The Doctor Who Audio GuideBookmark and Share

Thursday, 28 May 2020 - Reported by Marcus
The Doctor Who Audio Guide Volume 1 (Credit: DWAS)The Doctor Who Audio Guide Volume 2 (Credit: DWAS)The Doctor Who Appreciation Society has published the second volume of The Doctor Who Audio Guide

The Doctor Who Audio Guide by Colin John Francis, was first published by DWAS in 2005 and covered every official Doctor Who audio title from 1963 to 2005, with an updated version extended up to 2008 being published in 2010.

The Society is now pleased to publish volume 2 which covers all releases from 2009 to 2013. The guide is fully indexed by title, cast and crew and the index to the second volume is consolidated to cover volume 1 as well.

The book is A4 with a full-colour cover by Nigel Thomas, featuring Tom Baker as the fourth Doctor from The Pescatons.

Released at the same time is an updated version of volume 1 with a new colour cover, also by Nigel Thomas. This revised volume features both Colin Baker’s foreword from the 2005 edition, and Lisa Bowerman’s foreword from the revised 2010 edition.

volume 1 runs to 482 pages and covers releases from 1963 to 2008. Volume 2 runs to 480 pages and covers releases from 2009 to 2013. Titles covered include BBC produced and licensed products and other licensed titles featuring characters from the main TV series.

Each book is sold in support of Marie Curie Cancer Care. Colin Francis choose this charity in memory of a friend he met whilst working as a bluecoat at Pontins in the early 1990s. His friend died overnight from the cancer that he was too proud to tell people he was suffering from.

As well as the standard paperback, DWAS has also produced volume 2 in a limited run hardback with ribbon and dustjacket. Both volumes 1 and 2 can be purchased from the DWAS website now. The price for the paperbacks is £19-99 each and the limited-run hardback is £29-99. Prices include UK delivery. Delivery to Europe and Worldwide will cost extra.

Volume 3 is currently in production. The books are published by Space Rocket Ltd on behalf of the Doctor Who Appreciation Society.




FILTER: - DWAS - Magazines

Doctor Who Magazine: Issue 552Bookmark and Share

Wednesday, 27 May 2020 - Reported by Marcus
Doctor Who Magazine: Issue 552 (Credit: Panini)Issue 552 of Doctor Who Magazine reveals the readers choices of the First Doctor's greatest adventures.

Thirty-two First Doctor stories battled for the top spot the Twitter contest. Which is the fans’ favourite?

Issue 552 also includes:
  • Series 11 writers Pete McTighe, Vinay Patel and Joy Wilkinson interview each other.
  • Mark Gatiss answers questions from the TARDIS tin.
  • Time and Space Visualiser presents a rare William Hartnell interview, conducted during rehearsals for The Sensoritesin 1964.
  • 50 brilliant things about Doctor Who – not including Doctor Who!
  • A tribute to Doctor Who writer Pip Baker.
  • A previously unpublished interview with Pip and Jane Baker.
  • The Fact of Fiction explores Parts Nine to Twelve of 1986’s The Trial of a Time Lord.
  • More of DWM’s recommended lockdown viewing, with a guide to stories available on DVD and streaming services.
  • A look at Race Against Time, a game book in the 1986 Make Your Own Adventure with Doctor Who series.
  • A review of The Maze of Doom, the latest Doctor Who book by David Solomons.
  • The final part of The Piggybackers, a new comic-strip adventure featuring the Thirteenth Doctor and her friends.
  • Big Finish previews and reviews, news, prize-winning competitions, The Blogs of Doom and much more!
Doctor Who Magazine Issue 552 is on sale from Thursday 28th May.




FILTER: - DWM

Big Finish Range relaunch for the Doctors in 2022Bookmark and Share

Monday, 25 May 2020 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Big Finish logo (Credit: Big Finish)Commencing January 2022, Big Finish will relaunch its regular Doctor Who release schedule as a series of dedicated ranges for each of the first twelve incarnations of the Doctor.

For more than two decades, Big Finish has been producing brand new Doctor Who audio adventures starring the actors who originated the role on TV; Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy, Paul McGann, David Tennant and John Hurt.

In recent years, many new ranges have been introduced to the release schedule, incorporating all of the Doctors’ eras from 1963 to 2017. As the company looks to the future, a revised schedule will see a number of new range additions.

Senior Producer David Richardson said:
There are so many exciting new directions ahead. Where did the First Doctor and Dodo go next after leaving the planet of The Savages? What happened to the Second Doctor after The War Games? What new adventures await the Third Doctor and Sarah Jane Smith? What happened on the Seventh Doctor’s Last Day? The adventures are only just beginning...
The original Big Finish audio drama range – now called the Monthly Adventures – represents a continuous, unbroken run of new Doctor Who audio adventures, one every month, since 1999. This range, of late featuring adventures for the Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Doctors, will end with release number 275. Thereafter, there will be a regular rotation of releases, with each Doctor starring in their own box sets of adventures throughout the year.

Big Finish chairman and executive producer, Jason Haigh-Ellery said:
One comment we hear more often from new listeners is that they find it hard to know where to begin with our back catalogue of Doctor Who adventures. This change to our release schedule will make it easier for people to start. With a range for each Doctor, there will be a natural ‘stepping on point’ for fans.
Creative director and executive producer, Nicholas Briggs, added:
As well as making our ranges much less confusing for Big Finish beginners, these changes will allow us more exciting new possibilities and creative freedom.

By freeing the Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Doctors from the constrictions of the Monthly Adventures schedule, and giving them their own distinct ranges, we will be able to introduce more surprising cast combinations, different story lengths, and more story arcs.

Big Finish listeners keen to complete their collection of Monthly Adventures should read the following:
  • a 3-release CD / download subscription will be available, starting from #271, #272 or #273, which should enable the majority of subscribers to extend their subscription to the end of the range. Three-release subscriptions are priced at £32.50 for collector’s edition CDs and £27.50 for downloads.
  • any existing subscribers who find themselves unable to purchase #274 or #275 via a combination of the 12/6/3-release options should contact sales@bigfinish.com, who will be able to process their orders offline.




FILTER: - Big Finish

The Lucy Wilson Mysteries: LockdownBookmark and Share

Monday, 25 May 2020 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Candy Jar Books has announced a collection of lockdown-inspired Lucy Wilson short stories is now up for pre-order, and will be released in two weeks. The royalties from sales will be donated to NHS charities and Candy Jar will double this amount.

The Lucy Wilson Mysteries: Lockdown (Credit: Candy Jar Books)The Lucy Wilson Mysteries: Lockdown


Earth is in lockdown. But for Lucy Wilson, staying home doesn’t mean staying safe.

Dinosaurs, killer plants, even Meme Lords – some enemies just don’t respect social distancing. So Lucy and her brainbox sidekick Hobo have no choice but to come to Earth’s defence again – although never forgetting to stay two metres away from each other!

In this collection of short stories, Lucy finds herself contending with the challenges of a pandemic, while continuing to rise to the mantle of her legendary grandfather, Brigadier Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart.



This collection contains eight short stories, featuring Andy Frankham-Allen, Tim Gambrell, John Peel, Tom Dexter, Alan Stott, Cherry Cobb, Paul W Robinson, Adrian Sherlock and Shaun Russell.


The Lucy Wilson Mysteries is a Lethbridge-Stewart spin-off adventure inspired by characters created for Doctor Who by Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln.


Shaun Russell, Head of Candy Jar Publishing, said:
At the start of isolation I asked Jonathan Macho, the author of the most recent Lucy Wilson book The Serpent’s Tongue, to write a short story about Lucy being stuck at home, and we recieved some very positive feedback.
Jonathan Macho said:
When Shaun asked me to write ‘Copy/Paste’ as a free download story, I was really grateful for the opportunity to make a small, positive contribution for young readers. When he got back in touch to let me know about the book, I was over the moon. The chance for me to play my part means a great deal, and I really appreciate Candy Jar making my story a part of it.
Shaun continued:
Around about the same time, Andy Frankham-Allen (the range editor of the Lethbridge-Stewart books) contacted me with an idea to send Lucy back to the 1974 dinosaur invasion. Of course, I thought this was too good of an idea to pass up. I was intrigued by how Lucy would cope knowing she could be infected with the coronavirus, but not wanting to pass it on to the Brigadier, or potentially change the past! So, in collaboration with Tim Gambrell (The Brigadier & the Bledoe Cadets), Andy made a start on the story. After this things just fell into place and we soon had eight stories.

Tim Gambrell said:
There’s a real sense of shared experience between the writers and the characters, and it feels special and personal to be able to give something back to the NHS in this way. Added to this, the brief was something I could not refuse. Lucy in an empty London during Invasion of the Dinosaurs! My immediate thinking was not to do the Doctor Who story over again. The biggest gap in the TV story, for me, was the lack of consideration for the poor dinosaurs, scooped up from their homes and plonked into London. There was also little appreciation, by the characters on TV, of the sheer beauty and size of the dinosaurs. So those were my starting points. ‘The London Invasion’ came together incredibly quickly after that, within the framing scenes which Andy had developed.

Adrian Sherlock said:
For most of us our daily routine under lockdown is extremely repetitive, so I thought what if Lucy experienced a lockdown day over and over again? I always loved Sapphire and Steel and The Twilight Zone and these series often did stories such as this, so when Shaun approached me about contributing something to the book my imagination was fired.
Shaun added:
I really enjoyed working with Adrian on ‘Repetitive Strain’. He is such an imaginative writer and it was a pleasure to collaborate with him on his Groundhog Day-type escapade.

Candy Jar also released Sweet Revenge by Paul Robinson as a free download story. Publishing co-ordinator at Candy Jar, Keren Williams, is excited to showcase Paul’s talent:
When we asked Paul to contribute a short story he immediately understood the tone we were after and delivered a cracking adventure for all of us who are stuck at home.

The only female writer for this collection is Cherry Cobb, who successfully contributed to last year’s Christmas Crackers anthology:
When Shaun asked me to write ‘Flower Power’ for this book I leapt at the opportunity, firstly because I can’t think of a better cause than raising money for the NHS and, secondly, I know that lockdown is proving a challenge for many children and adults. Reading is a great way to relax and escape from reality for a time, and with Lucy Wilson by your side you can be sure of so many great adventures along the way.

The next story, The Edge of Glory, is written by Alan Stott, the author of the anarchic children’s book Those Kids Next Door (due to be released by Candy Jar in the autumn). Keren commented:
Last year we previewed Those Kid’s Next Door at our summer pop-up shop and Alan was like a magnet to children. They really loved his energy and couldn’t get enough of his slapstick humour. Aside from this, his books sold really well, so when I needed a safe pair of hands to contribute to this collection he was my first choice.

Another consummate professional is John Peel, the author of many classic Doctor Who, Star Trek, Quantum Leap and Lethbridge-Stewart novels. Shaun observed:
John previously wrote the brilliant Lucy Wilson book The Midnight People. I wanted a story where Lucy and Hobo were trapped in the pages of fiction, so I approached John and within a couple of days he emailed ‘Get Lost in a Good Book’ back to me, and it was exactly what I’d asked for.

Lockdown concludes with a scary romp written by Tom Dexter. Shaun said:
When we started the Lethbridge-Stewart range Tom wrote two short stories for us: ‘The Fright Before Christmas’ and ‘The Black Eggs of Khufu’. Since then we’ve tried, on many occasions, to get him back, but Tom is always very busy. Thankfully isolation has slowed him down a bit. His story ‘Home Invasion’ really rounds off the collection with its heart on its sleeve, and includes a fantastic tribute to all the nurses, doctors and NHS staff that are helping us get through these difficult times.


The Lucy Wilson Mysteries: Lockdown is available to pre-order exclusively from the Candy Jar website.

The royalties from this book will be donated to NHS charities. Whatever is raised Candy Jar will double.




FILTER: - Books - Candy Jar Books

Fantom Events over the Spring Bank Holiday weekBookmark and Share

Monday, 25 May 2020 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Time Space Visualiser (Credit: Fantom Events)Fantom Events have planned a number of online activities for Doctor Who fans over this Spring Bank Holiday week:
  • Monday: Time Space Visualiser 7. This will be the usual mixture of brand-new interviews and features, with a variety of guests from all eras of the programme,including Philip Hinchchliffe, new series director Keith Boak and costume designers Louise Page and Hayley Nebauer. Commencing from 5:00pm.
  • Tuesday: The Unsung Heroes of Doctor Who. As well as new episodes of Alex Moore’s ongoing series acros the week at 6:00pm, Tuesday will also live streaming of a further three episodes at 8:00pm.
  • Wednesday: Time Space Visualiser 8: The Enemy Within. A mini presentation celebrating the 1996 television movie, which will be broadcast after TARDIS Monkey’s anniversary Tweetalong at 8:45pm. For more information about the tweet along follow the hashtag #ItsAboutTime.
  • Thursday: Another Fantom Zoom Pub Quiz for everyone to join in with; the questions will be fiendish, but the faces will be friendly! The quiz will start at 8:15pm, to pre-register contact the Fantomteam.
  • Friday: Time Space Visualiser 9: The Wilderness Years. A mini presentation taking a look at what happened during the period between Survival and Rose, from 8:00pm.
  • Saturday: Time Space Visualiser 10. Join Dexter and Paul, and Jason in Social Hub from 5:00pm.

All their online events can be watched via their YouTube channel.




FILTER: - Fantom - Online Events

Tales from the MatrixBookmark and Share

Monday, 25 May 2020 - Reported by Marcus
Tales from the Matrix (Credit: Tales from the Matrix)
The latest edition of the Fanzine Tales from the Matrix is now available.

Tales from the Matrix is a free weekly Doctor Who long-form fiction zine. So far 10 issues have been published with over 300 pages of fiction.

The magazine is being distributed by three Doctor Who clubs (The Guardians of Gallifrey, the Prynceton Prydonians, and the Doctor Who Club of Australia) to all of their members. This is a non-commercial effort that now built a readership of over 1,000.

The zine can be found on Facebook, can be subscribed to by email,




FILTER: - Fan Productions

The Thirteenth Doctor on Turkish televisionBookmark and Share

Saturday, 23 May 2020 - Reported by Chuck Foster
The Doctor, as played by Jodie Whittaker (Credit: BBC)BBC Studios have announced the launch of their high definition channel BBC Prime in Turkey via Türk Telekom’s Tivibu platform from 27th May, with Doctor Who featuring prominently on the new service:

BBC First will be the exclusive home of all-new series of Doctor Who in Turkey, launching with the 11th and 12th seasons starring Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor and premiering future series closer to UK TX than ever before. This will be especially appreciated by Turkish Whovians who are among world’s most loyal fans ranking #6 in the world on the Doctor Who Facebook page and #9 for YouTube views on Doctor Who official channel, with 1.7m video views in the last 12 months.

Natasha Hussain, Senior Vice President for MENA at BBC Studios, said:
As the World’s spotlight shines bright on British drama, I’m thrilled to be expanding our offering in Turkey with the truly unmissable BBC First channel. The BBC has a strong reputation for its original storytelling and high production values in this genre, and I can’t wait for audiences in Turkey to be introduced to the raft of unique stories and unforgettable characters on BBC First.
Türk Telekom TV/OTT Content and Product Director, Ziyad Varol, stated:
We are very much happy with our years of cooperation with BBC, a household name for broadcast and media worldwide. Five years ago, Tivibu was the first platform to launch BBC’s documentary channel BBC Earth in Turkey, introducing one of the most important documentary producers of the world to Turkish audiences. And now, with BBC First, we are again excited to provide Tivibu audience with the newest and most popular series content of BBC. We hope to add new firsts into our list with BBC and to provide further value to Tivibu viewers by presenting them premium contents before everyone else in Turkey.

Doctor Who kicks off on the channel with a complete run of Peter Capaldi's last series during the afternoon/evening, leading up to the premiere of The Woman Who Fell To Earth. The channel then continues to show Series 11 alongside the rest of the Doctor's high definition adventures over the following weeks (which includes the upscaled special The Next Doctor). You can catch up on the BBC First schedule via This Week in Doctor Who.

Doctor Who has been available in Turkey in standard definition for a number of years via BBC Entertainment Europe (currently broadcasting Series 10).





FILTER: - Broadcasting - Doctor Who - International Broadcasting - Jodie Whittaker - series 11/37 - Turkey

Eric Roberts Returns as The Master for Big FinishBookmark and Share

Friday, 22 May 2020 - Reported by Marcus
Call him MASTER! (Credit: Big Finish)It’s been 24 years since Eric Roberts first appeared as The Master fighting Paul McGann’s Eighth Doctor. Now he’s back in a new audio adventure for Big Finish.

Roberts version of the Master was originally seen in the 1996 TV Movie, Doctor Who. Now he’s escaped the Time Vortex to wreak havoc upon the universe in his very own box set of brand new, full-cast audio adventures, due for release in March 2021.

Along the way, he’ll meet old enemies, new companions and the universe’s most glamorous and dangerous bounty hunter, Vienna Salvatori (a special guest appearance by Chase Masterson).

MASTER! is now available for pre-order as a collector’s edition three-disc box set (on CD at £19.99) and as a digital download (at £16.99).

Abandoned in the Vortex, the Master’s lost incarnation is about to be thrown a lifeline.

Earth rebuilds in the aftermath of invasion, and power rests with those who innovate. Genius Lila Kreeg makes a deal with the devil to see her dreams fulfilled.

As the Master returns, there are those – like Vienna Salvatori – who wish to hunt him, and those upon whom he wishes vengeance himself...

The Master will be doing his dastardly deeds in three thrilling new stories:
  • Faustian by Robert Valentine
  • Prey by Robert Whitelock
  • Vengeance by Matt Fitton
Director, Jamie Anderson, said
Entering this Blade Runner-esque world with the TV Movie Master was a real thrill for me, and it's been a joy to hear our brilliant cast interacting with the effortlessly evil Eric Roberts. The future this writing trio have created is a thrilling place to adventure for three one-hour stories, and listeners are in for a treat when they get to meet the future Earth's characters – both good and evil.
Producer, David Richardson added
The Master continues his cunning plan, by stealth, to take over the Big Finish release schedule – we have the War Master, we have Missy, and now the Movie Master has his own box set, reaching out for help from the Time Vortex – and finding new allies and new foes. Think Killing Eve in a dystopian future and you may just get a taster of what this new direction for the Master looks like.
MASTER! is now available for pre-order as a collector’s edition three-disc box set (on CD at £19.99) and as a digital download (at £16.99), exclusively from the Big Finish website.




FILTER: - Audio - Big Finish

Doctor Who: The Monster VaultBookmark and Share

Wednesday, 20 May 2020 - Reported by Chuck Foster
BBC Books have announced a new hardback book that delves into the background of one of the key elements of Doctor Who:

Doctor Who: The Monster Vault (Credit: BBC Books)Doctor Who: The Monster Vault
The Doctor's Enemies Unlocked

Written by Jonathan Morris and Penny CS Andrews
Edited by Paul Lang
Illustrated by Lee Johnson and Ben Morris


Doctor Who's biggest and most comprehensive monster guide yet, The Monster Vault takes you on the ultimate tour of the Whoniverse, discovering and cataloguing every wonderful and terrifying creature the Doctor has ever encountered.

From the notorious Daleks, to the evil Stenza warrior T’zim-Sha and the ancient Thijarians, The Monster Vault features in-depth profiles on each monster, showing the Doctor's most dangerous enemies in their natural habitat and unveiling their secret histories. You will also discover how monsters were created and designed, through exclusive behind-the-scenes interviews, anecdotes, case studies and unseen artwork.

This lavish and visually stunning book provides an unrivalled wealth of information, allowing you to explore the rich history of Doctor Who and expand your knowledge and understanding of monsters old and new.

Doctor Who: The Monster Vault is now available to preorder, and is due to be published on 22nd October 2020.




FILTER: - BBC Books - Books - Merchandise

The Unsung Heroes of Doctor WhoBookmark and Share

Tuesday, 19 May 2020 - Reported by Chuck Foster
The Unsung Heroes of Doctor Who (Credit: Fantom Events)Fantom Events have announced a brand-new lockdown project celebrating the “unsung heroes” of Doctor Who.

Hosted by Alex Moore, this series of YouTube videos aims to tell the behind the scenes story of those members of the cast and crew whose perspective might normally go untold.

The series will be launched with a special live stream from 8pm BST on 20th May with four episodes featuring Lee Sheward (stunt co-ordinator for Doctor Who and Torchwood); Shaunna Harrison (provided the make-up for Terror of the Vervoids, The Ultimate Foe and Paradise Towers); Philip Brown (who played the Seventh Doctor double in The Day of the Doctor) and Gareth Milne (who played George Cranleigh in Black Orchid and stunt doubled for both Michael Cochrane and Peter Davison. Other credits include Warriors of the Deep, The Caves of Androzani and Vengeance on Varos).

Each subsequent episode will go live weeknights at 18:00 from 25th May and will occasionally feature as part of our regular virtual conventions Time Space Visualiser.

Series highlights include:
  • Nick Joseph (Supporting Artist on The Creature from the Pit, The Leisure Hive, Black Orchid, Terminus and The Mark of the Rani)
  • Ralph Wilton (Production Assistant for Shada and Production Manager on Arc of Infinity)
  • Jim Dowdall (Stunt Performer on Day of the Daleks, The Sea Devils, The Time Monster, Genesis of the Daleks, Frontios)
  • Rocky Taylor (Stunt Performer on The Idiot’s Lantern. He also has uncredited roles in The Daleks’ Master Plan and The Curse of Peladon)
  • Alan Spalding (Designer for Revelation of the Daleks)
  • Damon Jeffery (The Curse of Fenric and Survival)
  • Matthew Savage (Design assistant for series 1 and 2 of Doctor Who. He was also an associate designer and assistant art director for series 1 of Torchwood)
  • Mickey Lewis (Dalek Operator in Asylum of the Daleks and Into the Dalek, an alien in The Rings of Akhaten, the Third Doctor’s body double in The Day of the Doctor and a cyberman in The Doctor Falls, Ascension of the Cybermen and The Timeless Children)

Host Alex Moore said:
It is wonderful to speak to so many people about the making of Doctor Who and their wider careers. We can bring new perspectives from different voices.

The interviews will be available for free at the Fantom Events website, where you can also find all of their weekend online Time Space Visualiser events and a host of other new and archive material created during the pandemic.




FILTER: - Fantom - Online Events