Doctor Who team collect awardBookmark and Share

Tuesday, 20 May 2014 - Reported by Marcus
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts have released a video of the team behind Doctor Who: Day Of The Doctor receiving the Radio Times Audience Award and talking backstage after Sunday's ceremony.






FILTER: - Awards/Nominations

Win a signed copy of Paul Cornell's new bookBookmark and Share

Monday, 19 May 2014 - Reported by Marcus
Doctor Who News is pleased to offer the chance to win a signed copy of Paul Cornell's new book The Severed Streets.

Cornell has written three Doctor Who episodes, Father's Day, Human Nature and The Family of Blood as well as writing many novels, comics and audio plays based on the series. He also has written for Casualty, Robin Hood and Primeval as well as a number of comic books for Marvel and DC.

The Severed Streets is his second urban fantasy novel, following London Falling.

We have one signed copy to give away to the person who can tell us which Doctor featured in the original novel Human Nature, written by Cornell and published in 1995. Send entries to comp-book@doctorwhonews.net. Competition closes on Monday 26th May 2014.

Only one entry per person. The winner will be selected at random from the correct entries. The editor's decision is final.

Summer in London: a city in turmoil. The vicious murder of a well-known MP is like a match to tinder but Detective Inspector James Quill and his team know that it's not a run-of-the-mill homicide. Still coming to terms with their new-found second sight, they soon discover that what is invisible to others - the killer - is visible to them. Even if they have no idea who it is.

Then there are more deaths. The bodies of rich, white men are found in circumstances similar to those that set the streets of London awash with fear during the late 1800s: the Whitechapel murders. Even with their abilities to see the supernatural, accepting that Jack the Ripper is back from the dead is a tough ask for Quill's team. As they try to get to grips with their abilities and a case that's spiralling out of control, Quill realises that they have to understand more about this shadowy London, a world of underground meetings, bizarre and fantastical auctions, and objects that are 'get out of hell free' cards. But the team's unlikely guide, a bestselling author, can't offer them much insight - and their other option, the Rat King, speaks only in riddles.

Relying on old-fashioned police work and improvising with their new skills only lands them in deeper water, and they soon realise that the investigation is going to hell - literally. And if they're not careful, they may be going with it . . .
The Severed Streets is published by Tor on 22nd May 2014.




FILTER: - Competitions - Books

Doctor Who wins BAFTA AwardBookmark and Share

Sunday, 18 May 2014 - Reported by Marcus
The Doctor Who fiftieth anniversary story The Day of the Doctor won the Radio Times Audience Award at the 2014 BAFTA Television Awards this evening.

The special, starring Matt Smith, David Tennant and John Hurt, won the award based on the votes of Radio Times readers, beating Breaking Bad, Gogglebox, The Great British Bake Off, Broadchurch and Educating Yorkshire.

The award was collected by the current Head of Drama at BBC Wales and Executive Producer for the special, Faith Penhale, along with Producer Marcus Wilson and Director Nick Hurran.

Penhale paid tribute to showrunner Steven Moffat, saying:
His ideas and his imagination support the show and guide the show, and we are really grateful to him.

But this award is for anybody who has had a hand in Doctor Who over the last fifty years. Last year we celebrated our anniversary so this is really special.
Doctor Who last won the audience award in 2006 when it was given the Pioneer Audience Award for Best Programme of 2005.

The drama based on the origins of Doctor Who, An Adventure in Space and Time, missed out on the award for Best Single Drama, which was won by Channel 4's Complicit.

The man who played William Hartnell in the drama, David Bradley, did win an award, although not for that role, winning Best Supporting Actor for his part in Broadchurch.

Broadchurch, which stars David Tennant, also won for Best Drama Series. Other winners included Olivia Colman as Leading Actress for Broadchurch, Sarah Lancashire as Best Supporting Actress for Last Tango in Halifax and James Corden whose Sky series A League Of Their Own won Best Comedy and Comedy Entertainment Programme.

The academy also took time to remember some members of the industry who have died over the past year, including Christopher Barry, Edna Doré, James Ellis, Roger Lloyd Pack, Kate O’Mara and Aubrey Woods.




FILTER: - Awards/Nominations

Recovered episodes restoration video releasedBookmark and Share

Sunday, 18 May 2014 - Reported by John Bowman
Restoration Team member Paul Vanezis has released a video showing some of the delicate work carried out on the Second Doctor episodes that were recovered last year.

The nine episodes - from The Enemy of the World and The Web of Fear - were returned to the BBC's archive in Perivale on Friday 31st May and the next day the film prints were taken to the Digital Media Services department of BBC Studios and Post Production in South Ruislip for transfer.

In 2013, nine lost episodes were returned to the BBC by the archive recovery organisation TIEA. This is what then happened to the films.

The film starts with the remedial work required to get the film on the film cleaner, then the film cleaner at work.

The film cleaner works by immersing the film in a bath of specially engineered inert fluid which acts as a transmission medium for the powerful ultrasonic waves which shock the dirt on the surface of the film and loosen it to allow it to be gently scrubbed off by rotating lambswool rollers submerged in the bath. Hot air knives dry the film as soon as it leaves the bath.

Then we see the first of the film watched for the very first time since it was lost.

With Thanks To Tony Clark





FILTER: - Online - Missing episodes - Second Doctor

Trailers released for Titan Comics' Tenth and Eleventh Doctor seriesBookmark and Share

Sunday, 18 May 2014 - Reported by John Bowman
Trailers have been released for the forthcoming range of Tenth and Eleventh Doctor adventures to be published by Titan Comics.

Both are due to launch on Wednesday 23rd July, with the second issue of the Tenth Doctor range being published on Wednesday 27th August and the second edition of the Eleventh Doctor series out on Wednesday 10th September. A Twelfth Doctor range is in the pipeline to start later this year.

Because of licensing restrictions, the comics can only be bought digitally by people in the UK and Ireland - click here for the Tenth Doctor range and here for the Eleventh Doctor range. They will also be available on Amazon Kindle and the Apple iBooks store.

Outside of the UK and Ireland, physical copies from the ranges can be ordered on subscription via the Titan Comics site - click here for the Tenth Doctor range and here for the Eleventh Doctor range - or bought from comic-book stores.

The Tenth Doctor trailer features new companion Gabriella Gonzalez, with artwork by Elena Casagrande and a painted cover by Verity Glass, and promises new monsters, while the Eleventh Doctor trailer has artwork by Simon Fraser that is previously unseen, and shows the Doctor and new companion Alice Obiefune running down a corridor.

Watch the trailers below:






FILTER: - Merchandise - Comics - Magazines

Frank Skinner confirmed for Doctor Who roleBookmark and Share

Friday, 16 May 2014 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Frank Skinner (Credit: BBC)The BBC today announced that comedian Frank Skinner will be playing a role in the new series of Doctor Who. The Room 101 presenter, who previously cameoed in Peter Davison's 50th Anniversary's tribute The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot, is to feature in the episode written by Jamie Mathieson, whose story is in the current filming block directed by Paul Wilmshurst.

Skinner, a long-term fan, said:
I love this show. I subscribe to Dr Who magazine, I've got a TARDIS ringtone, a five-foot cardboard Dalek in my bedroom and when I got the call saying they wanted me to read for the part, I was in the back of my tour bus watching episode three of The Sensorites. I am beyond excited.
Lead writer and executive producer Steven Moffat commented:
It's no secret that Frank's been pitching vigorously to get into Doctor Who for a while. He's been volunteering to be 'third monster on the left' as long as I've been in this job. But now, in Jamie Mathieson's sparkling script, we finally have a part that can showcase all of Frank's famous wit and charm. Hopefully he'll get out of my garden now.
Mathieson commented on the casting on his blog:
I was a stand up for a living for quite a few years. When I was trying to figure out how to do it in 1996, his first two stand up videos were part of my boot camp, so there is a nice synchronicity for me to be writing lines for him to deliver nearly twenty years later.

The episode will also feature the return of two more 'classic' series guest stars: Janet Henfrey appeared as Mrs Hardaker in the seventh Doctor adventure The Curse of Fenric in 1989; and Christopher Villiers hails back to the fifth Doctor era, appearing as Hugh in 1983's The King's Demons. Other guest stars announced include David Bamber (Rome, What Remains) and Daisy Beaumont (The Armstrong and Miller Show, A Touch of Cloth, You, Me, and Them).





FILTER: - Steven Moffat - Guest Stars - Production - Series 8/34

US Cinema outing for Rise of the Cybermen/Age of SteelBookmark and Share

Thursday, 15 May 2014 - Reported by Chuck Foster
BBC Worldwide and Fathom Events have announced a cinematic presentation of Rise of the Cybermen/The Age of Steel as part of a two-evening celebration of David Tennant in the United States. The special, 'theatrical cut' of the story will be shown in some 620 cinema locations across the USA on Monday 16th June, with tickets also including the Tennant-narrated documentary Wings-3D the following evening.

Soumya Sriraman, EVP of Licensing and Home Entertainment for BBC Worldwide North America, said:
Once again we are bringing Doctor Who to theaters to give fans a new way to experience the Tenth Doctor - David Tennant, and we are making it extra special with a two-night theatrical event for Tennant fans across the country. From the finest in science fiction to the best of natural history, there will be something for everyone to enjoy- all on the same ticket.

Dan Diamond, senior vice president of Fathom Events, said:
Fans of all types come out in full force to experience the Infamous Doctor Who in our cinema events. We're sure that this special two-night event featuring the incomparable David Tennant will offer them a unique opportunity they won't want to miss.

Tickets go on sale this morning in the United States and are available from local cinemas and the Fathom Events website.




FILTER: - Special Events - USA - David Tennant

Humble Bundle deal on IDW ComicsBookmark and Share

Wednesday, 14 May 2014 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Humble Bundle Inc. - an initiative to sell digital collections on a limited timescale at a price the purchasher wishes to pay - is currently running a bundle of Doctor Who comics from IDW Publishing:

Over 60 brilliant issues. The Humble Doctor Who Comic Bundle features 14 collections of graphic novel storytelling, allowing you to travel with The Doctor as he adventures through all of space and time. Name your price for Fugitive, Tesseract, and Final Sacrifice featuring the 10th Doctor, David Tennant, alongside Doctor Who: Series 2 Vols. 1-4, featuring the 11th Doctor, Matt Smith. As an added bonus, we’re throwing in the Android-based puzzle game Doctor Who: Legacy, which includes 10 pre-unlocked Doctors! Grab your sonic screwdriver and fight alongside quite a few recognizable companions as you battle Cybermen, Daleks, and more on episode-based levels!

Need even more wibbly wobbly, timey wimey...stuff? Beat the average and you will receive four more volumes! From Series 3, this collection includes The Hypothetical Gentleman, The Eye of Ashaya, Sky Jacks!, and Dead Man’s Hand, giving you even more of the fishstick and custard eating 11th Doctor.

This bundle is definitely bigger on the inside. Pay $15 or more and you’ll also receive the 3 volume series The Prisoners of Time. Released in 2013 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Doctor Who, this 12-issue story features all 11 past Doctors, from William Hartnell to Matt Smith, and culminates in a multi-doctor issue! Wrapping up the bundle (much like a bowtie): the 50th anniversary celebration issue and 2014 Hugo Award-nominee, The Girl Who Loved Doctor Who - a meta-story in which the 11th Doctor travels to the present day to discover an actor, Matt Smith, playing him in a TV show!

Fugitive (Series 1 Vol 1) (Credit: IDW) The Ripper (Series 2 Vol 1) (Credit: IDW) Hypothetical Gentleman (Series 3 Vol 1) (Credit: IDW) Prisoners of Time (Vol 1) (Credit: IDW) The Girl Who Loved Doctor Who (Credit: IDW)

Pay what you want. Purchased separately, these comic books would cost more than $70, but we’re letting you set the price.

DRM-free. Compatible with computers and mobile devices. These comics are available in multiple formats including MOBI, PDF, PDF (HD) and EPUB, so they work on your computer, eBook readers, and a wide array of mobile devices! Instructions and a list of recommended reading programs can be found here.

Support charity. You can choose exactly how you want your purchase to be divided: to Doctors Without Borders or The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. You may also thank IDW Publishing or even us with a few coins in the tip jar.

The offer is available until the 28th May; full details are available from their website.




FILTER: - Comics - Online - Special Offers

Germany DVD/Blu-ray updateBookmark and Share

Tuesday, 13 May 2014 - Written by Pascal Salzmann
Written by Pascal Salzmann
Pandastorm Pictures, a German media distributor, is planning to release "classic" Doctor Who on DVD. The distributor posted an appeal to fans on several German online forums, asking if there are people out there who had recorded the original German-dubbed broadcasts of Seasons 22-26, which aired on RTL Plus (1989/1993) and VOX (1995).

As the German-dubbed language tracks of some of the episodes are missing in the archives, Pandastorm is especially searching for the following episodes:

Since its appeal, Pandastorm sent out an email to anyone who has contacted it so far:
Liebe Doctor Who Fans,
für das überwältigende Feedback möchten wir uns sehr herzlich bedanken, damit haben wir nicht gerechnet. Wir haben als erstes den Luxemburg-Hinweis aus dem Forum aufgenommen und lassen gerade prüfen, ob sich die fehlenden Folgen dort im alten RTLplus-Archiv befinden. Einige von euch haben uns auch den Kontakt zum damaligen Verantwortlichen der Synchronisation geschickt, den wir danach angehen werden. Je nachdem was sich aus dieser Suche ergibt, werden wir uns dann bei einigen von euch melden, was die noch fehlenden Tonspuren angeht.


Dear Doctor Who fans,
Thank you very much for your overwhelming feedback, we did not expect this at all. We will first follow your advice on the forums to have a look at the RTLplus Archives in Luxemburg. Some of you sent us the contact details of the dubbing director back then. Whatever comes out of these options, we will then contact some of you for the still missing language tracks.

Pandastorm also posted on its Facebook page that it is still at the beginning stages and will have further news on the releases in 3 to 4 months. It cannot say yet if it is going to release season boxed sets or single story releases but it is trying to get the rights to every bonus feature available.


Meanwhile, the previously reported German (and right now the only European) Blu-ray release of An Adventure in Space and Time is now up for pre-order on Amazon DE. It contains all the bonus features of the British DVD release and the original English language track. A DVD version is also available.

An Adventure In Space and Time (German cover)Ein Abenteuer in Raum und Zeit (available for pre-order)

„Ein Abenteuer in Raum und Zeit“ reist zurück in das Jahr 1963, zurück zur Geburtsstunde eines Phänomens, zur Entstehung der bis heute laut dem Guinessbuch der Rekorde erfolgreichsten und am längsten laufenden Science-Fiction-Serie der Welt: DOCTOR WHO. Der BBC-Klassiker feierte am 23.11.2013 sein 50. Jubiläum. Großbritannien, 1963: Der neu berufene BBC-Drama-Chef Sydney Newman (Brian Cox) ist auf der Suche nach einem halbstündigen Samstag-Abend-Format, das sich an Kinder richtet, aber auch Erwachsene unterhält. Es wurde die Idee für eine Science-Fiction-Serie rund um einen mysteriösen Außerirdischen namens Doctor Who geboren. Kurzerhand befördert er seine ehemalige Assistentin Verity (Jessica Raine) zur Produzentin und betraut die junge, noch unerfahrene Frau mit dem ebenfalls noch jungen Regisseur Waris Hussein (Sacha Dhawan) mit der Produktion. Innerhalb der BBC glaubt anfangs niemand an die Idee des neuen Drama-Chefs. Die Einschaltquoten sind enttäuschend, aber Verity hat noch ein As im Ärmel ...





FILTER: - WHO50 - Classic Series - Germany - Blu-ray/DVD

Twelfth Doctor Radio Times cover debutBookmark and Share

Tuesday, 13 May 2014 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Radio Times (17-23 May 2014) (Credit: Radio Times)The new Doctor, as played by Peter Capaldi, makes his debut as a Radio Times front cover this week - the second Doctor Who related one this year (so far) as the show once again promotes the BAFTA Television Awards, which take place live on BBC One this coming Sunday 18th May at 8:00pm. It is one of the nominees in the Radio Times Audience Award that is open to a public vote - The Day of The Doctor is up against Broadchurch, Breaking Bad, Educating Yorkshire, The Great British Bake-Off and Gogglebox. Voting closes at midday, 15th May.

There is a 16 page guide to this year's BAFTA TV awards, and the magazine also includes a feature on Doctor Who, with lead writer/executive producer Steven Moffat discussing writing The Day of the Doctor, revealing how it was the most "difficult" and "terrifying" thing he has ever written!

Speaking about how Capaldi came to be chosen as the new Doctor, he said:
When you choose a Doctor, you want somebody who is utterly compelling, attractive in a very odd way. None of the Doctors are conventionally attractive, but they’re all arresting. Handsome men don’t quite suit. Matt Smith’s a young, good-looking bloke from one angle but is actually the strangest looking man from another. You need that oddity; you need somebody who is carved out of solid star, really. Doctor Who is a whopping great star vehicle, despite the fact it changes star every so often.

The Radio Times is on sale from today.

(with thanks to the Radio Times)




FILTER: - Steven Moffat - Peter Capaldi - Radio Times