The British satellite channel UKGold is having two Doctor Who marathon days in May, on May 5 and 26, showing every complete Dalek story. Monday May 5's list is The Daleks (7:20am), The Dalek Invasion of Earth (10:45am), The Day of the Daleks (1:35pm), Planet of the Daleks (3:25pm) and Death to the Daleks (6:05pm). Monday May 26's schedule is Genesis of the Daleks (9:50am), Destiny of the Daleks (12:35pm), Resurrection of the Daleks (2:30pm), Revelation of the Daleks (4:20pm) and Remebrance of the Daleks (6:10pm). These are being broadcast from the standard masters (i.e. no remastering has been done). (Thanks to BBCi, Phillip Madeley)

The UK magazine "TV Zone" says that Earthshock, the Doctor Who story starring Peter Davison, Janet Fielding, Sarah Sutton and Matthew Waterhouse, will be out in the UK on DVD on August 4. While "Earthshock" has been one of the DVDs touted for release this year, there has been nothing official to substantiate this. (Thanks to Carl Akers)

Big Finish has revealed some details for some imminent projects. First, the cover illustration by Lee Binding for Music from the Seventh Doctor Adventures is available; this disc, forthcoming shortly, features the music from "Bang-Bang-a-Boom!" (music by Andy Hardwick), "Dust Breeding" (music by Russell Stone) and "The Rapture" (music by Jim Mortimore). Also now online is the cover illustration (by Clay Hickman) and cover blurb details (below) for A Universe of Terrors, the third in BF's "Short Trips" anthology series due out in June; details are below. Finally, BF today released the cast information for this May's Creatures of Beauty starring Peter Davison and Sarah Sutton; guest starring in this adventure is actor David Daker (whose many Doctor Who roles include Irongron in "The Time Warrior" and Captain Rigg in "Nightmare of Eden") as Gilbrook, David Mallinson as Brodlik, Jemma Churchill as Lady Forleon, Nigel Hastings as Quain, Michael Smiley as Seedleson, Philip Wolff as Murone, Emma Manton as Veline and Nicholas Briggs as The Koteem. (Thanks to Big Finish)




SHORT TRIPS 3: A UNIVERSE OF TERRORS
Edited by John Binns

'There are some corners of the universe which have bred the most terrible thing...'

Join the Doctor on a journey to the darkest corners of the universe, from an alien world tyrannised by a god-like machine, to the British retreat from Afghanistan in 1842. Discover the secrets of the TARDIS's original owner, and of three faceless creatures stranded in 21st century Hollywood.

And finally, if you can, face the terrors that lurk in your own heart, and in your dreams...

Fourteen brand new adventures for reading after dark!

This collection features fourteen exclusive short stories from veterans of the Doctor Who universe including Marc Platt, Lance Parkin, Robert Shearman, Jonathan Morris and Trevor Baxendale and from several authors new to it, including acclaimed fantasy novelist Juliet E McKenna.

A Universe of Terrors is compiled and edited by John Binns who in the early Nineties edited the regular Doctor Who fiction collection Silver Carrier, in which many of today's Doctor Who novelists and television script-writers sharpened their teeth.

'We all have a universe of our own terrors to face'
Doctor Who: Ghost Light, by Marc Platt

For 40 years, the battered doors of a police telephone box have been our gateway to other times, and other worlds: worlds that have been at turns disturbing, frightening, horrific and surreal. Through several generations, a large part of the series’ appeal has been its ability to shock and scare us, defying the best efforts of well-meaning parents and censors.

In contrast to its rivals in the genre, Doctor Who has portrayed a universe peopled not with human-like cultures working their way towards peace, but with unspeakable demons and monsters, killer robots, and creatures that lurk in the dark. Where more conventional sci-fi series have used other worlds to explore the science of space travel or the human condition, Doctor Who followed the tradition of the B-movies of the Fifties and of the Quatermass television serials, in which the existence of space/time travel and alien life was not an intellectual curiosity but an excuse to frighten children and adults out of their wits.

A Universe of Terrors brings Doctor Who fiction back to those roots, and explores the darkest corners of the Doctor's universe. It is a journey that takes in not just alien and physical terrors, but also those of our own world, and of our own personal nightmares. It also depicts a progression in the Doctor’s own lives, from the moment he and his grand-daughter Susan first stepped aboard a stolen TARDIS, to an uncertain future in which the boundaries between good and evil become irrevocably blurred.

Stories include:

The Exiles by Lance Parkin
Mire and Clay by Gareth Wigmore
Ash by Trevor Baxendale
Face-Painter by Tara Samms
Losing Track of Time by Juliet E McKenna
The Discourse of Flies by Jeremy Daw
The Fear by Alex Leithes
Maurtiz by Jonathan Morris
The Comet's Tail by John Binns
Soul Mates by David Bailey
Long Term by Andrew Campbell
The Death of Me by Robert Shearman
Whiskey and Water by Marc Platt
Gazing Void by Huw Wilkins

The book also features original poetry by William Keith.

In a post to the Outpost Gallifrey Forum, director Nicholas Pegg noted that the long-awaited BBCi debut of Shada, the third webcast with Paul McGann, Lalla Ward and John Leeson, would be on Friday, May 2. (Thanks to Nick Pegg)

BBC Worldwide has at long last officially confirmed the release of The Talons of Weng-Chiang on DVD, according to BBCi and an official from the BBC Press Office. The Doctor Who Restoration Team have now posted an article about the restoration of "Talons" and the various extras included in the two-disc set, due out April 28. The DVD release was rumored to be delayed by the BBC's distributor, Technicolor, only a few days ago, but the rights problems associated with the "Whose Doctor Who" special on the release were worked out recently (indeed, Outpost Gallifrey has learned, two days before the Doctor Who Appreciation Society heard of the delay from Technicolor!) The extras and includes on the disc have been widely reported. (Thanks to BBCi)

Issue #329 of Doctor Who Magazine has been previewed by BBCi. Among the items included in the new issue are "The Brain of Morbius" in the Archives, the final chapter of Gareth Roberts' article "Guess Who?," interviews with composer Dudley Simpson and actor David Collings ("The Robots of Death"), a one-off comic special called "Where Nobody Knows Your Name", the Time Team and reviews & news and more. The issue is due out April 3. The cover illustration is at right. (Thanks to BBCi)

The Doctor Who hardcover anniversary book we reported several days ago now has a title: Doctor Who: The Legend. Contrary to the report on BBCi the book is actually written by Justin Richards, not co-written with Andrew Pixley (who pointed this out in a post on the Outpost Gallifrey forum). It is said to be "the most comprehensive guide to the series ever" and will be out on November 13. (Thanks to BBCi, Justin Richards, Andrew Pixley)

The new BBC Worldwide catalog lists a forthcoming Doctor Who hardback book due out this November (as yet untitled) by Justin Richards. Says the press info: "An extra-large format, lavishly illustrated book, encapsulating forty years of tea-time travel. This epic publication takes the reader on a journey through four decades of television history, covering every one of the television stories. Each entry includes a summary of events, new facts about the Doctors and other key players, and new behind-the-scenes information. Beautifully illustrated with a vast collection of previously unpublished pictures from archives and private collections, this is the book to end all books - an absolute must-have for any DOCTOR WHO fan. There is something for everyone in this spectacular book. Die-hard fans will find the overview of the series that they always wanted and the general public will appreciate the stylish presentation of the how and why of WHO." The book is due November 20 and is 368 pages, with 500 photos, and is priced at £40.00.

While The Dalek Invasion of Earth is rumored to be due out in June on BBC DVD (yet unconfirmed by the BBC Press Office), the BBFC (British Board of Film Censors), which issue ratings for UK releases, has issued information on the available extras on this release. According to BBFC, the DVD release (rated as "PG") includes the following (with thanks to Tim Parker):

00:00:10:00 | THE DALEK INVASION OF EARTH
00:00:35:23 | TRAILERS - DR. WHO
00:01:03:08 | TRAILERS - DOCTOR WHO
00:01:10:15 | CGI FEATURETTE
00:01:03:20 | CGI SEQUENCE A
00:01:49:12 | CGI SEQUENCE B
00:00:57:13 | CGI SEQUENCE C
00:01:38:01 | CGI SEQUENCE D
00:00:25:24 | EASTER EGG 1
00:00:46:02 | EASTER EGG 2
00:00:30:01 | EASTER EGG 3
00:07:51:20 | BLUE PETER
00:14:03:22 | WAYNE & SHUSTER
00:10:28:05 | TALKING DALEKS
00:00:22:22 | EXTRAS DISC INTRO
00:06:57:05 | NOW AND THEN
00:45:21:00 | FUTURE MEMORIES
00:17:46:18 | FUTURE VISIONS
00:06:01:10 | SCRIPT TO SCREEN
00:01:41:07 | REHEARSAL FILM
00:03:44:01 | PHOTO GALLERY

The Stamp Centre in Britain has issued a new collection of First Day covers, featuring scenes from the two 1960's Doctor Who films starring Peter Cushing under the heading "Movie Moments". First up, one based on 'Dr Who & The Daleks', personally signed by Jennie Linden; the other, based on 'Daleks Invasion Earth 2150AD', personally signed by Bernard Cribbins. Click on each for a larger version. (Thanks to Nigel Potter)