Views From Behind The Sofa

Saturday, 9 June 2007 - Reported by Marcus

A new book due to be released in August looks at Doctor Who from a fan's point of view.

Views From Behind The Sofa is compiled by David May using contributions from Doctor Who fans around the globe. It promises individual stories of how fans got hooked, their experiences of being a fan, their views of the various characters and stories, and their memories of not just watching the series but collecting the merchandise and attending events.

The book is published by Lulu.

FILTER: - Books

Week Eleven - Schedule

Saturday, 9 June 2007 - Reported by Marcus

Doctor Who moves to 7.15pm for the transmission of Episode Eleven, Utopia. The programme is sandwiched between The People's Quiz and The National Lottery Draws with the hospital drama Casualty following at 8.10pm.

Against the first part of the show, ITV1 offers the 2002 feature film Scooby-Doo, the live action version of the cartoon about a gang of teenage sleuths and their cowardly dog. Against the last fifteen minutes it offers Ant and Dec with the last of the live semi-finals of Britain's Got Talent.

On BBC2 there is the latest in the The Culture Show where Lou Reed talks about his upcoming UK tour, while Channel4 continues with Lie Labinvestigating new lie-detection technology. Channel 5 once more offers Cricket on five.

FILTER: - UK - Series 3/29 - Broadcasting

Doctor Who - A Blue Peter Special

Friday, 8 June 2007 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Next Wednesday sees a special Blue Peter programme which will go behind-the-scenes of Doctor Who with David Tennant. The show will be on before the regular programme, and is broadcast at 4:35pm.

(Though not mentioned in the Radio Times write-up for the programme, it is likely that this special will feature the winner of their competition last year to appear in an episode of the current series - see our news from 3rd December for more details).

FILTER: - Special Events - Radio Times

Doctor Who Back In Time

Friday, 8 June 2007 - Reported by Chuck Foster

A further run of the BBC Radio Wales programme Doctor Who Back In Time begins this coming Saturday for the next three weeks, once again delving behind the scenes of the series being made in Wales.

The shows are on at 1:00pm, and will be available on the BBC's Listen Again service for seven days thereafter.

Saturday 9 June, 1pm: Top Tennant
Julian Carey meets David Tennant and gets the lowdown on life as the tenth Doctor.

Saturday 16 June, 1pm: Made in Wales
Julian Carey discovers the benefits and knock-on effects of having the Doctor Who series made in Wales and explores the Who HQ in downtown Pontypridd.

Saturday 23 June, 1pm: Interrogation
In March BBC Radio Wales opened up its email address to thousands of Doctor Who fans, challenging them to ask the cast and crew any question they liked about the show - these are the results. Featuring David Tennant, Freema Ageyman, Russell T Davies... and a Dalek.

FILTER: - Production - Radio

Sea Devil Sale Cancelled

Friday, 8 June 2007 - Reported by Marcus

We understand that the Sea Devil costume that was to be auctioned at Bonhams later this month, as reported by Outpost Gallifrey on May 27, has now been withdrawn from sale.

FILTER: - Merchandise

CBC: Runaway Bride Schedule Change

Friday, 8 June 2007 - Reported by Mike Doran

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation have changed their plans to air
The Runaway Bride on Monday June 11th. Earlier this week a representative from the CBC confirmed for Outpost Gallifrey that if the National Hockey League Stanley Cup playoffs were completed before that date the 2006 Christmas special would be aired. This is no longer the case.

An announcement on the CBC Doctor Who web site now states that The Runaway Bridewill now air on CBC on the night of Monday June 18th at 12am midnight (12:30am in Newfoundland).

FILTER: - Canada - Broadcasting

Freedom of Information

Friday, 8 June 2007 - Reported by Jarrod Cooper

Big Finish Productions has released full details on the next release in the Bernice Summerfieldseries, Freedom of Information.

They're saying it isn't a war. The Draconians have taken over the Braxiatel Collection, but they claim they come in peace.

Insurrectionary acts are easily being quelled - but the Draconian's new head of state on the Collection is troubled by a missing academic. Is Bernice Summerfield one of the revolutionaries, undermining the peaceful campaign? Where is she hiding, and who is protecting her?

And if she's nowhere to be found, why does he keep hearing her voice?

Meanwhile, an unlikely peacebroker struggles to cut a deal on the Mim Sphere. But how can Hass, the Collection's gardener, convince the Mim to back down when they think he's one of the enemy?

Bernice Summerfield - The Inside Story

June 8, 2007 • Posted By Jarrod Cooper

Big Finish Productions has released more information about its forthcoming guide to Bernice Summerfield, which is due out in October and is written by Simon Guerrier. Bernice creator Paul Cornell writes a foreward to the book, while Bernice actress Lisa Bowerman provides the afterword.

She has brought down empires and decided the fate of the universe. She is feared by the creatures of evil and revered wherever people have had just a little bit too much to drink.

And Bernice Surprise Summerfield is only just turning 15.

The Inside Story charts the history of everyone's favourite space archaeologist. We follow Bernice from her first appearance in Paul Cornell's novel Love and War, through more than 150 books and audio plays to the Draconian-Mim war and the shocking events of The Wake.

The Inside Story talks to those involved in her development. Find out how she came to be, how she was developed and where she's going next. See the stories that almost-got-told, and listen in on the creative battles, personality clashes and very, very bad jokes.

With exclusive access to 15 years' worth of writers, editors, producers and illustrators, it's as wild, exciting and unlikely a journey as Benny has made herself.

Kadiatu Lethbridge-Stewart to return

June 8, 2007 • Posted By Jarrod Cooper

Kadiatu Lethbridge-Stewart, a recurring character from the New Adventures line, is set to return in the Bernice Summerfield seasons penultimate release,The Final Amendment by Joseph Lidster.

Forget the war and death and boring stuff like that with another trip to the Braxiatel Collection!

"A welcome return of an old favourite!" – Earth Empire News

"A moving parable on what it is to be human in these ever-changing times." – BFM

"Glorious, crukking filth! Hooray!" – Moonmaker

"Something of a curate's egg." – Fandomania

Joined by friends old and new, Jason Kane returns for his 15th series! Will Benny find out about him and Bev? Or about him and Adrian? What is the mysterious connection between Joseph and Doggles? Will Brax ever reveal his sinister plans?

And just who the hell is Kadiatu Lethbridge-Stewart?

Big Finish Update

June 8, 2007 • Posted By Jarrod Cooper

Big Finish Productions has released more information on its forthcoming releases. July sees the release of The Wishing Beast, which has Colin Bakerand Bonnie Langford being joined by Jean Marsh. The Wishing Beast is a three part story. Accompanying it is The Vanity Box, a one part adventure which also features the Sixth Doctor and Mel.

Frozen Time, August's release featuring a companionless Seventh Doctor, sees Sylvester McCoy joined by Bond girl,Maryam D'Arbo

THE WISHING BEAST

What can it mean when the Doctor and Mel are drawn to an asteroid by a message from the strange, elderly Applewhite sisters? The travellers are promised that they will receive their dearest wishes when they enter the frozen forests of this benighted shard of a world. But the ghosts that haunt this place are desperate to warn the Doctor about the sisters' promises. Only the ghosts know the true nature of the legendary Wishing Beast.

THE VANITY BOX

A strange beauty parlour has opened its doors for business in a dowdy Salford terrace circa 1965. Monsieur Coiffure is the talk of the street with his fabulous make-overs. When the Doctor arrives, however, he knows at once that there's been some unnatural titivation going on.

Frozen Time

In 1929, Lord Barset's expedition to the Antarctic is lost without trace. Or so it seems…

Nearly a century later, his grandson funds a much-publicized return to the icy wastes. His mission: to discover what happened to the original expedition. But what he finds instead is an enigma – a battered London police box frozen in ice millennia old.

But something else lies in wait in this awful place, something from an era before humankind set foot on the continent's cold soil. A menace frozen in time.

Until now.

Return to the Web Planet

June 8, 2007 • Posted By Jarrod Cooper

Big Finish Productions has announced this years subscriber bonus release.Doctor Who subscribers whose subscription includes the December release, The Girl Who Never Was, will also receive the single CD story, Return to the Web Planet which stars Peter Davison as the Fifth Doctor returning to the planet Vortis, location of the Classic Series First Doctor tale The Web Planet.

FILTER: - Audio

Glamour Awards - Best Newcomer

Thursday, 7 June 2007 - Reported by Marcus

Freema Agyeman has won the Best Newcomer award at Glamour magazine's Women of the Year Awards, attended by the likes of Sienna Miller, Victoria Beckham, Katherine Jenkins and Girls Aloud.

Speaking at the awards, Agyeman denied rumours in the tabloid press that she had been sacked fromDoctor Who saying "I'm not axed, I haven't been sacked."

She spoke of how the reports had initially upset her "For about five minutes as you do think oh no, but then you know you're not going to have 100 per cent of people all the time. It’s just life. What is important is that the fans are enjoying it and I just decided to focus on that and it didn't bother me anymore."

FILTER: - People - Awards/Nominations

Canada: Runaway Bride and Series Three on CBC

Wednesday, 6 June 2007 - Reported by Mike Doran

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation is gearing up to broadcast the 2007 series ofDoctor Who as well the 2006 Christmas Special The Runaway Bride. Doctor Who will continue to be aired on Monday nights at 8:00pm (8:30pm in Newfoundland).

There are tentative plans to air The Runaway Bride from 8:00pm to 9:30pm on Monday June 11th, 2007. This can happen because the NHL Stanley Cup Final playoff series between the Ottawa Senators and the Anaheim Ducks ended in five games on Wednesday June 6th.

Broadcast of the 2007 series on the CBC will commence on Monday June 18th, 2007 at 8:00pm with Smith and Jones.

FILTER: - Canada - Specials

Human Nature - Final Ratings

Wednesday, 6 June 2007 - Reported by Marcus

Final figures released by BARB show that episode eight, Human Nature, was watched by 7.74 million viewers, a large increase from the initial overnight figure.

The programme was the 13th most watched of the week on UK television, and the 6th on BBC One.It was top of Saturday night by just under 1 million viewers.

On multichannel, the Sunday repeat was the 3rd most watched programme of the week, with 0.87 million viewers. This made it the highest rated programme on BBC3.

Saturday's Doctor Who Confidential was the 11th most watched programme with 0.71 million viewers.

Final figures are accepted as the industry standard. They are more accurate than the overnights and include those who recorded the programme and watched it within seven days.

Top Programmes (w/e 27 May 2007)

1 CORONATION STREET (MON 2031) - 11.21 - ITV1
2 CORONATION STREET (MON 1933) - 10.69 - ITV1
3 EASTENDERS (MON 2000) - 9.91 - BBC1
4 CORONATION STREET (SUN 1929) - 9.79 - ITV1
5 CORONATION STREET (FRI 1934) - 9.44 - ITV1
6 NEW TRICKS (MON 2101) - 9.25 - BBC1
7 EASTENDERS (FRI 2000) - 8.56 - BBC1
8 EASTENDERS (THU 1929) - 8.41 - BBC1
9 EMMERDALE (MON 1902) - 8.21 - ITV1
10 EASTENDERS (TUE 1929) - 8.11 - BBC1
11 HEARTBEAT (SUN 1959) - 8.05 - ITV1
12 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (WED 1900) - 8.04 - ITV1
13 DOCTOR WHO (SAT 1911) - 7.74 - BBC1
14 EMMERDALE (THU 1902) - 7.11 - ITV1
15 EMMERDALE (TUE 1903) - 7.05 - ITV1
16 EMMERDALE (FRI 1903) - 7.02 - ITV1
17 EMMERDALE (SUN 1859) - 6.93 - ITV1
18 ANY DREAM WILL DO (SAT 2154) - 6.77 - BBC1
19 CASUALTY (SAT 2106) - 6.77 - BBC1
20 TEN O'CLOCK NEWS (MON 2201) - 6.28 - BBC1

Multichannel Top Twenty

1 KATIE AND PETER: THE NEXT CHAPTER (Thu 2100) 1,239,000 - ITV2
2 LOST (Sun 2201) 1,214,000 - Sky 1
3 DOCTOR WHO (Sun 2002) 869,000 - BBC3
4 EASTENDERS (Thu 2204) 819,000 - BBC3
5 EASTENDERS (Tue 2159) 757,000 - BBC3
6 HOME AND AWAY (Mon 1829) 757,000 - Five Life
7 AMERICAN IDOL (Fri 2030) 745,000 - ITV2
8 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL - LIVE (Wed 1800) 730,000 - Sky Sports
9 HOME AND AWAY (Wed 1829) 724,000 - Five Life
10 HOLLYOAKS (Wed 1900) 714,000 - E4
11 DOCTOR WHO CONFIDENTIAL (Sat 1956) 705,000 - BBC3
12 HOME AND AWAY (Thu 1829) 702,000 - Five Life
13 AMERICAN IDOL (Fri 2134) 654,000 - ITV2
14 SUPERNATURAL (Sun 2105) 638,000 - ITV2
15 HOME AND AWAY (Tue 1829) 625,000 - Five Life
16 INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL LIVE (Fri 1930) 625,000 - Sky Sports
17 HOME AND AWAY (Fri 1829) 618,000 - Five Life
18 EASTENDERS (Mon 2201) 612,000 - BBC3
19 LIVE FOOTBALL LEAGUE (Sun 1430) 604,000 - Sky Sports
20 BIG BROTHER: AFTER THEY WERE HOUSEMATES (Fri 2204) 603,000 - E4

Source: BARB

FILTER: - Ratings - UK - Series 3/29

Previous 10 Stories

Views From Behind The Sofa

Week Eleven - Schedule

Doctor Who - A Blue Peter Special

Doctor Who Back In Time

Sea Devil Sale Cancelled

CBC: Runaway Bride Schedule Change

Freedom of Information

Glamour Awards - Best Newcomer

Canada: Runaway Bride and Series Three on CBC

Human Nature - Final Ratings

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