Commentary -- With actors Tom Baker, Louise Jameson, Wanda Ventham and Edward Arthur.
After Image -- cast and crew look back at the making of the story. With actors Louise Jameson, Edward Arthur, Wanda Ventham, script editor Anthony Read, visual effects designer Colin Mapsan.
Deleted and Extended Scenes
Trailer
Photo Gallery
Coming Soon
Easter Egg
Radio Times Listings
Programme subtitles
Subtitle Production Notes
Friday, 27 February 2009
Curse of fendal Realesed In April Including Extra features
As previously announced , the classic Doctor Who series adventure Image of the Fendahl, starring Tom Baker and Louise Jameson, will be released on Region 2 DVD (UK), with the now-confirmed date of release of April 6th. Meanwhile, a full listing of extras for the DVD have now been issued:
Tennant and visual Effects nominated for Awards
Doctor Who has won an international award for its special effects, and David Tennant has been doubly nominated for the Broadcasting Press Guild awards.The Visual Effects Society, an international organization of visual effects professionals, nominated Doctor Who in two categories this year. Simon Wickers, Charlie Bennett, Tim Barter and Arianna Lago won the award for "Outstanding Matte Paintings in a Broadcast Program or Commercial" for their work on "Silence in the Library"
Doctor Who has been previously nominated several times for VES awards, but this is the first time it has won; historically, the awards have generally gone to North American productions.The team at the Mill were also nominated for "Outstanding Visual Effects in a Broadcast Miniseries, Movie or Special", but lost to the HBO miniseries "John Adams". The full list of nominees for the 7th Annual VES Awards are here; the list of winners is here.
In other awards news, David Tennant has been nominated twice in the Best Actor category of the Broadcasting Press Guild Awards, selected by journalists who write about TV and radio. Tennant is nominated both for his role as the Doctor and for his performance as astrophysicist Arthur Eddington in the BBC/HBO coproduction "Einstein and Eddington", which has also been nominated for Best Single Drama.
The winners will be announced on 27 March. Further details are available at the Broadcasting Press Guild website and from the Guardian.
Doctor Who has been previously nominated several times for VES awards, but this is the first time it has won; historically, the awards have generally gone to North American productions.The team at the Mill were also nominated for "Outstanding Visual Effects in a Broadcast Miniseries, Movie or Special", but lost to the HBO miniseries "John Adams". The full list of nominees for the 7th Annual VES Awards are here; the list of winners is here.
In other awards news, David Tennant has been nominated twice in the Best Actor category of the Broadcasting Press Guild Awards, selected by journalists who write about TV and radio. Tennant is nominated both for his role as the Doctor and for his performance as astrophysicist Arthur Eddington in the BBC/HBO coproduction "Einstein and Eddington", which has also been nominated for Best Single Drama.
The winners will be announced on 27 March. Further details are available at the Broadcasting Press Guild website and from the Guardian.
Dean Gaffeny To star in Second Special (4.16)
According to his Twitter account, Dean Gaffney (ex-Eastenders) has been filming for Doctor Who, so it can only mean he is in the episode currently being made.We did understand the Christmas double episode was next up for filming, but it appears they are back filming in order with 4:16 (a currently untitled episode, which follows the Easter special, Planet of the Dead).David Tennant, and his stunt double, have already been seen on set (Photograph by Scooty here), and he is back in the orange spacesuit first seen in the impossible planet!The section they are filming is rumoured to be set on Mars, and we all know who comes from Mars dont we? (for those that don't, its the Ice Warriors :) )
It has been further rumoured to also feature The Master in an identical Orange Spacesuit, please remember this entire last paragraph is made entirely from rumours, so please treat them as such!
Additional: People are suggesting the Twitter account isn't of the real Dean Gaffney, so the whole thing may be fake. We'll see anyway
Thursday, 26 February 2009
Filming Report- Last Night - 25/02/09
Time and date for the Doctor Who Filming at Victoria Place in Newport.
Wednesday, 25 February 2009
DW production Ram Started on Next Special
The Doctor Who cast and crew have now landed back in the United Kingdom, after completing all of the necassary shots in Dubai. But there was no time to recover from jet leg, because they were back on location come Monday morning - this time at a very familiar spot…
The production team were spotted at Taffs Well Quarry, previously seen in Series 3’s Utopia and Last of the Time Lords.
The TARDIS was also on set, beautifully lit up like a Christmas tree, and a man wearing a spacesuit (believed to be the Doctor in his famous Impossible Planet/Satan Pit gear) was captured filming a sequence in front of a green screen…
It’s believed that the scenes are for this year’s second special, which the BBC recently confirmed will star acclaimed actress Lindsay Duncan as Adelaide, the Doctor’s ‘most strong-minded companion yet’.
Baker still Popular
Colin Baker has admitted that he’s relieved he’s still popular amongst Doctor Who fans - despite the fact the more recent incarnations seem to be getting younger and younger each time.
Baker, who portrayed the Sixth Doctor from 1984 to 1986, recently attended a Doctor Who convention in LA, and has since expressed his delight at still being renowned by Whovians over 20 years since his last appearance in the show.
“It is heartening that they are still prepared to tolerate the old fogies who used to portray the nation’s favourite Time Lord in the age of the new improved programme and the ever youthening Doctor,” the actor said in his column for This Is Local London.
He added: “As if David Tennant hadn’t already proved the visibly beneficial power of time travel on the genes, the imminent new one, Matt Smith, we are told, is so young that he is likely to be asked for ID if he tries to purchase an intergalactic gargle blaster in licensed premises either side of the Atlantic
Baker, who portrayed the Sixth Doctor from 1984 to 1986, recently attended a Doctor Who convention in LA, and has since expressed his delight at still being renowned by Whovians over 20 years since his last appearance in the show.
“It is heartening that they are still prepared to tolerate the old fogies who used to portray the nation’s favourite Time Lord in the age of the new improved programme and the ever youthening Doctor,” the actor said in his column for This Is Local London.
He added: “As if David Tennant hadn’t already proved the visibly beneficial power of time travel on the genes, the imminent new one, Matt Smith, we are told, is so young that he is likely to be asked for ID if he tries to purchase an intergalactic gargle blaster in licensed premises either side of the Atlantic
BBC Three Repeat Series 3
The acclaimed third series of Doctor Who will begin its latest repeat run on BBC Three from tonight.
Over the next few weeks you’ll be able to relive the Doctor’s adventures with Martha Jones, as they save the world with William Shakespeare, do battle with the Cult of Skaro in Manhattan and try their best to out smart the Weeping Angels - to name a few!
It all kicks off with Smith and Jones, tonight at 7.00pm on BBC Three!
Over the next few weeks you’ll be able to relive the Doctor’s adventures with Martha Jones, as they save the world with William Shakespeare, do battle with the Cult of Skaro in Manhattan and try their best to out smart the Weeping Angels - to name a few!
It all kicks off with Smith and Jones, tonight at 7.00pm on BBC Three!
Filming report 24/02/09
Scooty says; Last night filming was taking place in a quarry in Taffswell just North of the M4, thanks to the entire Quarry being surrounded by a very public woodland and footpath, we managed to see from a distance, the TARDIS all lit up and some action involving a number of naked flames. Something happens in there and this is followed by an explosion.
Last night was an extremely interesting evening, cold and uncomfortable though. Filming seemed to concern three major scenes they are:-
An explosion the size of which I have never seen before. It formed a giant mushroom cloud and left a huge black smoke ring in the sky. It shook the camera from my hand, so unfortunately no pictures of the explosion itself. Its more than worth the wait for though!- Man in orange spacesuit as seen in the Impossible Planet, almost certainly David Tennants stunt double, he runs away from the explosion (in this case, a green screen). He jumps on a to trampoline and lands on a crash mat.-
The man in the spacesuit then wakes up amongst a load of rubble and slowly walks forward. This looks like it is David Tennant. I can make out his sideburns in a couple of the pictures.At the moment, appearing to be very un-Christmassy! Simon thought it could possibly be set on Mars - the Quarry surface is a rich red after all!
Last night was an extremely interesting evening, cold and uncomfortable though. Filming seemed to concern three major scenes they are:-
An explosion the size of which I have never seen before. It formed a giant mushroom cloud and left a huge black smoke ring in the sky. It shook the camera from my hand, so unfortunately no pictures of the explosion itself. Its more than worth the wait for though!- Man in orange spacesuit as seen in the Impossible Planet, almost certainly David Tennants stunt double, he runs away from the explosion (in this case, a green screen). He jumps on a to trampoline and lands on a crash mat.-
The man in the spacesuit then wakes up amongst a load of rubble and slowly walks forward. This looks like it is David Tennant. I can make out his sideburns in a couple of the pictures.At the moment, appearing to be very un-Christmassy! Simon thought it could possibly be set on Mars - the Quarry surface is a rich red after all!
Monday, 23 February 2009
Torchwood: Children Of Earth spoilers
Here are some Torchwood Children of Earth spoilers.
Lucy Cohu plays plays Alice, a lonely and rather insular single mum with a young son, her mother is dead, she hasn’t had a close relationship with her father. Rumours are that Alice is Captain Jacks daughter, this is not necessarily true though!
The aliens are called the 456, Cohu has revealed shes seen some of the early work on these - They were adding all these layers of flaky skin, which looked really unpleasant!
Lucy Cohu plays plays Alice, a lonely and rather insular single mum with a young son, her mother is dead, she hasn’t had a close relationship with her father. Rumours are that Alice is Captain Jacks daughter, this is not necessarily true though!
The aliens are called the 456, Cohu has revealed shes seen some of the early work on these - They were adding all these layers of flaky skin, which looked really unpleasant!
Sunday, 22 February 2009
Smith Asks Piper for Advice
Matt Smith has turned to his previous co-star Billie Piper for advice on how to play the Doctor, The Daily Star Sunday reports.
Smith, who will become the Eleventh incarnation of the Time Lord when David Tennant leaves the show later this year, is said to be ‘panicked’ at the thought of taking on such an iconic role.
Piper, who played the Doctor’s companion, Rose Tyler, in Series 1, 2 and 4, has told the newspaper that she’s more than happy to help out her old friend.
“He called me and said ‘What am I going to do?’” she said.
But the actress has told him that he doesn’t need any acting advice, so instead she’s sharing some tips on how to manage the publicity demands that come with the show.
“Your life completely changes as it’s such a huge show, just about the biggest show on TV,” she continued. “I had no idea what I was getting into. It’s frightening being in that kind of production and having people suddenly know everything about you. He’s just about to embark on that.”
She added: “But I’m a big fan of Matt. He’s a stirring actor and has the right energy for the part of the Doctor. The role is in good hands.”
Filming for the fifth series of Doctor Who will begin in Cardiff this July.
Smith, who will become the Eleventh incarnation of the Time Lord when David Tennant leaves the show later this year, is said to be ‘panicked’ at the thought of taking on such an iconic role.
Piper, who played the Doctor’s companion, Rose Tyler, in Series 1, 2 and 4, has told the newspaper that she’s more than happy to help out her old friend.
“He called me and said ‘What am I going to do?’” she said.
But the actress has told him that he doesn’t need any acting advice, so instead she’s sharing some tips on how to manage the publicity demands that come with the show.
“Your life completely changes as it’s such a huge show, just about the biggest show on TV,” she continued. “I had no idea what I was getting into. It’s frightening being in that kind of production and having people suddenly know everything about you. He’s just about to embark on that.”
She added: “But I’m a big fan of Matt. He’s a stirring actor and has the right energy for the part of the Doctor. The role is in good hands.”
Filming for the fifth series of Doctor Who will begin in Cardiff this July.
Euros Lynn reveals About The Final Special
Director Euros Lyn has confirmed that preparation work for David Tennant’s last two episodes will officially commence in just 3 weeks time.
Lyn will be directing the two-parter, which will sadly mark the end of Tennant’s era as the Tenth Doctor. The episodes will be written by Russell T Davies and will air on BBC One and BBC HD late 2009/early 2010.
But Lyn has admitted that he still hasn’t read the scripts for the episodes, which are being kept tightly under lock and key to ensure the regeneration storyline isn’t leaked out too early.
“I’m very pleased to be able to tell you that I don’t have to keep anything from you because I haven’t even seen the scripts,” Lyn told FEARNet. “I’ve been leaked some teasers by Russell, but I don’t know anything about the story. I know he keeps on saying it’s going to be big, and that’s all I know. We start prepping in three weeks time.”
Lyn will be directing the two-parter, which will sadly mark the end of Tennant’s era as the Tenth Doctor. The episodes will be written by Russell T Davies and will air on BBC One and BBC HD late 2009/early 2010.
But Lyn has admitted that he still hasn’t read the scripts for the episodes, which are being kept tightly under lock and key to ensure the regeneration storyline isn’t leaked out too early.
“I’m very pleased to be able to tell you that I don’t have to keep anything from you because I haven’t even seen the scripts,” Lyn told FEARNet. “I’ve been leaked some teasers by Russell, but I don’t know anything about the story. I know he keeps on saying it’s going to be big, and that’s all I know. We start prepping in three weeks time.”
Agyeman Remains Tight-Lipped about a Possible return
Freema Agyeman has firmly fended off rumours that she’ll be reprising her role of Martha Jones for David Tennant’s last episode.
“There has been some speculation but nothing has been confirmed,” she told Scotland on Sunday. “Talk to anyone in the world of Who and they’ll say you never feel like you’ve left. Ask Billie Piper. David Tennant bounds on to set every day and says, ‘Right people, what are we doing today? Am I getting strung up, frozen, flung about a room?’ It’s a lovely unique environment because people are so passionate.”
She added: ”It goes beyond a day job. Of course, I would resurrect her when the time is right, whether in 10 years or one.”
Rumours of a possible comeback were sparked in The Sun last month. It’s been claimed that Agyeman was offered the return after filming commitments meant it was impossible for her to shoot her previously planned guest stint in the next series of Torchwood.
But the actress knows she will always be renowned for her role as the Doctor’s fiesty companion, but has revealed that she has no worries about being remembered for it.
“The Who fans are the best,” she said. “The more, the better. Even after the Law & Order launch, there were a group of them waiting for me. That absolutely warms my heart.”
She continued: “In the early days, at award ceremonies I would get out of the car on to the red carpet, hear all the screaming, see all the lights flashing, and look for the Who fans. I’d go straight over and just stay with them.”
“There has been some speculation but nothing has been confirmed,” she told Scotland on Sunday. “Talk to anyone in the world of Who and they’ll say you never feel like you’ve left. Ask Billie Piper. David Tennant bounds on to set every day and says, ‘Right people, what are we doing today? Am I getting strung up, frozen, flung about a room?’ It’s a lovely unique environment because people are so passionate.”
She added: ”It goes beyond a day job. Of course, I would resurrect her when the time is right, whether in 10 years or one.”
Rumours of a possible comeback were sparked in The Sun last month. It’s been claimed that Agyeman was offered the return after filming commitments meant it was impossible for her to shoot her previously planned guest stint in the next series of Torchwood.
But the actress knows she will always be renowned for her role as the Doctor’s fiesty companion, but has revealed that she has no worries about being remembered for it.
“The Who fans are the best,” she said. “The more, the better. Even after the Law & Order launch, there were a group of them waiting for me. That absolutely warms my heart.”
She continued: “In the early days, at award ceremonies I would get out of the car on to the red carpet, hear all the screaming, see all the lights flashing, and look for the Who fans. I’d go straight over and just stay with them.”
Friday, 20 February 2009
Doctor who News Stories being Leaked
On January the 22nd, the web site Chortle announced Lee Evans was to appear in Planet of the Dead, this either beat the BBC to the announcement, or forced the BBC to announce his appearance.
Then yesterday the Daily Record told us Lindsay Duncan was to appear in the following Doctor Who adventure, and today the BBC verified this.
Are websites releasing the information 24 hours too early? Or is the information being leaked and the BBC have to announce its true?
Then yesterday the Daily Record told us Lindsay Duncan was to appear in the following Doctor Who adventure, and today the BBC verified this.
Are websites releasing the information 24 hours too early? Or is the information being leaked and the BBC have to announce its true?
News/Media- Round-Up
Lindsay Duncan coverage
Press Association - Thatcher star teams up with Doctor
CBBC - New Dr Who assistant revealed
WalesOnline - Lindsay Duncan to star in Doctor Who
BBC News - Duncan to play Doctor's sidekick
SyFy Portal - Lindsay Duncan Latest To Try Out For 'Doctor Who'
Den of Geek - Lindsay Duncan Joins The TARDIS
Torchwood
Watch - Exclusive Torchwood Magazine Comic Strip
Pop Culture Zoo - New Torchwood web comic online
Western Mail - Torchwood’s John Barrowman gets help for comic turn
Fear Net - New 'Torchwood' Season 3 Images!
Misc
The Sun - Evil Mugabe hoards lost Doctor Who tapes
Independent - mentions Freema refuting the rumours of falling out with RTD
What's on TV - New Doctor has 'got the right idea', says Tennant
Glasgow Evening Times - Look Who’s arrived from Cyber-space
Den of Geek - Doctor Who: live on stage?
Press Association - Thatcher star teams up with Doctor
CBBC - New Dr Who assistant revealed
WalesOnline - Lindsay Duncan to star in Doctor Who
BBC News - Duncan to play Doctor's sidekick
SyFy Portal - Lindsay Duncan Latest To Try Out For 'Doctor Who'
Den of Geek - Lindsay Duncan Joins The TARDIS
Torchwood
Watch - Exclusive Torchwood Magazine Comic Strip
Pop Culture Zoo - New Torchwood web comic online
Western Mail - Torchwood’s John Barrowman gets help for comic turn
Fear Net - New 'Torchwood' Season 3 Images!
Misc
The Sun - Evil Mugabe hoards lost Doctor Who tapes
Independent - mentions Freema refuting the rumours of falling out with RTD
What's on TV - New Doctor has 'got the right idea', says Tennant
Glasgow Evening Times - Look Who’s arrived from Cyber-space
Den of Geek - Doctor Who: live on stage?
Tennant Talks to Smith
David Tennant has recently spoken to What's On TV about Matt Smith, the actor who will be taking over the TARDIS next year.
"We chatted on the phone not long ago and we did exchange a few opinions on what's about to unfold for him," the actor said. "But advice is a very dangerous thing. Matt's got an extraordinary journey coming up in all sorts of ways and I’m sure he'll find his own way through it."
He added: "I could tell Matt was very up for it, though, and excited in all the right ways. He says he's going to take it very seriously and he seems to have the right idea about playing the Doctor, so far as I can tell."
"We chatted on the phone not long ago and we did exchange a few opinions on what's about to unfold for him," the actor said. "But advice is a very dangerous thing. Matt's got an extraordinary journey coming up in all sorts of ways and I’m sure he'll find his own way through it."
He added: "I could tell Matt was very up for it, though, and excited in all the right ways. He says he's going to take it very seriously and he seems to have the right idea about playing the Doctor, so far as I can tell."
Online Torchwood Comic Strip
To tie in with the broadcast of Series Two of Torchwood on UK digital channel Watch, the broadcaster has teamed up with Torchwood Magazine to present a special online comic strip.
Ice Monsters sees Captain Jack and the Torchwood team battling Ice Monster creatures who have the ability to change the weather. It is written by Torchwood's script editor/assistant producer Brian Minchin.
You can find the comic strip on the UKTV Watch website
Ice Monsters sees Captain Jack and the Torchwood team battling Ice Monster creatures who have the ability to change the weather. It is written by Torchwood's script editor/assistant producer Brian Minchin.
You can find the comic strip on the UKTV Watch website
Thursday, 19 February 2009
Confirm- Lindsay duncan to star in the 2nd Special
The BBC has confirmed that acclaimed actress, Lindsay Duncan will guest star in the second Doctor Who special of 2009.
Lindsay is best known for her roles across stage and screen, including Shooting the Past and GBH and is soon to star as Margaret Thatcher in the highly anticipated BBC Two drama, Margaret.
In Doctor Who she will play Adelaide - the Doctor's cleverest and most strong-minded companion yet.
"I'm thrilled to be involved in Doctor Who," said Lindsay. "I've never done anything like this before and I'm really looking forward to working with David Tennant and the Doctor Who team."
Lindsay joins David Tennant as he continues his role as The Doctor in the second of four Doctor Who Specials to be screened throughout 2009. This will follow Planet of the Dead, due to air this Easter on BBC One.
Executive Producer and writer Russell T Davies said: "Lindsay is an incredibly talented actress and I've been an admirer of her work for some time. We are delighted to announce that she will be joining the team and playing the Doctor's most strong-minded companion yet."
Due to go into production in Spring 2009, the second episode written by Russell T Davies and Phil Ford will be produced by Nikki Wilson and will be screened on BBC One later this year.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/s4/news/latest/090219_news_01
Lindsay is best known for her roles across stage and screen, including Shooting the Past and GBH and is soon to star as Margaret Thatcher in the highly anticipated BBC Two drama, Margaret.
In Doctor Who she will play Adelaide - the Doctor's cleverest and most strong-minded companion yet.
"I'm thrilled to be involved in Doctor Who," said Lindsay. "I've never done anything like this before and I'm really looking forward to working with David Tennant and the Doctor Who team."
Lindsay joins David Tennant as he continues his role as The Doctor in the second of four Doctor Who Specials to be screened throughout 2009. This will follow Planet of the Dead, due to air this Easter on BBC One.
Executive Producer and writer Russell T Davies said: "Lindsay is an incredibly talented actress and I've been an admirer of her work for some time. We are delighted to announce that she will be joining the team and playing the Doctor's most strong-minded companion yet."
Due to go into production in Spring 2009, the second episode written by Russell T Davies and Phil Ford will be produced by Nikki Wilson and will be screened on BBC One later this year.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/s4/news/latest/090219_news_01
London Trip - Tardis
Here i took so many phots in London but I thought the police box is the one that i should share:
Its outside earls court Tube Station in Kensington:
Filming in Dubai Finished
Overseas filming for the Easter special episode Planet of the Dead has concluded, and Dubai-based newspaper 7DAYS has a (presumably) final report on the fate of the double-decker bus used in filming. The report contains minor spoilers for the special.According to 7DAYS, the bus (which was damaged in transit to the UAE) was able to be used in filming, but is no longer serviceable and will be crushed into a cube.
Members of a Doctor Who fan club at Dubai's English College were able to see the bus prior to its demolition.
The report also mentions that on their last night in Dubai, David Tennant and crew members watched the Wales v. England rugby match in a resort hotel's bar.A photograph of the bus's interior and a larger version of the photograph at right can be seen in the newspaper's E-paper edition (free registration required).
Members of a Doctor Who fan club at Dubai's English College were able to see the bus prior to its demolition.
The report also mentions that on their last night in Dubai, David Tennant and crew members watched the Wales v. England rugby match in a resort hotel's bar.A photograph of the bus's interior and a larger version of the photograph at right can be seen in the newspaper's E-paper edition (free registration required).
James Bree (Dec 1 2008)
The character actor James Bree - who had three notable roles in Doctor Who - has died at the age of 85 after a long illness, reports The Stage.Bree's first appearance in Doctor Who was as The Security Chief in the 1969 ten-parter The War Games - soon to be released on DVD.He appeared again in the show in 1980, playing Decider Nefred in the four-part story Full Circle, which was recently released on DVD in the UK as part of The E-Space Trilogy. His final appearance in the show was as the Keeper of the Matrix in The Trial of a Time Lord: The Ultimate Foe in 1986 (also available on DVD).
Bree's many other TV credits included The Jewel In The Crown, I, Claudius, Glittering Prizes, The Duchess of Duke Street, Z Cars, Rumpole of the Bailey, The Professionals, and Budgie. His film appearances included On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.Bree died on December 1, 2008 according to the report, but his death has only just been announced.
Lindsay Duncan Cast As Companion for special
The Daily Record newspaper is reporting that actress Lindsay Duncan has been cast as the Doctor's companion, named in the report as Adelaide, in the second of the forthcoming special episodes which will see out David Tennant's tenure as the Tenth Doctor.Duncan is well known for her roles in high-profile television dramas such as GBH and Rome.
She is also appearing as Margaret Thatcher in next week's much-publicised BBC Two drama Margaret, concerning the former Prime Minister's final days in power.The paper quotes Duncan as saying: "I'm thrilled to be involved in Doctor Who.
I've never done anything like this before and I'm really looking forward to working with David Tennant and the Doctor Who team." The special's co-writer and executive producer Russell T Davies is also quoted, saying: "Lindsay is an incredibly talented actress and I've been an admirer of her work for some time.
We are delighted to announce that she will be joining the team and playing the Doctor's most strong-minded companion yet."Incidentally, in 2008 Lindsay Duncan co-starred alongside forthcoming Doctor Who Matt Smith in a critically acclaimed theatrical production of That Face
She is also appearing as Margaret Thatcher in next week's much-publicised BBC Two drama Margaret, concerning the former Prime Minister's final days in power.The paper quotes Duncan as saying: "I'm thrilled to be involved in Doctor Who.
I've never done anything like this before and I'm really looking forward to working with David Tennant and the Doctor Who team." The special's co-writer and executive producer Russell T Davies is also quoted, saying: "Lindsay is an incredibly talented actress and I've been an admirer of her work for some time.
We are delighted to announce that she will be joining the team and playing the Doctor's most strong-minded companion yet."Incidentally, in 2008 Lindsay Duncan co-starred alongside forthcoming Doctor Who Matt Smith in a critically acclaimed theatrical production of That Face
Wednesday, 18 February 2009
Is the Lindsay Duncan to Star in the Next Special
LINDSAY Duncan will star in this year's second Doctor Who special as the Time Lord's companion, the BBC confirmed today.
Duncan, who is starring as Baroness Thatcher in the BBC2 drama Margaret, will play Adelaide - the Doctor's cleverest and most strong-minded companion yet.
She will join David Tennant, who continues his role as the Doctor in the second instalment of four specials to be screened throughout 2009.
The second special will follow Planet Of The Dead, due to air this Easter on BBC1.
Duncan said: "I'm thrilled to be involved in Doctor Who. I've never done anything like this before and I'm really looking forward to working with David Tennant and the Doctor Who team."
The second episode is being written by executive producer Russell T Davies and Phil Ford.
It is due to go into production in spring 2009 and will be screened on BBC1 later this year.
Davies said: "Lindsay is an incredibly talented actress and I've been an admirer of her work for some time.
"We are delighted to announce that she will be joining the team and playing the Doctor's most strong-minded companion yet."
The Daily Record are claiming that Lindsay Duncan is to the the Doctors assistant for the currently unnamed episode to follow Planet of the Dead!
Lindsay Duncan, who is starring as Baroness Thatcher in the BBC2 drama Margaret, will play Adelaide, the Doctors cleverest and most strong-minded companion yet.
Duncan said I'm thrilled to be involved in Doctor Who. I've never done anything like this before and I'm really looking forward to working with David Tennant and the Doctor Who team.
The second 2009 episode is written by executive producer Russell T Davies and Phil Ford and will be screened on BBC1 later this year.
Duncan, who is starring as Baroness Thatcher in the BBC2 drama Margaret, will play Adelaide - the Doctor's cleverest and most strong-minded companion yet.
She will join David Tennant, who continues his role as the Doctor in the second instalment of four specials to be screened throughout 2009.
The second special will follow Planet Of The Dead, due to air this Easter on BBC1.
Duncan said: "I'm thrilled to be involved in Doctor Who. I've never done anything like this before and I'm really looking forward to working with David Tennant and the Doctor Who team."
The second episode is being written by executive producer Russell T Davies and Phil Ford.
It is due to go into production in spring 2009 and will be screened on BBC1 later this year.
Davies said: "Lindsay is an incredibly talented actress and I've been an admirer of her work for some time.
"We are delighted to announce that she will be joining the team and playing the Doctor's most strong-minded companion yet."
The Daily Record are claiming that Lindsay Duncan is to the the Doctors assistant for the currently unnamed episode to follow Planet of the Dead!
Lindsay Duncan, who is starring as Baroness Thatcher in the BBC2 drama Margaret, will play Adelaide, the Doctors cleverest and most strong-minded companion yet.
Duncan said I'm thrilled to be involved in Doctor Who. I've never done anything like this before and I'm really looking forward to working with David Tennant and the Doctor Who team.
The second 2009 episode is written by executive producer Russell T Davies and Phil Ford and will be screened on BBC1 later this year.
Jack and Ianto love story part of S3 Plot
The Jack and Ianto love story which has been forever blossoming since day one plays a huge part in the upcoming series, according to Euros Lyn.
"I think that the Ianto and Jack love story is really integral to season three," the director said. "It takes us on a journey and allows us to explore the nature of their relationship in a way that has never happened before on Torchwood."
He added: "It's definitely worth tuning in for season three to find out what happens to them!"
Torchwood - Children of Earth will air over 5 consecutive nights on BBC One later this year.
"I think that the Ianto and Jack love story is really integral to season three," the director said. "It takes us on a journey and allows us to explore the nature of their relationship in a way that has never happened before on Torchwood."
He added: "It's definitely worth tuning in for season three to find out what happens to them!"
Torchwood - Children of Earth will air over 5 consecutive nights on BBC One later this year.
Details of New Torchwood Comic
Maintaining the comic theme, Titan Publishing have provided details on the John and Carole Barrowman-penned comic strip Captain Jack and the Selkie, which appears in Issue 14 of Torchwood Magazine (due out at the shops in the UK on 19th February and the US on 17th March).
Carole E. Barrowman explains how the project took off: "When John and I were working on [John’s autobiography] Anything Goes, we spent a lot of time together on the Torchwood set. In between our storytelling and moments of inspired silliness (maybe one or two), we decided we’d like to work on a project together that involved Captain Jack. The role of myth in a culture’s zeitgeist has always intrigued John and I (it probably intrigues all sci-fi fans) so I when I got back to the US, I sent John a short story I’d written, 'The Tale of the Selkie.' Almost immediately he called and said, 'This should be our first Captain Jack tale.'”
John Barrowman picks up the story: "Fast forward to ComicCon 2008 in San Diego, where we met the artists Tommy Lee Edwards and Trevor Goring. Tommy and Trevor had drawn a brilliant poster of my face super-imposed over the Face of Boe, which I think is the best piece of Captain Jack art I’ve seen. The four of us hit it off immediately and I asked if they’d ever be interested in working with us on a Captain Jack project. They thought about it for, oh, about 30 seconds, and so 'Captain Jack and the Selkie' was born!"
Media coverage of the comic strip: Metro, Press Association, Metro, io9, and Fear Net.
Titan have also provided a mini-interview between the two writers, which is reproduced below.
From screen to strip! John Barrowman reveals all about his new comic strip creation. Here, John Barrowman discusses the strip in a special interview conducted by his sister, Carole.
CB: Ready to chat about our Torchwood Magazine comic?
JB: Wait. Shouldn’t we have some sound effects if we’re making this read like a scene from ‘24’?
CB: Do you even know how to write sound effects? You’re the worst speller.
JB: I blame the doctor for that because when I was a kid I’d stay up late on Sunday nights when the classic DOCTOR WHO was on WTTW in Chicago so I’d never study for my Monday morning spelling tests. Add the sound effects later.
CB: Do you remember when we first got the idea to collaborate on a Captain Jack story?
JB: The summer when we were working together on Anything Goes. We were on location for Torchwood in a warehouse in Cardiff. I was filming the “Meat” episode.
CB: Wasn’t that the same shoot where the pigeon pooped on Jack’s shoulder? Now that was hilarious.
JB: That was good luck . . . the shoot was taking forever. Lots of green screen shots. I think I started making up ways that Jack could end the scene and we could all get home. Now that I think about it, we came up with some funny stuff . . . I still think we should do something someday with the idea of Jack and the–
CB: Shush!! . . . Can we tease shamelessly like that?
JB [laughing] I think we just did. Anyway, I remember the endings we made up got more ridiculous the longer we all sat in that cold damp warehouse . . . you and I kept playing on the way home in the car.
CB: I’d forgotten about that . . . do you remember what we called the game?
JB: “What Would Jack Do?” . . . but the actual comic didn’t really take shape until Comic Con last summer in San Diego when we met Tommy Lee Edwards and Trevor Goring.
CB: It was the ‘Face of Boe’ poster that did it.
JB: The poster they created of Jack superimposed on the ‘Face of Boe’ still amazes me when I look at it. I framed it as soon as I got back to London. It’s on the wall in my office and I think it’s the best illustrated characterization of Jack that I’ve come across . . . until our comic is released that is.
CB: And you see a lot of images of Jack.
JB: Oh, yeah . . . so after Tommy, Trevor and I signed a batch of the posters, I asked them if they’d ever be interested in working with us on a graphic novel about Captain Jack.
CB: We had a graphic novel in our head because we had both recently read Neil Gaiman’s MARVEL 1602. You’d bought it to send home with me for Turner [my son], but we each ended up reading it first.
JB: Was that the one where the X-Men face the Spanish Inquisition?
CB: Uh, huh . . . they’re in Elizabethan England. Very clever stuff.
JB: Trevor and Tommy thought a collaboration sounded like a great idea and on the way home from Comic Con I knew that if we didn’t pursue the idea of the four of us working together right away, we’d all get busy with our individual work and it would never happen.
CB: Torchwood Magazine didn’t necessarily have a comic in mind did they?
JB: I don’t think so . . . but given that we’d just hooked up with two of the best artists in the comic world, as far as I was concerned, it made sense to pitch a comic . . . and then later when you and I were brainstorming on a story, I remembered you’d written something before about the myth of the selkie, and I thought it’d be a perfect plot to adapt for what, in my head, I was already calling a “Captain Jack Tale.”
CB: Except that my story had nothing to do with Torchwood or Captain Jack.
JB: Not then it didn’t but we worked that out between us . . . I’d always wanted to do something that put Jack in Scotland and your original story was set on an island off the Orkneys. Plus we’d already agreed to tell a story that showed a side of Jack and a part of his history that hadn’t been explored too much in other media . . . I wanted to give fans something original about Jack.
CB: What side of Jack do you think our comic foregrounds?
JB: I think we see Jack’s compassion . . . maybe his guilt. Plus his wicked skills with a harpoon!
CB: You’ve always been a comic fan, haven’t you?
JB: Oh, yeah. Love Spiderman, Batman, and definitely Captain America. . . I think it has something to do with when we immigrated to the States in the late 70s and I was trying hard to be an American kid. Couldn’t get enough of comics and Captain America . . . but I also love Superman–all the Justice League heroes for that matter.
CB: Do you remember the first mint condition comic you ever bought me when you could afford one?
SOUNDS OF SILENCE
CB: You haven’t got a clue, have you?
JB: A TIN TIN comic . . . plus a bunch of first edition ‘Noddy’ books.
CB: Nice save . . . so what do you think of ‘Captain Jack and The Selkie’ now that you’ve seen the finished product?
JB: I’m astonished. It’s brilliant work. The panels with the selkie are completely breathtaking . . . and Jack looks so damn good.
CB: When Tommy and Trevor sent the first colored panels, I just stared at them in stunned admiration.
JB: Tommy Lee, Trevor, John Workman on the lettering, Martin Eden at Torchwood Magazine, everyone worked really hard, but Tommy Lee especially, given the tight deadlines and budget constraints.
CB: Are you game for another one?
JB: !bOng! !bOng! !bOng!
Carole E. Barrowman explains how the project took off: "When John and I were working on [John’s autobiography] Anything Goes, we spent a lot of time together on the Torchwood set. In between our storytelling and moments of inspired silliness (maybe one or two), we decided we’d like to work on a project together that involved Captain Jack. The role of myth in a culture’s zeitgeist has always intrigued John and I (it probably intrigues all sci-fi fans) so I when I got back to the US, I sent John a short story I’d written, 'The Tale of the Selkie.' Almost immediately he called and said, 'This should be our first Captain Jack tale.'”
John Barrowman picks up the story: "Fast forward to ComicCon 2008 in San Diego, where we met the artists Tommy Lee Edwards and Trevor Goring. Tommy and Trevor had drawn a brilliant poster of my face super-imposed over the Face of Boe, which I think is the best piece of Captain Jack art I’ve seen. The four of us hit it off immediately and I asked if they’d ever be interested in working with us on a Captain Jack project. They thought about it for, oh, about 30 seconds, and so 'Captain Jack and the Selkie' was born!"
Media coverage of the comic strip: Metro, Press Association, Metro, io9, and Fear Net.
Titan have also provided a mini-interview between the two writers, which is reproduced below.
From screen to strip! John Barrowman reveals all about his new comic strip creation. Here, John Barrowman discusses the strip in a special interview conducted by his sister, Carole.
CB: Ready to chat about our Torchwood Magazine comic?
JB: Wait. Shouldn’t we have some sound effects if we’re making this read like a scene from ‘24’?
CB: Do you even know how to write sound effects? You’re the worst speller.
JB: I blame the doctor for that because when I was a kid I’d stay up late on Sunday nights when the classic DOCTOR WHO was on WTTW in Chicago so I’d never study for my Monday morning spelling tests. Add the sound effects later.
CB: Do you remember when we first got the idea to collaborate on a Captain Jack story?
JB: The summer when we were working together on Anything Goes. We were on location for Torchwood in a warehouse in Cardiff. I was filming the “Meat” episode.
CB: Wasn’t that the same shoot where the pigeon pooped on Jack’s shoulder? Now that was hilarious.
JB: That was good luck . . . the shoot was taking forever. Lots of green screen shots. I think I started making up ways that Jack could end the scene and we could all get home. Now that I think about it, we came up with some funny stuff . . . I still think we should do something someday with the idea of Jack and the–
CB: Shush!! . . . Can we tease shamelessly like that?
JB [laughing] I think we just did. Anyway, I remember the endings we made up got more ridiculous the longer we all sat in that cold damp warehouse . . . you and I kept playing on the way home in the car.
CB: I’d forgotten about that . . . do you remember what we called the game?
JB: “What Would Jack Do?” . . . but the actual comic didn’t really take shape until Comic Con last summer in San Diego when we met Tommy Lee Edwards and Trevor Goring.
CB: It was the ‘Face of Boe’ poster that did it.
JB: The poster they created of Jack superimposed on the ‘Face of Boe’ still amazes me when I look at it. I framed it as soon as I got back to London. It’s on the wall in my office and I think it’s the best illustrated characterization of Jack that I’ve come across . . . until our comic is released that is.
CB: And you see a lot of images of Jack.
JB: Oh, yeah . . . so after Tommy, Trevor and I signed a batch of the posters, I asked them if they’d ever be interested in working with us on a graphic novel about Captain Jack.
CB: We had a graphic novel in our head because we had both recently read Neil Gaiman’s MARVEL 1602. You’d bought it to send home with me for Turner [my son], but we each ended up reading it first.
JB: Was that the one where the X-Men face the Spanish Inquisition?
CB: Uh, huh . . . they’re in Elizabethan England. Very clever stuff.
JB: Trevor and Tommy thought a collaboration sounded like a great idea and on the way home from Comic Con I knew that if we didn’t pursue the idea of the four of us working together right away, we’d all get busy with our individual work and it would never happen.
CB: Torchwood Magazine didn’t necessarily have a comic in mind did they?
JB: I don’t think so . . . but given that we’d just hooked up with two of the best artists in the comic world, as far as I was concerned, it made sense to pitch a comic . . . and then later when you and I were brainstorming on a story, I remembered you’d written something before about the myth of the selkie, and I thought it’d be a perfect plot to adapt for what, in my head, I was already calling a “Captain Jack Tale.”
CB: Except that my story had nothing to do with Torchwood or Captain Jack.
JB: Not then it didn’t but we worked that out between us . . . I’d always wanted to do something that put Jack in Scotland and your original story was set on an island off the Orkneys. Plus we’d already agreed to tell a story that showed a side of Jack and a part of his history that hadn’t been explored too much in other media . . . I wanted to give fans something original about Jack.
CB: What side of Jack do you think our comic foregrounds?
JB: I think we see Jack’s compassion . . . maybe his guilt. Plus his wicked skills with a harpoon!
CB: You’ve always been a comic fan, haven’t you?
JB: Oh, yeah. Love Spiderman, Batman, and definitely Captain America. . . I think it has something to do with when we immigrated to the States in the late 70s and I was trying hard to be an American kid. Couldn’t get enough of comics and Captain America . . . but I also love Superman–all the Justice League heroes for that matter.
CB: Do you remember the first mint condition comic you ever bought me when you could afford one?
SOUNDS OF SILENCE
CB: You haven’t got a clue, have you?
JB: A TIN TIN comic . . . plus a bunch of first edition ‘Noddy’ books.
CB: Nice save . . . so what do you think of ‘Captain Jack and The Selkie’ now that you’ve seen the finished product?
JB: I’m astonished. It’s brilliant work. The panels with the selkie are completely breathtaking . . . and Jack looks so damn good.
CB: When Tommy and Trevor sent the first colored panels, I just stared at them in stunned admiration.
JB: Tommy Lee, Trevor, John Workman on the lettering, Martin Eden at Torchwood Magazine, everyone worked really hard, but Tommy Lee especially, given the tight deadlines and budget constraints.
CB: Are you game for another one?
JB: !bOng! !bOng! !bOng!
A One- off Short DW Comic
Today's Sci-Fi Wire reports that IDW will release a special one-shot Doctor Who comic, "The Whispering Gallery," by artist Ben Templesmith and writers Leah Moore & John Reppion.
In "The Whispering Gallery," the TARDIS lands in a maze-like gallery filled with thousands of talking pictures, and the Doctor and Martha discover they've come across a planet where showing emotion has been outlawed. The inhabitants have good reason for their suppression, but it wouldn't be like the Doctor to leave them in fear of truly living.
Married writing team Leah Moore and John Reppion have been fans of Doctor Who and pitched IDW Publishing on their story idea for the classic British sci-fi hero after Leah had a dream about a two-page spread one night.
RTD In Conversation
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts will be presenting a special event on 17th March; Russell T Davies in Conversation will take place at the Princess Anne Theatre on Piccadilly, and will feature a talk from the writer on "his origins in children's programmes, his thoughts about the audience and his hopes and fears for kids' output in the future - including his view on the BBC's move to Salford."
The evening is co-presented by BAFTA and the Showcomotion Children's Media Conference; further details and ticket booking can be found on the BAFTA website.
The evening is co-presented by BAFTA and the Showcomotion Children's Media Conference; further details and ticket booking can be found on the BAFTA website.
A Possibility for a Stage Production for DW
THE Tardis could soon be landing in your home town — after Doctor Who bosses decided to launch a megabucks STAGE version of the TV hit.
The multi-media extravaganza will feature a state-of-the-art light and sound show including many of the cult hit’s best-loved characters.
The Doctor will take on flying DALEKS, croaky CYBERMEN and stocky SONTARANS in the family event.
And 3-D footage is expected to be at the heart of the production.
Top brass are plotting to recreate the show’s magic at huge arena venues like the O2 in London and the NEC near Birmingham.
An insider explained: “The BBC know they’ve got a massive hit show on their hands, so they want to take it to the next level.
“They want it to be a Doctor Who experience which will blast fans with amazing visuals and music.
“The emphasis will be on technology so it’s unlikely any of the show’s stars will be on stage.
“But they are expected to feature in video elements. That said, the idea of using real actors hasn’t been ruled out.”
The plans are at an early stage but a source at BBC Worldwide, which handles the corporation’s commercial deals, said an announcement could be made “in a month”.
Ideally the show would run in the school summer holidays so as many kids as possible could go.
Beeb chiefs reckon the idea could rake in cash — tapping into Doctor Who’s 13million UK fans.
They’ve already tested the water by taking a version of Doctor Who to The Proms in London last summer.
The Albert Hall show saw an orchestra play music from the series against a backdrop of performers dressed as Doctor Who monsters.
It also included montages of scenes from the sci-fi hit plus a specially-filmed “mini-episode” of Doctor Who called Music of the Spheres.
Show star Freema Agyeman, 29 — former Doctor David Tennant’s sidekick — presented the special.
Doctor Who is already a big earner for BBC Worldwide.
Today's Sun announced that Doctor Who could be returning to the stage in a new show later this year. The article reports that the stage show will a multi-media light and sound show with 3D-footage, and will feature many of the Doctor's best loved characters, including "flying DALEKS, croaky CYBERMEN and stocky SONTARANS in the family event."
The paper mentions that plans are at an early stage, and that BBC Worldwide will make a decision in a month or so. Venues mentioned include the Birmingham NEC and the London O2.
Says an insider: "The BBC know they’ve got a massive hit show on their hands, so they want to take it to the next level. They want it to be a Doctor Who experience which will blast fans with amazing visuals and music. The emphasis will be on technology so it’s unlikely any of the show’s stars will be on stage. But they are expected to feature in video elements. That said, the idea of using real actors hasn’t been ruled out."
The story has also been picked up by Digital Spy, What's on TV, the Retford Times and the Gloucestershire Forester.
Australia: the Mercury reports that a stage show based on Doctor Who opens this week at the Peacock Theatre in Tasmania; entitled "Who, Knows", the show follows the adventures of Russell Lambert as he becomes the president of the Doctor Who Club of Tasmania.
he Sun reports today that the BBC are planning a live Doctor Who stage production which they hope will capitalise the success of the show.
According to the report, arenas like London's O2 and the Birmingham are being considered as potential venues for the extravaganza, which will include a light and sound show as well as 3D video footage featuring the Doctor alongside the Cybermen, the Sontarans and the Daleks.
"They want it to be a Doctor Who experience which will blast fans with amazing visuals and music," an insider told the newspaper.
They added: "The emphasis will be on technology so it's unlikely any of the show's stars will be on stage, but they are expected to feature in video elements. That said, the idea of using real actors hasn't been ruled out."
The taboid claims that an official announcement will be made next month.
Could the Tardis be landing in your home town? There are claims that Doctor Who bosses could launch a touring stage version of the TV hit!
The multi-media extravaganza would feature a state-of-the-art light and sound show including some of the best-loved Doctor Who characters. The Doctor could take on Daleks, Cybermen and Sontarans in this family event, 3-D footage is expected to be at the heart of the production.
As always, the claims are in the Sun, and even then from an insider, so there is a good chance this is made up, but other BBC shows already on the road include Strictly Come Dancing and Balamory!
Doctor Who has been stage plays before with Doctor Who and the Daleks in the Seven Keys to Doomsday, Doctor Who The Ultimate Adventure and The Curse of the Daleks!
The multi-media extravaganza will feature a state-of-the-art light and sound show including many of the cult hit’s best-loved characters.
The Doctor will take on flying DALEKS, croaky CYBERMEN and stocky SONTARANS in the family event.
And 3-D footage is expected to be at the heart of the production.
Top brass are plotting to recreate the show’s magic at huge arena venues like the O2 in London and the NEC near Birmingham.
An insider explained: “The BBC know they’ve got a massive hit show on their hands, so they want to take it to the next level.
“They want it to be a Doctor Who experience which will blast fans with amazing visuals and music.
“The emphasis will be on technology so it’s unlikely any of the show’s stars will be on stage.
“But they are expected to feature in video elements. That said, the idea of using real actors hasn’t been ruled out.”
The plans are at an early stage but a source at BBC Worldwide, which handles the corporation’s commercial deals, said an announcement could be made “in a month”.
Ideally the show would run in the school summer holidays so as many kids as possible could go.
Beeb chiefs reckon the idea could rake in cash — tapping into Doctor Who’s 13million UK fans.
They’ve already tested the water by taking a version of Doctor Who to The Proms in London last summer.
The Albert Hall show saw an orchestra play music from the series against a backdrop of performers dressed as Doctor Who monsters.
It also included montages of scenes from the sci-fi hit plus a specially-filmed “mini-episode” of Doctor Who called Music of the Spheres.
Show star Freema Agyeman, 29 — former Doctor David Tennant’s sidekick — presented the special.
Doctor Who is already a big earner for BBC Worldwide.
Today's Sun announced that Doctor Who could be returning to the stage in a new show later this year. The article reports that the stage show will a multi-media light and sound show with 3D-footage, and will feature many of the Doctor's best loved characters, including "flying DALEKS, croaky CYBERMEN and stocky SONTARANS in the family event."
The paper mentions that plans are at an early stage, and that BBC Worldwide will make a decision in a month or so. Venues mentioned include the Birmingham NEC and the London O2.
Says an insider: "The BBC know they’ve got a massive hit show on their hands, so they want to take it to the next level. They want it to be a Doctor Who experience which will blast fans with amazing visuals and music. The emphasis will be on technology so it’s unlikely any of the show’s stars will be on stage. But they are expected to feature in video elements. That said, the idea of using real actors hasn’t been ruled out."
The story has also been picked up by Digital Spy, What's on TV, the Retford Times and the Gloucestershire Forester.
Australia: the Mercury reports that a stage show based on Doctor Who opens this week at the Peacock Theatre in Tasmania; entitled "Who, Knows", the show follows the adventures of Russell Lambert as he becomes the president of the Doctor Who Club of Tasmania.
he Sun reports today that the BBC are planning a live Doctor Who stage production which they hope will capitalise the success of the show.
According to the report, arenas like London's O2 and the Birmingham are being considered as potential venues for the extravaganza, which will include a light and sound show as well as 3D video footage featuring the Doctor alongside the Cybermen, the Sontarans and the Daleks.
"They want it to be a Doctor Who experience which will blast fans with amazing visuals and music," an insider told the newspaper.
They added: "The emphasis will be on technology so it's unlikely any of the show's stars will be on stage, but they are expected to feature in video elements. That said, the idea of using real actors hasn't been ruled out."
The taboid claims that an official announcement will be made next month.
Could the Tardis be landing in your home town? There are claims that Doctor Who bosses could launch a touring stage version of the TV hit!
The multi-media extravaganza would feature a state-of-the-art light and sound show including some of the best-loved Doctor Who characters. The Doctor could take on Daleks, Cybermen and Sontarans in this family event, 3-D footage is expected to be at the heart of the production.
As always, the claims are in the Sun, and even then from an insider, so there is a good chance this is made up, but other BBC shows already on the road include Strictly Come Dancing and Balamory!
Doctor Who has been stage plays before with Doctor Who and the Daleks in the Seven Keys to Doomsday, Doctor Who The Ultimate Adventure and The Curse of the Daleks!
Job Role: Wanted An Interactive Producer For Doctor Who
The BBC has now provided details for another position to accompany the show, that of Interactive Producer.
As the job title implies, the role revolves around the media aspect of the show; in context: "BBC Wales successfully produces a wide range of network commissions such as Doctor Who, Torchwood, The Sarah Jane Adventures, Amazon and Last Chance to See. These productions increasingly include enhanced interactive content for digital TV, online and mobile platforms. The Interactive Producer is dedicated to producing innovative and compelling high quality content across interactive television, mobile and web platforms."
Like the producer's position, this one is once again a 12-month contract. The closing date is 27th February, and full details may be found on the BBC Jobs website.
As the job title implies, the role revolves around the media aspect of the show; in context: "BBC Wales successfully produces a wide range of network commissions such as Doctor Who, Torchwood, The Sarah Jane Adventures, Amazon and Last Chance to See. These productions increasingly include enhanced interactive content for digital TV, online and mobile platforms. The Interactive Producer is dedicated to producing innovative and compelling high quality content across interactive television, mobile and web platforms."
Like the producer's position, this one is once again a 12-month contract. The closing date is 27th February, and full details may be found on the BBC Jobs website.
Tennant Wins two Awards for Hamlet
David Tennant has won an award for the RSC production of Hamlet in which he starred.
His return to the stage was named the Theatre Event of the Year at the Theatregoers' Choice Awards this evening.
The play, which was staged in Stratford-upon-Avon then London, also won the Best Regional Production gong. The London dates - at The Novello Theatre - did not qualify for the awards, though, which were voted for by 35,000 people.
The ceremony, held at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London, was co-hosted by Sheridan Smith, who plays companion Lucie Miller in the Big Finish audio dramas.
In addition, Under The Blue Sky, which co-starred Catherine Tate and ran at the Duke of York's Theatre in London's West End, won the Best New Play award.
Tennant had to miss some of the London run of Hamlet because of a back injury but was able to return before it ended.
His return to the stage was named the Theatre Event of the Year at the Theatregoers' Choice Awards this evening.
The play, which was staged in Stratford-upon-Avon then London, also won the Best Regional Production gong. The London dates - at The Novello Theatre - did not qualify for the awards, though, which were voted for by 35,000 people.
The ceremony, held at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London, was co-hosted by Sheridan Smith, who plays companion Lucie Miller in the Big Finish audio dramas.
In addition, Under The Blue Sky, which co-starred Catherine Tate and ran at the Duke of York's Theatre in London's West End, won the Best New Play award.
Tennant had to miss some of the London run of Hamlet because of a back injury but was able to return before it ended.
Friday, 13 February 2009
Confirmed Ronnie Colbert to Star in one off special SJA for RND
Legendary comedian, Ronnie Corbett, has been confirmed as a guest star for a special Red Nose Day version of The Sarah Jane Adventures.
BBC Wales are recording a one-off mini adventure on Thursday, to air on Comic Relief - Funny for Money on Friday 13th of March on BBC1 from 7pm. It is written by Gareth Roberts and Clayton Hickman.
The BBC has confirmed that a special episode of The Sarah Jane Adventures will air for this year's Red Nose Day appeal!
The mini-episode, which is written by Gareth Roberts and Clayton Hickman, has been filmed especially for this year's Comic Relief and stars series regulars Elisabeth Sladen, Tommy Knight, Daniel Anthony and Anjli Mohindra. K-9 will also be making an appearance, and comedian Ronnie Corbett will guest star. The adventure will also feature the return of an old enemy.
"It's an honour to get involved with Red Nose Day," said executive producer Russell T Davies. "With Ronnie Corbett, K-9 and an old enemy's return, we can promise Sarah Jane Smith's most extraordinary adventure yet!"
The episode will air as part of the BBC's Funny for Money appeal show on Friday 13th March 2009 on BBC One. Meanwhile, production for the third series of The Sarah Jane Adventures will begin in Cardiff soon!
BBC Wales are recording a one-off mini adventure on Thursday, to air on Comic Relief - Funny for Money on Friday 13th of March on BBC1 from 7pm. It is written by Gareth Roberts and Clayton Hickman.
The BBC has confirmed that a special episode of The Sarah Jane Adventures will air for this year's Red Nose Day appeal!
The mini-episode, which is written by Gareth Roberts and Clayton Hickman, has been filmed especially for this year's Comic Relief and stars series regulars Elisabeth Sladen, Tommy Knight, Daniel Anthony and Anjli Mohindra. K-9 will also be making an appearance, and comedian Ronnie Corbett will guest star. The adventure will also feature the return of an old enemy.
"It's an honour to get involved with Red Nose Day," said executive producer Russell T Davies. "With Ronnie Corbett, K-9 and an old enemy's return, we can promise Sarah Jane Smith's most extraordinary adventure yet!"
The episode will air as part of the BBC's Funny for Money appeal show on Friday 13th March 2009 on BBC One. Meanwhile, production for the third series of The Sarah Jane Adventures will begin in Cardiff soon!
SJA to be on Red Nose Day
Elisabeth Sladen, Tommy Knight, Anjli Mohindra and Daniel Anthony will be reunited next Thursday (19-02-09) to film a special Sarah Jane Adventures for the Comic Relief broadcast on March 13th!. Details regarding the plot are rather sketchy. However, SARAH-JANE.tv can exclusively reveal that the short will feature a well-known comedian and an attack by Rednosicles(!) Yeah, I know... I can see you rolling your eyes! But give it a chance, it'll be aweshum. Plus it's a good oppurtunity for the cast to get back into the SJA grove prior to filming the third series, and have a little fun with their characters while they're at it! Cannae wait!
http://www.sarahjanetv.blogspot.com/
Official DW Filming In Dubai
The BBC has confirmed that part of the forthcoming Doctor Who Easter special will be filmed in Dubai.
Planet of the Dead, which stars David Tennant as the Doctor alongside Michelle Ryan and Lee Evans, began filming in January in Cardiff and the team are now descending upon the Arabian Gulf to film further scenes for the episode.
"We rarely take Doctor Who abroad," said Doctor Who Producer Tracie Simpson. "We did visit Rome for Series Four's The Fires of Pompeii - which gave us some spectacular footage. The locations in Dubai are a perfect match for writer Russell T Davies's vision of the episode and we expect to film some incredible scenes while we are here."
Bionic Woman and Merlin star Michelle Ryan plays the mysterious Lady Christina de Souza who joins the Doctor on a bus-trip which takes a very unexpected detour into danger. British comedy star Lee Evans also joins the cast playing a character called Malcolm whose life becomes connected to the Doctor's under extraordinary circumstances and Noma Dumezweni returns as Captain Erisa Magambo - last seen helping Rose and Donna save the world in Turn Left.
Planet of the Dead is the first of four Doctor Who Specials which will air in 2009.
Written by Russell T Davies and Gareth Roberts, the episode is will be screened on BBC One in Spring 2009.
The story will also be the first to be shot and broadcast in the Hi-Defintion format already used by Torchwood and several
other major BBC Productions.
The BBC Press Office have confirmed that filming has now begun in the United Arab Emirates for the forthcoming special Planet of the Dead.
Says producer Tracie Simpson: "We rarely take Doctor Who abroad although we did visit Rome for series four's The Fires Of Pompeii which gave us some spectacular footage. The locations in Dubai are a perfect match for writer Russell T Davies's vision of the episode and we expect to film some incredible scenes while we are here."
Additional photos from filming are available on the BBC's offical Doctor Who website for download as wallpaper.
News on filming has also been mentioned in the local Dubai paper The National: "While filming in crippling sandstorms in Dubai this week may have proved troublesome for mere mortals, the cult sci-fi figure the Doctor, hero of the popular BBC programme Doctor Who, emerged victorious over the climatic horrors of planet Earth. Hundreds of production crew descended on the desert around the city this week to film part of an episode of the programme. The location remained a closely guarded secret despite being in the wide open desert, with production company staff and all technical crew from Dubai required to sign confidentiality agreements."
Further media coverage from: CBBC, WalesOnline, Scottish Herald, Daily Record, Evening Post, Press Association, and Arabian Business.
Planet of the Dead, which stars David Tennant as the Doctor alongside Michelle Ryan and Lee Evans, began filming in January in Cardiff and the team are now descending upon the Arabian Gulf to film further scenes for the episode.
"We rarely take Doctor Who abroad," said Doctor Who Producer Tracie Simpson. "We did visit Rome for Series Four's The Fires of Pompeii - which gave us some spectacular footage. The locations in Dubai are a perfect match for writer Russell T Davies's vision of the episode and we expect to film some incredible scenes while we are here."
Bionic Woman and Merlin star Michelle Ryan plays the mysterious Lady Christina de Souza who joins the Doctor on a bus-trip which takes a very unexpected detour into danger. British comedy star Lee Evans also joins the cast playing a character called Malcolm whose life becomes connected to the Doctor's under extraordinary circumstances and Noma Dumezweni returns as Captain Erisa Magambo - last seen helping Rose and Donna save the world in Turn Left.
Planet of the Dead is the first of four Doctor Who Specials which will air in 2009.
Written by Russell T Davies and Gareth Roberts, the episode is will be screened on BBC One in Spring 2009.
The story will also be the first to be shot and broadcast in the Hi-Defintion format already used by Torchwood and several
other major BBC Productions.
The BBC Press Office have confirmed that filming has now begun in the United Arab Emirates for the forthcoming special Planet of the Dead.
Says producer Tracie Simpson: "We rarely take Doctor Who abroad although we did visit Rome for series four's The Fires Of Pompeii which gave us some spectacular footage. The locations in Dubai are a perfect match for writer Russell T Davies's vision of the episode and we expect to film some incredible scenes while we are here."
Additional photos from filming are available on the BBC's offical Doctor Who website for download as wallpaper.
News on filming has also been mentioned in the local Dubai paper The National: "While filming in crippling sandstorms in Dubai this week may have proved troublesome for mere mortals, the cult sci-fi figure the Doctor, hero of the popular BBC programme Doctor Who, emerged victorious over the climatic horrors of planet Earth. Hundreds of production crew descended on the desert around the city this week to film part of an episode of the programme. The location remained a closely guarded secret despite being in the wide open desert, with production company staff and all technical crew from Dubai required to sign confidentiality agreements."
Further media coverage from: CBBC, WalesOnline, Scottish Herald, Daily Record, Evening Post, Press Association, and Arabian Business.
Thursday, 12 February 2009
Hayward Gallery to showcase a Tardis
London's Hayward Gallery on the South Bank will be opening a new exhibition from the 18th February, entitled "Mark Wallinger Curates: The Russian Linesman" - a name inspired by the 1996 England vs Germany Football World Cup ruling during the match which reputedly changed the course of football history.The exhibition will explore "notions of the liminal: thresholds between physical, political or metaphysical realms".
Says Wallinger: "I have always been interested in how we define and are defined by thresholds and boundaries, the events of history.
The works in the exhibition use illusion, artifice and dislocating devices to look at our accidental time and place in the world afresh."For Doctor Who fans, the exhibition also includes Wallinger's own "Time and Relative Dimensions in Space", a reflective 'TARDIS' originally featured in 2001's Venice Biennale.For more details on the exhibition visit the Hayward Gallery exhibition page, plus coverage in the Evening Standard and on the London SE1 website.
One Final Update........
Today is the last day of updates as i be headin off to Los Angeles to attend the Galifry convention over the weekend then on sunday i'lll be heading back to London for annual trip there which will last for 3 days so i leave today for LAX staying at the Marriot Hotel then on sinday leaving for london staying at the Best Western Hotel in kensignton for 3 days and 2 nights so i' be heading home late tuesday Night so I won't be updating this blog till wednesday.
I'll be posted some vidoes from the Galifrey convention as soon as i can upoad them and i'll be posting some London Photos as soon as i get back
feel free to post comments in the Cbox
if you have any news then you cna e-mail me or use the C box
till Next time I'll be seeing you
Bye.
I'll be posted some vidoes from the Galifrey convention as soon as i can upoad them and i'll be posting some London Photos as soon as i get back
feel free to post comments in the Cbox
if you have any news then you cna e-mail me or use the C box
till Next time I'll be seeing you
Bye.
Planet of the dead In Dubai
The Doctor Who Crew flew World Traveller (economy), the cast were Club World (business).
Cobbled together from information from Sunjunky; They are outside Dubai off the Al Ain Road, but its hard to explain exactly were, as there is no town/landmarks, I've not seen the bus, but have found their camp! A guy there told me they were filming 20 minutes further in over the dunes. As we sat in the jeep debating whether to try finding them, a few jeeps where headed back our way. We recognised no-one, until a tall chap wearing a black t-shirt, cap and shades walked into view - David Tennant! I was just about to let the kids out of our jeep to say hi, but he got back into a jeep along with Michelle Ryan (who wore a straw cowboy style hat) and a few others and they headed back towards the main road. Everyone looked so pale! I did follow but they parked up on the main road, so as I'm no stalker I didn't hang around. I will certainly go back over the next couple of days. There was a lot of blowing sand, so I didn't take any pictures this time.
They should fly back on either Friday or Saturday, probably British Airways again.
Special thanx to Sunjunky for the above, and to SonicSapphire for the travel info!
Cobbled together from information from Sunjunky; They are outside Dubai off the Al Ain Road, but its hard to explain exactly were, as there is no town/landmarks, I've not seen the bus, but have found their camp! A guy there told me they were filming 20 minutes further in over the dunes. As we sat in the jeep debating whether to try finding them, a few jeeps where headed back our way. We recognised no-one, until a tall chap wearing a black t-shirt, cap and shades walked into view - David Tennant! I was just about to let the kids out of our jeep to say hi, but he got back into a jeep along with Michelle Ryan (who wore a straw cowboy style hat) and a few others and they headed back towards the main road. Everyone looked so pale! I did follow but they parked up on the main road, so as I'm no stalker I didn't hang around. I will certainly go back over the next couple of days. There was a lot of blowing sand, so I didn't take any pictures this time.
They should fly back on either Friday or Saturday, probably British Airways again.
Special thanx to Sunjunky for the above, and to SonicSapphire for the travel info!
Wednesday, 11 February 2009
Smih Contracted to be the Doctor for 5 years
NEW Doctor Who Matt Smith will get £1million to play the Time Lord for five years, The Sun can reveal.
The little-known actor, 26, has signed a £200,000-a-year deal with the BBC1 sci-fi hit.
His contract ties him into the show for three years, with the option of two more after that.
Current Doctor David Tennant, 37, was said to get £1million a YEAR — but was already a well-known actor when he began.
And The Sun has told how the BBC is trimming star salaries in the credit crunch.
Producers were said to be keen to keep Matt as long as possible after David announced he is to quit after three series at the height of the show’s popularity — with 12 million regular viewers. He is filming four one-offs this year.
An insider said: “Bosses don’t want Matt doing a David and leaving when things are going great.”
Matt signed in December as the 11th Doctor and is working on his first series, which airs next year.
The Time Lord is limited to 12 “regenerations”, so only two more actors can play him. Eighth Doctor Paul McGann was in just the 1996 TV movie, and No9 Christopher Eccleston stayed for only one series.
The BBC would not discuss Matt’s contract but said: “All new deals are done with the economic climate in mind.”
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/article2225746.ece?OTC-RSS&ATTR=TV
The little-known actor, 26, has signed a £200,000-a-year deal with the BBC1 sci-fi hit.
His contract ties him into the show for three years, with the option of two more after that.
Current Doctor David Tennant, 37, was said to get £1million a YEAR — but was already a well-known actor when he began.
And The Sun has told how the BBC is trimming star salaries in the credit crunch.
Producers were said to be keen to keep Matt as long as possible after David announced he is to quit after three series at the height of the show’s popularity — with 12 million regular viewers. He is filming four one-offs this year.
An insider said: “Bosses don’t want Matt doing a David and leaving when things are going great.”
Matt signed in December as the 11th Doctor and is working on his first series, which airs next year.
The Time Lord is limited to 12 “regenerations”, so only two more actors can play him. Eighth Doctor Paul McGann was in just the 1996 TV movie, and No9 Christopher Eccleston stayed for only one series.
The BBC would not discuss Matt’s contract but said: “All new deals are done with the economic climate in mind.”
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/article2225746.ece?OTC-RSS&ATTR=TV
prodcution on Planet of the Dead Has Begun In Dubai
I understand that the Doctor Who team flew out to Dubai today on British Airways flight BA 107!
According to the garage that has been involved with the damaged bus, today is the start of three days filming in Dubai (11th-13th February), if any photographs/videos arrive, I will of course have them on here!
Other information about is that all UK location filming for Planet Of The Dead is now complete (leaving planet Earth on the bus, then returning), so its all just UK studio filming now!
Doctor Who team, including David Tennant and Michelle Ryan, flew out to Dubai today to film scenes for this year's upcoming Easter special, Planet of the Dead.
It's thought that they will be staying in the city for three days while production on the episode continues.Executive producer Russell T Davies hopes that the scenes shot in Dubai will add some scale to the episode, which kicks off David Tennant's last run as the Tenth incarnation of the Doctor.
According to the garage that has been involved with the damaged bus, today is the start of three days filming in Dubai (11th-13th February), if any photographs/videos arrive, I will of course have them on here!
Other information about is that all UK location filming for Planet Of The Dead is now complete (leaving planet Earth on the bus, then returning), so its all just UK studio filming now!
Doctor Who team, including David Tennant and Michelle Ryan, flew out to Dubai today to film scenes for this year's upcoming Easter special, Planet of the Dead.
It's thought that they will be staying in the city for three days while production on the episode continues.Executive producer Russell T Davies hopes that the scenes shot in Dubai will add some scale to the episode, which kicks off David Tennant's last run as the Tenth incarnation of the Doctor.
Tuesday, 10 February 2009
Smith casted in a new film drama
Matt Smith is set to appear in an upcoming film called Womb, according to online reports this week.
The actor will be starring in the film, which is written by Benedek Fliegra, alongside Eva Green.
The film tells the story of a grieving widow, played by Green, who decides to clone her late husband. It deals with the moral and ethical issues surrounding human cloning in a 'sensitive and all too believable' way.
According to the filmmakers, the film will draw us in to the world of the characters, so that we can identify on an intimate personal level with the human dilemmas that confront them. It promises to be a profoundly moving film that will deeply effect audiences, and stir debate about this issue.
The actor will be starring in the film, which is written by Benedek Fliegra, alongside Eva Green.
The film tells the story of a grieving widow, played by Green, who decides to clone her late husband. It deals with the moral and ethical issues surrounding human cloning in a 'sensitive and all too believable' way.
According to the filmmakers, the film will draw us in to the world of the characters, so that we can identify on an intimate personal level with the human dilemmas that confront them. It promises to be a profoundly moving film that will deeply effect audiences, and stir debate about this issue.
Euros Lynn and Eve Myles and NYCC (New York Comic Con
Here are a collection of interviews with Director of Torchwood and Doctor who Euros Lynn and Actress Eve Myles who plays Gwen cooper from torchwood. They're from NYCC (New york Comic con):
The rest can be seen on youtube just type in comic con torchwodd
or here are some here: http://www.youtube.com/user/Mirnell
The rest can be seen on youtube just type in comic con torchwodd
or here are some here: http://www.youtube.com/user/Mirnell
Monday, 9 February 2009
Noel Clarke wins Bafta Award
Noel Clarke has won the BAFTA Orange Rising Star Award. The award, given by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts and presented at a ceremony at the Royal Opera House in London, is the only award voted on by the public.It honours a young actor/actress of any nationality who has demonstrated exceptional talent and begun to capture the imagination of the British public as a film star in the making.
Clarke, who played Mickey Smith in Doctor Who, won the award for his work as writer and star of the feature length Kidulthood as well as follow up film Adulthood, the latter of which he also directed.Ian Smith, Head of Partnerships at Orange, said: "We are delighted that Noel Clarke has been chosen as this year's Orange Rising Star.
Noel is truly a fantastic role model for the next generation of aspiring film talent in Britain."Finola Dwyer, Chairman of the BAFTA Film Committee, said: "I'm sure the British public will join me in congratulating a very deserving winner."
Also at the awards, former Doctor Who writer and co-creator of K-9, Bob Baker, won the BAFTA for Short Animation for his work on Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death. Baker shared the award with Steve Pegram and Nick Park.
Sunday, 8 February 2009
A Possibility of a Doctor who Movie
Russell T Davies has revealed that he's confident a Doctor Who movie will be made in the future.
Davies told the South Wales Evening Post that he's sure the Time Lord will be making his way onto the big screen one day.
"There must be ways and means of doing it," he said. "I suspect one day it will happen. I think once something is talked about often enough then it starts to happen. Being talked about in the papers could almost bring it into existence. It gives us an idea of whether or not anyone would want to go and see it at the cinema."
But the executive producer assures us that if a film version were to be made, the series wouldn't be taken off the small screen to accommodate its production.
"I think the important thing to say is that if it ever happened it wouldn't take the television version off air," he explained. "That would be terrible and it would also be breaking the BBC's charter."
He added: "In Voyage of the Damned, our design department did a brilliant job. But in a film version it would have had huge, vast ballrooms and towering inferno-type sets with everything collapsing. Doctor Who might seem as if it's a film sometimes, but if you actually look at films they're even bigger."
Davies, who will be leaving the show later this year, has previously claimed that he would return if a film was commissioned.
Davies told the South Wales Evening Post that he's sure the Time Lord will be making his way onto the big screen one day.
"There must be ways and means of doing it," he said. "I suspect one day it will happen. I think once something is talked about often enough then it starts to happen. Being talked about in the papers could almost bring it into existence. It gives us an idea of whether or not anyone would want to go and see it at the cinema."
But the executive producer assures us that if a film version were to be made, the series wouldn't be taken off the small screen to accommodate its production.
"I think the important thing to say is that if it ever happened it wouldn't take the television version off air," he explained. "That would be terrible and it would also be breaking the BBC's charter."
He added: "In Voyage of the Damned, our design department did a brilliant job. But in a film version it would have had huge, vast ballrooms and towering inferno-type sets with everything collapsing. Doctor Who might seem as if it's a film sometimes, but if you actually look at films they're even bigger."
Davies, who will be leaving the show later this year, has previously claimed that he would return if a film was commissioned.
Watch (UK Digital Channel) to Broadcast Series 2 of Torchwood
Starting Saturday 14th February, the cable channel Watch is to repeat season 2 of Torchwood, at 9pm on Saturdays, this follows the series finale of Series 1 tonight!
Interview With Euros Lynn
Some of you may know that I'm a huge Torchwood fan so when I got the opportunity to interview the man behind the lens on their upcoming five-episode season titled "Children of the Earth," I was quite excited. Euros and I talked about the new season, the trials of location shooting, his involvement with the Doctor Who specials, and new Doctor Matt Smith. I also may have gotten his hopes up about people wearing costumes at this weekend's New York Comic Con. Fellow fanboys and fangirls, don't fail me!
How did you get involved with Torchwood: Children of the Earth?
How did you get involved with Torchwood: Children of the Earth?
Well, I've worked on quite a few episodes of Doctor Who and worked with Russell Davies and Julie Gardner who write and [executive produce] the shows. Julie came to me and she said that this season they wanted to create a mini-series of just five episodes and have just one story arcing over the episodes. They wanted just one director to kind of take charge and it seemed like such a fantastic opportunity to tell one story and develop these wonderful characters through amazing adventures over five hours of TV. And the idea that they're going to be [aired] over one week - as a director it feel like it's one epic, huge story.
As you've worked with Russell and Julie before, did the familiarity help with the preperation since you know what they're expecting in terms of visuals?
Um....yeah, and not just visuals, tone as well. I mean, [one thing about] Russell's writing that's wonderful is he combines a very human domestic world with a very grand, epic, sci-fi, kind of tragic genre. He makes these contradictorily elements a whole and having an affinity for that is invaluable for me as a director.
Did you have any input on the story and how it was going to play out?
They were very kind to me and I was invited to come along to all the early storyline meetings. We've actually got three writers on this season. There's Russell, who's written two and a half of the episodes and kind of showrunning it all, and we've got James Moran and John Fay who've also written some episodes. Kind of being part of that team and part of the storytelling early on was a brilliant opportunity for me.
Have you seen the trailer yet?
I have. You've seen it?
Oh, of course. A couple times. Because, you know, us nerds have to pick apart everything and see if we can catch any hints or details in the quick cuts.
[laughs]
It seems like there was a lot of outside shooting this time around. Did you run into a lot of problems?
Well, the weather in Wales is law unto itself so I think you can imagine blizzards and rainstorms and sometimes sunshine. You have to deal with everything that gets thrown at you. But I think we definitely wanted to tell a story about what would happen to people in the real world if a set of extraordinary circumstances were visited upon us and I think shooting in the streets of Cardiff, in the streets of London, the realism that that lends a story is really important to the story we want to tell.
It also seems as if there aren't so much as a lot of explosions but at least a couple big ones. Was that hard to shoot seeing as you were outside in the Cardiff and London?
Um...yeah...I mean, shooting in Cardiff we get an extraordinary amount of support from the authorities and the police and the counsel. They love the fact that we're shooting the show there and they're so accommodating in what they allow us to do. And when you're shooting some complicated, technical sequences like explosions or chases, you often do an awful amount of preparation for those. Support from the special effects people and the visual effects people, that's all there, so often the biggest set pieces are easier to do because you've got this extraordinary amount of support. It's often times the simpler things that catch you out. [But] I think they went well.
I'm sure you can't give away anything about the plot, any hints, though I'm probably going to ask you later...
[laughs]
...but going back to the trailer, is there any key moment that people might want to look at?
I think the very, very first moment of the story sets the tone for all five hours in this season. And it's the moment that every single child on the planet stands still and they start to chant, "We are coming." And from that moment I think we can expect something terrible and dark and demonic to come and wreak some havoc on humanity.
As it's kids that are in trouble, with adults at least there's a sense that they can take care of themselves. With this in mind, did that affect the way that you shoot scenes?
Um...I mean, it's drama and we always try to ramp up that sense of drama. For a viewer, the more dramatic and involving a story is the better. And I think you're absolutely right - kids in peril or kids behaving in a scary, spooky fashion is more scary than anything because it's that innocence. When it's corrupted or tainted it really touches a nerve and [I hope that's what] the series will do.
So what was it like working with our Torchwood Trio? Well, I assume that it's a trio and they didn't bring anyone else in to join the team.
In five episodes, we meet an awful lot of new characters. And nobody strictly speaking joins the team but lots of people all help and lots of characters hinder our [heroes]. [John Barrowman, Eve Myles, and Gareth David-Lloyd] have been on the show for two season before I joined so they know their roles inside out and I was relying on them really to tell me who their characters were. I was there to make sure that we're telling this story properly. And they're such good fun as well. They love it, they love working on the show and that makes my job a thousand times easier.
Were there any set shenanigans? Because I hear there can be some practical jokes flying around.
They are incorrigible. And my job as a director is to be the grown-up...well, I have to pretend to be the grown-up. There's always messing about but our schedules are killer. We're shooting an awful lot of minutes each day so [we sometimes need the relief].
You worked on a good handful of Doctor Who episodes before and I see from my research that you're set to work on some next season.
Yeah, well the next season is a strange one because there are five specials. One we've already done, the Christmas special, and there are another four to come and that'll take us up to David Tennant's departure when his Doctor regenerates into Matt Smith's Doctor.
Are you gonna be working on the specials or the season with Matt Smith?
I'm gonna be working on the specials. I'm gonna be directing the final two-parter which will be David becoming Matt so that'll be an adventure.
Have you met Matt yet?
No [but] I read stuff about him in the papers every day. There's such excitement about him taking over and I think the press are whipping themselves in a frenzy at the moment.
Especially because, in terms of familiarity in TV and film, he's relatively unknown. I'm sure he has a long theater resume but someone's always trying to dig up a piece of information. You know how the press can be. [laughs]
[laughs] But interestingly before David took over as the Doctor he'd done an awful lot of theater, very accomplished theater work, and he'd been in some series. He definitely wasn't a household name. Playing the Doctor is the kind of role that thrusts you in the limelight and brings you to the attention of the whole country.
And I think it'd be difficult to get sombody who's very well known to play the part because you don't really want to have those preconceived notions.
Yeah, I think that's right. I mean, interestingly in the first season of the new Doctor Who Christopher Eccleston played the Doctor and Chris was a very well-known actor before the part. But I guess that was different because it was the relaunch show so bringing some familiarity had advantages.
Yeah, it's that balance and knowing when to which way to go in that respect. So I see our time is about up. Is this your first Comic Con in America?
It is, yeah. What should I expect?
[laughs] Um...you should expect a lot of interesting costumes.
[laughs] I'll look forward to that.
You should also expect very detailed questions that might involve things you have no recollection about even though it's your own work.
[laughs]
You also might expect a slightly rowdy crowd depending. I don't know if you've ever been to any of the Who cons but it's a similar crowd. The interests are a little more varied but they're all pretty hardcore. It'll be a warm and lovely reception for you, they'll be very happy to see you.
Oh, that's fantastic. I'm very excited. The loyalty of the fans is something invaluable to the show's success. For that we're very grateful.
I'm sure they'll welcome you with open arms. And there might be a couple people dressed up like the Doctor and there might be a couple Captain Jacks running around out there. Hopefully you'll be able to see that level of commitment from the fans.
[laughs] That's fantastic, I'm looking forward to it.
So I'll let you go, thank you so much.
It was lovely, thank you.
Torchwood: Children of Earth airs this summer simultaneously on BBC and BBC America. For those going to New York Comic Con, there'll be a panel on Saturday, Feb. 7th at 4:15pm featuring Euros and Eve Myles (Gwen) followed by an autograph session at 6pm
As you've worked with Russell and Julie before, did the familiarity help with the preperation since you know what they're expecting in terms of visuals?
Um....yeah, and not just visuals, tone as well. I mean, [one thing about] Russell's writing that's wonderful is he combines a very human domestic world with a very grand, epic, sci-fi, kind of tragic genre. He makes these contradictorily elements a whole and having an affinity for that is invaluable for me as a director.
Did you have any input on the story and how it was going to play out?
They were very kind to me and I was invited to come along to all the early storyline meetings. We've actually got three writers on this season. There's Russell, who's written two and a half of the episodes and kind of showrunning it all, and we've got James Moran and John Fay who've also written some episodes. Kind of being part of that team and part of the storytelling early on was a brilliant opportunity for me.
Have you seen the trailer yet?
I have. You've seen it?
Oh, of course. A couple times. Because, you know, us nerds have to pick apart everything and see if we can catch any hints or details in the quick cuts.
[laughs]
It seems like there was a lot of outside shooting this time around. Did you run into a lot of problems?
Well, the weather in Wales is law unto itself so I think you can imagine blizzards and rainstorms and sometimes sunshine. You have to deal with everything that gets thrown at you. But I think we definitely wanted to tell a story about what would happen to people in the real world if a set of extraordinary circumstances were visited upon us and I think shooting in the streets of Cardiff, in the streets of London, the realism that that lends a story is really important to the story we want to tell.
It also seems as if there aren't so much as a lot of explosions but at least a couple big ones. Was that hard to shoot seeing as you were outside in the Cardiff and London?
Um...yeah...I mean, shooting in Cardiff we get an extraordinary amount of support from the authorities and the police and the counsel. They love the fact that we're shooting the show there and they're so accommodating in what they allow us to do. And when you're shooting some complicated, technical sequences like explosions or chases, you often do an awful amount of preparation for those. Support from the special effects people and the visual effects people, that's all there, so often the biggest set pieces are easier to do because you've got this extraordinary amount of support. It's often times the simpler things that catch you out. [But] I think they went well.
I'm sure you can't give away anything about the plot, any hints, though I'm probably going to ask you later...
[laughs]
...but going back to the trailer, is there any key moment that people might want to look at?
I think the very, very first moment of the story sets the tone for all five hours in this season. And it's the moment that every single child on the planet stands still and they start to chant, "We are coming." And from that moment I think we can expect something terrible and dark and demonic to come and wreak some havoc on humanity.
As it's kids that are in trouble, with adults at least there's a sense that they can take care of themselves. With this in mind, did that affect the way that you shoot scenes?
Um...I mean, it's drama and we always try to ramp up that sense of drama. For a viewer, the more dramatic and involving a story is the better. And I think you're absolutely right - kids in peril or kids behaving in a scary, spooky fashion is more scary than anything because it's that innocence. When it's corrupted or tainted it really touches a nerve and [I hope that's what] the series will do.
So what was it like working with our Torchwood Trio? Well, I assume that it's a trio and they didn't bring anyone else in to join the team.
In five episodes, we meet an awful lot of new characters. And nobody strictly speaking joins the team but lots of people all help and lots of characters hinder our [heroes]. [John Barrowman, Eve Myles, and Gareth David-Lloyd] have been on the show for two season before I joined so they know their roles inside out and I was relying on them really to tell me who their characters were. I was there to make sure that we're telling this story properly. And they're such good fun as well. They love it, they love working on the show and that makes my job a thousand times easier.
Were there any set shenanigans? Because I hear there can be some practical jokes flying around.
They are incorrigible. And my job as a director is to be the grown-up...well, I have to pretend to be the grown-up. There's always messing about but our schedules are killer. We're shooting an awful lot of minutes each day so [we sometimes need the relief].
You worked on a good handful of Doctor Who episodes before and I see from my research that you're set to work on some next season.
Yeah, well the next season is a strange one because there are five specials. One we've already done, the Christmas special, and there are another four to come and that'll take us up to David Tennant's departure when his Doctor regenerates into Matt Smith's Doctor.
Are you gonna be working on the specials or the season with Matt Smith?
I'm gonna be working on the specials. I'm gonna be directing the final two-parter which will be David becoming Matt so that'll be an adventure.
Have you met Matt yet?
No [but] I read stuff about him in the papers every day. There's such excitement about him taking over and I think the press are whipping themselves in a frenzy at the moment.
Especially because, in terms of familiarity in TV and film, he's relatively unknown. I'm sure he has a long theater resume but someone's always trying to dig up a piece of information. You know how the press can be. [laughs]
[laughs] But interestingly before David took over as the Doctor he'd done an awful lot of theater, very accomplished theater work, and he'd been in some series. He definitely wasn't a household name. Playing the Doctor is the kind of role that thrusts you in the limelight and brings you to the attention of the whole country.
And I think it'd be difficult to get sombody who's very well known to play the part because you don't really want to have those preconceived notions.
Yeah, I think that's right. I mean, interestingly in the first season of the new Doctor Who Christopher Eccleston played the Doctor and Chris was a very well-known actor before the part. But I guess that was different because it was the relaunch show so bringing some familiarity had advantages.
Yeah, it's that balance and knowing when to which way to go in that respect. So I see our time is about up. Is this your first Comic Con in America?
It is, yeah. What should I expect?
[laughs] Um...you should expect a lot of interesting costumes.
[laughs] I'll look forward to that.
You should also expect very detailed questions that might involve things you have no recollection about even though it's your own work.
[laughs]
You also might expect a slightly rowdy crowd depending. I don't know if you've ever been to any of the Who cons but it's a similar crowd. The interests are a little more varied but they're all pretty hardcore. It'll be a warm and lovely reception for you, they'll be very happy to see you.
Oh, that's fantastic. I'm very excited. The loyalty of the fans is something invaluable to the show's success. For that we're very grateful.
I'm sure they'll welcome you with open arms. And there might be a couple people dressed up like the Doctor and there might be a couple Captain Jacks running around out there. Hopefully you'll be able to see that level of commitment from the fans.
[laughs] That's fantastic, I'm looking forward to it.
So I'll let you go, thank you so much.
It was lovely, thank you.
Torchwood: Children of Earth airs this summer simultaneously on BBC and BBC America. For those going to New York Comic Con, there'll be a panel on Saturday, Feb. 7th at 4:15pm featuring Euros and Eve Myles (Gwen) followed by an autograph session at 6pm
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