Radio Times Companion Poll

Thursday, 21 October 2010 - Reported by Chuck Foster
The current issue of the Radio Times (23rd-29th October) includes an article with Matt Smith discussing who is his favourite companion in Doctor Who, plus the run-down on the Doctor's former companions appearing in next week's The Sarah Jane Adventures story Death of the Doctor, Elisabeth Sladen and Katy Manning.

On the Radio Times website you can find an exclusive photo gallery to accompany the story.

Plus, you are also invited to vote for your favourite companion, with the chance to win a limited edition Doctor Who Series Five Steelbook in either standard DVD or Blu-ray versions.

The closing date for the competition is the 1st November.




FILTER: - Radio Times

Tennant talks to Radio Times

Wednesday, 6 October 2010 - Reported by Marcus
Radio TimesThe words Doctor Who once more adorn the cover of Radio Times this week, along with a picture of Tenth Doctor, David Tennant.

The magazine is promoting Tennant's latest venture, playing the lead role in Single Father, a four-part drama for BBC One about a man struggling to raise his four children after the death of his wife. Written by Mick Ford of Ashes To Ashes, the series is set in Glasgow, and tells the story of Dave, a photographer facing the seemingly impossible job of bringing up his four kids alone. Things get even more complicated when he begins to fall in love with Sarah – his wife's best friend.

Tennant was asked about the timing of his departure from Doctor Who.
It felt right to pass the baton on and for it to continue to thrive. I think that was all exactly as I would wish it to be. There’s a downside to playing the role, but in my experience it’s grossly outweighed by the upside because I loved doing it so much that I wouldn’t have missed that opportunity for anything. It was just wonderful and it created many, many more opportunities than it closed down. I think my life is in a very different place and my career is in a very different place to what it was before I did Doctor Who and that is 90 per cent positive.
Tennant was also asked about the recent series and new Doctor, Matt Smith
I’m very nervous to say anything, because anything I say is turned into some soundbite and used by the Daily Mail as proof that I’m a… Genuinely, I think it’s been brilliant. I’ve loved every second of it. It’s a thrill for me to be watching it as a viewer again. I knew Matt was going to be fantastic and he is. He’s a great choice and he’s knocked it out of the park.




FILTER: - David Tennant - Radio Times

Eccleston talks departure

Tuesday, 15 June 2010 - Reported by Chuck Foster
EcclestonThe new Radio Times features an interview with former Doctor Christopher Eccleston. The article focusses on his role as John Lennon in the BBC film Lennon Naked (BBC4/BBHD, 9:30pm Wed 23rd), but he also discusses his departure from Doctor Who after just the one series:

I was open-minded but I decided after my experience on the first series that I didn't want to do any more. I didn't enjoy the environment and the culture that we, the cast and crew, had to work in. I wasn't comfortable. I thought "if I stay in this job, I'm going to have to blind myself to certain things that I thought were wrong."

And I think it's more important to be your own man than be successful, so I left. But the most important thing is that I did it, not that I left. I really feel that, because it kind of broke the mould and it helped to reinvent it. I'm very proud of it.

The Radio Times (19-25th June 2010) is out now.




FILTER: - Christopher Eccleston - Radio Times

The Pandorica Opens - Radio Times Cover

Tuesday, 15 June 2010 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Radio TimesThe new issue of the Radio Times (week commencing 19th June) joins the collection of those that feature Doctor Who on the cover; this issue promotes Karen Gillan, who is interviewed inside the magazine about playing the part of Amy Pond, and acting alongside Matt Smith.

We just kind of bounce off each other. The banter that you see on screen – that’s what we’re like all day on set. I sometimes wonder if it’s our way of keeping our energy up between scenes, but it’s all subconscious. And I think we might have been like that if we’d met in any other situation.

The one thing I never wanted to do with Amy was to base her on any kind of formula, to conform to what works – or what has worked – in a companion; you know, the whole, likeable, girl-next-door business. Amy is likeable, I hope, but she’s not ordinary. She’s quite complicated and there are layers to explore. So I was taking a few risks with her and I think it works.

This year has previously seen Radio Times covers for The Eleventh Hour and three versions for Victory of the Daleks.




FILTER: - Magazines - Series 5/31 - Radio Times

Richard Curtis - Radio Times Interview

Tuesday, 1 June 2010 - Reported by Marcus
Radio TimesDoctor Who is the Hamlet of the television world according to the Oscar-nominated writer Richard Curtis, who just happens to have penned the next Doctor Who episode, Vincent and the Doctor.

Speaking in this week's Radio Times, Curtis says "it is a pivotal, career-making role, to be reprised over the years with different actors, always the same, and yet metamorphosing radically with each new incarnation."

Curtis, admits he was not a childhood addict. "No, I wasn’t very dedicated. I seem to remember I liked the Master more than the Doctor, strangely enough." He says his decision to write an episode was more thanks to the nagging from his four children, now aged from 14 to six. "My kids absolutely love it. We all watched the Christmas special two years ago and my children said I had to do one. Scarlett, our eldest, pointed out that while I’d always promised I would write a children’s movie, by the time I do, she won’t be a child any more. And the great thing about telly is how swift it is by comparison with films."




FILTER: - Press - Series 5/31 - Radio Times

Victory of the Daleks - Radio Times Covers

Tuesday, 13 April 2010 - Reported by Chuck Foster


In just a fortnight since gracing the front cover of the Radio Times for the series launch, this week sees not just one but three covers devoted to the Doctor's greatest enemy, the Daleks - with the three main political parties engaged in the current UK election campaign reflected in red, blue and yellow livery!

Inside, the magazine chats to Victory of the Daleks writer Mark Gatiss about his fascination with the Daleks, and explores their timeless appeal. Plus, an exclusive first look into the BBC’s online archive to find out its top Doctor Who secrets - the first ever access to audience research reports on previous Time Lords from Jon Pertwee to Sylvester McCoy.

This week also sees an interview with current Prime Minister Gordon Brown, plus a quickfire round of questions including Doctor Who:

Hamlet, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo and Juliet?
“Hamlet [with David Tennant]. I saw it recently.”

Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, David Tennant or Matt Smith?
“I think you know what I’m going to say here. Yes. David Tennant is the best.”




FILTER: - Magazines - Series 5/31 - Radio Times

Radio Times Cover

Tuesday, 30 March 2010 - Reported by Marcus
Radio TimesThe new issue of the Radio Times is released in the UK today, and gives an exclusive glimpse into the new TARDIS with a special pull-out gatefold cover.

The magazine talks to new Doctor Matt Smith. Smith is a graduate of the University of East Anglia, where he studied drama and creative writing, and has his own way of accessing the enigmatic Doctor.

I was thinking, ‘Who in the world has a brain and a silliness which is close to the Doctor?’ and then I saw that photograph of Albert Einstein poking his tongue out and it just clicked. I found this book of quotes by Einstein – which I recommend as a life choice, he was such an insightful man – and I started writing short stories about Einstein and the Doctor, where the Doctor was getting irritated with the great man’s buffoonery. He’d be saying, ‘Come on, Albert, keep up!’ and I think that, more than anything, was my way in to the part.


Also Karen Gillan is the girl who grabbed the role every actress would die for: the companion to the eleventh Doctor. Fans camped outside the Doctor Who set are a reminder of the show’s unique place in British culture.
I was never really into science fiction when I was growing up, though my mum was a big Doctor Who fan. Now I’ve turned into a real sci-fi geek. Once you get sucked into that world, it has its own logic and laws, which is why I think people are so passionate about it.




FILTER: - Matt Smith - Magazines - Series 5/31 - Radio Times

Episode Seven Title

Monday, 29 March 2010 - Reported by Marcus
The title of Episode Seven of the new series has been revealed as Amy's Choice.

The title is revealed in next week's edition of Radio Times, which is released tomorrow. The story is written by Simon Nye and directed by Catherine Morshead.

The magazine confirms the titles of the first seven episodes of the series, the first six of which were previously known. There is, however, some confusion over the title of Episode Six; although Doctor Who Magazine and Matt Smith have referred to it as Vampires in Venice, the script's author, Toby Whithouse, and the BBC preview discs have confirmed the title is Vampires of Venice.

A selection of photos from the new TARDIS interior are available on the Radio Times Website.

The Radio Times cover will be available on the Doctor Who News Page from 12.01am BST tomorrow.




FILTER: - Production - Magazines - Series 5/31 - Radio Times

New Series Roundup

Wednesday, 24 March 2010 - Reported by Marcus
With the launch date of the new series rapidly approaching, Matt Smith makes a number of appearances on UK Television and Radio over the next few days, including as a guest on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross this Friday and on Blue Peter next Wednesday.

The 1 minute teaser on the BBC Red Button service appears to have been pushed back until the weekend. Final transmission times of The Eleventh Hour will be confirmed sometime today so details can be sent to listing magazines.

BBC America will screen Doctor Who, The Ultimate Guide on Saturday April 17, just before the US premier of The Eleventh Hour. The program is described as an original, all-access look inside the world's biggest, most successful sci-fi television program.

A number of new stills from The Eleventh Hour have been released.





FILTER: - Series 5/31 - Radio Times

Moffat talks to Radio Times

Tuesday, 16 March 2010 - Reported by Marcus
Radio TimesIn the run up to the launch of the New Series in April, Executive Producer Steven Moffat this week gives an interview to Radio Times.
Steven Moffat is Doctor Who’s new “showrunner” – the flashy American term, adopted over here, to describe a visionary writer/producer/TV seer who is charged with the creative evolution of a big series.

So what grand monsters (and tiny terrors) can we look forward to this series? Moffat doesn’t want to give too much away, but the new Doctor, Matt Smith, and his companion Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) are inevitably up against foes old and new, with a star-dusting of special guest-scarers, including Helen McCrory as “a sexy scary vampire-woman and Sophie Okonedo…” here Moffat pauses. As what? “I couldn’t possibly say. But she was in the trailer for the new series, and nobody noticed!”




FILTER: - Steven Moffat - Magazines - Radio Times