September Novels

Thursday, 8 January 2009 - Reported by Jarrod Cooper
The BBC has released covers and synopsis for the three 'classic monster' novels being released in September.

The Taking of Chelsea 426 by David Llewellyn

The Chelsea Flower Show: Hardly the most exciting or dangerous event in the calendar, or so the Doctor thinks. But this is Chelsea 426, a city-sized future colony floating on the clouds of Saturn, and the flowers are much more than they seem.

As the Doctor investigates, he becomes more and more worried. Why is shopkeeper Mr Pemberton acting so strangely? And what is Professor Wilberforce’s terrible secret?

They are close to finding the answers when a familiar foe arrives, and the stakes suddenly get much higher. The Sontarans have plans of their own, and they’re not here to arrange flowers...


The Krillitane Storm by Christopher Cooper

When the TARDIS materialises in medieval Worcester, the Doctor finds the city seemingly deserted. He soon discovers its population are living in a state of terror, afraid to leave their homes after dark, for fear of meeting their doom at the hands of the legendary Devil’s Huntsman.

For months, people have been disappearing, and the Sheriff has imposed a strict curfew across the city, his militia maintaining control over the superstitious populace with a firm hand, closing the city to outsiders. Is it fear of attack from beyond the city walls that drives him or the threat closer to home? Or does the Sheriff have something to hide?

After a terrifying encounter with a deadly Krillitane, the Doctor realises the city has good reason to be scared.


Autonomy – Daniel Blythe

Hyperville is 2013's top hi-tech 24-hour entertainment complex – a sprawling palace of fun under one massive roof. You can shop, or experience the excitement of Doomcastle, Winterland, or Wild West World. But things are about to get a lot more exciting – and dangerous...

What unspeakable horror is lurking on Level Zero of Hyperville? And what will happen when the entire complex goes over to Central Computer Control?

For years, the Nestene Consciousness has been waiting and planning, recovering from its wounds. But now it’s ready, and it’s deadly plastic Autons are already in place around the complex. Now more than ever, visiting Hyperville will be an unforgettable experience.




FILTER: - Merchandise - Books

New DVD Releases Announced

Wednesday, 7 January 2009 - Reported by Marcus
Planet of the Daleks is due for release on DVD this year as revealed in this month's Doctor Who Magazine. Episode three of the 1973 Jon Pertwee story previously only existed in the BBC archive as a black and white film recording. However, using partly the same process recently used on an old episode of Dad's Army ("Room at the Bottom", broadcast on BBC2 last month in colour for the first time in 39 years) using information contained in the film print, and partly artificial re-colouring in the United States, colour has been restored to the episode. The story will be released as a box set with Frontier in Space, which sees the Doctor meet the Draconians and features the last appearance of Roger Delgado as the Master. Full details of the restoration of episode three of Planet of the Daleks can be found in an article on the Restoration Team website.

Other stories due for release in 2009 are the swansong of the Second Doctor, The War Games, the Fourth Doctor stories The Deadly Assassin and Image of the Fendahl and the Seventh Doctor story Delta and the Bannermen.
The current release schedule is subject to change:
  • 26 Jan 2009 E-Space Trilogy Box set comprising of the 4th Doctor stories Full Circle, State of Decay and Warriors' Gate.
  • 23 Feb 2009 - The Rescue / The Romans
  • 16 Mar 2009 - Attack of the Cybermen
  • TBA - Delta and the Bannermen
  • TBA - Image of the Fendahl
  • TBA - The Deadly Assassin
  • TBA - Dalek War box set: Frontier in Space / Planet of the Daleks
  • TBA -The War Games




FILTER: - Jon Pertwee - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

Character Options Renews Licence Deal

Tuesday, 6 January 2009 - Reported by DWNP Archive
Posted By John Bowman

Character Options has renewed its Doctor Who master toy licensing deal with BBC Worldwide, it was announced this morning.

A report on Toy News Online said that BBC Worldwide had confirmed the renewal and extension of the licence.

Character has held the licence since the show's 2005 relaunch and will lead development of new products featuring Eleventh Doctor Matt Smith.

According to the report, the new items are expected to hit the shops in the summer of 2010. BBC Worldwide will also be developing new style elements for licensees to accompany Series Five.

Neil Ross Russell, the managing director of BBC Worldwide Children's and Licensing, said: "We're thrilled about the announcement of Matt Smith as the new Doctor, not least because of the opportunities it gives our creative team and licensees.

"Doctor Who is a long-term priority for us as a commercial business, and with Matt on board we will be looking to develop a new style guide with fresh creative elements to inspire our licensing partners."

(With thanks to Dave Colville.)




FILTER: - Merchandise

Doctor Who Production Team Takes Shape

Tuesday, 6 January 2009 - Reported by Chuck Foster
With the casting of the Doctor now finalised, the Doctor Who Production Team are now in the process of recruiting the next full-time producer of Doctor Who to fill the role vacated by Phil Collinson. Interviews for the position take place in February, with the successful candidate assuming the role from April this year for pre-production on Series Five. The initial contract runs through to June 2010.

The role of the producer in Doctor Who is cloudy at times, and there is far more to producing a television show than one might expect! The role and comprehensive responsibilities, as featured in the official job advertisement, are outlined below.
JOB SPECIFICATION:
- To be accountable for the delivery of productions on time and within the agreed editorial brief and production budget.
- To contribute to the continued development and implementation of the editorial vision for Doctor Who.
- To produce high quality, cost-effective drama within the framework of BBC Editorial Guidelines and Corporate objectives.
- To encourage, foster and develop creative talent and ability on behalf of Wales Drama Department.
- To ensure that the production values of Doctor Who are competitive with standards globally.

MAIN DUTIES:
- To be involved in the assessment of scripts in conjunction with the Executive Producers, Script Editors and Writers, and to balance editorial/artistic aspirations against cost.
- To be responsible for the construction of a full production schedule and budget in conjunction with the Associate Producer, Production Accountant and others as appropriate.
- To be responsible for the choice, negotiation, control and co-ordination of required production facilities, technical resources and staff and their cost-effective deployment including the work of the Associate Producer and Production Accountant assigned to the production.
- To be responsible for all required production staff and crew; to ensure that they possess appropriate qualifications (e.g. electricians), experience and safety expertise, and are appointed in line with BBC Editorial Guidelines and employment policy.
- To refer to specialist support departments as necessary e.g. HR Direct
- To ensure that scripts are finalised, in conjunction with the Head of Drama, Executive Producer, Director, Writer and Script Editor, so that dramatic standards of the required quality are achieved, within the legal, budgetary and timescale constraints.
- To ensure that on-screen content reflects the diversity of British society and that ethnic and other groups are portrayed appropriately, in line with BBC Editorial Guidelines.
- To be involved in casting and appointments of Directors.
- In conjunction with the Associate Producer and Drama Safety Rep(s), to ensure that all staff have undertaken the interactive health and safety training module, prior to commencement of the production.
- To be accountable for the maintenance of health & safety standards throughout the production process.To generate creative ideas for all aspects of the production. To monitor production values and artistic standards and to balance these aspirations with costs.
- To ensure that day-to-day production expenditure is monitored in conjunction with the Associate Producer and Production Accountant.
- To assess the impact of decisions affecting the budget and schedule, to monitor expenditure levels, revising production schedules and managing expenditure as necessary within the budget.
- To establish and maintain contact with co-producers, and the BBC Wales New Media Production Team, and Doctor Who Confidential ensuring that their views and requirements are accurately represented and that contractual obligations are complied with.
- To ensure that all copyright, artist, freelance, supplier, and staff commitments and contractual obligations are met.
- To ensure that adequate insurance arrangements are in place in accordance with the BBC insurance scheme, and where possible, to take action to reduce the cost of any claims. To ensure compliance with the requirements of any completion bond companies or insurers.
- To assess rushes, to identify and resolve problems in conjunction with the Director.
- To provide leadership, motivation and support to the whole team; to facilitate an effective working relationship between the team and the Director.
- To manage staff throughout the production.
- To ensure staff performance is accurately and objectively monitored, recorded and communicated to the appropriate line manager or employer. To give feedback to individuals, to identify and resolve problems where
necessary.
- To be aware of the full extent of the financial and purchasing authority of the post, and to ensure that this authority is exercised in accordance with Network Television and BBC financial arrangements.
- To offer ideas/support to the Director, to attend when necessary, rehearsals, shooting and post-production. When filming overseas, to attend location(s) and ensure that shooting complies with the laws, regulations and customs of the host country.
- To stimulate press and media interest in the production, authorising journalists and photographers agreed access to filming in conjunction with BBC Press and PR departments, BBC Wales Brand Team and Head of Drama.
- To be responsible for the delivery of the finished programme within all BBC editorial guidelines.
- To ensure that production documentation and agreed delivery materials are completed and passed to appropriate areas as required by the BBC and co-producers within the agreed delivery schedule.
- To manage the immediate and longer term public response effectively, particularly where the production may result in controversy.




FILTER: - Production

Doctor Who Magazine 404

Tuesday, 6 January 2009 - Reported by Kenny Davidson

The latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine, out this week, features an interview with Dervla Kirwan, Miss Hartigan in The Next Doctor, who talks about playing the beautiful and ruthless 'lady in red'.

So, about that frock then...? "In her very first scene, drab, matronly, grey dress, and then she sort of transforms into this vision of red!" laughs Dervla."We don't know how she did that really. We assume there's some handy Cyberman with needlework skills and great make-up boxes!"

Also in DWM 404:

  • It may seem like a bleak midwinter with no full series of Doctor Who to look forward to this year. But fear not! DWM is on hand to provide the essential guide on How to Survive 2009
  • DWM joins the Doctor Who team as The Next Doctor is filmed and reports on the making of the show – featuring never-before-published photos and exclusive chats to the cast and crew, including David Tennant, David Morrissey, Velile Tshabalala, Edmund Kente and Russell T Davies!
  • It’s a snowy day in the Doctor’s favourite English village. But how does he come to find himself in the within the mind of Maxwell Edison? Find out in The Stockbridge Child Part Two by Dan McDaid, with art by Mike Collins.
  • The Time Team continue their quest to watch every single Doctor Who story, from the start. Will they give the Seventh Doctor and Mel a frosty reception when they travel to Iceworld in 1987's Dragonfire?
  • What's it like to visit the sets of Doctor Who, Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures? Children in Need made it possible for a lucky few to get a guided tour – and DWM was there to help you share the experience
  • DWM talks to former companion Frazer Hines about lovely ladies, being telepathic and how his character, Jamie, could return to Doctor Who
  • The Fact of Fiction travels back to 1968 to a land Unicorns and Minotours to reveal the remarkable truths behind the Second Doctor story, The Mind Robber
  • DWM pops round to see old friends of the Doctor, the Brigadier and Sarah Jane, with a behind-the-scenes look at the recording of the finale of The Sarah Jane Adventures, Enemy of the Bane.




FILTER: - Magazines - DWM

BBC staff magazine tells the secret

Tuesday, 6 January 2009 - Reported by Anthony Weight
Ariel, the weekly in-house magazine for BBC staff, has published a feature in its latest edition looking at the secret preparations that led to the announcement of Matt Smith's casting as the Eleventh Doctor in a special edition of Doctor Who Confidential last Saturday. The feature reveals that the process was entirely conducted via verbal conversations, with no written record left in e-mail form and as few people as possible made aware of the casting decision.

The special edition of Confidential was organised at a secret meeting in December between executive producer Piers Wenger, BBC One controller Jay Hunt, BBC Controller of Fiction Jane Tranter and Head of Scheduling George Dixon, after Smith had been offered the role but before he had officially signed up to play it. On the day that he did sign a contract, Smith was secretly interviewed by a two-man Doctor Who Confidential crew, and then on Christmas Eve took part in a photoshoot in the basement of BBC Television Centre in London. Neither the photographer nor the stylist involved knew what the shoot was for, with the TARDIS later being photoshopped into the background of the pictures. Time was booked to show the Confidential on BBC Big Screens in town centres across the UK, without the various Big Screen producers in those towns knowing what they would be showing.

Julian Payne, the Communications Chief for BBC One and BBC Drama, tells Ariel: "Right up until the show went out newspapers were firing names at me but in the end, the media too were excited by how the announcement happened. Luck undoubtedly played a part but it was testament to a great team effort, including by BBC Wales, BBC Worldwide,
the big screens team and the Doctor Who website who all swung into action."




FILTER: - Production - Matt Smith - Press

Companion search now in spotlight

Monday, 5 January 2009 - Reported by Anthony Weight
With the announcement of Matt Smith's casting as the Eleventh Doctor having been made over the weekend, The Daily Telegraph - never slow to run a Doctor Who-related story with the least excuse! - report today that the BBC and the production team have now stepped up the search for an actress to play the companion figure in the 2010 series.

The paper quotes executive producer Piers Wenger, saying that "Someone terribly exciting like Billie Piper, who was at the beginning of her acting career but who had a profile for other reasons, would be great. We are looking for someone whose light can burn brightly." The Telegraph suggests that this could mean performers such as singersLily Allen (right) and Rachel Stevens or television presenter and actress Kelly Brook could be under consideration. The paper claims that Allen is "a favourite with bosses at the BBC," while Wenger says that "We would never cast anyone on the basis of their celebrity, but if Lily wanted to audition we would be delighted. It would be a lot of fun."

Wenger is also quoted on the subject of the much-touted casting of a black actor as the Doctor not having happened. "We saw a dozen or so people, some of them black. There was never any resistance to the idea of a black Doctor and it would have got us all sorts of headlines and brownie points, but we set out to cast the best actor for the role irrespective of ethnicity or age, and that was Matt."

The idea of Lily Allen as the companion is also featured in a story at Gigwise.com.




FILTER: - People - Production

Over 6 Million tune in for new Doctor

Sunday, 4 January 2009 - Reported by Marcus
Overnight figures show an average of 6.1 million viewers tuned into BBC One on Saturday evening to see Matt Smith revealed as the Eleventh Doctor.

The special edition of Doctor Who Confidential had a share of 29.6% of the total audience and outrated the FA Cup on ITV1 which had around 5 million watching at the time. Despite its early showing the programme was the second-highest rated programme of the day, beating Casualty, Demons and Eurovision: Your Country Needs You.

The highest rated programme of the day was Total Wipeout with 6.5 million watching.

Official figures will be released in ten days time.




FILTER: - Ratings - Documentary

The New Doctor: Press Clippings

Sunday, 4 January 2009 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Inevitably it was moments after Matt Smith was announced as the Doctor that the press published its first reactions to the casting. As one might expect, the initial reports were mainly based around the BBC Press Release and comments within Doctor Who Confidential itself. However, as the evening/morning progressed further media comment began to emerge, a selection of which are reported below.

Andrew Pettie of the Telegraph commented on how Doctor Who is a 'savvy multi-million-pound brand' and how casting has become a major news event. "... Doctor Who is a success primarily because it is so effortlessly entertaining. This is in large part due to the elasticity of its sci-fi premise. Thanks to the Tardis, the Doctor can travel anywhere in space or time. One moment he's rubbing shoulders with Shakespeare, the next battling aliens far in the future. And the Doctor has a further ace up his sleeve: the ability to change not just the actor playing him, but the nature of his character. ... Which is why Matt Smith is such a bold and exciting choice as the next Doctor. His relative lack of fame shouldn't matter a jot. It's hard to recall now, but before he regenerated as the Doctor, Tennant's most high-profile TV role had been in the BBC3 drama Casanova, written by Davies. Indeed, the key to Tennant's success as the Doctor has been how the crackle of his performances has matched the exuberance of the scripts."

The Independent commented on what fandom might think of the casting: "Smith is not black and he's not a woman, which left some fans wondering why a more daring decision had not been made; but he is the youngest of the 11 actors to have played 'official' versions of the time-travelling Doctor who first stepped out of that battered blue police box called the Tardis in 1963. ... Smith now faces the challenge of winning over two passionate camps: the families who sit together to watch on the sofa on a Saturday night and the hard-core Whovians, some of whom still complain that the lavish effects, high production values and often superb scripts of the modern version are somehow a betrayal of their hero. The Doctor Who Forum online was so busy last night that only veteran contributors could get in. Elsewhere, blogging fans admitted they didn't know much about Smith. 'He's so young,' said one. 'They must be going for the Twilight market.'"

The Sunday Herald also carries opinions on the casting, with Antony Wainer from DWAS commenting: "It's a different choice and I'm delighted by it. But I do think it has taken some people by surprise. The shadow of David Tennant looms large. He was so great, which makes the job for the next person even harder. But here's someone who is younger, and with that youth comes more enthusiasm. It is the only way you could trump Tennant." Also from Glasgow South MP and Who fan Tom Harris: "In the Whovian community there's a huge amount of respect for Steven Moffat because he's been the best writer for the past three or four years. So any people with reservations will give Smith the benefit of the doubt because he was Steven's choice."

Matthew Sweet commented in the Guardian: "The idea of a black or woman Doctor is something we only seem to be able to enjoy as a tease. When Tom Baker left, for example, there was speculation about Joanna Lumley taking over. There is a little part of me that's disappointed the Obama effect hasn't reached Gallifrey yet. This was one of the best kept secrets. Matt Smith has got a fascinating face. It's long and bony, with a commanding jaw. He looks like someone who could have been in Duran Duran. He has a quality of the old man trapped in the young man's body. I suspect he might be a more sensual character than David Tennant, who had no kind of dangerous sexuality about him. There's something Byronic about Matt Smith – he's got the lips for it." The paper also carries a comment by former companionSophie Aldred: "I'm delighted. I'm so pleased that they haven't chosen a big name but gone with someone who's obviously a good actor but not well known to the public at large. He's got a very interesting face and a fantastic presence. It's going to be a difficult job to follow David Tennant, but I think he'll be a safe pair of hands."

The News of the World decided to lead with Smith's intimate appearance alongside former Doctor Who companionBillie Piper in her show, The Secret Diary of a Call Girl.

Other reports on the casting may be read from: Times(1)Times(2)TelegraphMailSunSunday Mirror,ScotsmanGlasgow Sunday Mail,Wales on Sunday. You can find many more media reports on this and other topics in the Doctor Who Forum's Media Watch thread (linked below)!




FILTER: - Matt Smith - Press

Tennant returns to Hamlet

Sunday, 4 January 2009 - Reported by Marcus
David Tennant has returned to the role of Hamlet at the Novello Theatre in London.

A press release from the Royal Shakespeare Company reports that Tennant has made good progress following his recent back operation. The company will be assessing his progress a day by day basis. Ticket holders are advised to check the RSC Websitefrom 12 noon each day for an update for that evening's performance. Alternatively, please call the theatre box office.

The production ends its run at the Novello Theatre on 10 January.




FILTER: - David Tennant