TV Series BriefsBookmark and Share

Sunday, 31 July 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

Doctor Who again featured heavily on CBBC's "Blue Peter" (22nd July) as further promotion for the 'Design A Monster' competition. Along with an array of clips a Slitheen, Auton Bride and "Genesis" Dalek prop were in the studio. The team were also joined by series monster designer Neil Gorton who gave some tips to those entering the competition, with attention focussing on the Slitheen. In addition, as the show progressed, he gave presenter Liz Barker a 'monster makeover'. Promotion was also given to the Brighton "Doctor Who" exhibition which apparently runs to October and where "Blue Peter" badge winners can get in free!

Last weekend saw the "Blue Peter Prom" (subtitled "Out Of This World") at the Royal Albert Hall, London and this includes "plenty more Doctor Who...". The Prom included an arrangement of the "Doctor Who" theme by Christopher Austin and was also broadcast on Radio 3 last Monday afternoon.

The Very Best of Billie Piper is a new 15-track album coming out on 8 August from EMI Gold, featuring 15 of her songs including "Because We Want To".

The new Disney film "Sky High" features a scene where Kevin McDonald's super-brain character "Mr. Medulla" is seen reading a Doctor Who paperback novel.

(Thanks to Mike Humphreys, Cody Schell, Jamie Austin)




FILTER: - People - Documentary

Week's Press CoverageBookmark and Share

Sunday, 31 July 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

Outpost Gallifrey will be catching up over the next week on the press coverage that happened throughout July; there was a lot of it, but very little was actually consequential, so we've kept the news page updated with the major stories in the meanwhile. Here's some of the highlights of press coverage from this past week:

The Sun featured an article about the start of production with some photos (collected from the official press photographers Outpost Gallifrey has linked to over the past several days). "The Time Lord clutches the hand of assistant Rose Tyler, played by Billie Piper, as they film on a South London council estate," says the sun, which shows a wintry TARDIS scene and robotic Santas. "David [Tennant], 33, donned a natty pinstripe suit for one scene with Billie [Piper], 22 - before changing into a leather jacket." The Daily Star also covered the start of filming, asking "Who else but the Doctor could conjure up wintry scenes like these slap-bang in the middle of summer? While Britain lurches from heatwaves to tornados, the Doc's sexy sidekick Rose is wrapping up warm... Piper looks chilled to the bone as she shoots a special festive edition of the sci-fi smash. ... These new shots of the Doctor clasping hands with Rose seem to show that things are set to pick up where they left off. Pictured on a south London housing estate, the Timelord and Rose looked very close as they filmed a Christmas special." More coverage of the start of production at ITVChannel 4Digital Spy,Regional Film and VideoCBBC,

BBC News says that "he's been a dandy, an Edwardian cricketer and most famously wore a long scarf. Doctor Who's togs change as he regenerates. And the latest Time Lord is kitted out in high fashion. Flamboyant. Garish. Bizarre. Seldom does Time Lord fashion make it to the High Street. Until now. When David Tennant takes over the role later this year, it will be in what he describes as 'geek chic'." The article describes the cocstume as "the type of man Kate Moss might date, kitted out in a brown pin-stripe suit, white shirt - unbuttoned at the collar - a loose tie and scruffy white Converse trainers. The ensemble, put together by a freelance costume designer, is finished off with a long brown trench coat, a cross between old hack's Mac and flasher attire. The suit is skinny and crumpled - much tighter and Norman Wisdom will be demanding copyright. The look is just-got-out-of-bed, dragged-through-a-hedge-backwards, only-thing-I-could-find. It's Franz Ferdinand cum Kaiser Chiefs. But is it Time Lord? Does it have the gravitas, the power and the magic that goes with such an eminent position? Will it make the Slitheen, the Autons and the Gelth quake in their boots, or will it simply reduce the Daleks to helpless laughter? Only time will tell, but the new look should further cement the popularity of the series." The Guardian says that "last season was all rather jolly (RIP Christopher Eccleston), but the next one is already winning, fashion-wise - not something one thought one would ever say about a show associated with weird hats and 70s perms. The lovely David Tennant has wisely ditched the leather jacket, a garment loaded with embarrassing 'rocker dad' connotations, and kitted himself out in a charming tweedy suit with white trainers. For some reason, the BBC has dubbed it 'geek chic', as if any man not wearing an Asbo hoodie must be a nerd. And we pay our licence fee to these ignoramuses? So Saturday evenings will now be spent leching over - sorry, watching - TV. Sorry, swains." Additional mentions of this at Media GuardianThe TimesManchester Evening NewsThe Daily RecordThe Herald (Glasgow)The ScotsmanThe Western MailAnanovaThe Daily MailThe ExaminerIreland OnlineMegastarGlasgow Evening TimesSyfyportal,Hello MagazineIC WalesSky News. (Note that some of these also feature comments about the start of production.)

The official Doctor Who website has a feature article on some of the new toys due out later this year, including a 12" remote control Dalek, action figures of the Doctor, Rose and a Slitheen, character walkie-talkies, sonic screwdrivers, Sound Effects mugs, a talking TARDIS moneybank with speech and a TARDIS desk Phone Flasher.

David Tennant says he wants to be the first naked Time Lord. The actor has joked he would love to film a whole series with nothing but computer technology to protect his modesty: "I'm going to be nude throughout. It's a whole new thing, with a bit of pixelation around the groin." But seriously, he says, he does have a new costume. Tennant tells the Sun: "Casanova and the Doctor have a similar joy and wit about them. There is less sh**ging in 'Doctor Who', but who knows? We might change that, too!" Also reported at Female First. Also CBBC has a poll where you can vote on the Doctor's new costume.

The BBC Press Office last week put out a press release with highlights of David Tennant's interview in the new issue of DWM, in which Tennant notes that he's paid a bit of attention online. "Well, when I was announced, I admit, I did go on [Doctor Who website] Outpost Gallifrey to have a quick look, because I just couldn't help myself, and everyone was encouraging me to go on and see what the fans were saying about me. So I went on there and the first comment I read was very nice, and the next comment was terribly flattering, and then the next one said something like 'I can't bear the sight of him!' And the one after that said 'Who?' The one after that said 'I'd rather have David Morrissey.' The one after that said 'That's it! The dream is finished! Somebody who looks like a weasel could never play the Doctor! It's over!' And then I thought to myself that maybe it's best not to read this sort of thing too much!" Naturally, Tennant's comments -- obviously meant as a side note -- were taken by the media and turned into a major story, reported in BBC NewsDaily RecordWestern Mail, the City BeatU.TVEvening StandardDaily PostMonsters and CriticsRTE, and in print editions. (Outpost Gallifrey wishes to remind everyone that a couple negative comments on the forum do not reflect the opinions of this website or the opinions of fans and fandom in general.)

Other items: The Stage features a report about dramas dominating ITV's autumn schedule in the wake of their catastrophic fall opposite Doctor Who this spring; Sunday Life features a short piece about an actress, Lisa Hogg, who says she auditioned for Doctor Who when it looked like Billie Piper was set to leave; The Sun mentions today that Billie Piper's role in the forthcoming autumn BBC1 serial "Much Ado About Nothing" features her as a 'sexy weathergirl'; theHexham Courant discusses a local school production "Return to the Forbidden Planet" featuring a Dalek; and more mentions of Queen Elizabeth II being a fan at The MirrorAnanovaFemale First.

(Thanks to Paul Engelberg, Steve Tribe, Chuck Foster, Andrew Harvey, Paul Hayes, Mustafa Hirji, Paul Greaves, John Bowman, Mark Healey)




FILTER: - DWM - Press

Best Fantasy ShowBookmark and Share

Sunday, 31 July 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Doctor Who has been voted the best British fantasy TV show by readers of SFX magazine, according to a BBC newsreport. "The sci-fi drama, which began in 1963 and became a hit with a new audience when it was recently revived, beat comedy Red Dwarf into second place. The TV version of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy came third, with space series Blake's 7 in fourth. SFX magazine polled 4,000 readers and editor Dave Bradley said Doctor Who was 'a great British institution which has entertained people for generations. There has always been great affection for Doctor Who.'" The top ten are rounded out with The Prisoner (5), Sapphire and Steel (6), Quatermass (7), Ultraviolet (8), The Avengers (9) and Robin of Sherwood (10). Also reported at U.TV.




FILTER: - Magazines - Awards/Nominations

More Friday Set ImagesBookmark and Share

Sunday, 31 July 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

Outpost Gallifrey has received more photos taken on the Doctor Who set at the Brandon Estate in London on Friday, July 29, as submitted by Stephen Watts. The images show a visit to the set by Peter Davison, who stopped by with his children to see the production and say hello to David Tennant and company (there is no truth to any rumour that Davison is part of the second series), as well as photos of David Tennant, Billie Piper and Noel Clarke. Click on each image for a larger version. (Thanks to Stephen Watts)




FILTER: - Filming Reports - Series 2/28

Friday London Set PhotosBookmark and Share

Friday, 29 July 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

Outpost Gallifrey has obtained the following collection of photographs (none of which are spoilers at all, so they're included here without spoiler tags!) from filming the past several days in London, a recording block that has now completed as the production has gone back to Wales to start Cardiff location work on Monday. Click on each thumbnail in the collection for a larger view (with thanks to Lee Mansfield and John Hancock for submitting them to us!)
Additionally, there are several new collections of photos online today. The World Entertainment News Networksent us a link to a large collection of images (click here); they're still only thumbnails (as WENN is a photo sales company) but Tennant, Piper, Clarke and Coduri are still very visible in the shots. (Another WENN collection is locatedhere). Also, our friends at UNIT News have added a few more photos to their collection from the past couple of days, including a visit by former Doctor, Peter Davison, to the set.




FILTER: - Filming Reports - Series 2/28

More London Filming Photos - UpdatedBookmark and Share

Thursday, 28 July 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

There are some new photos online from the recent filming in London over the past couple of days:
The World Entertainment News Network site has a second collection up with four pages of small photos (the large ones are not available except as highly watermarked files) including Tennant and Piper leaving the TARDIS, Billie under an umbrella, and Noel Clarke, all in a rainy environment (possibly the opening of the Christmas special).
The Czech Isifa Photo service (again reproducing images from the international Splash News celebrity picture service) has added more images including a snow-dusted TARDIS, Piper and Clarke running, Coduri and Tennant outside the TARDIS (again, images watermarked by the photo service).
Our friends at David-tennant.com have a selection of small photos taken of Tennant and Piper together.
The Unit News site has a collection of photographs taken at the Brandon Estate, site of Jackie and Rose's flat used in the first series and again in the Christmas special.
UPDATE 2030 GMT: Another site, Xposurephotos (yet another news photograph site) has more pictures online from the filming over the past several days.




FILTER: - Filming Reports - Series 2/28

QEII Loves Doctor WhoBookmark and Share

Wednesday, 27 July 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

According to today's Mirror, Queen Elizabeth II has ordered a DVD box set of the latest Dr Who series for her summer holiday. "She has become a huge fan of the hit BBC show starring Christopher Eccleston - and she was hugely disappointed when the actor quit after his first stint as the Time Lord," says the article. She "is also a fan of the Daleks and she intends to while away August evenings watching the series at her Scottish residence. A Buckingham Palace source said: 'The Queen loves the programme and has requested a full set of DVDs. She has asked the BBC to send her copies so she can watch the series again during her stay at Balmoral.'" (Thanks to Peter Anghelides)




FILTER: - Press

ITV Plans to Sink WhoBookmark and Share

Wednesday, 27 July 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

The ITV network -- which suffered a dramatic turnaround this spring as "Doctor Who" trounced its Saturday night variety series "Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway" -- is planning its own counterattack, with a pantomime featuring cast members from the long-running soap "Coronation Street" to air opposite the forthcoming special "The Christmas Invasion," according to yesterday's Daily Star. "Corrie bosses are planning to zap Dr Who this Christmas. The cast have been told they will be recording a panto for ITV1. And it could go out in competition with the BBC's Dr Who special. But the plan has met with a mixed reaction. A source said: 'Some stars are a bit miffed. They are not allowed to do panto independently when they're working on Corrie. People have missed out on huge salaries in the festive season.'" The pantomime special will likely be "Cinderella" and will be programmed opposite "Doctor Who" when the Christmas special is officially scheduled. (Thanks to Peter Weaver)




FILTER: - Broadcasting

TV Series DVD Volume 4Bookmark and Share

Wednesday, 27 July 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

Amazon.co.uk now has the large-sized cover illustration for the fourth UK Doctor Who new series DVD release set, featuring the final three episodes of the season: "Boom Town," "Bad Wolf" and "The Parting of the Ways". Click on the thumbnail at right for a larger version.




FILTER: - Series 1/27 - Blu-ray/DVD

First Photos - Updated!Bookmark and Share

Wednesday, 27 July 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

The first photos taken from location work on the second series of Doctor Who have made their way to the Internet: what appears to be a Czech photo archive of David Tennant pictures from the Splash News photo service, including pictures of Tennant and Piper rehearsing and some eerily decorated Santas that appear to be aliens or zombies beneath. The photos can be found by clicking here; the first 13 in the set are the ones from this filming, with other shots of Tennant in other locales. (Don't bother registering for larger photos; you won't be able to gain entry.)
UPDATE: A second collection of images from official press photographers is online, from the World Entertainment News Network; you can click here to view them. These also include Camille Coduri and Noel Clarke as well as David Tennant and Billie Piper.
(Thanks to John Starkey, and the folks at david-tennant.com)




FILTER: - Specials - Filming Reports