The Zygon Inversion - Overnight Viewing Figures

Sunday, 8 November 2015 - Reported by Marcus
4.13 million viewers watched Doctor Who: The Zygon Inversion, according to unofficial overnight viewing figures.

Doctor Who had a share of 19.9% of the total TV audience for the day.

Top once more was the BBC celebrity dance show, Strictly Come Dancing, which had 9.17 million watching. The X Factor on ITV was second with 6.42 million viewers.

The Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance, live from the Royal Albert Hall had 5.39 million watching with gameshow Pointless Celebraties gewtting 4.57 million. Two editions of BBC News pushed Doctor Who into seventh place for the day. It currently stands at 40th for the week.

Final figures, including those who recorded the programme and who watch it within one week, will be published next week.




FILTER: - Ratings - Series 9/35 - UK

Doctor Who Extra - The Zygon Inversion

Sunday, 8 November 2015 - Reported by Marcus
Doctor Who Extra (Credit: BBC) The BBC have released clips looking behind the scenes of this week's episode of Doctor Who, The Zygon Inversion.




A full review of the episode can be found on Doctor Who Reviews




FILTER: - Series 9/35

Magician's Apprentice / Witch's Familiar Scripts Online

Saturday, 7 November 2015 - Reported by Marcus

The first two scripts of the current series of Doctor Who have been made available online, courtesy of the BBC Writer's Room.

The Magician's Apprentice and The Witch's Familiar, both written by Steven Moffat, are available to download, as part of the BBC's commitment to support and develop writers across the whole of BBC drama, comedy and children's departments.

Link to writers room




FILTER: - Series 9/35 - Steven Moffat

Downtime update

Friday, 6 November 2015 - Reported by Chuck Foster
KochMedia have now released a trailer for their forthcoming release of the unofficial Doctor Who spin-off from 1995, Downtime.

FIND THE LOCUS! ON DVD 16TH NOVEMBER (pre-order from Amazon)


Downtime is a unique British 1995 sci-fi movie from the Doctor Who universe (but unofficial) featuring treasured characters and talent from the franchise and only now released on DVD - it's a must see for fans of the Time Lord.

We follow The Brigadier (Nicholas Courtney - Doctor Who) and Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen - Doctor Who, The Sarah Jane Adventures) of UNIT who investigate New World University; a sinister school run by Victoria Waterfield and Professor Travers. The technology obsessed University holds a gateway to Earth made by classic foe the 'Great Intelligence'. Fighting alone this time - without their famous time-travelling scientific advisor - The Brigadier and Sarah Jane are hard pressed to decide who is friend or foe as they search for a missing Locus, which binds the Intelligence's power. The battle is broadened when the Brigadier's own family is threatened and UNIT faces a powerful new breed of Yeti!

Downtime is an unofficial sequel to the Second Doctor serials The Abominable Snowmen and The Web of Fear written by celebrated Doctor Who author Marc Platt.

Downtime (Credit: Koch Media) Downtime - New World University (Credit: Koch Media)

Starring Nicholas Courtney, Deborah Watling, Jack Watling and Elisabeth Sladen reprising their roles as Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, Victoria Waterfield, Professor Edward Travers and Sarah Jane Smith, respectively. Written by Mark Platt and Directed by Christopher Barry and Keith Barnfather.


Downtime Publicity Photos (Credit: Koch Media)Downtime Publicity Photos (Credit: Koch Media)Downtime Publicity Photos (Credit: Koch Media)Downtime Publicity Photos (Credit: Koch Media)Downtime Publicity Photos (Credit: Koch Media)Downtime Publicity Photos (Credit: Koch Media)Downtime Publicity Photos (Credit: Koch Media)Downtime Publicity Photos (Credit: Koch Media)Downtime Publicity Photos (Credit: Koch Media)Downtime Publicity Photos (Credit: Koch Media)Downtime Publicity Photos (Credit: Koch Media)Downtime Publicity Photos (Credit: Koch Media)Downtime Publicity Photos (Credit: Koch Media)

Competition

To be in with a chance to win a copy of the DVD of Downtime courtesy of Koch Media, simply answer the following question:
Downtime also features roles for John Leeson and Geoffrey Beevers, but which characters are they better known for playing in Doctor Who itself?
Please send your answers along with your name, address and where you heard about the competition (news site, news app, other website, etc.) to comp-downtime@doctorwhonews.net with the subject "The Internet is virally infected!". The competition is open to UK residents only, and closes on 23rd November 2015. Only one entry per household will be accepted.

(with thanks to Koch Media)




FILTER: - Blu-ray/DVD

Steven Moffat addresses Rumours of Short Series 10

Friday, 6 November 2015 - Reported by Marcus
Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat, has responded to tabloid rumours stating that next years series of Doctor Who would be cut down to allow Peter Capaldi to pursue other projects.

Talking to RadioTimes.com Moffat confirmed that Series 10 of Doctor Who would consist of 12 episodes plus a Christmas Special.
It’s not being reduced in size. We’re not making fewer episodes. That’s all complete bunk. I can confirm that absolutely.
The comment came after today's Mirror Newspaper reported that the next series would consist of only 6 episodes due to Capaldi's work on other projects, and follows speculation in other papers that the series would be cut due to Moffat's commitment to the Sherlock series.

Peter Capaldi also addressed rumours of the cut when asked by the BBC Entertainment correspondent Lizo Mzimba if the reports of a half season next year were accurate.
Not as far as I know. That's not what I've been told. That's not what I'm contracted for.
The actor told The Guardian that he was disappointed by the scheduling of this years series, with episodes currently following the dancing series Strictly Come Dancing.
I feel it’s slightly used as a pawn in a Saturday night warfare. I feel as if it should go out at 7.30pm or around that time.

I see a lot of kids and a lot of families and these families who all love Doctor Who want to sit down and watch it together. Once you get past 8.15pm, you’re getting yourself into adult territory and although a lot of adults really like it, at its heart, it’s designed to do a lot of entertaining of children as well. So I think it begins to move into a zone it doesn’t quite belong in.
The timeslot was also addressed by the Showrunner, when asked about reports of falling viewing figures.
I don’t think 8.25pm is brilliant for Doctor Who. If there’s a slight, and it’s only a slight, drop off, it’s I think, that’s not where Doctor Who’s meant to be. Doctor Who’s not designed and built to go out at 8.25pm. It’s for earlier in the evening. We’re doing fine, once you put the consolidated and then if you do the wicked thing that you’re not supposed to do of adding on iPlayer as well, we’re doing fine
The transmission date of the series 10 has not been confirmed, but production is not likely to begin until May next year, meaning the start date would be pushed back beyond Autumn 2016. A new Doctor Who spin off series Class is also due to enter production at BBC Wales next year using capacity currently occupied by the Doctor Who team.

Steven Moffat told Radio Times
I don’t know when it goes out. That’s up to someone else. And even if I did know – which I genuinely don’t – I wouldn’t be allowed to say so as I have absolutely no say in it whatsoever.




FILTER: - Production - Series 10/36

Moments in Time - Farewell Vicki

Friday, 6 November 2015 - Reported by Marcus
Moments in TimeOn Saturday 6th November 1965, exactly fifty years ago today, we said goodbye to space orphan Vicki, when actress Maureen O'Brien appeared in Doctor Who for the very last time.

Vicki had joined the Doctor, Ian and Barbara in the story The Rescue, shown at the start of the year, filling the void left by the departure of the Doctor's granddaughter Susan. Together the crew had voyaged through space and time, from ancient Rome to medieval England, from mysterious Vortis to the deserts of Aridius and from the barren planet Xeros to the jungles of Mechanus. The four had fled from Daleks and Drahvins, battled Zarbi and Mechanoids and befriended Kings and peasants.

In the end it was love that saw Vicki leave the Doctor in the story The Myth Makers. When the TARDIS landed near Troy, she fell in love with Troilus, the son of the trojan King Priam, who changed her name to Cressida, She left the Doctor to forge a life with the trojan prince, thus earning a place in history and in time, becoming a character in a Shakespearian tragedy, based on events taking place some 3000 years before her birth.

While Vicki's departure was a concious decision for the character, it was a shock to the actor portraying her. Maureen O'Brien had returned from the summer break to attend rehearsals for the new series at the North Kensington Community centre, only to discover the character was being dropped at the end of the first story. Believing that O'Brien wished to leave the series, new producer John Wiles had decided to replace the character of Vicki, with a new character, Katarina, who would be introduced towards the end of the story. However nobody had thought to tell O'Brien.
We went off on our six week break, and when I came back I expected to find the next four scripts waiting for me, And there weren't any scripts. If they had offered me another contract I might have been torn, because even £50 a week was a lot of money. I suppose I was angry because I had gone on holiday and I would rather have been looking for work.
Script editor Donald Tosh took up the story
The writing out of Vicki is one of the things I really regret about my time in Doctor Who, because it was unfortunately so badly handled. I understood that Maureen wanted to go. We got to the first read through and Maureen arrives absolutely furious, because nobody had told her. It was deeply deeply embarrassing
Maureen O'Brien (Credit: Jean-Christophe Rey) Like many departing Doctor Who companions O'Brien found that staring in a weekly TV series, watched by up to 13 million viewers each week, was no guarantee of further work. Typecasting was a real problem and roles sparse. Before taking on the role she was became a founding member of the Everyman Theatre in her native Liverpool. Upon leaving the series worked as a supply teacher at a girl's school in Kennington, before returning to the theatre. Small TV roles followed in series such as Emergency-Ward 10 and Z Cars.

In 1979 O'Brien played Morgan le Fay in the BBC adaptation of The Legend of King Arthur and she later won the role of Elizabeth Straker in the medical drama Casualty. Other roles included appearances in Cracker, Bergerac, Jonathan Creek, The Bill, Heartbeat and A Touch of Frost.

In addition to televison work O'Brien has had an extensive career in the theatre both as a performer and a director. In 1986 she was awarded the Time Out's Critic's Choice for her production of Mike English's Getting In . She has twice won the Sony Best Actress award for her work on radio and also has awards for audiobooks of which she continues to record a huge range.

In 1989 she had her first novel published, Close-Up on Death featuring the character of Detective Inspector John Bright. Six more novels featuring the character followed. She is also a playwright with her play The Cutting nominated Best Play in the London Fringe Awards and Best Newcomer in the Evening Standard Drama Awards.

Maureen O'Brien has returned to the role of Vicki in the Companion Chronicles produced by Big Finish. In 2013 she appeared at the 50th Anniversary Festival in London talking about her time with the series and her affection for the first Doctor.
My role was to laugh Bill out of his five or six tempers each day. I did it very happily. He was a charming creature in spite of his irascibility. He was very fond of me, and I of him.
Sources: Official Website; The End of the Line - documentary produced by Ed Stradling for the DVD release of The Gunfighters; The Handbook: The First Doctor – The William Hartnell Years: 1963-1966, David J Howe, Mark Stammers, Stephen James Walker (Doctor Who Books, 1994)




FILTER: - Moments in Time

Doctor Who Christmas Cards

Thursday, 5 November 2015 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Christmas Card for 2015 (Credit: Doctor Who Appreciation Society)Following on from last year's design, the Doctor Who Appreciation Society have released a new Doctor Who themed Christmas card for the 2015 season, the profits of which are to be donated to the Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital Trust, whose vice president is sixth Doctor and the Society's own honorary president, Colin Baker.

The cards are A5-sized and can be purchased worldwide - full details can be found via the DWAS website.





FILTER: - Fan Productions

New Eighth and Eleventh Doctor Comics

Thursday, 5 November 2015 - Reported by Marcus
Two new comics are released this week, featuring the Eighth and the Eleventh Doctor's.
DOCTOR WHO: THE EIGHTH DOCTOR #1

I'M THE DOCTOR, AND I'D VERY MUCH LIKE TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING IN MY HOUSE..."

Get ready for an all-new season of comics adventures featuring the Eighth Doctor, as played by Paul McGann in the Doctor Who movie, fan-favorite minisode Night of the Doctor... and over fourteen years (and counting!) of astounding Big Finish audio spectaculars!

Five amazing, interconnected new stories take the Doctor on a rollercoaster of threat and misadventure, as he investigates the mysteries surrounding his new companion Josie. Victorian magic shows, murderous trees, lost books, crystalline life-forms, barges in space crammed with the undead... and the grand journey all begins in a sleepy Welsh town... besieged by living paintings!

Buckle up for a wild ride that embraces all the Gothic Romance and interstellar terror of the Doctor's eighth incarnation!

Eighth Doctor Mini-Series #1 (Credit: Titan)Eighth Doctor Mini-Series #1 (Credit: Titan)Eighth Doctor Mini-Series #1 (Credit: Titan)Eighth Doctor Mini-Series #1 (Credit: Titan)Eighth Doctor Mini-Series #1 (Credit: Titan)Eighth Doctor Mini-Series #1 (Credit: Titan)Eighth Doctor Mini-Series #1 (Credit: Titan)Eighth Doctor Mini-Series #1 (Credit: Titan)
Eighth Doctor Mini-Series #1 (Credit: Titan)Eighth Doctor Mini-Series #1 (Credit: Titan)Eighth Doctor Mini-Series #1 (Credit: Titan)Eighth Doctor Mini-Series #1 (Credit: Titan)
DOCTOR WHO: THE ELEVENTH DOCTOR #2.2

DISCOVER THE TRUTH -- ON THE RUN!

The breathless chase through time and space continues, with the Doctor and Alice on the run over a crime committed by one of his previous incarnations! This issue - things get complicated, quick, as a chainsword-wielding freelancer boards the TARDIS. Is he friend, foe, or something even worse?! With only minutes left before the implant in Alice's head gives their location away to the transtemporal bounty hunters on their tail, the Doctor won't have time to weigh his options - and the consequences will be heavy!

DOCTOR WHO: THE ELEVENTH DOCTOR #2.2DOCTOR WHO: THE ELEVENTH DOCTOR #2.2DOCTOR WHO: THE ELEVENTH DOCTOR #2.2DOCTOR WHO: THE ELEVENTH DOCTOR #2.2DOCTOR WHO: THE ELEVENTH DOCTOR #2.2DOCTOR WHO: THE ELEVENTH DOCTOR #2.2DOCTOR WHO: THE ELEVENTH DOCTOR #2.2




FILTER: - Comics - Eighth Doctor - Eleventh Doctor

BBC Store launches in the United Kingdom

Thursday, 5 November 2015 - Reported by Chuck Foster
The BBC have launched the BBC Store, a new online "shop" aiming to open up a wealth of archive material, both old and new, to viewers in the United Kingdom to "buy and keep" digitally.

Marcus Arthur, MD of BBC Worldwide & ANZ, said:
We want BBC Store to do for digital ownership what BBC iPlayer did for catch up. BBC Store makes digital ownership really easy for audiences and means that we can begin opening up the incredible BBC television archive.
Bal Samra, Commercial Director of the BBC said:
BBC Store will make more of the treasure trove of BBC programmes available than ever before. This is a result of a collaborative partnership that the BBC has led, bringing together the whole of the creative industry and BBC Worldwide, and which will establish a route to sustainable commercial returns to more of the sector.
Dan Taylor-Watt, Head of BBC iPlayer said:
The launch of BBC Store coincides with a significant milestone in the evolution of BBC iPlayer: the addition of ‘Places to buy’ links, enabling users to discover programmes to buy and keep and to watch BBC Store purchases back on iPlayer.

The BBC Store (Credit: BBC Worldwide)

For Doctor Who the launch makes all nine series of the modern era available to purchase, either as each complete series or individual episodes (with the current series being added to as they are broadcast). The animated adventure The Infinite Quest is also available for purchase. For the 'classic' era there are currently an "editorial selection" available to represent each Doctor:
  • First Doctor: The Edge of Destruction, The Aztecs, The Sensorites, Planet of Giants, The Rescue, The Web Planet, The Space Museum, The Ark, The Gunfighters, and The War Machines (The Daleks can also be found in the Search)
  • Second Doctor: The Underwater Menace, The Tomb of the Cybermen, The Enemy of the World, The Krotons, The Seeds of Death
  • Third Doctor: all, barring Day of the Daleks, and Planet of the Daleks (Inferno and Death to the Daleks can also be found in the Search)
  • Fourth Doctor: all, barring Terror of the Zygons, The Android Invasion, The Seeds of Doom, Destiny of the Daleks, and City of Death
  • Fifth Doctor: all, barring Enlightenment, The Five Doctors, and Resurrection of the Daleks
  • Sixth Doctor: The Twin Dilemma and The Two Doctors only
  • Seventh Doctor: all, barring Paradise Towers and Remembrance of the Daleks
  • Eighth Doctor: the TV Movie is currently unavailable

For factual programming, you can also find the 50th anniversary documentary The Ultimate Guide and the three programmes that made up Doctor Who's Greatest Moments; the 50th anniversary drama An Adventure in Space and Time is also listed. For the spin-off series, Torchwood has Series One, Children of Earth and Miracle Day (but not Series Two!), whilst none of The Sarah Jane Adventures are currently available.

Prices can range from £1.89 for single episodes through to £21.99 for Series Nine.




FILTER: - Merchandise - Online

Peter Capaldi talks to BBC Radio 1

Wednesday, 4 November 2015 - Reported by Marcus
Peter Capaldi today talked to The Radio 1 Breakfast Show with Nick Grimshaw about Jenna Coleman’s unexpected last Doctor Who scene and Maisie Williams teasing him with Game of Thrones spoilers.

Capaldi talked about the international success of the show and how much he is enjoying the role.
You wake up in the morning and think I'm going to blow up some Daleks...It's just a gas. How could you not like that.
He spoke about working with Jenna Coleman and how it was filming her departure from the series.
It was really sad. She's great fun and just wonderful to work with. I've had a great time with her...She was fabulous in her last scene. It is very clever what happens in it, but very sad. Really sad. Get lots of hankies ready.
Caplaidi also talked about working with Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams, confirming the character will return in episode 10 of the current series.
She's just such a laugh. She keeps teaching me new words because she thinks I'm a really ancient old guy. She's great to have around.
An upcoming episode features just Capaldi as the Doctor, with no other characters in the story.
Because its just you, you work much more closely with the rest of the crew. It makes you realise how much you bounce off other actors. It's a really strange episode but I don't want to give anything away.
Peter Capalid was also asked about the future of the Sonic Glasses and whether the Sonic Screwdriver would be back.
I think those fans of the sonic screwdriver should not fret. Fear not. Don't lose any sleep. But I do like the shades.
You can listen to the whole interview on the BBC iPlayer (from 02:23:46 in)




FILTER: - Peter Capaldi