Bert and Dickie - the 1948 Olympic rowing drama starring Matt Smith - is to be broadcast on BBC One on Wednesday 25th July at 8.30pm.

Written by William Ivory and directed by David Blair, the 90-minute production, filmed last August, tells the true story of chalk-and-cheese scullers Bert Bushnell, played by Smith, and Dickie Burnell (Sam Hoare), who were paired to row for Great Britain in the double sculls event a matter of weeks before the 1948 Games in London and won gold.

Also appearing in the drama are Geoffrey Palmer, Alexandra Moen, Clive Merrison, Ron Cook, and Graham Padden.

The BBC has released a series of pictures from the production. Click on the images below to enlarge them.

Matt Smith has been made patron of the National Youth Theatre, it was announced today.

He joined the NYT in 2002 and during his time there was lauded for his portrayal of Archbishop Thomas Becket in T S Eliot's Murder In The Cathedral, as well as that of Fagotto (Bassoon) in an adaptation by David Rudkin of The Master and Margarita, by Mikhail Bulgakov.

Visiting the NYT while a 140-strong cast rehearsed their Olympics and Paralympics team welcome ceremonies, pictured (click on image to expand), Smith told how being part of the NYT had transformed his life: He also spoke of his own Olympics involvement, having carried the flame in Cardiff in May: Paul Roseby, the NYT's artistic director and chief executive, who knew Smith when he was at the NYT, said: Smith is no stranger to patronages. Earlier this year, he was made patron of the Young Writers' Festival at the Royal Court Theatre in London.

Previous NYT members have also included Catherine Tate, Alex Kingston, Sir Derek Jacobi, Timothy Dalton, Hugh Bonneville, and David Walliams.

The shortlist for this year's TV Choice Awards has been announced, with Doctor Who making it through to the final cut in the three categories for which it had originally been nominated.

The show is up for Best Family Drama against Glee, Merlin, and Waterloo Road. The Sarah Jane Adventures had been included in the initial round but didn't get enough votes to make the shortlist.

Matt Smith goes head to head with Martin Clunes, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Colin Morgan for Best Actor - a category that had also included Mad Dogs stars John Simm and Marc Warren in the qualifying round - while Karen Gillan will be pitted against Miranda Hart, Jaye Jacobs, and Freya Mavor for Best Actress, with Freema Agyeman, star of Law and Order: UK, falling by the wayside following the first round of voting.

Torchwood: Miracle Day had been nominated for Best Drama Series in the opening round but failed to get any further, although Sherlock, co-created by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, is a contender.

Voting in the shortlisted categories is open until midnight on Friday 13th July, with the winners being announced at a ceremony at The Dorchester in London on Monday 10th September.

John Barrowman has been named Rear of the Year in the annual Wizard Jeans poll, alongside Coronation Street's Shobna Gulati; Sally Allen of the company said: "John's rear is clearly admired on an international basis, judging by the number of fans who voted for him. No doubt his dancing prowess helps to keep him in tremendous shape." Barrowman expressed his own opinion on the announcement in a video via Twitter. [Metro, 27 Jun 2012]

The actor will also be appearing with co-host Myleene Klass at the Cooper Barrington Antiques and Collector's Sale on Friday 6th July; the pair have been working on the new series of BBC2's Antiques Road Trip, and were also recently spotted in Chepstow filming for the show. [Cooper Barrington; Mirror, 1 Jul 2012]

Arthur Darvill will be joining David Tennant and Olivia Colman in the new drama Broadchurch; the current Doctor Who co-star will feature as a priest in the series. Writer Chris Chibnall said: "Broadchurch focuses on a small British community which finds itself at the eye of a storm. In the wake of one boy's death, the residents of Broadchurch come under scrutiny and suspicion. It's a story of scale and intimacy, as the lives of the characters are laid bare." [Press Association, 2 Jul 2012]

Christopher Eccleston is currently appearing in BBC1 drama Blackout; the actor reflected on acting on the small screen to films: "There's a snobbishness about TV; some film actors, thank God, won't do television. Which is great! I've done feature films, but the best scripts I've ever had have been in television. When you're writing for film, you've got a wider canvas and you can concentrate on the visuals. With television, you really can't get away with that much." [Guardian, 27 Jun 2012]

Paul McGann admits that he hasn't watched the new series: "I don't have a television. No. So, I don't watch anything. But I know Matt Smith and I saw him the other day. It's in safe hands, the kid's obviously brilliant, a really, really good choice to take it on." The actor is due to appear in a couple of dramas on television, alongside Martin Clunes in A Mother's Son for ITV, and in Ripper Street for the BBC. Independent, 30 Jun 2012]

Andrew Garfield, star of the latest incarnation of Spiderman, reflects on his own association with Doctor Who: "The history of Doctor Who and the heritage and legacy of Doctor Who is huge; it was an honour to be a part of that show, absolutely. And I'm so happy that everyone is now seeing Matt Smith for the incredible actor and Doctor that he is. He's a friend of mine and I am so proud and happy of him - he is a tremendous actor and he's been put to fantastic use and giving so many people so much joy, god bless him. So, yeah, I'm honoured to be a part of that legacy." [Kermode and Mayo's Film Review, 22 Jun 2012]

Former executive producers Beth Willis and Piers Wenger are to be re-united as the former assumes the role of Deputy Head of Drama in September at Channel 4. Wenger, who is now Head of Drama for the broadcasting company since leaving the BBC last year, said: "Beth is a hugely talented creative individual with a track record in shaping some of Britain’s most iconic drama series. I’m delighted that she’s joining the Channel4 drama to start work on a new generation of shows." [Channel 4 PR, 27 Jun 2012]

Karen Gillan won the award for Scottish Fashion Icon of the Year at this year's Scottish Fashion Awards. On the red carpet beforehand the actress had said: "It would be a huge honour to win an award like that and really unexpected. I honestly didn’t think I would be nominated for anything wearing the clothes I wear." Talking about her departure from Doctor Who she said: "It was so sad. It was this bittersweet thing 'cause I'm really excited to move onto other things, I'm actually going on to do a film in Glasgow which I'm really excited about, but yeah it was so sad 'cause I'm leaving my best friends in a weird way." [STV, 14 June 2012]

The actress also made an appearance at the Cannes Film Festival in order to promote her forthcoming film, Not Another Happy Ending.

Arthur Darvill is to star in the West End production of Jonathan Lewis's award-winning play Our Boys alongside Laurence Fox (aka the husband of Billie Piper) and Cian Barry. The play's synopsis: A candid account of the tedium, terror and tribulations suffered by five young soldiers recovering from injuries incurred in the line of duty. But when their daily routine of TV, lonely hearts ads and banter is interrupted by the arrival of an unwelcome authority figure, their unlikely camaraderie gives way to betrayal, accusations and all-out war. The play opens at the Duchess Theatre on 3rd October, with previews from 26th September. [Whats On Stage, 15 June 2012]

Neil Gaiman, John Challis, Jon Culshaw, and Andrew Sachs are among the star names providing the Voice of the Book for The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy Radio Show Live! which is currently on tour in the UK. The show re-creates the masterwork by Douglas Adams. Celebrity Doctor Who fan Culshaw is renowned for his impressions of Tom Baker, while Sachs has appeared in Doctor Who audio dramas and was the voice of Skagra in the webcast of Adams's Shada. For more details on where and when the different voices are appearing, see the Hitchhiker's Live! website.

Steven Moffat explains how he approaches writing: "I never make a note of anything, I never even write a plot down. I have a terrible superstition of writing things down. I have to write in sequence and only in sequence." [Entertainmentwise, The Sun, 28 May 2012]

John Barrowman will once again take on a role of Jack this coming Christmas - alongside his faithful 'companions' Ian and Janette Krankie in the pantomine Jack and the Beanstalk! The trio return to the Glasgow SECC for their third 'adventure' together, with managing director of QDos Michael Harrison saying: "We are thrilled that John, Ian and Janette are returning to Glasgow, where they have received huge audience acclaim. Over the past few years, together with our colleagues at the SECC, we have staged Glasgow’s biggest and most spectacular pantomime and I can promise that Jack and the Beanstalk will be another giant and unmissable show!" The show will run between 15th December and 6th January. Playbill, 11 Jun 2012]

Peter Purves will also be appearing in panto later this year, playing Alderman Fitzwarren in Dick Whittington at Harpenden Public Halls from 15th to 22nd December.

Noel Clarke has revealed his favourite Doctor: "Matt. He just brought something different to it that I like. No disrespect to the others. I'm not going to say them just because I worked with them. Also when Matt got on, the budgets were larger and the show was more ambitious.". Appearing on Channel 4's Sunday Brunch on 17th June, the actor added that his actual favourite was Peter Davison who was the Doctor as he grew up. [Radio Times, 15 June 2012]

Janet Fielding handed a petition to Thanet council as part of a No Night Flights campaign to stop plans to allow night flights to take place at Manston airport. The actress said: "Along with the health and environmental issues surrounding night flights, there are potentially disastrous consequences for Ramsgate's recovering tourism industry which needs to be protected. Who will want to stay in a hotel with planes flying over all night? This needs to be investigated in full." [Thanet Times, 22 May 2012]

Bill Nighy revealed how he could have become the Doctor: "I was offered the role once, I won't tell you when because the rule is that you're not allowed to say you turned that job down because it's disrespectful to whoever did it. I will say that I was approached. But I didn't want to be the Doctor. No disrespect to Doctor Who or anything. I just think that it comes with too much baggage." [People, 3 June 2012]

Catherine Tate is to return in the next series of the US version of The Office, with her character Nellie Bertram from the previous series finale set to be a regular. [Contact Music, 4 Jun 2012]

Lara Pulver commented on recent gossip about her potentially becoming the first female Doctor: Steven and I have both said we thoroughly enjoyed working together, and then there was me being in Wales so the media put two and two together. (and would it have been amazing?) Yes and no. Not if it meant the end of the Doctor Who franchise because the fans aren’t keen on it. [Standard, 15 June 2012]

Veteran cameraman Jules Greenway has been awarded the The Guild of Television Cameramen's top award for his work over the last few decades. The recently retired 68-year-old worked on a number of shows in his career, including Doctor Who, Z-Cars, Top of the Pops and Blue Peter at the BBC, and Tales of the Unexpected at Anglia. His production team also won a BAFTA for their coverage of the 1998 Derby. He reflected: "I always favoured the dramas as they were the opportunity to shoot complicated shots. Sports events were exciting to do but very repetitive, the shots are very similar, while with drama you are constantly looking to do something different. Most cameramen’s pleasure is in executing a good shot, doing it well and being pleased with the end result.". [Eastern Daily Press, 19 May 2012]

Concern has been raised over Richard Gent, who disappeared a number of weeks ago leaving his phone and wallet at home after cancelling plans to meet friends. The actor has appeared in shows such as Casualty, Being Human and Torchwood. Police have asked anyone who has knowledge of his whereabouts to contact them on the missing persons helpline: freephone 116 000.

In Memoriam:

The actor George Murdock passed away on 30th April. He played a Preacher in the recent Torchwood series Miracle Day and has appeared in a number of sci-fi shows including Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and The X Files - he is perhaps best known as playing "God" in the film Star Trek V - The Final Frontier.

Brian Hibbard passed away on 17th June after suffering from prostate cancer. The actor played the assassin Keillor in the Sylvester McCoy story Delta and the Bannermen, and appeared in a number of soaps including Coronation Street, Emmerdale, and last year EastEnders. For a different generation, however, he will be remembered as the former lead singer of The Flying Pickets! [BBC News, 18 Jun 2012]

The annual Portal Awards have been announced by Airlock Alpha, and sees Doctor Who represented in a number of categories:

• Matt Smith is once again nominated as Best Actor - as with last year he faces Andrew Lincoln (The Walking Dead) and Eddie McClintock (Warehouse 13), plus this year's nominees Jensen Ackles (Supernatural) and Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones).
• Similarly, Karen Gillan is nominated in the Best Actress - she again faces last year's winner Anna Torv (Fringe) and runner-up Lena Headey (Game of Thrones), plus Joanne Kelly (Warehouse 13) and Amanda Tapping (Sanctuary).
• The third member of TARDIS crew, Arthur Darvill, also gets a look-in this year as he is nominated in the Best Supporting Actor; he'll face Robert Carlyle (Once Upon a Time), Aidan Gillen (Game of Thrones), last year's winner John Noble (Fringe), and Saul Rubinek (Warehouse 13).
• Series regular Alex Kingston is also nominated again in the Best Special Guest(TV) category for her appearance in Let's Kill Hitler - she out last year to Leonard Nimoy, who's in the list again this year for Fringe. The other nominees are Misha Collins (Supernatural), Jaime Murray (Warehouse 13) and Zachary Quinto (American Horror Story).
• The representative for Best Episode this year is taken up by A Good Man Goes To War, which will face Brave New World from Fringe, Emily Lake from Warehouse 13, Ghost of Harrenhal from Game of Thrones, and Slash Fiction from Supernatural. (Last year's nomination was also from the sixth series, The Doctor's Wife, with the nomination criteria for this year being shows broadcast since 1st June 2011!)
• This year's Best Series include Doctor Who, last year's winner Game of Thrones, Fringe, Supernatural and Warehouse 13.
• Elisabeth Sladen was nominated for the Gene Roddenberry Award last year, but lost out to J.J. Abrams; the late actress is nominated again this year and faces Doctor Who/Sherlock maestro Steven Moffat, as well as Edgar Rice Burroughs, DeForest Kelly, and George R.R. Martin.

The full list of categories are available from Airlock Alpha, and fans will be able to vote once a day between 25th June and 25th July.

Actor, writer, and comedian Toby Hadoke has penned a sequel to his acclaimed show Moths Ate My Doctor Who Scarf.

My Stepson Stole My Sonic Screwdriver is to tour on preview before being taken to the Edinburgh Fringe.

Teasing the new show, Hadoke, who also acts as a moderator on classic Doctor Who DVD releases and is a contributor to the Doctor Who Magazine column A Battle of Wits, said: "It mentions Vernon Dobtcheff, Meglos, genocide, and Fear Her - and it is nice about two of them."
Directed by Mark Attwood, it will be previewing as follows:

• Thursday 28th June: Tara Theatre, Earlsfield, London

• Sunday 1st July: The Beacon, Tunbridge Wells (NB: Free entry to ticket-holders of Friday 29th June performance of Moths Ate My Doctor Who Scarf)

• Thursday 5th July: Lantern Theatre, Sheffield

• Thursday 19th July: The Magnet, Stockport

• Friday 20th July: Bedford Fringe, The Howard Room, Bedford Corn Exchange

• (to be confirmed) Sunday 22nd July: New Diorama Theatre, Triton Street, Regent's Place, London

• (to be confirmed) Monday 23rd July: XS Malarkey, Fallowfield, Manchester

The 60-minute production will then transfer to the Edinburgh Fringe, where Hadoke will be performing it at The Gilded Balloon Teviot every afternoon from Wednesday 1st August to Sunday 26th August, except for Wednesday 15th.

The BBC has released two clips featuring Matt Smith talking about his role in the new BBC One drama Bert and Dickie.

Smith plays Bertram Bushnell in the drama about two rowers who were thrown together just five weeks before the final of the 1948 Olympics, the last games to be held in London. Their personal battle reflects a much greater struggle as London prepares to host the post war Games in a London that is half-destroyed.

The UK transmission date has not been confirmed, but the drama is expected to be shown shortly before the start of the 2012 games towards the end of July. BBC America has confirmed it will show the drama on Wednesday 25 July at 8/7C

The BBC have released the last in their series of three publicity photos of Matt Smith and Jenna-Louise Coleman:



The shots featured the pair on location at Margam Country Park at the end of May during the first block of filming with the new co-star. The episode itself will be broadcast in 2013.

The BBC have released the second of their series of three publicity photos of Matt Smith and Jenna-Louise Coleman together on location, here at Margam Country Park where filming took place at the end of May.



The next photo is due via the BBC's Doctor Who site on Wednesday.