Peter Capaldi has designed a new, original jacket for a first edition of The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka to raise money for House of Illustration – the world’s only public gallery solely dedicated to illustration and graphic arts.

The auction, at Sotheby’s London, on 11 December 2017 - 12 December 2017, will offer a collection of 33 first editions of classic books, each with an original dust-jacket, created and donated by leading artists and designers to benefit House of Illustration.

Each artist selected a book they felt a strong connection to and then created a new dust-jacket or artwork in response to it. The re-worked classics include Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass, J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book, T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land, D.H. Lawrence’s Sons and Lovers and George Orwell’s Animal Farm.

Peter Capaldi chose to illustrate The Metamorphosis, the novella written by Franz Kafka which was first published in 1915. The book is expected to raise up to £2000 for the charity which works with schools across London on projects with young people to inspire creativity and enable them to communicate visually, overcoming barriers such as language, literacy levels and special educational needs.

Ahead of the sale, all works will be on display at Sotheby’s London (34-35 New Bond Street) from 8-11 December 2017. In total, thirty-one artists have donated to the sale.

For more information visit Sothebys Website.

BBC North's free screenings this year's Doctor Who Christmas Special, Twice Upon A Time, have received a huge request for tickets, with almost 35,000 entries in the ballot.

Exclusive previews will be shown in eight towns and cities in northern England.

Kicking off in Hartlepool on December 14, the Christmas tour will visit York, Hull, Newcastle, Middlesbrough, Salford and Durham, before finishing in Bradford on December 22.

Ticket holders will be able to pose on the BBC red carpet alongside props from the shows, including Daleks and the TARDIS.

David Bradley said: The ballot to apply for tickets to these exclusive previews closes this Sunday, 3 December. TTo apply visit the BBC Shows and Tours website. Tickets will be allocated via a random draw with 45% going to local postcodes, 45% going to the surrounding county and 10% to the rest of the UK.

The Doctor Who Screenings will be as follows

• Thursday 14 December - Hartlepool Town Hall - 7pm
• Friday 15 December - The Guild Hall, York – 7pm
• Saturday 16 December - Jubilee Church, Hull - 7pm & 8.30pm
• Sunday 17 December = St Nicholas Cathedral, Newcastle - 7pm & 8.30pm
• Monday 18 December - The Middlesbrough Empire - 7pm & 8.30pm
• Tuesday 19 December - Dock 10, MediaCityUK, Salford – 7pm & 8.30pm
• Wednesday 20 December - Durham School - 7pm & 8.30pm
• Friday 22 December - Old Odeon, Bradford - 7pm & 8.30pm

Please note the last few moments of the episode will be kept as a surprise until the BBC One broadcast on Christmas Day.

Denmark is the latest country to be added to the list of those showing this year's Christmas Special on the big screen, with the ticket sales site Kino now listing details about the presentation:


The presentations take place in the usual CinemaxX København, CinemaxX Aarhus and CinemaxX Odense on 26th December (4pm), 27th December (6:30pm) and 31st December (midday). Full details on how to book can be found via their website.


Denmark cinema have played host to the last few Christmas adventures with the Doctor, as well as the current Doctor's debut and a 3D outing for his first series finale!

The BBC have announced that all of the modern Doctors' regeneration can be seen over Christmas via the BBC iPlayer in the run up to this year's Christmas Special premiering on BBC One on Christmas Day.

The Parting of the Ways (Eccleston), The End of Time (Tennant), The Time of The Doctor (Smith) will be available, and also includes The Day of the Doctor (Hurt). The McGann regneration minisode, The Night of the Doctor, has yet to be confirmed, but remains available via the BBC's YouTube channel.


The episodes form part of an initiative from the BBC to present a wide range of "boxed sets" from 16th December to enjoy over the festive period; Charlotte Moore, Director of Content at the BBC, explains:

As well as Doctor Who, shows include the original Blue Planet from 2001, previous series of Peaky Blinders, and full series of acclaimed drama like Line Of Duty and Happy Valley, and comedies like Gavin and Stacey, Miranda and Inside Number 9. There will also be other archive programming available, such as five EastEnders Christmas Specials, which includes 1986's episode featuring Den serving Angie divorce papers - the highest rated non sport/news programme shown on British television at 30.2m viewers.

BBC America have released a teaser for Twice Upon A Time via their Twitter feed to promote the broadcast of the special on Christmas Day:

‘Twice Upon a Time.’ This Christmas. @BBCAMERICA. #DoctorWho pic.twitter.com/XsbGQvxjz0

— Doctor Who BBCA (@DoctorWho_BBCA) November 28, 2017

The BBC has issued a new image and the synopsis for this year's Christmas special, Twice Upon A Time.

Twice Upon A Time is written by Steven Moffat, directed by Rachel Talalay, and executive produced by Brian Minchin. The 60 minute special guest stars Mark Gatiss as The Captain and Nikki Amuka-Bird as the voice of the glass woman, and will see Peter Capaldi’s Doctor regenerate into the Thirteenth Doctor (Jodie Whittaker).

The episode is due to be shown in the UK on BBC One on Christmas Day, followed by broadcasts around the world.

Cineplex in Canada have announced that they will be showing the Christmas Special Twice Upon A Time in cinemas across the country on Wednesday 27th December (12:30pm) and Thursday 28th December (7:00pm). As well as the episode itself, the 100 minute programme will include two bonus presentations:


Participating cinemas and booking details can be found via the Cineplex website.

A roundup of competitions now open for entry - all competitions are open worldwide with a closing date of Sunday 3rd December 2017.

As the Twelfth Doctor approaches his final story, BBC Radio Two is to broadcast a two hour special documentary looking behind the scenes of Doctor Who.

Broadcast on Thursday 21 December at 8pm, the programme sees Jo Whiley gain exclusive access to the Doctor Who team. She catches up with the stars of the series on the set - including Pearl Mackie, David Bradley, Exec Producer Steven Moffat, and the Doctor himself, Peter Capaldi. She also hears from outgoing companion Matt Lucas, and digs into the BBC Doctor Who archive.

There will be stories from behind the scenes, including how Lucas approaches being recognised by fans; the radical ways in which Mackie's life has changed; Pele’s reaction to signing a Brazil shirt for the Doctor and how Doctor Who has always been with Peter Capaldi - from dressing up as a Dalek as a child to karaoke singalongs to The Killers (all in the name of getting into character).

Plus, Radio 2 listeners will find out which member of the team has a penchant for Chas and Dave

BBC Radio 2 can be heard worldwide via the BBC Radio iPlayer.

BBC North is offering fans the chance to watch this year's Christmas Doctor Who Episode, Twice Upon A Time at special preview screenings across the region.

Starting in Hartlepool and finishing just before the big day in Bradford, the Christmas tour will take in eight locations across northern England to spread a little festive fun throughout the region.

As well as Doctor Who, there will be an opportunity for comedy fans in two locations to see the first of three new episodes of cult favourite The League of Gentlemen. And in two cities, children will be able to get an exclusive preview of an animated version of the classic book The Highway Rat.

As well as a sneak peek of these hotly-anticipated shows, fans will also be able to pose for photos on the BBC’s red carpet and with props from the programmes.

Adrian Mills, General Manager of BBC North says Tickets will be available through a ballot which will be open from today for 10 days via the BBC Shows and Tours website. The ticket ballot will close on Sunday 3 December. Tickets will be allocated via a random draw with 45% going to local postcodes, 45% going to the surrounding county and 10% to the rest of the UK.

The Doctor Who Screenings will be as follows

• Thursday 14 December - Hartlepool Town Hall - 7pm
• Friday 15 December - The Guild Hall, York – 7pm
• Saturday 16 December - Jubilee Church, Hull - 7pm & 8.30pm
• Sunday 17 December = St Nicholas Cathedral, Newcastle - 7pm & 8.30pm
• Monday 18 December - The Middlesbrough Empire - 7pm & 8.30pm
• Tuesday 19 December - Dock 10, MediaCityUK, Salford – 7pm & 8.30pm
• Wednesday 20 December - Durham School - 7pm & 8.30pm
• Friday 22 December - Old Odeon, Bradford - 7pm & 8.30pm

Please note the last few moments of the episode will be kept as a surprise until the BBC One broadcast on Christmas Day.