Tales of the TARDIS Launches on The Whoniverse

Monday, 30 October 2023 - Reported by Marcus

The Doctor (PETER DAVIDSON);Tegan (JANET FIELDING) (Credit: BBC Studios)

This week marks the launch of The Whoniverse, the place where British Doctor Who fans can find resources on every era of the programme.

From the 1st of November, The Whoniverse will become the official name, and dedicated home, for all shows within the orbit of Doctor Who which will live on BBC iPlayer. With over 800 episodes of Doctor Who content already in the back catalogue, The Whoniverse will launch with a brand new logo, and every piece of Doctor Who content will carry a brand new ident, instantly bringing all the Doctor Who worlds together in one place and it will continuously expand.

One story likely to be missing from The Whoniverse will be the first-ever story of Doctor Who, An Unearthly Child. A dispute between the BBC and the estate of Anthony Coburn, the credited writer of the story, means that the four episodes of this story will not, for now, appear on the service.

The first exclusive content to land in the Whoniverse will be Tales of the TARDIS a brand new six-part series that reunites beloved classic Doctor Who duos, as they board a very special TARDIS on a nostalgic voyage through space and time.

Reprising their roles as the Doctor and companions to go on a timey-wimey spin down memory lane in these unmissable adventures are; Maureen O’Brien and Peter Purves, Frazer Hines and Wendy Padbury, Katy Manning and Daniel Anthony, Peter Davison and Janet Fielding, Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant, and Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred.

These Doctor Who legends step back into character to reflect on their adventures and in the process they discover something new, leaving viewers with a new insight into the story of each timeless pair.

Over six parts, each episode of Tales of the TARDIS features a different duo, with brand new scenes woven together with classic episodes to create a feature-length omnibus episode.

Steven (PETER PURVES);Vicki (MAUREEN O'BRIEN) (Credit: BBC Studios)

The Doctor (SYLVESTER MCCOY);Ace (SOPHIE ALDRED) (Credit: BBC Studios)

Jamie (FRAZER HINES);Zoe (WENDY PADBURY) (Credit: BBC Studios)

Jo (KATY MANNING);Clyde (DANIEL ANTHONY) (Credit: BBC Studios)

Peri (NICOLA BRYANT);The Doctor (COLIN BAKER) (Credit: BBC Studios)

With new scenes written by Showrunner Russell T Davies and previous Doctor Who writers Phil Ford and Pete McTighe, Tales of the TARDIS allows fans to rediscover the stories they love whilst inviting new viewers to explore the vast mythology of the Doctor.

Russell T Davies, Doctor Who Showrunner says:

“The word Whoniverse was invented by fans, so it’s time to give it official status. And Tales of the TARDIS is one of the greatest delights of my career - to see old Doctors and companions reunited, still fighting the good fight, is a perfect way to celebrate the Doctor’s 60th birthday!”

Dan McGolpin, Director of iPlayer and Channels added:

“I’m delighted to welcome Tales of the TARDIS exclusively to BBC iPlayer, the home of Doctor Who, which is consistently one of our most popular programmes every single week of the year. Tales of the TARDIS will sit within The Whoniverse and features brand new and incredibly moving scenes with well-loved characters; it will be a fantastic starting point for a new generation to discover some of the most classic episodes and a joyous way for longstanding fans to catch up with old friends.”

Viewers can discover Tales Of The TARDIS when The Whoniverse launches on 1st November, with the extensive back catalogue of Doctor Who.

FILTER: - Doctor Who - iPlayer - Documentary

Talking Doctor Who

Tuesday, 24 October 2023 - Reported by Marcus

David Tennant is to host a documentary on BBC Four to mark the 60th Anniversary of Doctor Who.

In the programme, shown next Wednesday, Tennant time travels back through the BBC archives to tell the story of the Doctor’s classic era, with a selection of rarely seen interviews and clips covering William Hartnell’s first incarnation right through to the seventh Doctor, Sylvester McCoy.

On the way, Tennant compares some of his own experiences with the actors who came before him and shares special archive moments that reveal, amongst other things, how to film a regeneration, which actor was a master of modern gadgetry - including a collapsible caravan - and what the factors were that helped to decide how a Doctor selects his own individual and distinctive costume.

Viewers in the UK can see the programme on BBC Four on Wednesday 1st November at 7.30pm.

FILTER: - David Tennant - Documentary

Access All Areas Doctor Who Special - Tonight - Radio 2

Thursday, 21 December 2017 - Reported by Marcus

A reminder that Jo Whiley’s Access All Areas Doctor Who Special, airs at 8pm tonight on BBC Radio 2.

The programme features an interview with Peter Capaldi as he films his last appearance as the Twelfth Doctor.

On working with David Bradley

David’s absolutely fantastic; I’ve always admired David as an actor. He’s extraordinarily powerful and skilled. He’s been around for so long and really knows what he’s doing but that’s great. The way that he’s sort of created this version of the first Doctor is incredible because he really looks like him but he also acts like him, he acts like William Hartnell.

On working with Steven Moffat

He’s one of the wittiest, funniest people that I’ve ever met. I think Steven could have easily been a stand-up comedian in another life. One of the most entertaining things I will always remember about Doctor Who is at the start of each season, he asks me around to his house and he will tell me what’s going to happen to the Doctor and he will go through all twelve episodes, just himself in his kitchen describing it all and it’s absolutely hilarious. It’s doubly hilarious as you go on because obviously some of the episodes don’t turn out quite as well as he’s described them, or don’t have quite as much money and are a little less focused. But he’s just a brilliant, brilliant writer. Just today we’re doing a scene which is close to the end… we’re all very concerned about how the twelfth Doctor leaves us so we’re hypersensitive about trying to make it the best we possibly can. I had expressed a little discomfort about one of the scenes leading towards the end and he re-wrote it, he re-wrote completely and quite brilliantly overnight which is fantastic; the down side is I have to learn it.

On why he decided to leave leaving Doctor Who

I realised that there’s only so much you can do and keep it fresh. I’ve never really been in a long running television series…. I’ve never been in something where you work every day for nine months of the year filming and I’ve loved it but I sort of thought if I do another year I might just start getting used to everything and that’s not the way I’ve been. I’ve always been somebody who wanted to have artistic challenges, enjoy myself and do new things.

When asked by Jo if he feels blessed for being a part of Doctor Who

I can’t even begin to tell you. Blessed isn’t a big enough word. It’s extraordinary, I keep saying privileged isn’t even a big enough word. It’s just a magical thing, to have had this time it’s just been amazing and extraordinary because there are only twelve of us so far who have been in this position. But it is a place where you see such kindness and you see such love and you see how good people are and also you can enter people’s lives in a very very positive way and you see great things. That will never happen again, there isn’t another part where that can happen and so that has been an extraordinarily privileged place to be.

His advice to the next Doctor

Strap yourself in because it’s a rollercoaster but enjoy every second because it’s brilliant.

Jo Whiley also catches up with the stars of the series on the set including Pearl Mackie, David Bradley, Exec Producer Steven Moffat. Plus, she hears from outgoing companion, Matt Lucas, and digs into the BBC Doctor Who archive.

There will be stories from behind the scenes including how Matt approaches being recognised by fans, the radical ways in which Pearl’s life has changed, Pele’s reaction to signing a Brazil shirt for the Doctor and how Doctor Who has always been with Peter Capaldi – from dressing up as a Dalek as a child, to karaoke singalongs to The Killers all in the name of getting into character.

Plus, Radio 2 listeners will find out which member of the team has a penchant for Chas and Dave!

The programme can be heard at 2000 GMT on BBC Radio 2, which is available worldwide on the BBC iPlayer. After transmission, it will be available to listen again for one month

FILTER: - Doctor Who - Documentary - Twelfth Doctor

Access All Areas - Doctor Who Special

Thursday, 23 November 2017 - Reported by Marcus

As the Twelfth Doctor approaches his final story, BBC Radio Two is to broadcast a two hour special documentary looking behind the scenes of Doctor Who.

Broadcast on Thursday 21 December at 8pm, the programme sees Jo Whiley gain exclusive access to the Doctor Who team. She catches up with the stars of the series on the set - including Pearl Mackie, David Bradley, Exec Producer Steven Moffat, and the Doctor himself, Peter Capaldi. She also hears from outgoing companion Matt Lucas, and digs into the BBC Doctor Who archive.

There will be stories from behind the scenes, including how Lucas approaches being recognised by fans; the radical ways in which Mackie's life has changed; Pele’s reaction to signing a Brazil shirt for the Doctor and how Doctor Who has always been with Peter Capaldi - from dressing up as a Dalek as a child to karaoke singalongs to The Killers (all in the name of getting into character).

Plus, Radio 2 listeners will find out which member of the team has a penchant for Chas and Dave

BBC Radio 2 can be heard worldwide via the BBC Radio iPlayer.

FILTER: - Documentary - Peter Capaldi - Radio

Robot Orchestra perform Doctor Who theme

Wednesday, 24 December 2014 - Reported by Marcus

The BBC have released a clip from a forthcoming Royal Institution Christmas Lecture featuring a Robot orchestra performing the Doctor Who theme.

The lecture, entitled A New Revolution is due to be shown on BBC Four next Wednesday at 8pm.

YouTube - Robot orchestra perform Doctor Who theme - Royal Institution Christmas Lectures 2014 - BBC Four

FILTER: - Documentary

The Real History of Science Fiction

Tuesday, 11 March 2014 - Reported by Marcus

A new documentary series from BBC Two and BBC America will delve into the real history of science fiction with filmmakers, writers, actors and graphic artists looking back on their experiences and on how their obsession and imagination has taken them into the unknown.

The Real History of Science Fiction will cover programmes from Star Wars to 2001: A Space Odyssey, and from Jurassic Park to Doctor Who. Each program is packed with contributors behind these creations and traces the developments of Robots, Space, Invasion and Time. Narrated by Mark Gatiss, Doctor Who writer, actor and co-creator of the BBC’s Sherlock, the series determines why science fiction is not merely a genre... for its audience it’s a portal to a multi-verse – one that is all too easy to get lost in.

Among those taking part are: William Shatner (Star Trek), Nathan Fillion (Firefly), Zoe Saldana (Avatar, Star Trek), Steven Moffat (Doctor Who), Richard Dreyfuss (Close Encounters of the Third Kind), Chris Carter (The X-Files), Ronald D Moore (Battlestar Galactica), John Landis (An American Werewolf in London, Schlock), David Tennant (Doctor Who), Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future), Rutger Hauer (Blade Runner), John Carpenter (Dark Star, The Thing), Karen Gillan (Doctor Who), Neil Gaiman (The Sandman, Stardust), Kim Stanley Robinson (Mars Trilogy), Scott Bakula (Quantum Leap, Star Trek: Enterprise), Ursula K Le Guin (The Left Hand of Darkness), Syd Mead (Blade Runner), Kenny Baker (Star Wars), Anthony Daniels (Star Wars), Nichelle Nichols (Star Trek), Peter Weller (Robocop), Edward James Olmos (Blade Runner, Battlestar Galactica) and many more.

The four part series debuts in America on Saturday April 19 at 10pm ET. BBC Two has yet to confirm a transmission date.

EPISODE 1 – ROBOTS
What if our creations turn against us? The idea of creating life has fascinated society since the earliest days of science fiction. The first installment of the four-part series, Robots transports viewers from the first steps of Frankenstein’s monster to the threat provided by the Terminator and the world of Cyberspace. Find out how Rutger Hauer created one of the greatest speeches in all of science fiction for Blade Runner. Discover from Kenny Baker the challenge of acting in Star Wars while inside the body of R2D2, and learn how Anthony Daniels was drawn to the role of C-3PO by concept art modeled closely on the robot from the silent classic Metropolis. Douglas Trumbull (2001: A Space Odyssey, Blade Runner) discusses how he managed to create a whole new approach to robot design. The creators of the original Robocop describe how its hidden depths have given it enduring appeal and William Gibson reveals the origins of his seminal novel Neuromancer. From HAL in 2001: A Space Odyssey to the Cylons of the reimagined Battlestar Galactica and the world of The Matrix, this is a journey that asks – what does it mean to be human?

EPISODE 2 – SPACE
What if we could explore the vastness of Space? Science fiction has always fed upon our need to explore – to wonder what is out there. Space journeys from Jules Verne’s earliest ideas about attempts to leave our planet, to the Star Wars far away galaxy through to Nichelle Nichols revealing how her groundbreaking role as Lt. Uhura in Star Trek led to her participation in the recruitment of NASA’s astronauts. It explores the deep sea inspiration for Avatar, finds out why Ursula K Le Guin wrote The Left Hand of Darkness and discovers how Stanley Kubrick was able to make 2001: A Space Odyssey seem so believable. In addition, the program looks at the way Dune and The Mars Trilogy embraced the challenge of world building and discusses the appeal of the beaten up ‘dirty space’ of Dark Star and Firefly. From the horrifying scenes of Alien, to the epic spectacle of Star Wars, this is a journey to the stars and the alien encounters that await us there.

EPISODE 3 – INVASION
What if aliens landed on Earth? Much of science fiction explores the moment of first contact – what will people do when the aliens land? From H. G. Wells’ pioneering The War of the Worlds to Independence Day, Men in Black and District 9, Invasion deals with our fears of alien invasions of earth. David Tennant explains the appeal of Doctor Who’s Daleks and Cybermen while John Carpenter and Chris Carter explore the rich appeal of the paranoia fuelled by hidden aliens with The Thing and The X-Files. It also asks, what if the monsters were our own creation? With the aid of rarely seen animation tests, Phil Tippett takes us behind the scenes in the creation of the dinosaurs of Jurassic Park. But not all invasions are hostile. Peter Coyote and Richard Dreyfuss discuss the creation of Spielberg’s spellbinding classics E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. There is more than one kind of invasion.

EPISODE 4 – TIME
What if we could travel not just through space, but through time itself? If you could travel through time, would you change the past or the future? What if you found it couldn’t be changed? What price does the time traveller – and the people they are closest to – pay? This is a journey from H. G. Wells The Time Machine through ideas like The Grandfather Paradox and The Butterfly Effect to the professional time traveller that is the ever popular Doctor Who. Steven Moffat, David Tennant, Karen Gillan and Neil Gaiman offer a unique perspective on the Doctor. Edward James Olmos reveals the hidden meaning of the language he created for the vision of the future that is Blade Runner. Bob Gale and Christopher Lloyd take us behind the scenes of Back to the Future, while Ed Solomon describes the joy of solving a time travel conundrum for Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. But what would be the physical and emotional cost to the time traveller? Audrey Niffenegger explains what inspired her novel The Time Traveller’s Wife. And what if someone from the future tried to travel back in time to warn us? Would we believe them? From the apocalyptic tones of 12 Monkeys to the drama of Quantum Leap and the comedy of Groundhog Day, time travel is a subject that has been irresistible to the creators of every type of science fiction.

FILTER: - USA - Documentary - BBC America - UK - Broadcasting

Behind the Lens - The Day of the Doctor

Saturday, 23 November 2013 - Reported by Marcus

The BBC has released a video looking behind the lens on the 50th Anniversary episode.

Voiced by the Sixth Doctor, Colin Baker, the video features Matt Smith, David Tennant and Jenna Coleman with Billie Piper and John Hurt, as well as lead writer and executive producer Steven Moffat, discussing their 50th Anniversary experiences.

A look behind the scenes of the making of The Day of the Doctor. (YouTube)

FILTER: - Documentary - Day of the Doctor - WHO50

Doctor Who: Behind The Lens

Saturday, 23 November 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster

The BBC's Red Button service will be presenting Doctor Who: Behind The Lens from tonight, available after broadcast of The Day of The Doctor.

Doctor Who: Behind The Lens (Credit: BBC)

Doctor Who: Behind The Lens

Voiced by the Sixth Doctor, Colin Baker, catch up with old friends and meet some new ones. It’s a rollercoaster ride and a time to celebrate. Features Matt Smith, David Tennant and Jenna Coleman with Billie Piper and John Hurt, as well as lead writer and executive producer Steven Moffat, discussing their 50th Anniversary experiences.

Broadcast on the Red Button from:

Sat 23 Nov, 9:05pm-10:05pm
Sun 24 Nov, 3pm-3:55pm
Sun 24 Nov, 8:30pm-9:25pm
Wed 27 Nov, 6pm-10pm
Thu 28 Nov, 6pm-7:55pm
Fri 29 Nov, 6pm-7pm

Also, as reported yesterday, the Red Button service will also see a special spoof produced by Peter Davison:

The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot

A star studded special written and directed by Peter Davison. With the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who about to film, the 'Classic' Doctors are keen to be involved. But do they manage it?

Broadcast on the Red Button from:

Sat 23 Nov, 10:05pm-12:40am
Sun 24 Nov, 9:25pm-10:35pm

FILTER: - Specials - Documentary - Day of the Doctor - WHO50

Friday Overnight Viewing Figures

Saturday, 23 November 2013 - Reported by Marcus

The Culture Show documentary on Doctor Who, Me, You and Doctor Who, achieved an overnight audience of 0.9 million viewers, a 4% share of the total audience.

The show was opposite top-rated programme of the day I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, with 9.8 million watching.

Thursday's showing of An Adventure in Space and Time achieved an Appreciation Index score of 88. The score is regarded as excellent.

FILTER: - Ratings - Documentary - UK - WHO50

William Hartnell: The Original

Thursday, 21 November 2013 - Reported by Marcus

The BBC has announced a new short documentary on the first Doctor William Hartnell will be screed on BBC Two tonight, directly following the Mark Gatiss docu-drama An Adventure in Space and Time.

William Hartnell: The Original is five minute programme which looks at what happened to Hartnell after he left Doctor Who. The documentary features rare archive footage and brand new interviews with many who worked with him, including Carole Ann Ford, Peter Purves and Waris Hussein as well as Matt Smith, Peter Davison and Hartnell’s granddaughter, Jessica Carney.

The programme is described as a revealing and affectionate portrait of a much-loved actor, and can be seen at 10.25pm on BBC Two

Note to those recording by EPG: this late addition does not currently have its own entry in guides such as the Sky Planner or even on the BBC's own iPlayer schedule - it isn't clear at present whether this will change, or that the current scheduling times of An Adventure in Space and Time will cover the documentary.

FILTER: - Documentary - William Hartnell

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