Radio Times at Christmas

Tuesday, 9 December 2014 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Radio Times (13-19 Dec 2014) (Credit: Radio Times)

Doctor Who on Christmas Day is now a firm tradition on British television, and the Radio Times has been there each year to celebrate with the Doctor; 2014 will be no exception as the 13th-19th December issue's front cover features the tenth festive adventure for the Doctor, Last Christmas.

This issue features an interview with guest star Nick Frost, during which he discusses the iconic character he brings to life in the episode:

My Santa is cross, mean and curt as well as cheery and funny. He's got a little bit of Robert De Niro in Mean Streets. And he has history with the Doctor: it's not talked about explicitly but they have a beef with each other from way back.

He also is very supportive of the show's writer:

Steven Moffat is a very clever man - taking Doctor Who somewhere completely different isn't easy. And he was happy to allow me to improvise on set and push things out a bit.

Moffat himself comments on the Doctor's latest encounter and his performer:

It does look like the most insane moment when Santa turns up, but we haven't gone off our rockers. No, Santa is written in properly, in a science-fiction way, into Doctor Who. I've always had a very clear impression of Santa, but when we got Nick Frost, well, first of all how perfect is his name! Nicholas Frost. It's the nom de plume that Santa Claus would use, isn't it? Nick is ideal. He's what Santa should be in Doctor Who land.

Radio Times (20 Dec 2014 - 2 Jan 2015) (Credit: Radio Times/Judith Kerr)

Meanwhile, the magazines 'legendary' double issue features an interview with the Doctor himself, Peter Capaldi, who reflects on his first series and the attention it has brought:

What’s now shocking is I can’t say anything publicly without it having a life. Not because I have extraordinary views but because people are keen on conflict, so they’ll make that the story. They love to make out that Steven Moffat and I have disagreements. But that’s business as usual. It made me realise how awful it must be to be a politician. I’m a lot more sympathetic to Malcolm Tucker’s views now.

He also comments on the whirlwind World Tour that preceeded the series' broadcast:

That was extraordinary. People tell you the show’s successful abroad but until you actually see it, you don’t realise. You’re effectively joining a boy band or the Beatles. You arrive at the airport and there are packs of people screaming and holding up pictures of you. We’d do press events all day and then in the evening a public screening and Q&A, and people went bananas. In South Korea the venue seated 1,500 people, and 50,000 people applied for tickets. I was benefitting from Chris Eccleston, David Tennant and Matt Smith making the show so beloved – I swept in on their coat-tails and got all the adoration and BA first-class treatment.

The full interviews can be found in their respective editions of the Radio Times, with the 13th-19th December issue in the shops now and the double issue covering 20th December - 2nd January due out tomorrow.

Christmas Covers in Previous Years

FILTER: - Peter Capaldi - Radio Times - Series Specials - Steven Moffat

Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150AD limited edition steelbook

Friday, 5 December 2014 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Zavvi are to release an exclusive steelbook for the second Peter Cushing movie outing, Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D.. The Blu-Ray release will be a limited edition of 2000 and is due out on 15th May 2015; it is available for pre-order from today.

Daleks - Invasion 2150AD Bluray Limited Edition Steelbook (Credit: Zavvi/SteelbookBluray)

Daleks - Invasion Earth 2150 A.D.
Limited Edition Steelbook
Release date: 15 May 2014 (available for pre-order)

Daleks - Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. directed by Gordon Flemyng, now fully restored and starring Peter Cushing in his return to the big screen as British TV's most iconic sci-fi hero, Doctor Who.

The earth of 2150 AD is a desolate and hostile ruin of a planet, crumbling at the edge of civilisation, slowly disappearing into the darkness of space. For the future of planet earth now belongs The Daleks, a destructive army of alien invaders who have turned the human race into cowering slaves.

Meanwhile deep within the London Underground a group of resistance freedom fighters are planning an attack. But there's only one man who could possibly help them succeed in destroying their extra-terrestrial enemies and take back control of planet earth. A man of mystery, a man of time and space, a man known only as... The Doctor.

Special Features:

Restoring Daleks - Invasion Earth 2150 A.D.
Interview with actor Bernard Cribbins
Interview with author Gareth Owen
Stills Gallery
Trailer

Details and images with thanks to SteelbookBluray.com

FILTER: - Blu-ray/DVD - Peter Cushing

I'm coming for you on Christmas Day

Friday, 28 November 2014 - Reported by Marcus

BBC America has confirmed the 2014 Christmas special, Last Christmas, will be broadcast on Christmas Day.

YouTube - Doctor Who Christmas Special 2014

FILTER: - BBC America - Peter Capaldi

Christmas Special title announced

Tuesday, 25 November 2014 - Reported by Chuck Foster

The BBC have announced that the title for this year's Christmas Special will be Last Christmas, written by Steven Moffat and directed by Paul Wilmshurst.

In addition a new image for the episode has been released, featuring Peter Capaldi as the Doctor, Jenna Coleman as Clara and Nick Frost as Santa Claus, plus Dan Starkey as Ian and Nathan McMullen as Wolf, two of Santa's helpers as seen in the recent preview shown on this year's Children in Need.

Last Christmas (Credit: BBC/David Venni)

The BBC Media Centre have released details on the BBC Christmas line up, which includes a brief synopsis for the episode:

The Doctor and Clara face their Last Christmas. Trapped on an arctic base and under attack from terrifying creatures, who are you going to call? Santa Claus!

FILTER: - Jenna Coleman - Peter Capaldi - Series Specials

Peter Capaldi turned down Doctor Who

Tuesday, 18 November 2014 - Reported by Marcus

Peter Capalidi has revealed that he once turned down the chance to audition for the role of the Doctor.

The actor was speaking at a special event in London to launch the Series 8 DVD/Blu-Ray. He revealed that he was asked to audition for the role of the Eighth Doctor in the 1996 TV Movie, a role that eventually went to Paul McGann. Capaldi said he turned down the chance to play his dream role as he knew he wouldn't get the part. "I turned down the opportunity," he said. "I loved it so much that I didn’t want to have the disappointment of going for something that I would never get."

Capaldi is not the only Doctor to have turned down the chance to audition for the role in the 1990s. After he was cast as the Doctor in 2004, Christopher Eccleston also revealed that he had declined an invitation to audition for the role of the Eighth Doctor in the TV Movie.

YouTube - I Turned Down Doctor Who

The special event, hosted by Frank Skinner, was attended by fans who won a special competition held by BBC Worldwide. As well as Capaldi it featured Jenna Coleman and showrunner Steven Moffat who were joined onstage by Michelle Gomez, who played Missy in the latest series, and Samuel Anderson, who played Danny Pink.

FILTER: - Blu-ray/DVD - Peter Capaldi

Children in Need Preview

Wednesday, 12 November 2014 - Reported by Chuck Foster

This Friday's Children in Need will feature the first preview for the forthcoming Doctor Who Christmas Special, featuring Peter Capaldi as the Doctor with Nick Frost as Santa Claus.

The Doctor and Santa Claus (Credit: BBC)

Children in Need is on this coming Friday from 7:30pm on BBC One.

FILTER: - Children in Need - Peter Capaldi - Series Specials

Peter Capaldi video message

Friday, 7 November 2014 - Reported by Chuck Foster

A special video message has been sent from Peter Capaldi to a grieving grandson; father Ross Goodall shared the actor's kind words via YouTube, saying:

A lovely message from Peter Capaldi to my 9 year old autistic son. This arrived just before Thomas' nanny's funeral and helped him to deal with his grief in a profound way. Thankyou Peter so much.

YouTube: From the Doctor to my son Thomas

FILTER: - Peter Capaldi

Paddington Who?

Monday, 3 November 2014 - Reported by Harry Ward

A Paddington Bear statue designed by Peter Capaldi has been unveiled today at a press launch for the The Paddington Trail. The statue, called Paddington Who?, will be located at Greenwich Meridian from 4th November – 30th December 2014.

Paddington Who? by Peter Capaldi (Credit: London & Partners)

Peter Capaldi, the current Doctor Who, and who also stars in the new Paddington movie has combined the bear with The Doctor to create a thrilling marmalade-eating time traveller. Has there ever been a more intrepid, daring and sure-to-find-trouble combination? One word of warning though: beware of the Dalek on his back!

The TARDIS is known to transport The Doctor and his companions through time and space on the TV series, so where better for Paddington Who to end up than right where time begins and ends each day: on the Prime Meridian line?

From here there are a number of ways to explore the world’s history, and possibly its future, with attractions to enjoy such as the Royal Observatory, the National Maritime Museum and Queen’s House. Just make sure you pack enough sandwiches under your hat before you leave home.

Other Paddington Bear statues designed by actors who have appeared in Doctor Who include Bear Necessities by John Hurt (The War Doctor), The Journey of Marmalade by Hugh Bonneville (Captain Avery), Shakesbear by Michael Sheen (Voice of House) and Paddington Jack by Davina McCall (Voice of Davinadroid). A full list of bears can be found here.

All the statues from the trail will be auctioned at Christie’s from 10th December 2014 – 7th January 2015 where the money raised will go to help the NSPCC and ChildLine. Bids for the statues will be starting from £500. Anyone who is interested in bidding for a Bear can register their interest in the online auction at christies.com/paddington.

FILTER: - People - Peter Capaldi - Special Events - UK

Peter Davison to present UK Symphonic Spectacular

Monday, 3 November 2014 - Reported by Marcus

BBC Worldwide have announced that Peter Davison, the fifth Doctor, is to join the Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular UK tour.

Davison has presented the tour in Australia and New Zealand in the past and made an appearance at the 2013 Doctor Who Prom Concert. Vision Nine and BBC Worldwide have today confirmed that he will host the UK events in May 2015 as well as the previously announced Australisian part of the tour.

In addition, given the very strong demand for tickets, one additional matinee performance has now been confirmed for Sunday 24th May at the SSE Arena, Wembley.

The Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular, which celebrates the world’s longest running science fiction TV series, showcases the music written by Murray Gold for the series since 2005 and features over 100 performers including the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and members of the BBC National Chorus of Wales, conducted by Ben Foster. The first ever UK shows will be staged from Saturday 23rd May 2015 to Friday 29th May 2015.

Looking forward to the tour Davison said

I’m very excited to be hosting the Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular in the UK in 2015. Doctor Who fans are an extraordinary, wonderful bunch, who are very passionate about the series. The Symphonic Spectacular has already proved to be a monster hit down under with thousands of fans packing into arenas across the southern hemisphere and the UK’s first ever tour promises to be even bigger. I can’t believe that I will be taking the stage at some of the UK’s biggest arenas like Wembley’s SSE Arena and the First Direct Arena in Leeds. With Murray Gold’s amazing music performed live by the programme’s ‘house band’, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, I’m also looking forward to reuniting on stage with conductor Ben Foster.

Tickets for the additional matinee performance on 24th May 2015 go on sale at 10am on Wednesday 5th November. Tickets for the other performances are on sale now.

FILTER: - Music - Peter Davison - Special Events

Lovarzi adds the Fifth Doctor's jumper to their range

Friday, 31 October 2014 - Reported by Harry Ward

Lovarzi, the makers of officially licensed Doctor Who scarves have added the Fifth Doctor's cricket jumper to their range along with two new scarves.

Maninder Singh Sahota, Director of Lovarzi, says:

We've been overwhelmed and delighted by the reaction our Doctor Who products have garnered; the hard work and attention to detail we put into creating finest quality items is always worthwhile when we see the smiles of fans whenever we exhibit our ever-expanding range. We're extremely proud to see dedicated Whovians indulging in their favourite items, and are sure these three new products will be welcomed into the fandom just as warmly.

Danie Ware from Forbidden Planet added:

We had a huge success with the Seventh Doctor’s knitwear last year, and with the continued rise of the cult status of Doctor Who, this new range is perfect for all fans of the series. The Fourth Doctor’s scarf is one of the single most iconic Who symbols, and the additions of the TARDIS scarf, and the Fifth Doctor’s cricketing sweater will make sure everyone’s wrapped up this Christmas!

Fifth Doctor Cricket Sweater (Credit: Lovarzi)

Fifth Doctor Cricket Sweater
available to order now: (Amazon UK), (Forbidden Planet)

The Only Fifth Doctor Sweater Officially Licensed by the BBC!

Peter Davison's Fifth Doctor is one of the most popular incarnations of the world's favourite Time Lord - and deservedly so! He fought the Black Guardian, Cybermen, Silurians, and Sea Devils before sacrificing himself on Androzani Minor: this fresh-faced man who came and went like a summer cloud always looked every bit the hero.

Following Davison's original cricket whites notion, our officially-licensed Fifth Doctor Sweater is based on his much-loved Season 19 and 20 look. What's more, he also wore it for the 20th anniversary special, The Five Doctors, and 2007's charity short, Time Crash, which featured both the Fifth and Tenth Doctors - the first multi-Doctor story of the revived show!

Fourth Doctor Scarf 18 ft Long Season 16 - 17 (Credit: Lovarzi)

Fourth Doctor Scarf
available to order now: ((Amazon UK), ((Forbidden Planet)

The 18ft Long Fourth Doctor Scarf is warm, comfortable, and great for fans of Tom Baker!

The Doctor's worn cool bow ties, cricket jumpers, and questionably-colourful jackets, but Tom Baker's supremely long multi-coloured scarf is the quintessential Doctor Who accessory. Our replica is based on the 18ft scarf the Fourth Doctor wore throughout Seasons 16 and 17, initially made by sewing the original to the stunt double's!

It's ideal for strolling through Paris, searching for the Key to Time - or simply showing off your Whovian allegiance. Because no matter where you are, whoever you meet, everyone appreciates this iconic design.

TARDIS Scarf
available to order now: Blue & Grey - (Amazon UK), (Forbidden Planet), Blue & Red: (Amazon UK), (Forbidden Planet), Grey & White: (Amazon UK), (Forbidden Planet)

Vworp! Vworp! This exclusively-designed TARDIS Scarf looks great wherever you are in time and space!

We initially set eyes on the TARDIS in the very first episode of Doctor Who, An Unearthly Child, and discovered that it's alive. But what else do we know? Well, it's bigger on the inside, of course. The chameleon circuit allows it to blend into its environment - but it's broken, and has permanently taken on the guise of a blue police call box. The Doctor "borrowed" it.

And the most important thing: it's incredible.

Our exclusive TARDIS Scarf is a celebration of Doctor Who, presented in a beautiful box, topped off with the foil-printed BBC Doctor Who logo.