Doctor Who Magazine Special 62: The 2023 YearbookBookmark and Share

Wednesday, 30 November 2022 - Reported by Marcus
Doctor Who Magazine Special 62:  The 2023 Yearbook (Credit: Panini)

This special issue of DWM celebrates the Thirteenth Doctor’s entire journey and looks back on an extraordinary 12 months.

The Thirteenth Doctor’s final adventures were among the most spectacular in the series’ history. This was a time of transformation in more ways than one – the return of some familiar faces and the announcement of Doctors Fourteen and Fifteen were just a few of the highlights.

And then, as outgoing showrunner Chris Chibnall handed over to Russell T Davies, production began on the episodes that will take the series into its 60th anniversary. 

Highlights include:

  • Exclusive interviews with Sophie Aldred (Ace), John Bishop (Dan), Sacha Dhawan (the Master), Janet Fielding (Tegan), Mandip Gill (Yaz) and Jodie Whittaker (the Doctor) on the making of the Centenary Special, The Power of the Doctor.
  • Ray Holman reveals the secrets of his costume designs for the returning Doctors and companions in The Power of the Doctor.
  • Analyses of every single Thirteenth Doctor story, from The Woman Who Fell to Earth to The Power of the Doctor.
  • A diary of the most significant events of 2022, both on screen and off.
  • Tributes to the Doctor Who luminaries who died during 2022.

DWM Special Edition 62: The 2023 Yearbook is on sale from Thursday 1 December at WH Smith, selected supermarkets and online from panini.co.uk priced £7.99.

A digital edition is also available, priced £6.99 from pocketmags.com

 




FILTER: - DWM - Thirteenth Doctor

New Guinness World Record for Doctor WhoBookmark and Share

Sunday, 27 November 2022 - Reported by Marcus
William Russell as Ian Chesterton (Credit: BBC)

Guinness World Records have confirmed that Doctor Who has earned another entry in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Since the screening of The Power of the Doctor last month, the record for the longest gap between TV appearances of an actor playing a television character is now held by William Russell, for his portrayal of First Doctor companion Ian Chesterton.

Russell played Chesterton in the first episode of Doctor Who in 1963. He stayed with the series for two years, appearing in 77 episodes. His last appearance was in The Planet of Decision, the final episode of The Chase, broadcast on the 26th June 1965.

Although the character has been mentioned in the series since then, Ian has not actually appeared in the series until he was seen in the last few minutes of The Power of the Doctor, screened on 23rd October 2022.

The gap between appearances is therefore 57 years 120 days.

The previous record holder was Philip Lowrie who returned to the role of Dennis Tanner in Coronation Street after 43 years.

Doctor Who already holds a number of Guinness World Records including the most consecutive sci-fi TV episodes ever, with 871 episodes so far.

In 2016 Peter Capaldi accepted the Guinness World Records title for the Largest Gathering of People Dressed as Doctor Who Characters, at the La Mole Comic Con in Mexico City.

In 2013 the simultaneous broadcast of The Day of the Doctor to 94 countries was named the world's largest-ever simulcast of a TV drama.





FILTER: - Awards/Nominations

Millie Gibson joins the TARDIS crewBookmark and Share

Friday, 18 November 2022 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Millie Gibson and Ncuti Gatwa (Credit: BBC)

The actress Millie Gibson has been revealed to be the companion to join new Doctor Ncuti Gatwa on his travels in the TARDIS - she will be playing Ruby Sunday, and will appear in his debut festive story next year.

The actress is best known as Kellie Neelan in Coronation Street, and received the Best Young Performer Award at The British Soap Awards earlier this year. Other roles have included ITV's Butterfly, BBC's Love, Lies and Records, and CBBC series Jamie Johnson.

Speaking of her new role, Millie said:

Whilst still being in total disbelief, I am beyond honoured to be cast as the Doctor’s companion. It is a gift of a role, and a dream come true, and I will do everything to try and fill the boots the fellow companions have travelled in before me. And what better way to do that than being by the fabulous Ncuti Gatwa’s side, I just can’t wait to get started.

Ncuti Gatwa added:

Millie just is the companion. She is full of talent, strength, she has a cheeky sparkle in her eye and is sharp as a razor. From the moment she walked into the room she captured all of our attention with her effervescence and then solidified that attention with the sheer torque of her talent. This adventure is going to be so wild and so fun, I cannot WAIT to sail the universe with Millie!

Returning showrunner Russell T Davies said:

It’s the great honour of my job to find the next generation of talent, and Millie shines like a star already. She’s brilliant, dynamic, clever and a wonderful actor. As a Coronation Street fan, I’ve seen Millie survive chases, guns and sieges, but that’s nothing compared to what lies ahead for Ruby Sunday.

 

The reveal took place live on this year's Children in Need telethon - you can donate to the charity via thier website.

 

Millie Gibson (Credit: BBC)

 





FILTER: - Doctor Who - Ncuti Gatwa - Millie Gibson

New companion to be revealed tonightBookmark and Share

Friday, 18 November 2022 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Two Hearts + Diamond (Credit: BBC)

The BBC have confirmed that the new companion to accompany Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor on his adventures will be revealed during the annual Children in Need appeal this evening on BBC One.





FILTER: - Doctor Who - Ncuti Gatwa

Production Team ConfirmedBookmark and Share

Friday, 11 November 2022 - Reported by Marcus
Fourteenth Doctor (David Tennant) (Credit: BBC Studios)

The latest edition of Doctor Who Magazine has confirmed details of the production teams working on Doctor Who as it reaches its 60th Anniversary.

The Anniversary will be marked by three specials, all scheduled to be broadcast in November 2023, the anniversary month of the series. They will star David Tennant and Catherine Tate as the Fourteenth Doctor and Donna Noble. 

Directing the first special will be Rachel Talalay, a name well-known to Doctor Who fans, She directed several stories in the Peter Capaldi era including the conclusions to all three of his series. She directed Twice Upon A Time, the final Capaldi story where the Twelfth Doctor met the First Doctor played by David Bradley.

Special Two will be directed by Tom Kingsley. New to Doctor Who, Kingsley is best known for directing two series of the BBC sitcom Ghosts and the Channel 4 sitcom Stath Lets Flats.

The final special will be directed by Chanya Button. Also new to Who, Button started work in the theatre working at The Globe on London's south bank. Her first feature film was Burn Burn Burn. She directed episodes of Starz drama about Katherine of Aragon, The Spanish Princess as well as Acorn TV's The Whitstable Pearl.

The next full series of Doctor Who will be screened in 2024 and will star Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor. Filming begins this December and directing the first block of the series will be another newcomer Dylan Holmes Williams. Williams's short film The Devil's Harmony won the jury prize at Sundance 2020. He directed two episodes of the Apple TV series Servant. 

Many familiar faces will be involved with the series as it moves into the future. As well as Russell T Davies acting as showrunner,  Julie Gardner, Phil Collinson and Jane Tranter will all act as Executive producers. Att three were behind the return of Doctor Who in 2005. Joel Collins will also act as an Executive Producer. Collins has recently been working for Bad Wolf on Industry and His Dark Materials

Looking after the look of the show will be Production Designer Philip Sims. Sims was the supervising Art Director on the sixth and seventh Mission Impossible films as well as Episode IX of Star Wars, Guardians of the Galaxy 9  Avengers:Age of Ultron. The Script Editor will be Scott Hancock, who worked on The Sarah Jane Adventures as well as many scripts for Big Finish. 

Our full guide to Doctor Who can be found here





FILTER: - Fourteenth Doctor - David Tennant - Production

Doctor Who Magazine: Issue 584Bookmark and Share

Wednesday, 9 November 2022 - Reported by Marcus
Doctor Who Magazine  Issue 584 (Credit: Panini)

The latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine begins the story of the Fourteenth Doctor, David Tennant.

Although it will be a year until we see his TV adventures, the story continues in Doctor Who Magazine issue 584

A new comic-strip adventure, written by Alan Barnes and illustrated by Lee Sullivan, picks up directly where The Power of the Doctor left off.

Editor Marcus Hearn says

Russell T Davies, our new showrunner, has long admired the DWM strip. And that’s why he’s granted us the honour of telling the Fourteenth Doctor’s first story in an adventure that dovetails with the most recent episode. For the first time in our 43-year history, the strip is now in lockstep with the television series continuity.”

Russell T Davies says

From day one, I wanted to increase ties between the show and the magazine. I love it when we’re in sync! A lot of people will be thinking, David’s not the real Doctor, he’s a trick, an illusion, a flashback. But no. He’s real. And DWM can help us underline that.”

Other highlights of the new issue include:

  • Meet the New Team – the producers, directors and other crew members of Doctor Who tell us what they’re looking forward to in the 2023 Specials and beyond.
  • Letter from the Showrunner – in the first of his new regular columns, Russell T Davies reveals what brought him back to Doctor Who.
  • Production Diary – script editor Scott Handcock provides exclusive updates about forthcoming episodes, direct from Doctor Who’s HQ.
  • Reach up for the Sunrise – David Tennant, Russell T Davies, former showrunner Chris Chibnall, directors Rachel Talalay and Jamie Magnus Stone, and CG artist Ben Pickles describe shooting The Power of the Doctor’s regeneration sequence.
  • The Strip of a Lifetime – Russell T Davies, Scott Handcock, Alan Barnes and Lee Sullivan on creating the Fourteenth Doctor’s first adventure.
  • The Watchers ­– fans who were lucky enough to be granted studio visits in the 1960s and early 70s recall the thrill of watching Doctor Who being made.
  • Hack to the Future – an interview with artist Robert Hack about the new illustrated version of David Whitaker’s seminal novel Doctor Who and the Daleks.
  • Collectivity: The TARDIS – meet the fans for whom collecting police-box merchandise has been a lifelong passion
  • Factory Records – the sets of 1966’s The Power of the Daleks are recreated, providing new insights into this mostly missing story.
  • The Fact of Fiction encounters Cybermen and Daleks as it looks back at 2006’s Army of Ghosts.
  • Other Worlds – an essential guide to forthcoming stories in the expanded Doctor Who universe.

·       Previews, reviews, news, prize-winning competitions, Time and Space Visualiser, Sufficient Data and more.

Doctor Who Magazine Issue 584 is on sale Thursday 10 November from panini.co.uk and WH Smith priced £6.99 (UK).

Also available as a digital edition from pocketmags.com priced £5.99.





FILTER: - DWM - Fourteenth Doctor

The Lucy Wilson Mysteries: updateBookmark and Share

Sunday, 6 November 2022 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Candy Jar Books have announced four brand new stories in The Lucy Wilson Mysteries, the children-focussed series based around the exploits of the Brigadier's granddaughter.

 


 

The Lucy Wilson Mysteries: The Ballad of The Borad (Credit: Candy Jar Books)The Ballad of the Borad

Written by Jonathan Macho

Cover and artwork by Steve Beckett

 

 

School trips are never simple when it comes to Lucy and Hobo. There’s always an adventure just around the corner.

 

Spending the day at Bristol Zoo, Lucy hopes to have a normal day out, but it’s not long before she realises the zoo has gone wild!

 

The animals have escaped and, Lucy’s no expert, but these animals aren’t quite what Lucy was expecting: a fish-bird, a cat-snake, a tortoise-spider and a huge, lumbering elephant-frog!

 

As Bristol Zoo welcomes visitors for the very last time in 2022, Lucy Wilson joins many other visitors in looking back at what makes the zoo special to her as she says a final goodbye.

 

 

Kick-starting the new quartet of adventures is fairly-new-to-the-scene author Jonathan Macho, with his short story The Ballad of the Boradwhich is an action-packed tribute and farewell to the recently closed Bristol Zoo. Jonathan is an exciting new talent from Cardiff who’s first novel The Lucy Wilson Mysteries: The Serpent’s Tongue was very well received by fans of the series.

Jonathan said::

When Shaun asked me to pen a new story with Lucy and Hobo encountering the Borad and some animal hybrids at Bristol Zoo, it turned out to be a two-fold blessing. Not only did I get to spend more time with two characters I really love to write, but it gave me an excellent excuse to go to Bristol Zoo for ‘research’, just a few days before it closed down! The more I saw and learned about the Zoo and its history, the more clear it became that it was the perfect setting for a Lucy Wilson adventure. I hope I did such a special place justice.

 

 



 

The Lucy Wilson Mysteries: The Invisible Women (Credit: Candy Jar Books)The Invisible Women

Written by by John Peel

Cover and artwork by Steve Beckett

 

 

2020 has only just begun, and it already feels like it’s going to be full of back-to-back adventures as Lucy’s time ring sends her and Hobo on their second adventure of the year.

 

On arrival, our Ogmore-by-Sea teenage heroes have no idea where (or when) they are. They are just grateful that it isn’t lunchtime, as they crash land right in the middle of a dinner table surrounded by strange faces!

 

With invisible women lurking around every corner, how can they defeat someone when they can’t even see them? Add ghosts, ferocious fairies, Harry Houdini, HG Wells, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle into the mix, and this is one strange time travelling escapade. But who is the monster behind this kaleidoscope of calamities, and why does it want Lucy’s time ring?

 

Lucy and Hobo are about to find out…

 

Popular author John Peel, writer of the third book in the Lucy Wilson series The Midnight People, returns with his second full-length novel The Lucy Wilson Mysteries: The Invisible Women, but there’s a twist - the new novel crosses over with the ongoing Lethbridge-Stewart spin-off series, Travers & Wells.

Range editor Andy Frankham-Allen says:

First it was The Brigadier and the Bledoe Cadets paired with Lucy Wilson and the Bledoe Cadets and now… When it came time to discuss what our next crossover would be, Shaun suggested Lucy meeting up with Edward Travers and HG Wells. Then came the old ‘who to write it’, which almost always results in Shaun suggesting John Peel. I was on board with that, and knew John would be up for the challenge…

In The Invisible Women, Lucy is transported back in time for an Edwardian adventure that includes ghosts, ferocious fairies, Harry Houdini and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, as well as some irksome invisible women. On their adventure, Lucy and Hobo pair up with popular character in the Lethbridge-Stewart series Edward Travers and his companion HG Wells, in an attempt to stop the monster behind a kaleidoscope of calamities!

John said:

Writing the story was… interesting. The two books had to have separate plots that interlinked, and yet still made sense if read alone – which obviously took a bit of planning! And the last couple of chapters (the wrap-up) had to be the same, obviously, but told from two different perspectives. The only way I could imagine doing this was to write both books together as a single manuscript, so that I could be sure that the pacing worked out and the overlaps occurred at the same time in each tale, and then leave the two respective editors to disassemble the manuscript into two books. Hey, I wasn't going to do all of the work! I was expecting the process to be challenging, but because the editors and I had worked it out beforehand, it actually proved to be a lot smoother and easier than I had feared. And also a great deal more fun.

 

 



 

The Mystery of Lucy Wilson: Memories of the Future (Credit: Candy Jar Books)The Mystery of Lucy Wilson: Memories of the Future 

Written by George Ivanoff

Cover and artwork by Steve Beckett

 

 

Melbourne, 1985. Matty is just an ordinary boy having an ordinary evening, browsing for books in his favourite sci-fi shop. Until he meets a girl. A girl who appears out of thin air, into a locked room, and can’t remember who she is or where she came from.

 

And then Matty’s day gets slightly less ordinary when he encounters time-travelling killer plant people from outer space.

 

For Matty to put things right, he must work out who his new friend Lucy Wilson is, and why he is suddenly not so ordinary.

 

Following on directly from The Invisible Women is The Mystery of Lucy Wilson: Memories of the Future by George Ivanoff, which is the first book in a three-part time travel adventure set in Australia.

George said:

The main theme of the book is memories. Lucy has travelled to Melbourne, Australia, in 1985 but has lost most of her memories. She can’t remember where or when she came from, or even who she is. Particularly important are the lost memories of her grandfather, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart. In 1985, she befriends a boy named Matty who also has repressed memories. Weaving all those memories into the story as they begin to be reclaimed was the concept that inspired the novel.

 

Much of the book’s setting is based around my own teenage years. I grew up in the suburbs of Melbourne, Australia. The library and lifesaving club mentioned in the book were places that I used to ride my bike to. And, just like the characters in this book, in 1985 I attended Aussiecon 2, the 43rd World Science Fiction Convention, as Melbourne was the host city. It was heaps of fun, taking these elements from my formative years, and weaving them into Memories of the Future.

Fans of The Lucy Wilson Mysteries may notice the change in the series title to The Mystery of Lucy Wilson for this three-part instalment, because Lucy Wilson truly is a mystery to both herself and her new friends, but Lucy is not the only mystery in this story!

George continued:

I was really excited when I was told that I’d be able to use UNIT. in Memories of the Future. I ended up giving UNIT. an Australian branch. In my mind, they are off having other adventures around Australia now that Lucy has returned to her own place and time.”

 

 

 


 

 

The Mystery of Lucy Wilson: Rampage of the Drop Bears (Credit: Candy Jar Books)The Mystery of Lucy Wilson: Rampage of the Drop Bears

Written by Baz Greenland

Cover and artwork by Steve Beckett

 

 

Melbourne, 1985. Fred’s best friend Matty has vanished. And now he’s found a new friend, Lucy Wilson.

 

Lucy doesn’t remember much about herself, but what she does know is that she’s from the future. But time travel isn’t possible, is it?

 

Aliens, drop bears on a rampage, a Pleistocene safari, a trip to Sydney Olympic Stadium in 2000, and a vicious baby running riot through time. Will Lucy and Fred ever be able to restore the timeline, or has their life as they knew it changed forever?

 

And last in the newly released quartet is The Mystery of Lucy Wilson: Rampage of the Drop Bears by Baz Greenland, which is the second book in the three-part time travel adventure set in Australia.

Baz said:

What better inspiration for a kid’s story than evil Koala Bears? I had so much fun stepping into the world of Lucy Wilson, and throwing her into a time travel adventure with one of Australia's greatest mythical monsters, the legendary drop bears!

Lucy finds herself back in Melbourne in 1985 and she still doesn’t know who she is or where and when she’s come from! All she does know is that her time ring seems to be defunct and she’s being taken on an even bigger adventure than she’s ever been on before.

Baz continued:

It's Gremlins meets a tour through Australia's rich history – from a trip to the Pleistocene era through to the 2000 Sydney Olympics. It was an honour to follow up a wonderful story by George Ivanoff and I hope Rampage of the Drop Bears delights fans, young and old!

 


 

The Invisible Women, The Battle of the Borad, Memories of the Future and Rampage of the Drop Bears are all available to pre-order via the Candy Jar shop and will be posted out at the end of October.

 

The third book in the Mystery of Lucy Wilson trilogy will conclude next year.





FILTER: - Candy Jar Books - Lucy Wilson - Books

The Doctor Who ProjectBookmark and Share

Saturday, 5 November 2022 - Reported by Marcus
The Doctor Who Project

The Doctor Who Project (TDWP) is looking for original Doctor Who short stories for one of their two-story ranges – The Eleventh Doctor Adventures & Brief Encounters.

The Eleventh Doctor Adventures centres on the continuing adventures of the Eleventh Doctor and his current travelling companion Maggie Weitz, while Brief Encounters feature Doctors 1-7.

TDWP is a group of fan writers, artists, and editors who work together to bring an original collection of Doctor Who fiction for the reading enjoyment of fellow fans.

Stories are based on the original 1963-89 television series.

Stories are published in free downloadable PDF documents in a novel-like layout along with specially designed covers. The fiction is published and written by fans for fans.

If you’d like to submit a story idea or get a copy of the submission guidelines. Email TDWP at: thedoctorwhoproject@shaw.ca.





FILTER: - Fanzine