Torchwood 2.12 Overnight RatingsBookmark and Share

Saturday, 29 March 2008 - Reported by Marcus
Unofficial figures show that the BBC2 showing of Torchwood Episode 12, Fragments was watched by 2.4 million viewers, a10.2% share of the total TV audience.

The figures were up on last week and the programme was the most watched of the day on BBC2, outrating As Time Goes By. It was the 26th most watched on British television for the day. The timeslot was won by ITV's Benidorm.

Fragments had its premier on the digital channel BBC3 last Friday, where it was watched by 0.54 million viewers.

Torchwood: Declassified which followed the episode got 1.5 million viewers.




FILTER: - Torchwood - Ratings - UK

New Series Four TrailerBookmark and Share

Saturday, 29 March 2008 - Reported by DWNP Archive
Posted By John Bowman

A new trailer for Series Four is now available to view online at the official website's home page as well as on the BBC's YouTube channel.

Lasting 39 seconds and given from the perspective of new companion Donna Noble, it includes three of the monsters that will be appearing in the new series.

UK TV licence restrictions may mean the trailer cannot be viewed by overseas visitors to the sites.

(NB: While hovering your mouse over the official website home page, a box currently pops up with the following text: "Watch the second new trailer tonight at 8.30pm, BBC One and online." However, this does not tally with today's schedule for BBC One.)




FILTER: - Series 4/30 - Press

BBC7 Tie-In Show - Sundays 6:30PM and 12:30AMBookmark and Share

Saturday, 29 March 2008 - Reported by Benjamin Elliott
BBC7 is producing a weekly show called "Doctor Who - The Commentaries". "The Commentaries" premieres Sunday 6 April at 6:30PM and 12:30AM British Summer Time. It will air the Sunday after new episodes as part of a block with Paul McGann Big Finish Doctor Who stories that BBC7 has aired before.

"Doctor Who - The Commentaries" will be a recap show, probably similar to the Heroes radio show BBC7 did last year. David Tennant and Catherine Tate are listed as the hosts for the 6 April edition.




FILTER: - Audio - Series 4/30

Davies criticizes Time SlotBookmark and Share

Friday, 28 March 2008 - Reported by Marcus
BBC Internal magazine Ariel has reported that Executive Producer Russell T Davies is unhappy with the news series time slot.

The 6.20pm position is the earliest the series has been placed since it returned in 2005. In previous years earlier time slots have resulted in a decrease in viewing figures for the programme.

Update

This is now also being reported by Broadcast.
Russell T Davies is predicting that Doctor Who could lose up to 1.5m viewers when it returns in a new 6.20pm slot next month.

The writer and executive producer of the series told the Broadcast television drama conference today that the BBC should maintain the later 7pm-7.15pm slot and the budget for the sci-fi series but it had mucked it up.

The BBC believes the programme would do as well in the new slot, he said. "Well, we'll see, but I think I'm right."

Not all time travel is welcome

He also said he would resist any move to film the series in HD - it would be too expensive and it was 'rubbish' to think no one would watch unless it was in high definition.

He said it had always been the plan to rest Doctor Who in 2009. He said he would use the time off to work on new projects, for instance for a 9pm slot with more adult, emotional content although nothing had been commissioned.

BBC Ariel




FILTER: - Russell T Davies - Production - Series 4/30 - Broadcasting

Verity Lambert Tribute NightBookmark and Share

Friday, 28 March 2008 - Reported by Marcus
The schedule for BBC Four's tribute season to Verity Lambert has been revealed.

The evening of Saturday 5th April will look back at the work of Doctor Who's first producer and feature classic episodes from some of the major series for which she was responsible.

The first three episodes of the second Doctor Who story, The Daleks will be shown. Written by Terry Nation and directed by Christopher Barry andRichard Martin, the story was first shown in December 1963 and featured the debut of the Doctor's greatest foe.

The evening will feature a documentary, Verity Lambert: Drama Queen, in which friends and colleagues - including John Hurt, Alan Davies, Lynda La Plante and David Renwick - pay their respects to the woman who helped transform the face of popular television.

    BBC Four - Saturday 5th April 2008
  • 7.10pm The Naked Civil Servant
    Emmy award-winning film biography of Quentin Crisp
  • 8.30pm Doctor Who: The Dead Planet
  • 8.55pm Doctor Who: The Survivors
  • 9.20pm Doctor Who: The Escape
  • 9.50pm Verity Lambert: Drama Queen
    Tribute to the woman whose work ranged from the original Doctor Who to Jonathan Creek and included The Naked Civil Servant, Edward and Mrs Simpson, Minder, May To December and Eldorado.
  • 10.50pm Minder
    Senior Citizen Caine
  • 11.45pm Jonathan Creek
    The Scented Room

The season continues over the next week with the remaining four episodes of The Daleks as well as an episode of Adam Adamant Lives.
  • Monday 7th - 7.35 pm Doctor Who: The Ambush
  • Monday 7th - 11.20 pm The Cult of... Adam Adamant Lives!
  • Monday 7th - 11.50 pm Adam Adamant Lives
    A Vintage Year for Scoundrels
  • Tuesday 8th - 7.35 pm Doctor Who: The Expedition
  • Wednesday 9th - 7.25 pm Doctor Who: The Ordeal
  • Wednesday 9th - 7.55 pm Doctor Who: The Rescue




FILTER: - People - Obituary - Classic Series

Doctor Who Magazine 394Bookmark and Share

Friday, 28 March 2008 - Reported by Marcus

There are two issues of Doctor Who Magazine published in April.

Issue 394 is out on the 3rd April 2008. It previews the first set of episodes of the new series including the previously unnamed Episode Five, The Poison Sky. Episode Nine's title is also revealed as River's Run.

A week later the Tenth Doctor Collected Comics is released featuring full-colour comic strip stories written by Rob Davis, Dan McDaid and Jonathan Morris.
Press Release

CRIMINAL INTENTIONS IN DOCTOR WHO MAGAZINE 394

Actress Sarah Lancashire speaks exclusively about playing the villain in Partners in Crime, the mysterious Miss Foster, in the latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine. "Miss Foster is, essentially, a nanny, a guardian, to some rather unusual children," explains Sarah. "I see her as a slightly warped Mary Poppins. She’s quite austere. She’s a strong woman. When I first read the script, I thought, oh, well, of course she’s a baddie… but the more I read it, I thought, no, she’s doing what she’s doing for legitimate reasons." Seriously? "Yes! You can’t blame her at all. Hers is perfectly reasonable behaviour"

Also this issue:
  • Doctor Who’s executive producers Russell T Davies, Julie Gardner and Phil Collinson answer the most probing of questions as DWM’s readers become the interviewers.
  • Previews of the first five episodes of Series Four, Partners in Crime, The Fires of Pompeii, Planet of the Ood and The Sontraran Stratagem/The Poison Sky, featuring new and previously unpublished photos!
  • DWM interviews award-winning writer Steven Moffat who breaks his silence about his forthcoming two-parter, Silence in the Library/River’s Run.
  • Russell T Davies reveals more of Series Four’s secrets in Production Notes.
  • The Fact of Fiction visits a devastated Earth and uncovers the horrific truth behind The Sontaran Experiment.
  • Actress Jacqueline King talks exclusively about her role as Donna’s mum in the new season.
  • The Doctor experiences a holiday with a deadly difference in a brand new comic strip, Hotel Historia.
  • Neil Harris recalls the great days of video tape in You Are Not Alone.
  • Double trouble for the The Time Team as they watch the adventures of The Two Doctors.
  • PLUS all the latest news, exclusive photos, reviews, previews, competitions and even more!


AMAZING DOCTOR WHO ADVENTURES IN THE TENTH DOCTOR COLLECTED COMICS!

Collected together for the first time, these new adventures in time and space take the TARDIS into unexplored realms of adventure and excitement!

The Doctor and Martha attempt to save the doomed planet of Loam from destruction at the hands of gigantic monsters, then split up for a crazy adventure spanning Mars and an ordinary London bus! Then it’s off to meet legendary explorer Ernest Shackleton in the icy wastes of the Antarctic, before visiting an abandoned space base where a deadly plot is afoot.

Packed with 100 pages of thrills, scares and laughs, this Doctor Who Magazine Special Edition collects together four full-colour comic strip stories: THE WOMAN WHO SOLD THE WORLD, BUS STOP, THE FIRST and DEATH TO THE DOCTOR!

Featuring the writing talents of Rob Davis, Dan McDaid and Jonathan Morris, plus stunning artwork from Mike Collins (2000 AD), John Ross (Doctor Who Adventures), Martin Geraghty and Roger Langridge (The Fin Fang Four)!




FILTER: - Magazines - DWM

Episode Two DetailsBookmark and Share

Thursday, 27 March 2008 - Reported by Marcus
The BBC Press Office have released details of Episode Two of Series Four, The Fires Of Pompeii.

The episode will be broadcast on Saturday 12th April on BBC1, and features guest stars Peter Capaldi, Phil Davis and Tracey Childs.
The Doctor and Donna travel back into ancient history, in the second episode of Russell T Davies's Bafta Award-winning time-travelling drama. When they arrive in 79AD, however, they discover psychic powers and beasts of stone running riot in the streets of old Pompeii. The time-travellers face their greatest challenge yet – can established history be changed, or must the Doctor let everyone die?




FILTER: - Series 4/30 - Press - Broadcasting

Christmas RepeatsBookmark and Share

Wednesday, 26 March 2008 - Reported by Marcus
In advance of the new series launching on BBC One on Saturday 5th April, the digital channel BBC Three is giving viewers a chance to see all three of the Christmas Specials.

David Tennant's debut in the 2005 special, The Christmas Invasion, is being shown on Tuesday April 1st. The following day there is a chance to see the first meeting between The Doctor and Donna Noble when The Runaway Bride is shown. Finally the 2007 special, Voyage of the Damned will be shown on Thursday 3rd.

This Friday David Tennant will be the special guest star on Channel4's The Friday Night Project.




FILTER: - Specials - Broadcasting

Partners in Crime - Time slot confirmedBookmark and Share

Wednesday, 26 March 2008 - Reported by Marcus
The BBC has confirmed that Episode One of Series Four, Partners in Crime, will be broadcast at 6.20pm on Saturday 5th April. The episode will be followed by an edition of Confidential on BBC3 at 7.05pm and will be repeated on BBC3 on Sunday 6th.

Saturday 5th is also when BBC Four will be screening a tribute night to Doctor Who's first producer, Verity Lambert. The evening will include three episodes of classic Doctor Who.




FILTER: - Series 4/30 - Broadcasting

Steven Moffat nominated for BAFTABookmark and Share

Wednesday, 26 March 2008 - Reported by Anthony Weight
Steven Moffat has been nominated in the Best Writer category at the BAFTA Craft Awards for his work on Doctor Whoit has been announced. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts will be hosting the ceremony on May 11th. The awards honour those who work behind-the-scenes in the television industry, and composer Murray Gold is also nominated for his work on Doctor Who.

Moffat's competition consists of Jimmy McGovern (for The Street), Tony Marchant (The Mark of Cain) and Heidi Thomas (Cranford). Doctor Who also receives nominations in the categories of Interactive Fiction Contribution, Sound (Fiction / Entertainment) and Visual Effects.




FILTER: - Steven Moffat - Production - Series 3/29 - Awards/Nominations