New Tie-In Books

Thursday, 10 November 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

Amazon.co.uk has details of three new Doctor Who tie-in books due out in 2006. 4 May sees the release of the Doctor Who Party Planner, a 16 page paperback book, and the Doctor Who Sticker Activity Book, also 16 pages. 18 May is the release date for More Monsters and Villains, a follow-up to Justin Richards' 2005 "Monsters and Villains" book (and presumably by the same author).

FILTER: - Books

More on The Beginning DVD

Thursday, 10 November 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

The latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine has further details of January'sThe Beginning UK DVD boxed set, in addition to the information already reported on Outpost Gallifrey. The pilot episode will appear in 25-minute form, as well as the complete and unedited 36 minutes of footage, retakes and all. There will be a feature ('The Theme Music Video') allowing viewers to experience the original theme arrangement in mono, stereo and 5.1 surround sound. There are commentaries by Verity Lambert, Carole Ann Ford and William Russell on 'An Unearthly Child' (episode 1) and by Waris Hussein, Carole Ann Ford and William Russell on 'The Firemaker' (An Unearthly Child episode 4). Christopher Barry and Verity Lambert do the commentary on 'The Survivors' (The Daleks 2), Barry, Russell and Ford on 'The Ambush' (The Daleks 4), and Russell, Ford and Richard Martin on 'The Rescue' (The Daleks 7). All five commentaries are moderated by Gary Russell. The 'Marco Polo' feature listed at the BBFC is a 30-minute reconstruction using soundtrack and telesnaps. There will also be PDFs of Radio Times listings and an Arabic soundtrack option for 'The Brink of Disaster' (The Edge of Destruction 2).

FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD - Radio Times

Torchwood Update

Thursday, 10 November 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

In the new Doctor Who Magazine, executive producer Russell T Davies has commented on the new spin-off series "Torchwood". Davies says that the show and Doctor Who will "share some of the production base". Ed Thomas will now be Series Designer on both shows. DWM also confirms with the production that Charlotte Church has not been approached to appear in the series, contrary to the recent reports in the British tabloids.

Davies also says that "anyone worrying that a new show will drain the resources of Doctor Who is just... well, a worrier. We've planned this in great detail. And all of the planning has taken account of the fact that Doctor Who is the BBC's flagship show [...] and must be protected and supported at all times. The shows have separate budgets, and both will be fully staffed from the best we can find." As is Davies' tradition, he also appears to casually drop in a character name: "the Doctor will be striding into 2006 with some truly astonishing adventures, with Jack and Gwen and the team following right behind!"

FILTER: - Torchwood - DWM

Big Finish Update

Thursday, 10 November 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

Big Finish has announced (in the latest DWM) two new forthcoming audio releases for 2006: Synchronicity by Stewart Sheargold, featuring Sylvester McCoy; and To Sleep, Perchance to Dream by Colin Brake, starring Peter Davison. The company will also produce, as previously reported, a third series in its Gallifrey audio line starring Lalla Ward as Romana and Louise Jameson as Leela; running from April through August 2006, the episodes include Fractalsby Stephen Cole, Warfare by Stewart Sheargold, Eminence Gris by Paul Sutton, Minbomb by Justin Richards, andPanacea by Alan Barnes.

In Big Finish's book line, March 2006's "Short Trips" anthology book is Short Trips: Farewells edited by Jacqueline Rayner. The authors included in this book are Gareth Wigmore ('The Mother Road'), Steve Lyons ('Father Figure'), Stephen Fewell ('The Bad Guy'), Andy Campbell ('Separation Day'), Andrew Collins ('The Very Last Picture Show'), Steven A Roman ('Into the Silent Land'), Jake Elliot ('Wake'), Stewart Sheargold ('The Velvet Dark'), Matt Kimpton (untitled), John Binns ('Black and White'), Joseph Lidster ('Curtain Call'), Darren Sellars ('Utopia'), Paul Magrs ('The Wickerwork Man') and Ian Potter ('The Three Paths').

FILTER: - Audio - DWM

New Series Update and Red Button Episode

Thursday, 10 November 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

The new issue of Doctor Who Magazine (#363) reveals another stunning development for the series: immediately after broadcast of 'The Christmas Invasion', digital viewers (digital, cable or Freeview) "will be invited to 'press their red buttons' to join the Doctor on a new adventure," meaning an additional special episode for the time period between the airing of the Christmas special and the start of series two. Written by Gareth Roberts and starring David Tennant (who has already filmed scenes for it), the digital feature is directed by Ashley Way and produced by Sophie Fante "in conjunction with the Doctor Who production team". According to executive producer Julie Gardner, "This is being treated as a full-blooded, sophisticated production, with [...] a brand new alien villain [...] and brand new sets [...] Viewers will even be able to use their remotes to fly the TARDIS!"

Meanwhile, the episode also discusses the new Children in Need special, which is written by Russell T Davies and directed by Euros Lynn: "it's a proper piece of Doctor Who - meaning it's not a spoof, or an interview, or a preview of the Christmas episode, or a [...] look behind the scenes; it's genuine new Doctor Who! [...] we've been planning this for months."

DWM confirms that Block Three of production, directed by Graeme Harper, is under way. Episode 5 is not called 'Parallel Worlds' (the real title is not revealed). Episode 4 ("The Girl in the Fireplace") will feature Angel Coulby as Katherine.

Finally, the new series has debuted in France on the new digital channel France 4. Says the official Doctor Who website, "To celebrate the Time Lord's arrival in France, Executive Producers Russell T Davies and Julie Gardner launched the show in Paris, and have been speaking to everyone from cutting edge trendsetters, Inrockuptibles and Technikart, through to all the national listings weeklies and even French National Radio. Hopes are high for Doctor Who - the French have a tradition for taking such shows to their hearts (they had four Buffy magazines), and it's part of a high-profile launch line up for their trendiest new digital channel." The site also confirms that the series will arrive in Italy later this month.

FILTER: - Specials - Online - Magazines - DWM

Doctor Who Magazine 363

Thursday, 10 November 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

Issue 363 of Doctor Who Magazine is now available, and we have a large-size version of the cover illustration (click on the thumbnail for a larger version) and the press release, below (with thanks to Tom Spilsbury):

"Chris brought a darkness and intensity to the Doctor that nobody had or probably could have done before. Doctor Number Nine is one of the best. He was an incredible Doctor..." - Noel Clarke

DWM pays tribute to the fantastic Ninth Doctor Christopher Eccleston with a special report from Chris' last day on the Doctor Who set, featuring contributions from the writers, directors and his fellow actors.

Also this issue: Find out what you voted as your favourites of the new series, in the DWM Season Survey results; find out everything you need to know about The Unquiet Dead in The Fact of Fiction; discover what gifts Santa might be leaving under your Christmas tree in our Off the Shelf special; and we preview the goodies stuffed inside the new Complete First Series DVD box set - with a chance to win one of five copies!

Meanwhile, the Ninth Doctor begins his final comic strip adventure, A Groatsworth of Wit, as he and Rose meet a man out of time...

All this plus the latest news on Series Two and the new Torchwood series in Gallifrey Guardian; Steven Moffat takes over Production Notes; the Time Team tackle The Power of Kroll; and all your usual favourites!

DWM 363 is published on Thursday 10 November.

FILTER: - Magazines - DWM

Children In Need Special Details

Thursday, 10 November 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

Outpost Gallifrey has learned the specifics of the Children in Need Doctor Who special airing next week. The special mini-episode is actually 3 and 1/2 minutes long, and will begin at exactly 9:06pm during the telethon (though of course there is always room for slight variation in the timing). Additionally, we've learned that K9 will be in the studio joining the presenters for the evening. As always, this information is subject to change up to air time!

BBC Radio Jersey recently interviewed the director of the special, who said it's set immediately after the end of The Parting of the Ways, is set in the TARDIS, and is "a real episode that links the last series to the new one and is part of Series Two." The interviewer on Radio Jersey said they filmed it only in the last two weeks in Cardiff: "So I don't know what’s in it, I don't know how long it is but I do know it's a scene between Billie Piper in the TARDIS and it's the moment David Tennant materialised at the end of the last series."

FILTER: - Special Events - Broadcasting

The Beginning Box Art

Thursday, 10 November 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

At right is a thumbnail image of the box art for The Beginning, due out in January, as posted on the ChoicesDirect DVD retailer website. While this might not be a final version, it is indicative of the way the box will contain individual packages for each of the first three Doctor Who stories being released in this set, "An Unearthly Child," "The Daleks" and "The Edge of Destruction".

FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

DWM Specials

Thursday, 10 November 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

Below are the cover illustrations (as thumbnailed in the latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine, #363) for two forthcoming DWM specials: Endgame, an additional reprint of classic DWM Doctor Who comic serials; and In Their Own Words, a collection of DWM interview clips from over the years. We hope to have the full cover illustrations on the site soon. (Thanks to Jim Trenowden for the scans)

FILTER: - Magazines - DWM

New Cybermen Revealed

Thursday, 10 November 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

The BBC today issued a press release announcing the return of theCybermen for the second season of the new Doctor Who series, along with an accompanying photograph, below. At right is a snapshot of the new design; click on the thumbnail for a larger version of the image.

Update: the press deluge begins; stories so far reported at BBC News, the official Doctor Who website, UTV.

BBC Press Release

Filming of the eagerly awaited Cybermen adventure is underway in Cardiff. The first two-parter of series two written by Tom MacRae (Nine Lives, School’s Out) sees The Doctor and companions’ battle against a new, more deadly breed of Cybermen who are out to convert humanity into their own kind.

Producer, Phil Collinson says: ‘The villainous Cybermen are as much a part of Doctor Who heritage as the Daleks and so it’s a huge personal thrill to see them back. I hope that the evil silver giants will terrify a whole new generation of viewers as they confront the tenth Time Lord.’

The sinister breed of monsters; second only to the Daleks in their infamy made their first appearance in 1966 and haven’t darkened our screens since 1988. Next year will mark their 40th anniversary.

Originally created by Kit Pedler and Gerry Davis, (also the creators of Doomwatch), the modernised version have been superbly redesigned by Edward Thomas’s design team and Neil Gorton at Millennium FX.

The episodes which will be seen next year in the highly anticipated second series, directed by Graeme Harper, also stars Camille Coduri as Rose’s mum Jackie, Noel Clarke as Rose’s hapless boyfriend Mickey, Roger Lloyd-Pack as the monstrous John Lumic Andrew Hayden-Smith as Jake Simmonds and Shaun Dingwall returns as Peter Tyler, Rose’s dad.

FILTER: - Production - Series 2/28

Previous 10 Stories

New Tie-In Books

More on The Beginning DVD

Torchwood Update

Big Finish Update

New Series Update and Red Button Episode

Doctor Who Magazine 363

Children In Need Special Details

The Beginning Box Art

DWM Specials

New Cybermen Revealed

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