Freema's 60 Second Interview

Tuesday, 19 June 2007 - Reported by R Alan Siler

UK freebie newspaper Metro today features Freema Agyeman in their 60 Second Interview. Freema talks candidly (and quickly!) about attending Star Trek conventions, working at Blockbuster, having an action figure of herself, and getting attacked by her hamsters!

Read the interview here.

FILTER: - People

Utopia - AI Figure and Sunday Ratings

Monday, 18 June 2007 - Reported by Marcus

Episode 11, Utopia, achieved an Appreciation Index score of 87making it the joint most appreciated programme of Saturday.

It was five points clear of any programme on BBC1 or ITV1. Only Channel5's NCISgot a similar result, albeit with a much lower audience rating.

The Appreciation Index, or AI, is a measure of how much the audience liked the programme. It is a score out of 100, based on responses from a carefully selected panel. The average score for drama on BBC1 and ITV1 is 77. A score in excess of 85 is regarded as excellent while a score below 60 is poor.

On BBC3 the Sunday repeat got an audience of 0.78 millionviewers. The programme regained its place as the most watched multichannel programme of the day, beating Britain's Got More Talent on ITV2 and The Simpsons on Sky One. The programme had a 3.9% share of the multichannel audience.

Doctor Who Confidential got an overnight figure of 0.51 million, which was a2.4% Share.

On the main five channels, Britain's Got Talent - The Live Final achieved a massive 11 million rating on Sunday night, pushing Doctor Who down to 15th in the week's top programmes.

Official figures will be released by BARB in about nine days time.

FILTER: - Ratings - UK - Series 3/29

Award for Davison

Sunday, 17 June 2007 - Reported by Marcus

Fifth Doctor Peter Davison has been awarded a Golden Nymph Awardat the 47th Monte Carlo Television Festival.

Davison won an award for outstanding comedy actor for his appearance in the series Fear, Stress, and Anger produced for BBC Two by Hartswood Films, the company run by Steven Moffat's mother-in-law and former Terry Nation agent Beryl Vertue.

Other award winners include Life on Mars, starring "Mr. Saxon" John Simm and commissioned byJulie Gardner.

The ceremony was attended by Freema Agyeman representing Doctor Who.

Thanks to Cameron Yarde Jnr.

FILTER: - Steven Moffat - People - Peter Davison

Utopia - Overnight Ratings

Sunday, 17 June 2007 - Reported by Marcus

Unofficial overnight figures show that episode eleven, Utopia, was watched by 7.3 million viewers, a 36.9% share of the total television audience.

The programme was the most watched on BBC One and the 2nd most watched of the day, being beaten by the ITV1 variety showBritain's Got Talent, which achieved 8.9 million. During the fifteen minutes in which the programmes went head to head, Doctor Who comfortably won with a quarter-hour audience of 7.7 million, as against 6.4 million for the ITV1 show.

With just Sunday's ratings to come, Doctor Who is currently the the 13th most-watched programme of the week.

The children's audience was 1.4 million, which was a 52% share of the 4-15 year olds watching television. Britain's Got Talent had 1.2 million children watching.

On BBC Three, Doctor Who Confidential was watched by 0.69 million, a 4% share of the multichannel audience. It was the second highest rating of the day, being beaten by F1: USA Grand Prix Qualifying on ITV4.

FILTER: - Ratings - UK - Series 3/29

Australian Torchwood: ratings update and coverage

Sunday, 17 June 2007 - Reported by Adam Kirk

Channel Ten has been been heavily promoting Torchwood in preparation of its Australian debut on Monday 18 June 2007 at 9.40pm. These promotions have included newspaper and radio advertisements, a weekly $A2000 prize for viewers and both John Barrowman and Eve Myles have been appearing in Channel Ten 'I believe . . .' promotional trailers.

There has also been significant local media interest. The Sydney Morning Herald has a front page banner of John Barrowman entitled 'Dr Who for Adults' and an article by Michael Idato. SMH TV Reviewer Robin Oliver describes the show as 'a stunner.' The SMH's online TV guide also reviews the show whileThe Age and the Brisbane Sunday Mailalso have online reviews. The Sun-Herald TV magazine features a Torchwood front cover and interview with John Barrowman. Rachel Browne gives the programme four stars, describing it as 'highly original and very watchable, it benefits considerably from creator/writer Russell T. Davies' ever-present droll sense of humour.'

On the other side of the Continent The West Australian Newspaper, the main daily paper for Perth, features Torchwood and a photo of Eve Myles on the front cover of its Today entertainment section. Inside is an interview with Eve Myles about Torchwood and its debut on Australian television.

Additional information from Tristan Alfaro

Ratings Update, 19 June 2007: Torchwood has made a strong Australian debut in the ratings. It averaged 1,003,000 viewers in the five major capitals, winning its (time-adjusted) 9.40pm timeslot over Channel 7 (average 964,000 viewers) and Channel 9 (average 963,000 viewers). It enjoyed a 40% audience share in the 18-49 age group.

It was also Channel Ten's top rating drama for the day, coming second only to its local version of Big Brother.

FILTER: - Torchwood - Press - Radio Times - Australia

Gongs For Classic Who Actors

Saturday, 16 June 2007 - Reported by DWNP Archive

A number of actors from the classic era of Doctor Who have received awards in the 2007 Queen's Birthday Honours List.

Peter Sallis, 87, who played Penley in The Ice Warriors, has been awarded an OBE for services to drama. Sallis is famous for voicing Wallace in the Wallace and Gromit films co-written by classic series writer Bob Baker.

Carmen Munroe, who was Fariah in The Enemy of the World, also receives an OBE for services to drama.

Sylvia Syms, 73, who portrayed Mrs Pritchard in Ghost Light, gets an OBE for services to drama and charity.

Glen Murphy, who was Dibber in The Trial of a Time Lord, is made an MBE for charitable services.

Footnote: Original series producer Verity Lambert was awarded an OBE for services to film and television production in the 2002 New Year Honours List. Also receiving an OBE in that list was Roy Clarke, creator of BBC comedy seriesLast of the Summer Wine, which stars . . . Peter Sallis!

Additional information from David Masters and Daniel Clements.

FILTER: - People - Awards/Nominations

DVD Cover

Saturday, 16 June 2007 - Reported by Marcus

2Entertain have released the cover for the Series 3, Volume 3 of the new series.

The volume contains Episodes 8, 9 and 10, Human Nature, The Family of Blood and Blink.

The DVD is due for release in the United Kingdom on July 23rd.

FILTER: - Series 3/29 - Blu-ray/DVD

Friday Ratings

Saturday, 16 June 2007 - Reported by Marcus

The Friday BBC Three repeat of episode ten, Blink, was watched by 0.33 million viewers, according to unofficial overnight figures. The programme was the 8th most watched on multichannel television for the day.

On BBC One, Totally Doctor Who achieved 0.9 million viewers, which was a7.9% share of the audience.

Wednesday's Blue Peter special, Who Peter, was watched by 0.7 million, giving it a 6.8% share.

FILTER: - Ratings - UK - Series 3/29

Week Twelve Schedule

Saturday, 16 June 2007 - Reported by Marcus

Doctor Who stays at 7.15pm for the transmission of the penultimate episode of Season Three,The Sound of Drums in which Harry Saxon becomes Prime Minister, but his dark ambitions reach beyond the stars.

The programme is preceded by the final of The People's Quiz hosted by Jamie Theakston and followed by The National Lottery Draws and Casualty

On ITV1 the main opposition comes from "those pesky kids" in the 2004 filmScooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed. where an evil genius is intent on wreaking havoc, much as on BBC1.

BBC2 has coverage of the Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition with Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and handy tips on buying art.

Channel 4 puts the real Prime Minister up against Harold Saxon with The Rise and Fall of Tony Blair. Andrew Rawnsley examines the policies and personality of the man who has ruled Britain for the last decade.

Channel 5 offers an alternative with the 1988 feature film Little Nikita starring Sidney Poitier and River Phoenix. An unusual espionage drama in which an American teenager about to join the Air Force Academy discovers that his parents are Soviet agents.

FILTER: - UK - Series 3/29 - Broadcasting

December Novels Announced

Saturday, 16 June 2007 - Reported by Jarrod Cooper

Amazon.co.uk have released the titles and blurbs for December's trio of Tenth Doctor Novels.

Peacemaker by James Swallow
The peace and quiet of a remote homestead in the 1880s American West is shattered by the arrival of two shadowy outriders searching for 'the healer'. When the farmer refuses to help them, they raze the house to the ground using guns that shoot bolts of energy instead of bullets... In the town of Redwater, the Doctor and Martha learn of a snake-oil salesman who's patent medicines actually cure his patient. But when the Doctor and Martha investigate they discover the truth is stranger, and far more dangerous. Caught between the law of the gun and the deadly plans of intergalactic mercenaries, the Doctor and Martha are about to discover just how wild the West can become... This title features the Doctor and Martha as played by David Tennant and Freema Agyeman in the hit series from BBC Television.

The Pirate Loop by Simon Guerrier
The Doctor's been everywhere and everywhen in the whole of the universe and seems to know all the answers. But ask him what happened to the Starship Brilliant and he hasn't the first idea. Did it fall into a sun or black hole? Was it shot down in the first moments of the galactic war? And what's this about a secret experimental drive? The Doctor is skittish. But if Martha is so keen to find out he'll land the TARDIS on the Brilliant, a few days before it vanishes. Then they can see for themselves... Soon the Doctor learns the awful truth. And Martha learns that you need to be careful what you wish for. She certainly wasn't hoping for mayhem, death, and badger-faced space pirates. This title features the Doctor and Martha as played by David Tennant and Freema Agyeman in the hit series from BBC Television.

Wishing Well by Trevor Baxendale
The old village well is just a curiosity - something to attract tourists intrigued by stories of lost treasure, or visitors just making a wish. Unless something alien and terrifying could be lurking inside the well. Something utterly monstrous that causes nothing but death and destruction. But who knows the real truth about the well? Who wishes to unleash the hideous force it contains? What terrible consequences will follow the search for a legendary treasure hidden at the bottom? No one wants to believe the Doctor's warnings about the deadly horror lying in wait - but soon they'll wish they had... This title features the Doctor and Martha as played by David Tennant and Freema Agyeman in the hit series from BBC Television.

FILTER: - Books

Previous 10 Stories

Freema's 60 Second Interview

Utopia - AI Figure and Sunday Ratings

Award for Davison

Utopia - Overnight Ratings

Australian Torchwood: ratings update and coverage

Gongs For Classic Who Actors

DVD Cover

Friday Ratings

Week Twelve Schedule

December Novels Announced

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