The latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine marks the return of Doctor Who to Television screens worldwide

Inside this issue

• Previews of the new episodes broadcast this month. Russell T Davies talks Space Babies and The Devil’s Chord and we take a quick peek behind the scenes of Boom with writer Steven Moffat and exec producer Joel Collins.

• Meet the Beatles: John, Paul, George and Ringo (alias Chris Mason, George Caple, Philip Davies and James Hoyles) and their producer George Martin (Ed White)…

• …and to celebrate the Beatles appearance on opening night of the new season, we also look back at the relationship between the band and Doctor Who over the years…

• Jinkx Monsoon discusses her role as the malevolent Maestro.

• Can we get any answers from Anita Dobson about her character, the mysterious Mrs Flood? Worth a try!

We also speak to the equally intriguing Susan Twist about her roles in last year’s episodes and her involvement in the forthcoming season…

• Letter from the Showrunner – Russell T Davies considers the scheduling of the new episodes and welcomes new readers!

• Script to screen: discover the intricacies involved in bringing ‘Jimbo’ – the robot from Wild Blue Yonder – into being.

• A tribute to the work of the late Sid Sutton who, among many other career highlights, designed the Doctor Who titles in the 1980s.

• We test the memory of Matthew Waterhouse, who played companion Adric.

• Time-Space Visualiser – how second Doctor Patrick Troughton made a partial comeback in the late seventies…

• Loose Ends – tying up some dangling threads from the 1960s

• The Fact of Fiction – a scene-by-scene look back at an earlier opening night: 2007’s Smith and Jones.

• The concluding part of Mancopolis – our comic strip featuring the Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby.

PLUS!

• An exclusive comic strip supplement featuring TIMESLIP – the memorable multi-Doctor comic strip by former DWM editor Paul Neary. This also includes an essay on the story by Gary Gillatt and a chat with Dez Skinn who came up with the original idea for the strip.

• Two art cards to celebrate the new season!

AND ALL THE USUAL REGULAR FEATURES INCLUDING THE LATEST NEWS, REVIEWS AND COMPETITIONS!

The Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby Sunday feature in a brand new game, BBC Wonder Chase, which has launched on Roblox today.

Doctor Who is one of the brands featured on the new service which includes shows like Match of the Day,, EastEnders, and The Next Step as well as some of the BBC’s most famous faces – including Gary Lineker, Zara McDermott, Louis Theroux and Hacker T Dog.

People can play fun mini-games, collect BBC iPlayer-themed coins, learn interesting nature facts and complete tricky obstacle courses. Along the way, they can challenge themselves to find and collect limited edition stickers or just take it easy, relax and chat with pals in their friends' list while watching clips from some of their favourite BBC shows in the cinema area.

The new BBC Wonder Chase experience aims to reach young people where they are and bring the BBC to them. Roblox is enormously popular with younger audiences and is used by over 71 million people every day. The experience is free on Roblox, and available on PC, mobile (iOS, Android), PlayStation, Xbox. To find it, just go to Roblox and search for BBC Wonder Chase. 

Fiona Campbell, controller of youth audience, BBC iPlayer and BBC Three, said:

Patricia Hildalgo, Director of Children’s and Education, said:

The journey begins in Wonder Central, a fantastical city set on the water. Here, people will run into documentarians Louis Theroux and Zara McDermott, have a laugh with CBBC’s Hacker T Dog, or a red nose game from Comic Relief. From Wonder Central, they can also find portals to other parts of the experience – including:

• Total Sport – a collection of sporty islands people can adventure around, surrounded by giant inflatables and activities, where they can meet and chat to Match of the Day stars Gary Lineker, Micah Richards and Alan Shearer.
• Deep Space Zone – an otherworldly planet where people will find Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor and Millie Gibson’s Ruby Sunday as well as a mischievous Goblin.
• Tiny Planet – here people will enter an English country garden, but they’ll be the size of a bug! An interactive space for fun and learning about nature, and where players can chat to some of the BBC’s best known nature presenters, including Liz Bonnin and CBBC’s Deadly 60’s Steve Backshall.
• Festival Park – a celebration of music, art and culture all set in a chilled out, magical festival. People can find and chat to Michelle, Kenzie and Eldon from the hit CBBC show The Next Step, or visit the BBC News rave tent.

BBC Wonder Chase world will evolve across the coming year with new content added and new worlds developed.

The experience was made by the BBC with Bristol based games developer Mobile Pie. The BBC has also used a number of accessibility tools for the experience, which are available on the Roblox platform. This includes the option to stop or pause motion such as grass or wind to reduce animations for those who may find them distracting. There is built-in support for Adaptive Controllers for people using PlayStation or Xbox, plus the ability to change what the buttons do so that users can control their experience. And there is a feature where users can automate a double jump, a key action, to help those who may have issues tapping twice in quick succession.

To find BBC Wonder Chase, click here or go to Roblox and search for BBC Wonder Chase.

Issue 602 of Doctor Who Magazine is out today

Inside this issue!

• In the run-up to the new series, Millie Gibson talks to DWM about playing companion Ruby Sunday – her most in-depth interview yet!

• We examine a long-lost interview that First Doctor William Hartnell gave to the Scottish press – including some forthright opinions!

• Davina McCall shares her love of Doctor Who and reflects on her role in last year’s Christmas Special. 

• Script to screen: find out what processes went into bringing creepy puppet Stooky Bill and his family to life in The Giggle.

• To tie-in with the release of Season 15 on Blu-ray, we present an interview with model-maker Bill Pearson.

• We visit the set of Henry House – a new series starring many familiar faces....

• A report from from LA super convention Gallifrey One!

• Letter from the Showrunner – Russell T Davies on celebrating milestones out of sequence!

• Time-Space Visualiser – this month: the Trods! 

• Who & Me – DWM contributor Beth Axford on how she became hooked on Doctor Who.

• Loose Ends – exploring the mysteries of the Sixth Doctor!

• The Fact of Fiction – a deep dive into the plot of Twelfth Doctor story The Woman Who Lived.

• The adventures of the Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby Sunday continue in the comic strip!

PLUS!

• Gallifrey Guardian – packed with all the latest news about the upcoming series!

• Reviewed – the new Season 15 Blu-ray Collection and all the latest audio releases.

• Other Worlds – the essential guide to new stories in Doctor Who’s expanded universe.

• Win Blu-rays and the latest audio releases!

Doctor Who Magazine Issue 602 is on sale Thursday 28 March from panini.co.uk and WH Smith priced £7.99 (UK). 

Also available as a digital edition from pocketmags.com priced £6.99.

Doctor Who Magazine Issue 601 is released today

Inside the issue

• Costume designer Pam Downe discusses dressing the stylish new Doctor, as well as how she created looks for the Toymaker and the Goblin army.

• Script to screen: An in-depth look at how the Goblin army developed, from the original concept to the finished product – blending masks and animatronics with digital effects.

• A tribute to Michael Jayston who played the Doctor’s evil alter-ego the Valeyard.

• Louise Jameson is among the interviewees in a special preview of the Season 15 Blu-ray collection.

• Abdoul Ceesay – director’s assistant on Doctor Who – talks to DWM about his role and future aspirations!

• Get cooking! A deep dive into the part food has played in the series over the years, with some recipes you can try at home!

• A look at how other TV shows have found their way into episodes of Doctor Who.

• Letter from the Showrunner – Russell T Davies sings in praise of companions of yesteryear as he recalls a week making Tales of the TARDIS!

• Time-Space Visualiser – learn how fandom went mad for the Sixth Doctor! Rightly so! 

• The Fact of Fiction – we examine the closing episodes of 1973’s Planet of the Daleks.

• The adventures of the Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby Sunday continue in the comic strip!

PLUS!

• Gallifrey Guardian – new cast and directors revealed and an update on the Christmas ratings.

• Reviews – covering books, audio dramas and the Fugitive Doctor action figure!

• Other Worlds – the essential guide to new stories in Doctor Who’s expanded universe.

• Win Season 17 on Blu-ray, plus books and CDs!

Doctor Who Magazine Issue 601 is on sale Thursday 29 February  from panini.co.uk and WH Smith priced £7.99 (UK). 

Also available as a digital edition from pocketmags.com priced £6.99.

The new 116-page bookazine from the makers of Doctor Who Magazine celebrates an unforgettable era in the show’s history.

The success of the first episodes starring Jon Pertwee saved the series from the threat of cancellation. A year later, the next phase of its reinvention introduced a new assistant for the Doctor and a debonair adversary to threaten him during his exile on Earth. The colourful formula for some of Doctor Who’s best-loved adventures was complete. 

This issue covers all the stories from 1971: Terror of the Autons, The Mind of Evil, The Claws of Axos, Colony in Space and The Dæmons. All-new content includes exclusive features, insightful commentary and rare behind-the-scenes images.

Contents include articles on:

• The year’s most significant events in the Doctor Who universe (both on and off screen)

• Stars Roger Delgado, Richard Franklin and Katy Manning

• Writers Don Houghton, Bob Baker and Dave Martin

• Doctor Who in the popular press

• Special effects and production techniques

• Classic Doctor Who comic strips and merchandise

• … plus much more!

Doctor Who: Chronicles 1971 is on sale now, RRP £11.99 from panini.co.uk 

and selected branches of WH Smith while stocks last. 

It’s also available digitally from pocketmags.com priced £10.99.

Doctor Who Magazine marks its 600th issue this month with a celebratory issue which includes a 16-page supplement, an exclusive art card, a specially commissioned diorama featuring figures from the recent series and a four-hour-long Sixth Doctor audio drama for every reader.

The Magazine, which started as Doctor Who Weekly in 1979, has been covering the ups and downs of Doctor Who for over 40 years, ever since the era of the fourth Doctor.

Inside this issue

• Millie Gibson checks in with DWM following the debut of companion Ruby Sunday in The Church on Ruby Road.

• UNIT regulars Jemma Redgrave (Kate Lethbridge-Stewart), Alexander Devrient (Colonel Ibrahim) and Ruth Madeley (Shirley Anne Bingham) face questions from the TARDIS Tin.

• Production designer Phil Sims takes us on a guided tour of UNIT’s central London HQ!

• We talk to DWM writers about their experiences interviewing the stars of Doctor Who for early issues of the magazine.

• International Who! A special report on how the series has become a hit in Spain!

• Meet Christina Rotondo – the singer who gave voice to Janis Goblin!

• We pay tribute to Richard Franklin who died on Christmas day – and examine the impact he had as UNIT officer Captain Mike Yates.

• We talk to production runner Thani Subkhi about his vital work on the upcoming series.

• Letter from the Showrunner – Russell T Davies gives us an update on the progress being made on the next two series!

• Time-Space Visualiser – discover the secret recipe for sky-high ratings!

• The Fact of Fiction – we examine the opening episodes of 1973’s Planet of the Daleks.

• The adventures of the Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby Sunday continue in the comic strip!

PLUS!

• Gallifrey Guardian – all the latest official news.

• Reviews – covering books, audio dramas and games.

• Other Worlds – the essential guide to new stories in Doctor Who’s expanded universe.

• Win The Daleks in colour, Blu-ray box sets, books and audio dramas!

Doctor Who Magazine Issue 600 is on sale Thursday 1 February  from panini.co.uk and WH Smith priced £10.99 (UK). 

Also available as a digital edition from pocketmags.com priced £9.99.

The latest special from Doctor Who Magazine, the 2024 Yearbook is released today.

Included in the issue

• A year in the life of the stars of Doctor Who.

• A look back at the 2023 Specials.

• The producer of Tales of the TARDIS discusses this nostalgic series.

• A summary of various instalments of the Doom’s Day multi-media event!

• Wrarth Warrior actor Robert Strange speaks to the magazine about his role in The Star Beast.

• A special feature on Goblin celebrity Janis!

• A report from the Doctor Who at 60 musical celebration at Cardiff’s Millennium Centre.

• We talk to BBC Audio, Big Finish, Silva Screen and AUK Studios about the various audio offerings over the past year.

• Doctor Who writers discuss the last 12 months of books and comics.

• Follow the journey of young fan Piper as she is crowned The Ultimate Whovian by Blue Peter!

• Alan Barnes and Lee Sullivan discuss their epic Fourteenth Doctor strip, Liberation of the Daleks.

• We visit a new exhibition of Who props and memorabilia at Gunnersbury Park Museum.

• A look at the new version of the Daleks… in colour!

• Archivist Helen Randle on making the BBC’s vast catalogue of information available to the public.

• A tribute to the Doctor Who luminaries who passed away in 2023.

• Coming soon… A look ahead to 2024!

Doctor Who Magazine Yearbook 2024 is on sale Thursday 25 January from panini.co.uk and WH Smith priced £8.99 (UK). 

Also available as a digital edition from pocketmags.com priced £7.99.

Doctor Who Magazine Issue 599 is out today.

In this issue:

• An exclusive double interview with Ncuti Gatwa and David Tennant – talking about bi-generation.

• An access-all-areas look at the making of the Anniversary Specials finale The Giggle.

• Production designer Phil Sims takes us on a guided tour of the new TARDIS.

• Sonic disruptors! The making of the Fifteenth Doctor’s sonic screwdriver.

• A profile of new companion Ruby Sunday.

• Join Blue Peter competition winner Verity on a tour of Doctor Who’s Wolf Studios.

• We talk to the people who worked on post-production on the latest episodes.

• Script editor Scott Handcock relives the anniversary month in his Production Diary.

• Crowd Sourcing – the concluding part of our feature on the life of extras on 60s Doctor Who.

• Letter from the Showrunner – Russell T Davies explains how the Gallifrey of the Fugutive Doctor was foreshadowed in 70s episode The Hand of Fear – now available on iPlayer.

• Sophie Aldred – aka 80s companion Ace – remembers her time on the show.

• The Fact of Fiction – we scrutinise Eleventh Doctor mid-series finale A Good Man Goes To War.

• A brand-new comic strip featuring the Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby Sunday!

PLUS!

• Gallifrey Guardian – all the latest official news.

• A new-look reviews section – covering radio, books, soundtracks, and audio dramas.

• Other Worlds – the essential guide to new stories in Doctor Who’s expanded universe.

• Win a copy of the Anniversary Specials Blu-ray, the new Target adaptations and the latest audio releases.

Doctor Who Magazine Issue 599 is on sale Thursday 4 January from panini.co.uk and WH Smith priced £7.99 (UK). 

Also available as a digital edition from pocketmags.com priced £6.99

After some six years Doctor Who has returned to Christmas Day, which of course makes it a candidate for being the most watched show on the day!

Though it is unlikely to make the top slot tomorrow - the King's Speech is almost certainly going to have that honour owing to its simultaneous showing across the major broadcasters - the bookies seem to generally agree that The Church On Ruby Road might well be the second-most watched programme of the day at 6-1! This is followed up by Call The Midwife at 8-1, and both Eastenders and Strictly Come Dancing at 9-1. ITV1 shows include Coronation Street at 16-1 and Emmerdale at 25-1.

Of course with six years between Christmas Specials, it's been six years since our ratings competition for Christmas Day, and this year you can win a copy of The Church On Ruby Road on Blu-ray or DVD. To enter, simply email us at comp-ratings@doctorwhonews.net with your name and the consolidated one week figure you expect the episode to achieve, as reported by BARB early next year.

Please specify the number in millions to 3 decimal places, for example 6.848m as achieved by The Giggle at the start of the month. For guidance, the highest rated non-King's speech programme last year was 7.814m achieved by Call The Midwife, who also took the 'silver crown' in 2021 with 7.831m.

The competition is open to UK residents, the closing date is Tuesday 26 December at 8:00am.

The Goblin Song, written by Murray Gold and Russell T Davies, has rocketed to the top of the UK iTunes charts on the day of release. 

The single is taken from the soundtrack of the 2023 Christmas special, The Church on Ruby Road due to be broadcast on BBC One on Christmas day as well as being available worldwide on Disney+.

The story is the first full adventure for the Fifteenth Doctor as played by Ncuti Gatwa. 

In the episodes the Doctor's world collides with Ruby Sunday played by Millie Gibson

The episode also stars Davina McCall as herself, Anita Dobson as Mrs Flood, Michelle Greenidge as Ruby’s mum Carla, and Angela Wynter as Ruby’s grandmother Cherry.

The Goblin Song is available on BBC Sounds and is also available via Spotify, Apple Music and Deezer.

All proceeds will go to BBC Children in Need.

The Goblin Song - Official Lyric Video The Goblins are coming for Christmas! 🧌🎄 Listen to THE GOBLIN SONG from 'The Church on Ruby Road' - available to stream now! 🎶