People Roundup

Matt Smith, Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill will be signing copies of The Complete Series Six Boxed Set at HMV at the Westfield Shopping Centre, Stratford, London on Monday 21st November; the signing takes place from 1:30pm and entry will be by wristband for the first 250 people applying from when the shop opens at 8:30am. The stars will also take part in a Q&A session with former Radio 1 presenter and fan Jo Whiley in the Gallery Area from 4:00pm. [BBC Worldwide/2Entertain]

David Tennant and Karen Gillan will be among those who will have their portraits displayed at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh when it re-opens to the public on 1st December. The "Hot Scots" collection will also feature other notable Scottish names including Sean Connery, James McAvoy, Gerard Butler and singer Paolo Nutini. [Herald Scotland, 17 Nov 2011]

Karen Gillan will also be presenting the award for Design at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards this coming Sunday. [Standard, 18 Nov 2011]

Eve Myles is interviewed in Saturday's Western Mail magazine, in which she also talks about why she left Hollywood to return to Wales: "I came back from LA specifically to do Baker Boys. I made a commitment when I did the first series and I followed it through. It’s got a cracking cast and superb director in Gareth Bryn. In the first series I was playing someone who had an easy time of it, but series two is about Sarah’s struggle and it’s been a joy to play" [Wales Online, 18 Nov 2011]

Bernard Cribbins has lent his support to a campaign to help residents in Surrey that are suffering from fuel 'poverty': "This is a simple but very effective idea and am delighted to be supporting it. With the help of the Community Foundation, the money raised will quickly find its way to those needing help with their winter bills this year." [Epsom Guardian, 15 Nov 2011]

Simon Pegg (The Editor, The Long Game) responded to comments about him possibly playing the Doctor in the proposed movie: "Why is everyone speculating about who should play the Doctor in the Doctor Who movie? Matt Smith is the Doctor, he should play him!! It's nice to be thought of but I do not want the part and would not accept if it were offered to me. I did my Who time and I died. The end." [Simon Pegg, via Twitter, 16 Nov 2011]

Mark Sheppard talks about the development of his character Canton: "I think I read an article where [Steven Moffat said] he was under some pressure to create a gay character who wasn't mincing around the screen. I mean, no disrespect to Captain Jack or anyone else at all, I'm being extreme in my stereotype, but I'm saying to have a character where being gay wasn't the singular identifier of the character, where the primary focus of the character is not what he's doing about being gay. ... A kid came up to me in a convention and said 'you know, Canton is the second-smartest man in the room', and I said 'really, why is that?' He said 'because he realises that the doctor is the smartest man in the room' - and I always thought was a very good way to put it." [Stuff, 15 Nov 2011]

Writer and long-term Doctor Who fan Naomi Alderman was interviewed about her novel, Borrowed Time, and when asked about the lack of Jewish and women writers for the series responded: "Hah! Actually, one of my favorite stories, The Masque of Mandragora, was written by a Jewish academic, Louis Marks. And Doctor Who was partly created by Verity Lambert, an inspirational feminist TV producer. I think you have to not choke yourself really, especially when creating. After five minutes of going, 'Hmm, not many people like me have done this,' you have to put it out of your mind and just do the best job you can." [Jewish Daily Forward, 16 Nov 2011]