a lifesize Ood head.

Issue 62 also promises to prepare readers for a battle with the Sontarans, with a look back at The Sontaran Stratagem and a look ahead to The Poison Sky - this coming Saturday's conclusion to the two-parter.

Also in the magazine:

Three posters: The Doctor and Donna, The Sontaran Stratagem and the Sisters in The Fires of Pompeii.
Tales from the TARDIS: Mickey activates the Dalek Genesis Ark by accident.
Quiz: How well do you know the Sontarans?
Activity: Make a Pyrovile mask.
Secrets: Behind the scenes with Doctor Who Confidential - find out how the Adipose came to life.
Doctor's Data: The Adipose.
Comic strip: The Doctor uncovers a secret in Vienna.
Time Teasers: Puzzles to solve – hunt the hands and untangle the Ood tentacles.
Who knows: Who made the sonic screwdriver and which Doctor has had the most companions?

Issue 62 comes with a free Doctor Who Adventures keyring plus a set of monster bouncy balls featuring some of the series' creatures.

FILTER: - Magazines - DWA

Previous 10 Stories

Sontaran Stratagem - Final Ratings

Sylvester McCoy stars in 'The Mikado'

Freema Agyeman cast in BBC One's Dickens

Bernard Archard 1916 - 2008

The Poison Sky - AI and Digital Ratings

The Poison Sky - Overnight Ratings

Doctor Who to Church's Rescue

"Sontaran" Director Douglas MacKinnon Interview

Classic Series DVD Releases

Doctor Who Adventures 62

Amazon Associate paid Link. Doctor Who News is supported by qualifying purchases.

This Week in Doctor Who

ARCHIVE

FILTER