People Roundup

Wednesday, 10 October 2012 - Reported by John Bowman
Matt Smith has revealed his keenness to appear in a play by the Bard. "I definitely want to do Shakespeare. I don't know what role, though, and it wouldn't be just yet. I'm too busy at the moment, there's just not enough time," he said. [Telegraph, 7 Oct 2012]

John Barrowman with The Krankies.Superhero series Arrow is due to premiere tonight on The CW in the United States, and on Sky 1 in the UK from Monday 22nd October. As previously reported, John Barrowman is to feature as a recurring character in the series, described only as "the well-dressed man". Lead actor Stephen Amell says: "He's a very well-spoken, well-respected businessman in Starling City. I know I tweeted a couple of weeks ago that I was reading a script that was episode 7 and I read a scene and I audibly gasped and I went "[gasp] that's really cool!" It's from the beginning of episode 7, and it's a scene with John. He's a really fun guy to work with. He obviously is very comfortable and he made the crew and even me, when it was my coverage, crack up during a rehearsal and it took a while to get it back for the actual takes." Actor Colin Salmon will also feature in another recurring role. [KSiteTV, 4 Oct 2012]

Barrowman talks about his third Christmas pantomime in Glasgow alongside The Krankies - Jack and the Beanstalk at the Clyde Auditorium: "There's a sense of humour up here that is unlike any other in the country and it's the same kind of sense of humour that the three of us have so it goes over very well. We can play right to the kids because they see Jack, Jimmy and their dad doing all this stuff but the adults know it's John, Ian and Janette who are having a bit of fun, so those jokes go to them and just go right over the kids' heads. I love coming up and doing panto in Glasgow at Christmas." [Daily Record, 8 Oct 2012]

Tommy Knight as Kevin Skelton in Waterloo Road.Tommy Knight makes his debut in Waterloo Road tomorrow evening on BBC One. Talking about recognition, the Sarah Jane Adventures star said: "Well, the attention side of acting isn't really my favourite thing, I'll be honest! I was out in Glasgow high street a few weeks ago and I was with Kaya Moore who plays Phoenix, and with the amount of attention he was getting, it must have taken us a couple of hours to get down the high street! I was standing there thinking, 'Oh my word', and I was a little bit worried about it. It's a bit intimidating as being on Waterloo Road will probably mean the most attention I've ever had. I think I'll be alright, I suppose I'll just have to see how I feel about it when it happens. When Sarah Jane was first out, I was recognised an awful lot. I used to pick up my little brother from his primary school every day and I remember when the show first aired, it got really hectic around the primary school. I was trying to find my little brother among all these kids going, 'Sign my contacts book!' and 'Sign my face!'" [Digital Spy, 10 Oct 2012]

Caitlin Blackwood - aka the young Amelia Pond - will be taking part in a question-and-answer session at The Churchill pub in New York on Friday 12th October. Book via event organiser Who York.

Referring to his "music obsession", Arthur Darvill has a particular era he would have liked his character Rory to have visited: "I'd have liked to travel back to the Sixties and do something with the Doctor there. Or go back to when I was an annoying child and reassure myself it's all going to be all right." He also thinks that after Amy and Rory's departure from the series "they have a very quiet life – which is quite sad after having such an adventurous time – but they're just happy to be together. Obviously it doesn't run smoothly as they're stuck back in quite a horrible place but they've got each other and that's all they really need." [Radio Times, 8 Oct 20120]

Mark Gatiss, Daniel Mays, Tom Goodman-Hill, and Brigit Forsyth will appear in the BBC Radio 4 series Living With Mother when it returns for a second series later this month. The individual comedies focus on mothers and adult sons living together. Gatiss will be in the first episode, when the series starts on Wednesday 31st October at 11.15pm, with Mays in the second one, Goodman-Hill in the third, and Forsyth in the fourth. [Radio Times, 9 Oct 2012]

Katy Manning will be appearing in You're Only Young Twice at The Crewe Lyceum Theatre from Tuesday 30th October to Saturday 3rd November. Also starring in the show are John D Collins and Melvyn Hayes (pictured right with Manning), the former husband of Wendy Padbury.

Paterson Joseph has been talking of the thrill of being in the Series 1 episodes Bad Wolf and The Parting of the Ways. He said of the show: "I did watch it when I was a kid. I can't actually say I was obsessed with it as some other people are, but I was very happy to be shown around the Tardis. It was then I suddenly thought, 'Wow this is really exciting'. I also got the chance to get killed by a Dalek and not many people can say that in their lives. I had a 6ft Dalek rolling towards me screaming, 'Exterminate'. It was truly frightening." Joseph plays Brutus in Julius Caesar at the New Theatre in Cardiff from Tuesday 23rd October to Saturday 27th October. [Wales Online, 7 Oct 2012]

Dark Horizons author and Doctor Who fan Jenny Colgan has spoken of her excitement at writing the book. "The thrill of typing 'The Doctor opened the door of the TARDIS' was huge," she said, adding that she approached the BBC to write a novel. "A friend of mine called Naomi Alderman had written one for them [Borrowed Time] and that gave me the idea. I asked them nicely and they said, 'Oh well you can't put any kissing in it' and I promised faithfully that I wouldn't, and then I offered them three different ideas for stories and they chose one. It was enormous fun to do." She also tells of the background work she did. "I did a lot of research into Vikings because I wanted to write about the Lewis chess set, the set of figures that was found there that are about a thousand years old. Nobody knows how they ended up there, so I thought it would be an interesting mystery for the Doctor to solve. There are a couple of bits I really hope readers will enjoy: a scene set on a beach in the current day, and the Norse God that the Viking princess thinks the Doctor is." [TV Book Club, 7 Oct 2012]

Frazer Hines is taking his one-man show The Time-Travelling Scot to Tasmania. He will be in conversation at the Wrest Point Entertainment Centre in Sandy Bay, Hobart, on Sunday 9th December, telling behind-the-scenes stories about his time on Doctor Who.

Jean Marsh reflects on her appearances in Doctor Who: "I was in the very first series, I think (Season 2's The Crusade), which has probably been wiped. I can’t remember what it was called, but I remember I played a Princess of France in the 10th century. That was just one episode. Then I came back as Sara Kingdom (The Daleks' Master Plan), sort of a space spy, fabulously ridiculous, wearing a catsuit of very tight, elastic brown tweed. Why one has to wear those sort of things… It was a bit like Joanna Lumley. It was just to show your body, I suppose. So I did eight episodes of that and turned from being a baddie into being a goodie. Then I was killed in a brilliant way. I was running — in my catsuit — away from someone who was trying to kill me, and he had an aging gun. And he hit me, and I started aging very quickly, and they had to keep switching my makeup, and then the last shot of me was of a very, very, very old woman. So that was terrific. Then the third one was Morgan le Fay with King Arthur (Battlefield). I loved doing that because they were beginning to take Doctor Who more seriously, and that was a bit more fun." [A.V. Club, 5 Oct 2012]

BBC Two has commissioned the comedy-thriller The Wrong Mans from James Corden and Mathew Baynton. The six-parter centres on two lowly office workers - Phil (Corden) and Sam (Baynton) - who become caught up in a deadly criminal conspiracy after Sam discovers a ringing phone at the scene of a horrific car crash. Filming starts in January 2013. [BBC Media Centre, 9 Oct 2012]
(Compiled by John Bowman and Chuck Foster)
(with thanks to Paula Bentham)




FILTER: - People - Arthur Darvill - Theatre - Books - David Tennant - Radio - Special Events - USA

People Roundup (Current Series)

Wednesday, 3 October 2012 - Reported by Chuck Foster
The following round-up includes interview discussion of the current series which may be considered spoilers for future episodes.

With his current co-stars departing, Matt Smith insists that he hasn't been tempted to hang up his bow-tie any time soon: "There are absolutely things I'd like to do. I'd have to go to the States and do a film but for the moment, I've more than enough to keep me busy, and it's work I love. I don't think there's any point in concerning yourself with what you might be doing if you weren't doing this. This is an amazing, extraordinary job and it would be madness - total madness - to be wishing it away when it's such a gift." [Radio Times, 29 Sep-5 Oct 2012]

With the deparature of Arthur Darvill and Karen Gillan, media attention now focuses upon Smith's next co-star, Jenna-Louise Coleman. The actress has already made her mark on readers of The Sun who, in spite of her yet to appear in the series as a side-kick to the Doctor, have voted her as his sexiest sidekick! Half of those participating in the poll placed the actress's character Oswin Oswald, who appeared in Asylum of the Daleks as their favourite, with Gillan's Amy Pond coming in second with 30%. [The Sun, 6th Sep 2012]

Steven Moffat talks about her 'proper' arrival at Christmas: "Looking ahead to Doctor Who with the new companion, we’ll be telling a very different story. You probably already know that from Jenna’s surprise appearance at the beginning of this series – but there are lots more twists to come. He’s never met a girl like this one." [Daily Record, 29 Sep 2012]

Matt Smith also commented on his new co-star's arrival: "In the Christmas special he meets his new chum, or someone he thinks is his new chum. The episode will deal with the arrival of Jenna as companion and the subsequent adventures with the Doctor thereafter." [Wall Street Journal, 27 Sep 2012]

Both of the recent co-stars offered their advice, with Karen Gillan saying: "I just want her to experience it because it's the most incredible thing, it's like just jumping in at the deep end and I don't think anyone can really prepare you for that. But I'd probably just say 'Don’t Google yourself!'". Arthur Darvill said: "Jenna’s a really wonderful actress," he told BBC America, "I think she's gonna be absolutely amazing. My tip would be to enjoy it... and she's got to own it, make it her own, which I know she will because she's brilliant." [Radio Times, 2 Oct 2012]

Tom MacRae talks about Jenna-Louise Coleman's audition tapes: "She just had this amazing energy. She's actually a couple of years older than Karen but she seems younger - she seems more of a teenager and bouncy. She's fantastic. It's really hard to take over from any companion that's loved like Amy and Rory are, and she's just going to be so different whilst still being a Doctor Who companion. It's a very good choice from the producers." [Digital Spy, 26 Sep 2012]

The discussion of director Peter Jackson being interested in Doctor Who has led to a comment by executive producer Caroline Skinner: "It is beyond wonderful that Peter is a fan of the show and it's beyond flattering that he'd even think about it. I'm absolutely sure that we couldn't afford him but, you know, we can always negotiate. His enthusiasm is just fantastic of course." And on filming in New Zealand: "I'm with Matt, of course at some point we'd love to bring Doctor Who Down Under... it won't be possible until at least a year after the 50th anniversary" [Waikato Times, 24 Sep 2012]

Make-up designer Neill Gorton talks about some of the work he's recently undertaken: "I usually get a loose brief. A writer will often write 'an eight foot-tall green monster' - it can be as broad as that. So I look at the script, and work out from what is going on how I am going to approach it. That can dictate the look. Other times, it's a fairly set brief. For example, for Dinosaurs On A Spaceship, which was broadcast a couple of weeks back, we built the triceratops that the Doctor and his companions ride. Now we all know what a triceratops looks like, so I couldn’t really change that." The designer's company Millennium FX also designed The Gunslinger and Shakri, but it is the subtle work that Gorton is most proud of: "For me, it's often about the things people see and don’t even realise - you see an Ood in Doctor Who and you go, 'Oh that's got to be special effects or prosthetics', but when people watch something and just don't notice... well, that's why I love doing old-age make-up. Something very subtle." [Scotsman, 27 Sep 2012]




FILTER: - Steven Moffat - People - Arthur Darvill - Karen Gillan - Matt Smith - Jenna-Louise Coleman

People Roundup

Sunday, 30 September 2012 - Reported by John Bowman
Karen Gillan has moved back to Scotland and back home with her parents: "It's a really funny thought having all these crazy experiences on Doctor Who, then always seeming to end up back in my old childhood bedroom, with my childhood posters. I've got a Muse one, from when I was like an angsty teen. And I've got a Daniel O'Donnell calendar, which I thought would be really funny when I was younger, from 2004 or something. I lie there and I am like, has all that just really happened? Or did I just imagine it?" [Daily Record, 24 Sep 2012]

Arthur Darvill, currently appearing in Our Boys at The Duchess Theatre in London, recalls his first theatre appearance: "I was confronted with 1,000 people. I thought, 'Oh my God, what am I doing?' I've been so nervous during shows that I've walked offstage at the end and immediately forgotten everything that I've just done. You hear stories about stage fright, but if you know that someone's experienced it, you don't mention it – just in case. You never know what can set it off. It is a terrifying thing walking out for the first time, but it's funny how quickly that fades. Later, you start to crave that fear." [Guardian, 21 Sep 2012]

Colin Baker is to appear as Nurse Nellie in this year's Sleeping Beauty pantomime at Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre: "Nurse Nellie is a dame, and dames do what dames do which is to be 'mumsy', and inept, and funny, and hopefully create a few laughs along the way. I did dame three or four times before they asked me to do villain again, which I've been doing for the last six or seven years. I've been asking Martin Dodd (of UK Productions) if I can do dame again, and he said how do you fancy doing it in Bournemouth? I said, yes please!" He also commented on how much he likes the current Doctor: "I love Matt Smith. When I heard they were casting a 12-year-old I got very depressed as I like my old Doctors. He may only be 12, but inside there is a 900-year-old Time Lord and I absolutely believe it. I think he's fantastic and I love watching it." [What's On Stage, 24 Sep 2012]

Former actor Michael Cashman received the Lifetime Achievement honour at the European Diversity Awards 2012, held at The Savoy in London. Cashman, now a Labour MEP for the West Midlands and the party's human-rights spokesman in the European Parliament, said he was "very happy and humbled" to accept it.

Hugh Bonneville is to play the title role of Mr Stink in a BBC One adaptation of the children's novel by David Walliams. The one-hour family comedy, adapted by Walliams and Simon Nye, begins filming in October and is set to be transmitted later this year. Bonneville said: "I'm delighted to be adding my own whiff to the odour that emanates from David Walliams... and his very funny, touching, and thought-provoking story." Walliams, who will play the Prime Minister in it, added: "I am thrilled that Hugh is playing Mr Stink. He is one of the most popular and talented actors around, and is the perfect person to bring out the character's humour and sadness." [BBC Media Centre, 21 Sep 2012]

Make-up designer Neill Gorton explains what led him to take up the career of creating prosthetics: "We used to do family trips to Blackpool where they had a Doctor Who exhibition. Now, when, as a kid, I saw Davros on the TV, I remember thinking, 'Where did they get this incredibly ugly old man?' Then, at the exhibition, they had a Davros mask on display. That was when it dawned on me... it was a mask! Then it sank in that someone had to make it, and that is my earliest recollection of wanting to do what I do." [Scotsman, 27 Sep 2012]

With the imminent return of cult sci-fi comedy Red Dwarf to our TV screens, two of its stars have spoken of their wish for a Doctor Who crossover. Craig Charles, aka Dave Lister, said: "I think it'd be great if, for one scene, we could be beaming somewhere and suddenly we'd be on the Tardis with the Doctor. Then we could shake our heads, say 'nah', and just beam back out again." Fellow Dwarfer Danny John-Jules, who plays The Cat, added: "I think Doug Naylor should write in one of the old Doctors. Sylvester McCoy or someone. And then we could have an episode with one of those guys in it. It would be funny." [Radio Times, 25 Sep 2012]

Imelda Staunton and Tim Pigott-Smith are up for gongs in this year's Theatre Awards UK. Staunton is nominated for Best Performance In A Musical (Sweeney Todd) and Pigott-Smith is in the running for Best Performance In A Play (King Lear). The awards ceremony takes place on Sunday 28th October at the Guildhall in London. [The Stage, 27 Sep 2012]

(Compiled by John Bowman and Chuck Foster)




FILTER: - People - Arthur Darvill - Karen Gillan - Awards/Nominations - Colin Baker

People Roundup (The Angels Take Manhattan)

Saturday, 29 September 2012 - Reported by Chuck Foster
The Doctor, Amy and Rory. Photo: BBCPlease note: the following round-up focuses on interview discussions of tonight's episode, The Angels Take Manhattan, which could be considered as spoilers.


Karen Gillan talks about life after Amy: "Well, I feel like I’m prepared for all the possible genres after playing Amy. And I certainly want variety, that’s for sure. What I enjoy most about acting is being versatile. I like actors like Robin Williams, who can do crazy, absurd characters. I would love to be an actor like that. The one I am really getting into recently is Olivia Colman. She does Peep Show and is brilliant at comedy, but I just watched Tyrannosaur – oh my god! I was on a train going through the Highlands of Scotland crying my eyes out. I want to play character roles, generally. That is my main ambition." And on how she'd want Amy remembered: "I love this girl. I would be too scared to act like her, but I get this artistic licence playing her. I love her dry sarcasm, wit and grumpiness. I'm not a grumpy person. I want to see her go out in flames of glory, where we see her at her absolute best. I just want people to look back over the Pond era fondly. I have had the best years of my life on this show, hand on my heart..." [Big Issue, 24 Sep 2012]

Similarly, Arthur Darvill on his departure from the show: "I can't really conceive that I've even been in it, yet! Do you know what I mean? When we're filming we concentrate so much on making each moment good. Then you see a screen with your face on or a big poster and you're like, 'Oh, that doesn't quite compute in my mind.' I just get on with my job, I don't think it will hit any of us – all three of us, really – until we’ve been a few years out it. Then we’ll realise what we’ve been doing for the last few years. I can't really speak for anyone else but I'm so proud of what we've done on this show, and it's been the best job I've ever had." And next: "I don't know if you can have a plan really. I do have a vague plan – I want to play some horrible people and I want to do some comedy, and I want to do some more theatre. Variety." [TV Choice, 25 Sep 2012]

Matt Smith got some parental feedback on the episode: "I showed my mum some of the rushes, the last couple of scenes, and she was in tears ... so that's good. That's a good sign. I think it's a fantastic farewell. I think it's hugely dramatic. There are wonderful twists. There's a great backdrop for a city. I think it's a fitting end to two of our greatest companions ever. ... I think Steven has written them out heroically, which is fantastic. You sort of want to go with a bit of a bang, don't you?" [TV Guide, 28 Sep 2012]

Steven Moffat talked about writing the final episode for Rory and Amy at the BAFTA preview in Cardiff earlier in the week: "After showing Amelia Pond in the garden as a young girl in The Eleventh Hour, Karen's first episode, the final shot in Saturday's The Angels Take Manhattan is a punchline I have been waiting to tell for two and a half years. This weekend's episode is more devastating for the Doctor, at certain points he becomes useless and emotional. It was torment and hell trying to write the episode, I struggled for ages to work out a fitting ending and changed my mind until I finally got it right." [Press Association via Google, 28 Sep 2012

The writer continued: "I must have rewritten it 20 odd times. I kept changing my mind about the exact way they’d leave, alive or dead? One or both of them? Their fates kept changing every five minutes until I hit on what I thought was right. Hopefully, there are scares AND emotion." [Daily Record, 29 Sep 2012]




FILTER: - Steven Moffat - People - Arthur Darvill - Karen Gillan - Matt Smith

People Roundup (Current Series)

Saturday, 8 September 2012 - Reported by Chuck Foster
The following round-up includes interview discussion of the current series which may be considered spoilers for upcoming episodes.


Matt Smith talks about the speculation over a future female Doctor: "I think there are many actresses that could play it because there are so many wonderful actresses. I mean, it would change the role because she would be a woman so when you put her in a room full of men, it's a different scenario than if you put a man in a room full of men, because she's a different sex. Would it change the fundamentals of the character? No. But it's an interesting idea, if the Doctor's a woman, does she have a Doctor baby? Is there a mini-Doctor? I don't know, who knows? What actresses could play her? Oh gosh, so many, so many could play her. It depends on what age you would want. It could be... Charlize Theron is pretty kick ass, isn’t she? They just have to find a brilliant actress. I never see that happening any time soon to be honest. I don’t think it will happen. And I'm not turning into a woman. [The Mary Sue, 1 Sep 2012]

Arthur Darvill talks about his decision to leave the show this series: "It does feel like the right time to move on. The worst thing you can do is outstay your welcome on something like this. We've had such a good run and such good stories, but the whole program is about change. It's about things changing and evolving. So it's sad to leave, but it feels like the right thing to do. ... It's one of the best things I've ever done in my life," said Darvill. "I think people, when they leave a show, they can kind of separate themselves from what they've done. But I'll always be proud of the work that I've done on Doctor Who. I've learned so much doing it and had such an amazing time doing it. It's given me such a great start in everything. I still feel fairly early on in my career, and it's a really good foundation." [Blastr, 31 Aug 2012]

Writer Chris Chibnall talks about bringing dinosaurs to the screen: "There were two sides to it, one of which was, you know going in that it’s not a Michael Bay budget. It’s a Doctor Who budget. A BBC budget, although a very good one. But you know you can’t do dinosaurs endlessly for 45 minutes, so there has to be a big ‘other’ story going on. That was my job really, to go, ‘Okay, this is the story I want to tell around the dinosaurs, why they’re there and who’s with the Doctor’ and all that kind of stuff." [SFX, 3 Sep 2012]

Steven Moffat talks about the introduction of a new companion for the Doctor: "“We are going to do the story properly of the Doctor having lost a friend and making a new one. We’re not taking that lightly. It's not in one door out the other. It’s the story of how all that affects him, why he engages with somebody else and what’s going on with that – that’s all important." [SFX, 3 Sep 2012]

Tom MacRae hinted about his forthcoming Doctor Who story: "I don’t know when you’ll see it, but you definitely will!" [On The Box, 7 Sep 2012]

Young actor Cameron Strefford landed a role in the Christmas Special, which has recently been filming. The ten year old's mother Anthea said: "I watched his takes on the monitor and members of the crew said he came over very well. It's not the way he says his lines, it is the way he comes over on camera. He is quite intuitive and has a good feel for the part." [This is Wiltshire, 30 Aug 2012]




FILTER: - Steven Moffat - People - Arthur Darvill - Matt Smith

People Roundup

Saturday, 8 September 2012 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Karen Gillan has been involved in a photo-shoot for fashion magazine Marie Claire in a project alongside This is Great Britain to place the UK's brightest stars in London's most historic locations. Karen appears in front of 10 Downing Street! Editor-in-chief Trish Halpin said: "To be the first fashion magazine granted access to these amazing London landmarks was a real honour." A video of the shoot is also available to watch. [Marie Claire, 5 Sep 2012]

The actress has also paid for her father to record an album. She said: "He's a singer, not professional, he just loves doing it. I got it as a Father's Day present. I'm thinking of doing a duet with him but he's far better than me." [Daily Record, 4 Sep 2012]

Matt Smith mentions one of his experiences in New York recently: In New York, Karen and I walked into this 'Doctor Who'-themed bar. It shows the appalling limits of our vanity that we wanted to go to a 'Doctor Who' bar. But our curiosity got the better of us. You could have heard a pin drop when we strolled in." [FemaleFirst, 3 Sep 2012]

Smith will be a guest on the Channel 4 chat show Alan Carr: Chatty Man on Friday 21st September at 10pm, according to a tweet by the programme's official Twitter feed.

Arthur Darvill talks about his departure from Doctor Who, and onto new projects such as the West End show Our Boys: "We all met up on Monday to do a publicity photoshoot for that, all in army gear. Everyone else had these really sharp uniforms and I was in cold weather gear, so I had a shirt, a polo neck, a jumper, a massive jacket on the hottest day of the year!" [GT Magazine, Oct 2012]

A host of photos during rehearsals and further information on the play can be found via the play's official Facebook page.

The first episode of the two-part BBC Four adaptation of Room At The Top starring Jenna-Louise Coleman as Susan Brown is set to air during the week beginning Saturday 22nd September. The drama, which co-stars Kevin McNally, was made in 2010 and should have been broadcast in April 2011 but the BBC was prevented from showing it because of a copyright wrangle, which was finally resolved earlier this year. The day and time of transmission is yet to be confirmed. [BBC Programme Information]

Alex Kingston traces her family history in a forthcoming edition of Who Do You Think You Are? on BBC One. It is likely to be shown on Wednesday 19th September at 9pm.

David Tennant discussed how important the works of Shakespeare are: "I am on the board of the Royal Shakespeare Company and a huge part of what they do is education and outreach -- partly just to educate an audience for themselves but also just to teach that sort of language so kids can appreciate it. I think Shakespeare is one of those things that you get very excited about when you do it and when you love it and when you feel like you own that language. Often it's a difficult thing to teach to kids because it can feel like a slow and a difficult thing, but it can be really inspiring!" [TheaterMania, 29 Aug 2012]

The actor has also donated a signed copy of the Complete Second Series of Doctor Who an auction on behalf of The Alzheimer's Society - potential bidders can find the item on Ebay here over the next eight days. [Alzeimer's Society, 7 Sep 2012]

Digital Theatre and Routledge Publishing have made theatre performanances from the Routledge Performance Archive online; amongst the shows available for download/rental is David Tennant's Much Ado About Nothing, which co-starred Catherine Tate. [Standard, 6 Sep 2012]

John Barrowman commented on gay representation on American television: "America has the most gay men represented on television than any country in the world. The only thing I wish they would do more often is not stereotype those gay men and women. It's always the same type they choose. Rather than seeing camp, flouncy, girly men and butch heavy women, it would be nice to see other types. There are 'lipstick lesbians,' pretty girls. There are butch guys, guys who are into sports." [Desert Outlook, 4 Sep 2012]

Eve Myles has won the title role in the new six-part BBC One series Frankie, which will see her reunited with Torchwood director Mark Everest. The drama is described as "a modern and redemptive take on the life and work of a dedicated district nurse [Frankie Maddox] whose patients matter more to her than her personal life." Also appearing in it are Dean Lennox Kelly and Derek Riddell. Filming will take place in Bristol, where the series is set, with the drama due to air next spring. [BBC Media Centre, 6 Sep 2012]

Former executive producer and current Head of Drama at Channel 4 Piers Wenger has announced a new initiative to seek out original drama ideas for development on E4: "This is an exciting first step in the development of a slate of new drama series for E4. There is a wealth of British drama talent out there and I am thrilled to be able to green-light a drama pilot season and invite new and established writers to come to us with their big ideas. In the last few years, E4 has established an unrivalled reputation for launching young, ground-breaking drama series and we are looking for a range of original drama ideas which will allow audiences to connect with the channel now. We don't want to be prescriptive on genre, format or length of episode - the aim is to see a variety of home-grown and innovative drama on E4 in 2013 and beyond." [Televisual, 6 Sep 2012]

(compiled by Chuck Foster and John Bowman




FILTER: - People - Arthur Darvill - Karen Gillan - Catherine Tate - Matt Smith - David Tennant -

Radio Times Cover For Asylum Of The Daleks

Tuesday, 28 August 2012 - Reported by John Bowman
Doctor Who features on the cover of the new Radio Times - on sale from today - which celebrates the return of the programme this coming Saturday.

The magazine, issue dated 1st to 7th September, also features interviews with Karen Gillan, Arthur Darvill, and Matt Smith - in which he casts doubt on regenerating in the 50th-anniversary story - as well as an episode guide by Steven Moffat plus a Dalek wallchart.

Talking about new companion actress Jenna-Louise Coleman, Gillan says:
I've met Jenna and we get on really well. And I've been texting her bits and bobs about Matt, but what I wrote is a secret. That's the code of the companion. I didn't offer her any advice though because I want her to have the experience for herself. I didn't want to plant any preconceptions in her head.
On the programme's 50th anniversary next year, Smith says:
We want to make it as big and bold and as brilliant as we can because, we hope, it can be one of the monumental bits of TV history. But I doubt there'll be a regeneration.
Asylum of the Daleks is on BBC One on Saturday at 7.20pm.




FILTER: - Steven Moffat - Arthur Darvill - Karen Gillan - Matt Smith - Magazines - Radio Times

New Series: BBC Interviews

Friday, 17 August 2012 - Reported by Chuck Foster
The BBC have released some interviews as part of their promotion of the news series of Doctor Who.
So it is back with a bang and with Daleks from every decade. Why did you decide to kick-off the new series with a Dalek filled episode?

We've been off the air for longer than usual, so it was an easy decision to come back with Doctor Who at its most iconic and that means Daleks. Lots and lots of scary Daleks.

There have been many monsters to face the Doctor over the years, but only one that can sum up the whole series just by being there.

Also, it's my first go at writing for them. I LOVE the Daleks, and I've held off till now. But I had what I thought was a good idea, and couldn't resist any longer!!

What else can we expect from the new series?

We have, I think, our biggest range of stories EVER. We've got the return of the Daleks AND the Weeping Angels - both of them poll-topping Doctor Who adversaries - in cracking new stories, we've got Dinosaurs on a spaceship (it's what you've always wanted), we've got a glorious western with a Cyborg Gunslinger, the most unusual invasion Earth story EVER, and location shooting in New York for the Pond finale.

Are there any new monsters to look out for and star guest appearances?

There's a terrifying Cyborg in the old West, and wait till you see what's invading Earth in episode 4. There's never been an extra-terrestrial incursion like this one!! Guest stars include David Bradley, Rupert Graves, Stephen Berkoff, Mike McShane, Ben Browder, Adrian Scarbourgh and Anamaria Marinca.

As well as filming in and around Cardiff, you ventured abroad to Spain and New York for episodes 1, 3 and 5. What was it like to shoot in those locations?

I don't think I've ever worked on show before that's had foreign location shoots on three out of five episodes - it's quite astonishing. We have snowy mountains for the series opener, New York for the finale and along the way a full-blooded Western shot on location where all the best cowboy movies come from - Spain. Location shooting at this level is such a blast of fresh air for the show - wide open spaces and wide open skies! It's easy to say "movie scale" but that really is what we're delivering.

We know to expect Amy and Rory's departure in episode 5, why was it decided that this should be the time for them to go and with an episode featuring the Weeping Angels?

The story of the Ponds hasn't even begun to end yet - they've got loads more adventures with their mad friend the Doctor ahead of them, and we'll see more of their lives and Time Lord-complicated relationship than we ever have before. This more than any other, is the year of the Ponds.

But, yes, it's true, I cannot lie - somewhere out there, the Weeping Angels are waiting for them...

What are you going to miss most about the characters and Karen and Arthur?

Amy and Rory have been with the Doctor since I took over show, they're part of the landscape for me. It was just traumatic to consider a future without them. Amy is everything I admired (and sometimes feared) about strong, clever, reckless women, and Rory is the man I'd like to be - so strong he never has to show it.

Karen and Arthur have become friends, and I still can't get my head round the fact that I'll never find them on the set again. Brilliant performers and warm and lovely people - the best of the best.
Donning the compulsory tweed for the third time, Matt Smith gets ready for more adventures through space and time as the Doctor. Here he talks about his hopes for the new series, what fans have to look forward to and saying goodbye to the Ponds.

Asylum Of The Daleks is going to be a cracker, states Matt as he talks excitedly about the opener of the new series. Steven has written and absolute belter and we have made the Daleks scary again, something I am not sure we got right before.

With Asylum Of The Daleks featuring Daleks from all of the decades, does Matt have any favourites?

Absolutely! The blue and white ones from the 1960s, I think they are from the Troughton era… they are just kind of groovy, smaller but fantastic. And the lovely Barnaby (Edwards) who operates them. The day we filmed with all of those Daleks there was such an excitable atmosphere on set from cast and crew alike. It was a brilliant few days at work!

With five big adventures for the Doctor and his companions, this series it is set to be epic. We have five of the most exciting standalone episodes, with everything from Daleks to dinosaurs and of course, the fall of the Ponds, explains Matt. So does he have a preferred episode?

Well I love Asylum of the Daleks and episode 5, but I am immensely proud of all of them.

The second episode sees viewers taken on an incredible prehistoric adventure with the unusually titled Dinosaurs On A Spaceship, so what did Matt think when he first heard those four words?

Steven, you are a genius! It’s Doctor Who in a nutshell. I have always wanted to do a dinosaur episode, he continues, so I was very pleased to get the chance. And the Director Saul (Metzstein) has done a fantastic job, with David Bradley playing a cracking villain. I think it is such a fun episode with a wonderfully crafted script by Chris Chibnall.

During this series Matt Smith’s Doctor gets faced with a lot of new challenges. Not only did he get to live out many a childhood dream of becoming a cowboy for the day by riding a horse in the western themed episode, A Town Called Mercy, but he also got the once in a lifetime opportunity... to ride a dinosaur. More painful than you can imagine, Matt gives us an insight in to just what that was like, I had to wear padded trousers! Dinosaurs are a lot lumpier than horses, so it was a painful couple of hours, a laugh though and definitely worth it as it’s going to look great.

As the most ambitious series to date, locations play a key role in creating scale and meeting that ambition. Travelling to the Spanish mountains for episode 1, Almeria in Spain for episode 3, A Town Called Mercy, and New York for the Pond’s departure in episode 5, Matt believes they really help transport the viewer and the character, commenting that, There is only so much CGI can do. We were in the middle of a western village, which was brilliant for Doctor Who, adding to the imagination of it all. And I am such a fan of New York, and we got to use some properly iconic locations, like Central Park. There is nothing quite like running through Times Square trying to shoot a scene.

As well as visiting new locations and facing new monsters, Matt got his first taste as Doctor of what it is like to be on the receiving end of one of the show’s most widely known formulas, a change in companion.

It was terribly sad and I do miss them as they are such great chums, Matt shares his thoughts on his last days on set with Karen and Arthur, we knew it was coming, but just didn’t believe it. It is one of those things like when you are on holiday and you suddenly realise it is Friday and you are going home on Monday. But that is what the show is about, evolution and regeneration, and we now have Jenna who is lovely and great.

So did he agree with Steven’s choice to send them out in an episode with the Weeping Angels, Oh absolutely, I think I can speak for all of us when I say that the Weeping Angels are one of our favourite monsters. The fact that they don’t speak just makes them crueller. And with the last episode set in New York and to have River back, it all just made sense. I really think, Karen and Arthur go with a bang and tear!

Stupid dancing, stupid faces and stupid everything, is how Matt sums up what he will most about having Karen and Arthur on set. Being ridiculous, there were points when we wouldn’t even have conversations, but just make noises at each other. We had a laugh and that really informed the energy and spirit of the show. The relationship between our characters on screen and off screen really blurred!

Renowned for his pranks on set, Matt gleefully explains how much he used to enjoy making Karen scream, I used to hide in her trailer a lot and just jump out at her and she is a real screamer. Or I would dance really close to her face, which would also make her scream! It was very much like a brother and sister relationship with Arthur and I pranking her like older brothers!
It’s Karen Gillan’s last series as Amy Pond. Having travelled through space and time for three years, she is about to hang up her TARDIS key. Here she gives us a glimpse at what is to come in episodes 1 to 3, from Daleks to Dinosaurs, and some thoughts on her departure.

It was AMAZING! We have totally made them scary again. I expect everyone to be watching from behind their sofas, I know I will... Karen is talking excitedly about the return of the Doctor’s most fearsome and famous enemy the Daleks. The opener to series 7, Asylum Of The Daleks, will feature the most Daleks ever to be seen on screen and from the different decades, including a special appearance form Russell T Davies’ Dalek, I am so pleased that he now owns an official Dalek, it was a real honour to act opposite him and I think he is going to go far! she says rather cheekily.

I think my favourite is the 1960s Dalek with the white and blue armour, she continues, there is something more menacing about them as they are smaller and they just look so original. If I was going to own one, it would be one of those, Karen concludes, I would keep it in my kitchen.

This series has been done in really interesting way with five stand alone epic episodes, like a movie a week, all building to the departure of the Ponds!

We actually kick-off the series with Amy and Rory’s relationship in a sticky situation; it is less than marital bliss.

Those scenes were really interesting to do, she explains, because they created such a different on-screen atmosphere between Amy and Rory, something that the viewers wouldn’t have seen before. That is the good thing about Doctor Who, it gives you the chance to shift the character, and you never know what is going to happen from episode to episode.

But it isn’t all upset for the Ponds, as the adventures continue in episode two with Dinosaurs On A Spaceship, written by Chris Chibnall. That was a crazy filming adventure, exclaims Karen, with all the adventures that I have been on through-out the show that was perhaps the most surreal! There was a lot of running from things we couldn’t see, which is always fun, BUT a couple of the cast got to ride a dinosaur.

And Mark Williams comes along for the ride as Rory’s dad Brian Williams, He was so fantastic, naturally funny and such great casting, you could totally imagine Rory having a dad like that. This series has some great guest stars, characters and of course monsters, she teases.

Guest stars making their Doctor Who debut are James Bond baddy, Steven Berkoff, Jemma Redgrave and Ben Browder. Alex Kingston as River Song makes her return in episode 5, just in time to say goodbye to Amy.

While the majority of the filming was done in the home of Doctor Who, Cardiff, the cast and crew found themselves in the perfect spaghetti western location of Almeria, Spain, giving Toby Whithouse’s episode 3, A Town Called Mercy, a truly authentic western feel.

So much fun, claims Karen, using a location that had actually been the set for other westerns made everything feel so much, well, realer. In the episode Amy Pond gets her hand on a gun, something Karen agrees that she really shouldn’t be let anywhere near. Definitely, Amy Pond should be nowhere near a gun, exclaims Karen. I remember for a previous episode I had to fire a gun with blanks, followed quickly by Rory shouting ARGHHH as though I had hit him. I completely forgot this when action was called, so when I fired and he shouted I really thought I had shot him! It was awful! In this episode when she gets hold of a gun you can see the fear on the faces of the other characters, but they weren’t acting, I genuinely think all of the actors including Matt and Arthur were in fear for their lives!

Featuring an alien with a score to settle A Town Called Mercy also reveals a different side to the Doctor as Amy claims, So this is what happens when you travel alone. In the series we see a slight shift in the Ponds’ relationship with the Doctor, Just as any relationship changes when it matures, explains Karen. We get to see a glimpse of what Amy and Rory do when the Doctor isn’t around and how the adventures and time away from home has affected their own relationships with friends and family. I think the Doctor also begins to realise how he has changed Amy and what happens when he isn’t there, and at first he doesn’t really understand it. There is a really sweet moment in episode 5 when the Doctor notices Amy is wearing glasses, she hints.

Following the Western the series takes us to Amy and Rory’s house and a deadly outbreak, before heading to the final episode of the Ponds, shot in New York and with the return of the Weeping Angels.

The neverending pranks and my two best friends, Karen is talking about what she is going to miss as she takes her bow from the show, Matt used to hide in the cupboard of my trailer and jump out of me and I used to go flying back against the wall in absolute shook! He must have done it like a hundred times and I fell for it every single time! But honestly even with the bruises, it really was the biggest and most exciting time of my life. I wouldn’t change it for the world!

I always knew that Steven had an ending for Amy Pond and when I met with him a year or so ago it was kind of like, so what are the plans for the character and we both said that she should go at this point. It was such a fantastic mutual decision and completely the right time for Amy to leave. I will miss her, but I can’t wait for fans to see what happens.
Having joined Doctor Who in the fifth series, Arthur became a regular character in series six and is now set to make his departure alongside onscreen wife Karen Gillan in episode 5. Here he shares his favourite moments, monsters and how you can make Karen scream!

Rather wonderful, the great thing about Doctor Who is that is always tries to better itself and that has really happened this series, Arthur is talking fondly about the upcoming series, it feels like a movie!

What is fantastic is that the Daleks are actually scary in this episode, continues Arthur as he gives his thoughts on Asylum of the Daleks. It was quite an odd experience being on set that day, not only because of all of the Daleks, but because there was generally a lot more people on set as they were so excited about what was about to happen.

Such an amazing title, but to be honest I wasn’t sure how they were going to do it, getting Dinosaurs on a Spaceship! But that episode is made extra special with Mark Williams playing Rory’s dad, he was just hilarious, so lovely and just a funny guy, remembers Arthur. With one of the biggest sets ever built to house the prehistoric creatures, Arthur exclaims, The dinosaurs were huge, going on set was like walking in to a massive aircraft carrier.

So with Amy and Rory’s relationship in a slightly sticky situation in episode 1, how did Arthur find that to play?

Every relationship has their rocky moments, Arthur explains, but it was quite fun to play out a problem in their relationship and it shows a different side to both of their characters and makes them more real. I think that was an important side to show.

I am always terrified when Karen picks up anything! Of course there was a guy there to make sure it wasn’t loaded. In episode 3, A Town Called Mercy, we see Doctor and his companions in a western themed setting, where Amy Pond gets her hands on a weapon. But Karen is better at these things than she pretends to be, even though she looks like she is made of spaghetti!

I am a huge fan of westerns, me and my dad used to spend Sunday afternoons watching them, so it was kind of like living out a boyhood dream, filming in Almeria where so many westerns had been shot.

Along with Karen Gillan, Arthur makes his exit in episode 5, but before we get to that heartbreaking ending there is glimpse of the Pond’s everyday life in episode 4, a side to the couple that hasn’t previously been explored.

So what does Arthur think about his exit?

Just brilliant, he exclaims, I was really happy to go out in an episode with the Weeping Angels. They are a relatively new monster, but Steven immediately made them a classic. I think they are one of the scariest villains within Doctor Who and episode 5 is very creepy, he hints.

Are there any other monsters that Arthur favoured?

The Silence were pretty good, they look scary. Along with the Weeping Angles they have a psychological effect. Steven is good at writing those, making quite terrifying television!

We know Matt is fond of pranks on set, but did Arthur also torment Karen?

During down time on set if there was a lull a great way to entertain yourself was to tell Karen that a moth was flying around her head. She would literally go mad, flinging her arms around and screaming, it was hilarious! She hates anything with wings!

The people, it is such a big family, Arthur is explaining what he will miss the most about the show.

But me, Matt and Karen still chat every few days and meet up when we can. The great thing about Doctor Who is that you get to work with the best of the best. It has been such a fantastic adventure and I hope everyone enjoys the remainder of the ride.





FILTER: - Steven Moffat - Arthur Darvill - Karen Gillan - Matt Smith - Series 7/33

People Roundup

Tuesday, 3 July 2012 - Reported by Chuck Foster
John Barrowman has been named Rear of the Year in the annual Wizard Jeans poll, alongside Coronation Street's Shobna Gulati; Sally Allen of the company said: "John's rear is clearly admired on an international basis, judging by the number of fans who voted for him. No doubt his dancing prowess helps to keep him in tremendous shape." Barrowman expressed his own opinion on the announcement in a video via Twitter. [Metro, 27 Jun 2012]

The actor will also be appearing with co-host Myleene Klass at the Cooper Barrington Antiques and Collector's Sale on Friday 6th July; the pair have been working on the new series of BBC2's Antiques Road Trip, and were also recently spotted in Chepstow filming for the show. [Cooper Barrington; Mirror, 1 Jul 2012]

Arthur Darvill will be joining David Tennant and Olivia Colman in the new drama Broadchurch; the current Doctor Who co-star will feature as a priest in the series. Writer Chris Chibnall said: "Broadchurch focuses on a small British community which finds itself at the eye of a storm. In the wake of one boy's death, the residents of Broadchurch come under scrutiny and suspicion. It's a story of scale and intimacy, as the lives of the characters are laid bare." [Press Association, 2 Jul 2012]

Christopher Eccleston is currently appearing in BBC1 drama Blackout; the actor reflected on acting on the small screen to films: "There's a snobbishness about TV; some film actors, thank God, won't do television. Which is great! I've done feature films, but the best scripts I've ever had have been in television. When you're writing for film, you've got a wider canvas and you can concentrate on the visuals. With television, you really can't get away with that much." [Guardian, 27 Jun 2012]

Paul McGann admits that he hasn't watched the new series: "I don't have a television. No. So, I don't watch anything. But I know Matt Smith and I saw him the other day. It's in safe hands, the kid's obviously brilliant, a really, really good choice to take it on." The actor is due to appear in a couple of dramas on television, alongside Martin Clunes in A Mother's Son for ITV, and in Ripper Street for the BBC. Independent, 30 Jun 2012]

Andrew Garfield, star of the latest incarnation of Spiderman, reflects on his own association with Doctor Who: "The history of Doctor Who and the heritage and legacy of Doctor Who is huge; it was an honour to be a part of that show, absolutely. And I'm so happy that everyone is now seeing Matt Smith for the incredible actor and Doctor that he is. He's a friend of mine and I am so proud and happy of him - he is a tremendous actor and he's been put to fantastic use and giving so many people so much joy, god bless him. So, yeah, I'm honoured to be a part of that legacy." [Kermode and Mayo's Film Review, 22 Jun 2012]

Former executive producers Beth Willis and Piers Wenger are to be re-united as the former assumes the role of Deputy Head of Drama in September at Channel 4. Wenger, who is now Head of Drama for the broadcasting company since leaving the BBC last year, said: "Beth is a hugely talented creative individual with a track record in shaping some of Britain’s most iconic drama series. I’m delighted that she’s joining the Channel4 drama to start work on a new generation of shows." [Channel 4 PR, 27 Jun 2012]




FILTER: - People - Arthur Darvill - David Tennant - Christopher Eccleston - John Barrowman

People Roundup

Thursday, 21 June 2012 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Karen Gillan won the award for Scottish Fashion Icon of the Year at this year's Scottish Fashion Awards. On the red carpet beforehand the actress had said: "It would be a huge honour to win an award like that and really unexpected. I honestly didn’t think I would be nominated for anything wearing the clothes I wear." Talking about her departure from Doctor Who she said: "It was so sad. It was this bittersweet thing 'cause I'm really excited to move onto other things, I'm actually going on to do a film in Glasgow which I'm really excited about, but yeah it was so sad 'cause I'm leaving my best friends in a weird way." [STV, 14 June 2012]

The actress also made an appearance at the Cannes Film Festival in order to promote her forthcoming film, Not Another Happy Ending.

Arthur Darvill is to star in the West End production of Jonathan Lewis's award-winning play Our Boys alongside Laurence Fox (aka the husband of Billie Piper) and Cian Barry. The play's synopsis: A candid account of the tedium, terror and tribulations suffered by five young soldiers recovering from injuries incurred in the line of duty. But when their daily routine of TV, lonely hearts ads and banter is interrupted by the arrival of an unwelcome authority figure, their unlikely camaraderie gives way to betrayal, accusations and all-out war. The play opens at the Duchess Theatre on 3rd October, with previews from 26th September. [Whats On Stage, 15 June 2012]

Neil Gaiman, John Challis, Jon Culshaw, and Andrew Sachs are among the star names providing the Voice of the Book for The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy Radio Show Live! which is currently on tour in the UK. The show re-creates the masterwork by Douglas Adams. Celebrity Doctor Who fan Culshaw is renowned for his impressions of Tom Baker, while Sachs has appeared in Doctor Who audio dramas and was the voice of Skagra in the webcast of Adams's Shada. For more details on where and when the different voices are appearing, see the Hitchhiker's Live! website.

Steven Moffat explains how he approaches writing: "I never make a note of anything, I never even write a plot down. I have a terrible superstition of writing things down. I have to write in sequence and only in sequence." [Entertainmentwise, The Sun, 28 May 2012]

John Barrowman will once again take on a role of Jack this coming Christmas - alongside his faithful 'companions' Ian and Janette Krankie in the pantomine Jack and the Beanstalk! The trio return to the Glasgow SECC for their third 'adventure' together, with managing director of QDos Michael Harrison saying: "We are thrilled that John, Ian and Janette are returning to Glasgow, where they have received huge audience acclaim. Over the past few years, together with our colleagues at the SECC, we have staged Glasgow’s biggest and most spectacular pantomime and I can promise that Jack and the Beanstalk will be another giant and unmissable show!" The show will run between 15th December and 6th January. Playbill, 11 Jun 2012]

Peter Purves will also be appearing in panto later this year, playing Alderman Fitzwarren in Dick Whittington at Harpenden Public Halls from 15th to 22nd December.

Noel Clarke has revealed his favourite Doctor: "Matt. He just brought something different to it that I like. No disrespect to the others. I'm not going to say them just because I worked with them. Also when Matt got on, the budgets were larger and the show was more ambitious.". Appearing on Channel 4's Sunday Brunch on 17th June, the actor added that his actual favourite was Peter Davison who was the Doctor as he grew up. [Radio Times, 15 June 2012]

Janet Fielding handed a petition to Thanet council as part of a No Night Flights campaign to stop plans to allow night flights to take place at Manston airport. The actress said: "Along with the health and environmental issues surrounding night flights, there are potentially disastrous consequences for Ramsgate's recovering tourism industry which needs to be protected. Who will want to stay in a hotel with planes flying over all night? This needs to be investigated in full." [Thanet Times, 22 May 2012]

Bill Nighy revealed how he could have become the Doctor: "I was offered the role once, I won't tell you when because the rule is that you're not allowed to say you turned that job down because it's disrespectful to whoever did it. I will say that I was approached. But I didn't want to be the Doctor. No disrespect to Doctor Who or anything. I just think that it comes with too much baggage." [People, 3 June 2012]

Catherine Tate is to return in the next series of the US version of The Office, with her character Nellie Bertram from the previous series finale set to be a regular. [Contact Music, 4 Jun 2012]

Lara Pulver commented on recent gossip about her potentially becoming the first female Doctor: Steven and I have both said we thoroughly enjoyed working together, and then there was me being in Wales so the media put two and two together. (and would it have been amazing?) Yes and no. Not if it meant the end of the Doctor Who franchise because the fans aren’t keen on it. [Standard, 15 June 2012]

Veteran cameraman Jules Greenway has been awarded the The Guild of Television Cameramen's top award for his work over the last few decades. The recently retired 68-year-old worked on a number of shows in his career, including Doctor Who, Z-Cars, Top of the Pops and Blue Peter at the BBC, and Tales of the Unexpected at Anglia. His production team also won a BAFTA for their coverage of the 1998 Derby. He reflected: "I always favoured the dramas as they were the opportunity to shoot complicated shots. Sports events were exciting to do but very repetitive, the shots are very similar, while with drama you are constantly looking to do something different. Most cameramen’s pleasure is in executing a good shot, doing it well and being pleased with the end result.". [Eastern Daily Press, 19 May 2012]

Concern has been raised over Richard Gent, who disappeared a number of weeks ago leaving his phone and wallet at home after cancelling plans to meet friends. The actor has appeared in shows such as Casualty, Being Human and Torchwood. Police have asked anyone who has knowledge of his whereabouts to contact them on the missing persons helpline: freephone 116 000.

In Memoriam:

The actor George Murdock passed away on 30th April. He played a Preacher in the recent Torchwood series Miracle Day and has appeared in a number of sci-fi shows including Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and The X Files - he is perhaps best known as playing "God" in the film Star Trek V - The Final Frontier.

Brian Hibbard passed away on 17th June after suffering from prostate cancer. The actor played the assassin Keillor in the Sylvester McCoy story Delta and the Bannermen, and appeared in a number of soaps including Coronation Street, Emmerdale, and last year EastEnders. For a different generation, however, he will be remembered as the former lead singer of The Flying Pickets! [BBC News, 18 Jun 2012]




FILTER: - Steven Moffat - People - Arthur Darvill - Karen Gillan - Catherine Tate - John Barrowman