The weekly consolidated ratings for the week 17-23 October have been released by BARB, indicating that Jodie Whittaker's swansong The Power of the Doctor achieved 5.295 million viewers, making it the second most watched programme on the Sunday and the fifth most watched programme overall for the week.

Top of the week went to Saturday's Strictly Come Dancing (which saw contestant Tyler West and dance partner Dianne Buswell performing the Tango to the Doctor Who theme) with some 9.894m, followed by Sunday's Results show with 8.634m; third place went to Channel 4's The Great British Bake Off with 7.794m, and ITV's Doc Martin was fourth with 5.610m.

The episode achieved 5.1m via TV viewing which placed it sixth (with Wednesday's Coronation Street some 46000 viewers more),; however, once other ways to watch were factored in (4-Screen) it enabled the episode to overtake the soap into fifth place by some 45000 extra viewers! Sunday's BBC News at 10 (which featured an interview with David Tennant on his return to the role) which originally was ahead of Doctor Who on overnights eventually settled into 23rd place with 3.919m viewers (very few people tend to watch the news on catchup  unlike soaps and drama!)

Breaking down the ratings, the episode was watched by 2.37m viewers live, gaining another 1.25m/1.34m overnight via TV/4-Screen respectively (VOSDAL). The last seven days saw an additional 1.48m/1.59m catch up on the show.

The position marks the highest place the show has achieved since Whittker's first few episodes back in 2018 (where her debut hit the top spot and the next three episodes all made 4th place). It is also the highest veiwing figure for the show since The Halloween Apocalypse a year ago today.  

The signed repeat of the episode broadcast early Saturday morning on BBC2 was watched by 35000 viewers. 

Figures for other regions include ABC in Australia with 103000 viewers, and BBC America in the United States with 317000 viewers (64th place in the cable charts with a Neilsen 18-49 rating of 0.06).

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:


Natasha Hussain, Senior Vice President for MENA at BBC Studios, said:
Türk Telekom TV/OTT Content and Product Director, Ziyad Varol, stated:

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).

Jodie Whittaker has joined Brian Cox and Ewan McGregor to support the Geeky T-Shirt awareness drive and fundraiser for a charity helping terminally children in Scotland.

The current Doctor is helping launch a nationwide appeal for Children’s Hospices Across Scotland – better known as CHAS, a charity which provides vital hospice care services throughout Scotland to support the whole family.

As part of the Share Your Joy campaign, on Monday, May the Fourth, CHAS are encouraging the public to show allegiance to their favourite science-fiction, fantasy, cartoon or musical hero and by virtue the charity itself, by digging out their favourite geeky t-shirt to wear on the day. Thousands of supporters around the country have a CHAS shirt in the cupboard from a past or postponed event; CHAS asks them to wear it with pride for the day and share it with the hashtag #MayThe4thBeWithCHAS.

In order to help support the ongoing physical and new virtual hospice services provided to CHAS families, who are dealing with the most difficult of circumstances at the most impossible of times, participants are encouraged to share their efforts online and donate just £3 by texting ‘Geeky 3’ to 70450.

Laura Campbell, Community Fundraising Development Manager at CHAS, said On the evening of the 4th, The Big Geeky Quiz will be hosted by CBeebies actor James Mackenzie, who has gone on a Saharan trek and been heavily involved in fundraising for the charity throughout the last year. Questions will come from Ewan McGregor and many other figures from the worlds of Star Wars, Disney and beyond.

Now in its third year, support for last year’s Geeky T-Shirt day came from a trio of Scottish greats: Peter Capaldi, Brian Cox and Billy Boyd. The funds and awareness raised by the online event will help CHAS on its mission to reach every single baby, child and young person who needs them, despite the current situation.

Like many other charities left reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic, CHAS has had to dramatically transform the way in which it provides its increasingly important services. They have set up Scotland’s first-ever virtual hospice to support children and families who are having to completely self-isolate.

The virtual hospice is now four weeks in, offering families extensive support, whether it relates to clinical guidance, financial advice or bereavement support, by video and phone. CHAS family support teams are also offering an expanding range of interactive activities, art clubs, storytelling and conference calls to children and parents, with more in the pipeline.

Although stringent measures are currently in place to safeguard families, those needing urgent physical and end of life care are still welcome at the hospice, where staff work tirelessly to provide children with the palliative assistance they need.

Jodie Whittaker supports Geeky T-Shirt Day 2020

The BBC have released the first official trailer for the next series of Doctor Who, due to air from New Year's Day.


The trailer was launched across the BBC's social media channels at 3pm, before its television premiere on BBC One as the lead-in to Strictly Come Dancing at 7pm.

The BBC's annual fundraising evening for Children in Need took place yesterday, and by the end of the evening raised £47,886,382 for the charity.

The evening featured a special surprise for Anastasia who, having presented a video about the work done by drame group Hackney Shed to boost confidence for herself and others, was then thrilled as her very own heroine the Doctor arrived on stage to meet her!


Jodie Whittaker, Tosin Cole and Mandip Gill were all on hand to make it a very special evening for Anastasia, with Jodie also presenting her with her very own sonic screwdriver.


You can still donate to Children in Need via their website.

Doctor Who: The Edge Of Time, the feature-length Doctor Who VR videogame, launches worldwide on November 12th

Publisher PlayStack and Developer Maze Theory are have released the Launch Trailer for  the game, which Is available for PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and HTC Vive Cosmos, with  Oculus Quest coming later this year.

Players will visit Victorian London, escape from a space-stranded cruiser and explore an Egyptian temple as they operate the TARDIS across the Doctor Who universe, under guidance from The Doctor herself, played by Jodie Whittaker. 

 Crafted with countless references to the show and its 55-year history, Doctor Who: The Edge Of Time combines action, horror and sci-fi, equipping players with the Sonic Screwdriver to solve mind-bending puzzles, escape treacherous environments and come face-to-face with classic Doctor Who monsters, all within virtual reality for the first time ever. Escape from Weeping Angels, face off against brand-new monsters and pilot a Dalek shell to harness its’ fearsome weaponry in a thrilling and immersive single-player adventure!

Features

• Become Part Of Doctor Who - a thrilling single-player adventure developed by Sony London alumni (VR Worlds, The London Heist, Blood and Truth), Doctor Who: The Edge Of Time  will immerse players in Doctor Who like never before as they travel across space and time to save reality. 
• Wield The Sonic Screwdriver - With exhilarating moment-to-moment gameplay, wield the Sonic Screwdriver to solve fiendish puzzles and traverse a dangerous universe full of challenges, enemies and wonder.
• Stunning Cinematic Visuals - From the Dalekanium of a Dalek’s shell, to the stone-cold terror of a Weeping Angel, experience stunning visuals that bring the show to life!  
• Doctor Who Talent - Featuring Jodie Whittaker as the voice of The Doctor and Nicholas Briggs as the voice of the Daleks, in a story written by Gavin Collinson - Digital Producer for Doctor Who and author
• Oculus Quest Support - experience the next level of immersion with Oculus Quest, as you explore the Doctor Who universe without boundaries in untethered virtual reality

Thirteenth Doctor Jodie Whittaker takes on a classic Coldplay track for a new album released to support BBC Children in Need.

The charity album of celebrity covers titled Got it Covered, features the actress singing Yellow, written in 2002 for the group's debut album, Parachutes.

The album also features Tenth Doctor David Tennant showing off his vocal talents, singing Sunshine on Leith by The Proclaimers.

Other stars to feature on the record include Oscar-winning actress Olivia Colman, who appeared in Matt Smith's debut episode of Doctor Who, Helen Bonham Carter, Jim Broadbent, Suranne Jones, Luke Evans, Adrian Lester and Himesh Patel.

A special hour-long show documenting the stars recording the album at the Abbey Road studios will be broadcast ahead of the annual BBC Children in Need Appeal show.

The album will be released in conjunction with Silva Screen Records on Friday 1st November with all profits going to Children in Need.

Issue 539 of Doctor Who Magazine includes an exclusive interview with Thirteenth Doctor Jodie Whittaker.

This issue also includes:

• The latest Production Notes from showrunner Chris Chibnall.
• Former Doctor David Tennant discusses Jodie Whittaker.
• Howard Burden recalls designing costumes for three different Doctors.
• The second part of a candid interview with 1980s script editor Eric Saward.
• What topped the DWM season poll? We reveal the results!
• We talk to the team behind the Blu-ray special edition of 1973’s Planet of the Daleks.
• The Fact of Fiction explores the 2005 story The Long Game.
• Eric Saward previews his novelisations of Resurrection and Revelation of the Daleks.
• Is Doctor Who a kids’ show? The Time Team decides.
• How to recreate the Second Doctor’s ‘cosmic hobo’ style.
• The final part of Herald of Madness, a comic strip adventure featuring the Thirteenth Doctor and her friends.
• The Blogs of Doom, audio reviews, previews, news, prize-winning competitions and much, much more!

DWM 539 is on sale from 30 May, priced £5.99.

---

DWM 539 is also available as a strictly limited Deluxe Edition, exclusive to WH Smith and store.panini.co.uk priced £9.99.

In addition to the latest issue of DWM, the Deluxe Edition includes:

• An exclusive vinyl EP featuring rare and bonus tracks from The Evil of the Daleks.
• A 28-page supplement about the making of the Thirteenth Doctor’s episodes, packed full of new information and previously unseen pictures.
• Downloads from BBC Audio and Big Finish.
• A Doctor Who bookmark.

And more.

Jodie Whittaker is one of more than 100 women who will receive the Freedom of the City of London to commemorate the centenary of the Representation of the People Act 1918.

The Court of Common Council, the City of London Corporation’s top decision-making body, has today set the final seal of approval upon the Freedoms, paving the way for ceremonies to take place at Guildhall over the coming months.

Last year, the City Corporation agreed to mark 100 years of female suffrage with the award of the Freedom by inviting members of the Court of Common Council and colleagues in their City of London Wards to nominate candidates.

The nominees are drawn from a wide range of backgrounds, but all of them have a connection to the City. Jodie Whittaker trained at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, based in the City Of London.

Catherine McGuinness, Policy Chair at the City of London Corporation, said: The Freedom of the City of London is believed to have begun in 1237 and enabled recipients to carry out their trade; and today, people are nominated for, or apply for, the Freedom, because it offers them a link with the historic City of London and one of its ancient traditions.

The Freedom is also offered to individuals by the City of London Corporation to help celebrate a significant achievement or to pay tribute to their outstanding contribution to London life or public life.

Comic Relief is offering one lucky winner the chance to have a special private breakfast with Jodie Whittaker on the set of Doctor Who.

Jodie Whittaker and companion Mandip Gill would like to share a coffee and breakfast with you and a friend - to discuss the show, explore some theories, revisit some highlights. After breakfast, you will go on a tour of the Doctor Who set, watch the filming and meet the stars, and get to speak to the crew who make the show.

The offer is a prize in a special draw to raise money for comic relief. Entries can be made online and cost £10 each. To enter you need to be over 18. The guest may be under the age of 18 provided they are over 14 years old and the winner is their parent or guardian.

Other offers available include a private breakfast with Sir David Attenborough at the Natural History Museum, Afternoon Tea with the Queen and the rest of the Royal Family from The Crown and a fry-up with Louis Tomlinson in his favourite London cafe.

Emma Freud, Executive Producer of Red Nose Day, has curated these once in a lifetime experiences. She said: Money raised through bids and prize draw entries will go to Red Nose Day, which is back on Friday 15th March. Comic Relief is a UK charity with an aim to create a just world, free from poverty by funding and investing in organisations across the UK and around the world to tackle some of the key issues of our time.

Since 1985, Comic Relief has raised over £1.25 billion.

To enter click here