Colin Baker and Frazer Hines have been added to the list of star names appearing at the BritSciFi Weekend taking place at the National Space Centre in Leicester tomorrow and Sunday.

The event is a celebration of TV programmes such as Doctor Who, Blake's 7, Red Dwarf, and Thunderbirds.

As previously reported, other guests with a Doctor Who connection appearing at the event are visual effects designer Mat Irvine and actors Shane Rimmer and David Graham (although the centre is emphasising Rimmer and Graham's Thunderbirds link).

Daleks will also be in attendance, as will the Hyde Fundraisers voluntary group, who will be creating a Doctor Who walk-through experience in the venue's Challenger Centre, with creepy encounters featuring some monstrous creatures from Doctor Who. It will feature light, smoke, and sound effects not suitable for very young children. Tickets for the encounter are available on a first-come, first-served basis for performances each day.

In addition, David J Howe, the co-founder and editorial director of Telos Publishing, who has written a number of books about Doctor Who and owns one of the largest collections of Doctor Who merchandise in the world, will be there.

All the money from the BritSciFi weekend will go to charity, including Children In Need.

(NB: Attendees should ensure that the guests they want to see will be there on the day that they wish to go, as not all the guests will be there on both days.)

(With thanks to Kevin Taylor)

The Collectable Art Company is to publish a series of Limited Edition Fine Art prints of the original Doctor Who costume designs.

The officially licensed range will be launched on 1st March with Pat Godfrey's final design of the distinctive, multi-coloured Sixth Doctor's costume. 'Totally Tastless' will be limited to 1500 high quality individually numbered A2 prints, and will also be autographed by both the costume designer and the eventual wearer himself, Colin Baker.

Each print will also be accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity and a special 28 page Script to Screen booklet which describes the making of the iconic costume, plus an interview with Godfrey and introduction by Baker.


Grahame Flynn, Managing Director of The Collectable Art Company, said:
The print is now available for pre-order.

Several prominent guests attended the wedding party of David Tennant and Georgia Moffett which took place on New Year's Eve at the New Globe Theatre in London, including former Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his wife, actors Patrick Stewart and David Morrissey, DJ Christian O'Connell, and QI host Stephen Fry. [Daily Mail, 2 Jan 2012]

Noel Clarke has been cast in Star Trek 2, the sequel to the 2009 Paramount film. Variety report that the actor, who played Micky Smith in Doctor Who, will play a family man with a wife and young daughter in the film which is due for release in May 2013. He will join a small group of actors who have worked on both the Doctor Who and Star Trek franchise.

John and Carole Barrowman's children's book Hollow Earth is due to be released in February. The fantasy adventure takes place in their native Scotland and is inspired by memories of their formulative years; says John: "The island where most of the novel takes place is a real place off the coast of Largs - but we changed the geography and name." [Herald Scotland, 3 Jan 2012]

The actor was also pleased to discover that his show Tonight's The Night has helped facilitate research into Parkinsons Disease; sufferer Bryn Williams was introduced to one of the world's leading experts in the field, Professor Steven Gill - Barrowman's father-in-law - through the show, and together they have now raised over £400,000 in the search for a cure. Barrowman said: "The fact this has grown from a TV show to this major medical fund-raising drive is just incredible. If a cure came from a small chance meeting on a TV show that really would be an incredible legacy for us all." [Scottish Sun, 3 Jan 2012]

Colin Baker, who won this Christmas's Celebrity Come Dine With Me, said of his role in the specials: "It was the scariest, most exhausting but rewarding and challenging thing I have ever done on television. It was a lot of fun and the other diners were great!" [Derbyshire Times, 24 Dec 2011]

The career of Charles Dickens is compared to that of Russell T Davies: Had he been around today, it seems unlikely that Dickens would have been wasting his time on the moribund medium that is the novel; instead, he would have gone where the money is. Perhaps he would have ended up in Hollywood. Perhaps he would have been a Russell T Davies figure, almost singlehandedly reviving the British television drama industry with his endlessly inventive storylines. [Telegraph, 29 Dec 2011]

New Year Honours

In the 2012 New Year Honours, the cinematographer Remi Adefarasin, who was the film cameraman on Terminus and The King's Demons, became an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to television and film. In addition, the actor David Harewood (Joshua Naismith in The End of Time and the voice of President Vallan in Big Finish's Eighth Doctor audio drama Army of Death) was made an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for services to drama, radio presenter David Rodigan, who played Broken Tooth in The Mysterious Planet (the first four episodes of the Trial of a Time Lord season), was made an MBE for services to broadcasting, while entertainer Ronnie Corbett, who portrayed Ambassador "Rani" Ranius in the 2009 Sarah Jane Adventures special for Comic Relief, became a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) for services to entertainment and to charity.

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography

The latest latest online update to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography contains articles on several Doctor Who alumni.

The online dictionary is updated three times a year and the January release always concentrates on the lives of people distinguished or notorious in many aspects British life or with British connections who died four years before publication - in this case, 2008.

Tristram Cary, who composed incidental music for 'The Daleks' and several other stories up until 'The Mutants' is included. His entry is written by another electronic music composer who contributed to Doctor Who, Roger Limb. Other new subjects include Bill Cotton, who was managing director of BBC Television at the time of the eighteen-month suspension of Doctor Who in 1985, with an article written by Michael Grade. Bryan Cowgill, controller of BBC1 in the 1970s is also included. Also included are Elizabeth Spriggs, who was the first performer cast as Chessene in 'The Two Doctors' before finally appearing in Doctor Who in 'Paradise Towers'.

Full access to the new lives is only available to subscribers, including most public libraries in the UK, several in the Republic of Ireland, and academic institutions; but most public libraries with subscriptions now allow library members to use their library cards to access their online resources remotely, including the Oxford DNB; and a selection of the new articles will be available for free on the Oxford DNB website later today.

Tom Baker

Tom Baker appeared at the launch of Elisabeth Sladen’s autobiography which took place on Saturday at the Doctor Who Experience in London. Baker said that meeting Sladen changed the direction of his life as it made him so happy in the role of The Doctor that her realised he could play the character for the rest of his life and didn’t need to act any more. He spoke of how they adored each other and how he fondly remembered standing arm in arm with her inside the TARDIS, giggling while they waited for their cue.

Baker was joined at the launch by former Script Editor Terrance Dicks and by Sladen’s daughter Sadie Miller. Dicks remembered Sladen’s qualities of self possession, dignity and independence, qualities he drew on when writing scripts for the character of Sarah Jane, while Miller said the family were keen to have the autobiography published as a thank you to the fans of Elisabeth.

Colin Baker

Colin Baker is looking forward to being back in panto next month: "I absolutely love playing the bad guy - and they don’t get much worse than Fleshcreep. I feel as though if there’s one child in the audience crying, I’m doing ok. If they are all crying - perhaps I’ve gone too far!". He'll be appearing in Jack and the Beanstalk in the Mansfield's Palace Theatre. [Mansfield Chad, 26 Nov 2011]

Channel 4 have released a publicity photograph for Colin's forthcoming appearance in Celebrity Come Dine With Me that will be broadcast over Christmas, alongside other celebrities Linda Nolan, Bianca Gascoigne, Nick Bateman and Danny Young.

Paul McGann

Paul McGann explores the rumour that Adolf Hitler spent time in Liverpool before the First World War in an item to feature on the BBC's regional programme Inside Out (North West) on Monday 28th November, 7:30pm.

Paul talks to author Mike Unger, who has written the book The Hitlers of Liverpool based on the memoirs of Hitler's sister-in-law wherein it is reported that the future German leader fled to England to avoid national service in Austria, staying with his half brother and her in late 1912.

The programme will be available to viewers in the UK on the BBC iPlayer after broadcast for seven days.

Christopher Eccleston

Christopher Eccleston is starring as Pod in The Borrowers this coming Christmas, and talks about taking on the role:
You can read more of Chris's interview and about the programme via the BBC's Media Centre.


Chris's current project is a new thriller for the BBC, The Fuse, which started filming this month.
You can read more about The Fuse via the BBC's Media Centre.

Matt Smith

The BBC have released some more information on Matt Smith's project Bert and Dickie, which he filmed over the summer.
The film will form part of the BBC's Cultural Olympiad 2012.

The Three Doctors

Steven Moffat celebrated his birthday in style with a party last Saturday (19th November) that saw three Doctors alongside the show's lead writer! Speaking on Monday's BBC Breakfast, Matt Smith said:

Colin Baker will be a guest on a popular cookery show during the festive period: "I am allowed to tell you this and no more - Celebrity Come Dine with Me over Christmas. Watch yours truly cooking and eating - ad nauseam" [Colin Baker via Twitter, 14 Nov 2011]

David Tennant continues to film Nativity 2 with the actor spotted on location at Llanrhaeadr Waterfall, where a scene with him and co-star Marc Wooton involving a donkey didn't turn out so well ... [Powys County Times, 11 Nov 2011]

Freema Agyeman (Martha Jones) thinks it is possible to appear for the 50th Anniversary: "I’ve just heard rumblings and my agent was talking about it because there's a tight-knit of us. In terms of working with David and with Karen, we've all got the same sort of circle really, so a mention of things but nothing's really been in set in stone. But if they want to do a big group thing, I can't really envisage anybody in the Who family saying no because it's quite a marked occasion and a good opportunity to rekindle. For the fans, it's exciting for them as well and everyone gets together." [Independent, 14 Nov 2011]

On the other hand Eve Myles (Gwen Cooper) thinks otherwise: "I wouldn't have thought so. We have lots of adult themes running in Torchwood and I think it would be inappropriate for us to have anything to do with Doctor Who because it’s predominantly a family programme. I think that where Torchwood is, it deals with darker subjects and I think inter-mixing them, if they want to do that, then fine but I can tell you that I'm not involved in it – they won’t give me guns or a bazooka." [Independent, 8 Nov 2011]

Camille Coduri (Jackie Tyler) also talks about her likelihood of ever coming back to the series: "I think that's done now. We’ve been back to say goodbye at least twice. You have to leave it in the past sometime really. And we left five years ago really, so it's quite a long time. People have moved on. If anyone asked me, of course I would, brilliant. It would be a great story to go back, but I think it's done and I think we need to leave it where it is, really." [Gay Times]

Peter Kay (Abzorbaloff, Love & Monsters) regrets playing an alien as part of his career: "I loved making it but when I saw it, I thought, 'Oh my God. I'm big green lizard running around Cardiff? Is that it?' It's nice to have been in Doctor Who but that is regarded by fans as the worst episode ever. In 10 years' time, I'll be able to do the Doctor Who conventions and charge people a tenner for a photo!" [Express, 13 Nov 2011]

Bill Pullman (Danes, Miracle Day) will be performing excerpts from "The Healing Wars", a project he has developed with his wife, on the 8th December in Denver as part of a benefit for Visionbox, a professional actors training studio he conceived in 2010. [Denver Post, 13 Nov 2011]

Matt Smith recently commented on people he would quite like to see act alongside him in Doctor Who: "Whoopi Goldberg would be a great companion wouldn't she? Yeah, she'd be great. Also I'd love Eric Cantona, or Colin Firth. Colin Firth would be great but he would not do it. God, when I think about it there are so many people I would love to get in it." [Bang Showbiz, via Metro, The List, 1st Oct]

David Tennant has recorded a narration for a 50 minute BBC1 documentary, Disabled Parents: Are You Having A Laugh?, which follows comedian Laurence Clark and his wife - both have cerebral palsy - as they prepare for the birth of their second child. It is expected to be broadcast in February. [Chortle, 5th Oct]

The actor is also subject of a petition by fans to have him carry the Olympic Torch in 2012, in honour of his character saving the games in the story Fear Her, with some 25,000 people signed up so far. [Flavor Wire, 3rd Oct]

John Barrowman explains how he wishes to trace his family history in Ireland: "What I'd love to do is a programme researching my Irish roots to see how strong they are. That's as much as I know as my mother has spoken no further about it but I know that my mom and dad have visited (my neice) Clare. I have never visited but it's something I want to do." [RTE, 4th Oct]

A patron of the Dogs Trust, the actor also opened the charity's new shop in Cowbridge, South Wales, which raised more than £1,300 on the day. [Third Sector, 3rd Oct]

Billie Piper (Rose Tyler) provides the voice to a new Autumn/Winter 2011 television campaign by high-street retailer chain Debenhams; the adverts are themed around the strap line "Life Made Fabulous with Designers at Debenhams", where designs are shown from creation to being worn in 'real life'. [Retail Digital, 6th Oct]

Jean Marsh (Sara Kingdom) has had to pull out of the start of filming of the new series of Upstairs Downstairs due to suffering a minor stroke. Recovering well, Marsh said: "Unfortunately I won't be returning to Eaton Place quite as quickly as I had hoped; I am looking forward to spending time with Rose again when I'm match-fit and I miss the cast and crew tremendously." [BBC News, 5th Oct]

Actors Barnaby Edwards (chief Dalek) and Ian Cullen (Ixta, The Aztecs) have both filmed a scene for local Sleaford film Shadows of a Stranger, which also features former Doctor Colin Baker. Says Edwards: "It is ambitious, but they are confident about it. It is exciting to be doing something new, placing traditional actors alongside an entirely imaginary world and it is a cracking story.". Full details of the project can be found the Shadows of a Stranger website. [Sleaford Standard, 30th Sep]

Louise Jameson (Leela), who has recently celebrated her 60th birthday, talked about some of her theatrical idols: "There have been so many people I’ve been inspired by, but mainly the obvious actors such as Vanessa Redgrave, Judi Dench and David Warner. They’re all the people I saw in my childhood at the Royal Shakespeare Company. Of course, they’re only ten years older than me really, and not even another generation, but that’s the kind of era of work that I really admire." [Daily Mail, 5th Oct]

Sadie Miller shared memories of her mother, Elisabeth Sladen, with the Radio Times: "It was lovely that she just sort of fell back into her career. She didn’t really have time to worry about it; she just enjoyed it. And I loved watching her in The Sarah Jane Adventures because there was so much of her in the role." [Radio Times, 3rd Oct]

Sixth Doctor, Colin Baker, has been elected honorary president of the Doctor Who Appreciation Society.

The Society, DWAS, is the longest running Doctor Who fan club in the world, founded in May 1976. The election of President was conducted through a survey of members and announced at the Day of the Daleks event at Riverside Studios on Sunday.

The role has previously been held by third Doctor Jon Pertwee and by Nicholas Courtney, who held the role from 1997 until his death earlier this year.

Baker said on twitter he was greatly honoured and touched at the appointment.

David Tennant has been talking to The Guardian Weekend as his run in the West End playing Benedick to Catherine Tate's Beatrice draws to a close.

Tennant talks about his career so far, his life growing up in Scotland and his tabloid reputation as a seducer on the Doctor Who set. "I refute that heartily." he says. "Well, I mean I have had some girlfriends, and I did meet some of them at work you know, my bedpost really has very few notches compared with other actors of my erm, erm, pedigree.

He talks about his future plans following the release of Fright Night next month. "I just like to join the jobs up and hope they will be as varied and interesting as possible. So if I can do a film with DreamWorks, then come back and do a little British film, then do something in the West End, then do something for the BBC, that's great. You learn from experience that the things you think are going to change your life probably won't. Not that I'm looking for it to be changed. I'm very happy with what I've got."

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Colin Baker joined experts from East Cambridgeshire District Council, Cambridgeshire Constabulary and Job Centre Plus in the cathedral city of Ely on Friday in a day aimed at helping residents tackle any life challenges that they may face.

The Sixth Doctor was joined by experts in housing, policing, benefits and drug awareness as well as a Dalek, a Cyberman and an Ood. Baker, who is currently touring in Wilkie Collins, The Woman in White, gave his time free for the event.

"I think everyone knows that it has been a difficult time for many people over the last few years and I know a lot of people who have or are struggling to keep their heads above water," he said. "I hope that in a small way I can attract people along who might not necessarily seek help who can then talk to the experts who will be on hand."

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Christopher Eccleston is currently filming in the North East of England in a comedy drama about a grumpy pensioner who joins a local choir.

Also staring Gemma Arterton, Vanessa Redgrave and Terence Stamp, Song For Marion by Paul Andrew Williams is a comedy drama about a grumpy pensioner Arthur (Terence Stamp) who is reluctantly inspired by his beloved wife Marion (Vanessa Redgrave) to join a highly unconventional local choir.

Eccleston plays their son James in the Steel Mill Pictures production.

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Matt Smith has been snapped in a fetching white sailor's hat with wide-rimmed glasses as he rowed on the Thames while filming for the new BBC Drama Bert and Dickie. Smith is playing Bert Bushnell, one half of the rowing team that won the gold medal in the 1948 Olympics in London for the double scull.

David Tennant is to play a wedding planner with a passion for plastic surgery in a new comedy on Sky Atlantic. The actor will make a guest appearance in episode one of This Is Jinsy, playing Mr Slightlyman. The series will be shown in September 2011 and future episodes will feature Catherine Tate and Simon Callow.

Tennant has also been signed up for a new CBeebies animation series, Tree Fu Tom. He will provide the voice of the lead character Twigs while the voice Tom will be provided by former companion Sophie Aldred, who played Ace alongside the Seventh Doctor in the 1980's. The series is aimed at 4-6-year-olds, and set in an enchanted world where movement creates magic.

Colin Baker is currently touring the UK playing the role of Count Fosco in the national tour of Wilkie Collins' classic ghost story The Woman in White. This tour runs into the Autumn and includes stops in Swansea, Guildford, Buxton, Worthing, Derby, Basingstoke, Crewe, Malvern and Taunton.

Robert Shearman, who wrote the 2005 story Dalek, will become writer-in-residence at Edinburgh's Napier University from September. The fantasy writer will advise students on the university's MA in creative writing course, a role previously held by Scottish novelist James Robertson.

Candy Jar Books are currently having a spring sale, with the price of Kangazang! now reduced. The audio version of the sci-fi tale stars former Doctor Colin Baker, who narrates and performs a number of characters within the story - see our previous article for more details.

Shaun Russell, director of the company, says:

You can find full details about the story and how to buy from the Kangazang! website.