BBC Books have sent DWO the cover and details for the 2012 book release of Shada by Douglas Adams and Gareth Roberts.

Shada

Written by: Douglas Adams and Gareth Roberts

The Doctor's old friend and fellow Time Lord Professor Chronotis has retired to Cambridge University - where nobody will notice if he lives for centuries. But now he needs help from the Doctor, Romana and K-9. When he left Gallifrey he took with him a few little souvenirs - most of them are harmless. But one of them is extremely dangerous.

The Worshipful and Ancient Law of Gallifrey isn't a book for Time Tots. It is one of the Artefacts, dating from the dark days of Rassilon. It must not be allowed to fall into the wrong hands. And the sinister Skagra most definitely has the wrong hands. He wants the book. He wants to discover the truth behind Shada. And he wants the Doctor's mind...

Based on the scripts for the original television series by the legendary Douglas Adams, Shada retells an adventure that never made it to the screen.

+  Shada is released on 15th March 2012, priced £16.99 (HB) / £12.99 (PB).

+  Compare Prices for this product on CompareTheDalek.com!

[Source: BBC Books]

In September 2011, BBC Three controller Zai Bennett cancelled the Doctor Who Confidential programme as a cost-cutting measure. Confidential was a programme that went behind the scenes of the making of the BBC's flagship drama, Doctor Who. It also covered various events in the series for broadcast on BBC One, and provided a full disc of extras for the DVD and Blu-Ray box set releases.

A highlight of the last series was the 'Script To Screen' segment in which schools were encouraged to enter a competition to write a script that would be filmed and broadcast on Confidential - the mini-episode would even star Matt Smith.

After the cancellation, a huge campaign to save the show was initiated by fans of the show leading to a petition with fifty-five-thousand signatures and support from various members of the industry, including the writer Neil Gaiman.

A group of Doctor Who Podcasters decided to write and record a song about the cancellation. The collective eventually became known as 'No Touch Pod'.

Tony Gallichan from the Flashing Blade and DWO WhoCast podcasts wrote the tune and some of the lyrics, aided by Karen Dunn from the Staggering Stories podcast. Then a good number of podcasters from around the world recorded their own take on the song. These were then assembled and the music track recorded by producer Chris Adams.

It must be stressed that the song is not intended as a serious protest record. It is a bit of fun, a gentle parody of the 'Doctor In Distress' record from nineteen eighty five. Several 'Who Celebs' have contributed to the song, including the writers Nev Fountain and Stephen Gallagher, and the 'Voice Of Axos', Bernard Holley.

However, whilst light hearted, it does make the point that Confidential is a source of inspiration to both children and adults. It shows them how their imaginations, which have been fired by Doctor Who, can be harnessed to create, to write, to produce music, film and literature. Indeed, the people both behind and onb the song have all felt that inspiration from the shows.

[youtube:iIHZSGOkbzY]

The petition to save Confidential has been presented to the BBC Trust and can be found here: http://www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/savedwc

The song, avaliable in several versions, as well as the video, can be found here: http://www.netconjurer.co.uk/confidential/

[Source: DWPA]

Radio Times have launched another issue of their popular magazine, sporting a Doctor Who cover, this time to promote the 2011 Doctor Who Christmas Special.

The new issue of Radio Times, on sale this weekend and covering listings for 3-9 December, features a snowy Doctor Who cover [pictured right], and a sneak preview of the new Christmas special. Inside, Matt Smith, Alexander Armstrong, Bill Bailey and Arabella Weir talk about making the Christmas episode. 

Matt Smith reveals that the Christmas special monster is “going to be ones of our best. The design is classic.”

Bill Bailey describes his Who debut as “the equivalent of a knighthood.”

Radio Times have also given DWO a clean version of the cover with just the artwork for our visitors to enjoy [pictured right].

+  Radio Times is out Today, priced £1.20.

+  Buy this issue of Radio Times as well as past issues from CompareTheDalek.com!

[Source: Radio Times]

Forbidden Planet have teamed up with Character Options for another Exclusive Doctor Who Toy.

The Keeper of Traken Set features The Doctor, The Master and The Melkur (as seen in the Classic Series adventure The Keeper of Traken).

The Fourth Doctor and Adric learn from the wizened Keeper of Traken that a great evil has come to his planet in the form of a Melkur - a calcified statue. The Keeper is nearing the end of his reign and seeks the Doctor’s help in preventing the evil from taking control of the bioelectronic Source that is the keystone of the Traken Union’s civilisation.

The Melkur, via various deceptions, becomes the next Keeper. It is then, however, revealed to be the Master’s TARDIS. Its owner, still blackened and emaciated, hopes to use the Source’s power to regenerate himself. The Doctor manages to expel him and install a new Keeper in his place, but in a last minute ploy the Master traps one of the Traken Consuls, Tremas, and merges with his body before fleeing the planet.

Contents:

1 x The Fourth Doctor in Waistcoat action figure.

1 x The Master Decayed action figure.

1 x The Melkur Statue action figure.

1 x Master’s TARDIS as a Grandfather Clock 

1 x Source Manipulator Sphere accessory.

+  The Keeper of Traken Set is released on 15th December 2011, priced £39.99.

+  Preorder this product from Forbidden Planet!

[Source: Forbidden Planet]

Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Written By: Paul Finch, from a story by Peter Ling and Hazel Adair

RRP: £14.99

Release Date: 30th November 2011

Reviewed by: Matthew Davis for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 25th November 2011

The Fifth Doctor returns in the second of this trilogy of Lost Stories and it is a rather strange but interesting play.

People all over the world are going missing andthe only person who seems to care is journalist Mike Bretherton. After gathering evidence, Mike is ready to break the story of his carreer, but one night he too vanishes, and his story with him. Unlike the others who vanished, Mike has an advantage.

His disappearance does not go unnoticed, especially since he was the old boyfriend of one Tegan Jovanka. Fearful for his safety, she implores the Doctor to go looking for him, and the mystery of it all is more than enough to get him curious. Following the trail the TARDIS lands, on the uninhabited planet of Luparis. At least it was when the Doctor last visited; now it seems to be an exact recreation of Tudor London. The mystery deepens as the Doctor is brought before the powerful Queen Zafira, a determined monarch living in a time of civil unrest amongst her people. The Queen is proud and not shy about doing almost anything  for her and her subjects to survive.

Something is certainly not right with Luparis. There are creatures hiding in the shadows, and treachery and usurpers are afoot amongst the Queen’s court. Will the mystery of Luparis be uncovered and will Doctor escape a fate worse than death: Marriage to the Queen herself?

Hexagora is chockfull of quite frankly bonkers ideas and set pieces. Yet it has the most wonderful underlying story. However it has to be said that while there is a great deal to enjoy here, not everything about the play works.

It can be said that no fault lies in the performances. Everyone works incredibly well here, especially Peter Davison and guest star Jacqueline Pearce. Pearce finds the likability in this self important monarch whose every whim is granted above all things. She is the highlight of the production and there is never a dull moment when she is present.

Toby Hadoke is a great addition to the cast, playing not only a convincing Australian, but probably the only man in the Universe who might just able to put up with Tegan for a lifetime. Hadoke also voices many minor parts throughout, all of which he attacks with great enthusiasm, and I hope he becomes a Big Finish regular, especially after hearing his performance in Robophobia earlier this year.

The rest of the cast do sterling work. Janet Fielding is always a joy to listen to when Tegan gets angry at something or someone and Sarah Sutton, despite not being in the play that much, is very good indeed.

The other guest stars, Richard Mark, Dan Starkey and Sean Brosnan make up a very good cast and everyone excels in their own roles splendidly.

At its heart, Hexagora presents many fascinating ideas, but sadly not all of them are explored as fully as you would hope. As the secret of Luparis slowly reveals itself, you get to see what a brilliant concept the story is. It is highly original and some of the more absurd elements do eventually come together to make sense. But there are many threads left unexplored or just resolved too quickly. 

One of the most obvious is the relationship between Mike and Tegan. It is implied and heavily stated that Tegan’s feelings towards Mike are very strong, and he says just as much about her himself. But we rarely get to see any of it when the two confront one another. It feels like not so much an old love rekindled, but more of an old acquaintance awkwardly revisited.  Particular revelation of Tegan’s past deserved more attention than what is granted here.

Thematically, Hexagora shares many things in common with last month’s story The Elite. I would argue that Hexagora acts as a suitable companion piece to that play. Without giving away spoilers, many of the ideas in The Elite are explored here but inverted, whether intentionally or not.  When listened to together, it is impossible not to draw some comparisons, as the themes of a civilisation surviving by any means necessary run strongly in throughout both productions, but they not fully explored as they are in The Elite.

The final resolution to the whole play feels somewhat rushed, and may leave a listener feeling a little unsatisfied. This is a shame as Hexagora has so much to offer and it is certainly a recommended listen. It is intriguing, exciting and rather fun in some places and very entertaining despite the somewhat flat ending.

Manufacturer: BBC Shop / Kurt S. Adler

RRP: £27.00

Release Date: 3rd November 2011

Reviewed by: Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 24th November 2011

With Christmas just around the corner, it's time to get serious with the gift getting. With just a few weeks left until the big day, BBC Shop have unveiled some little jewels in their festive crown in the form of two exclusive Doctor Who tree ornaments.

The TARDIS and the Red Dalek decorations are both hand crafted glass ornaments and are given a hand-painted finish that look and feel like their on-screen versions.

There has been no scrimping with the design of the products, and there are some great finishing touches that score extra points for that Christmassy feel. The TARDIS in particular features a thin blue glitter within the insets of the TARDIS door panels that lift the decoration from being just a scaled down replica to something a little bit magical.

Complete with silver-effect crowned toppers and string, you will be counting down the days until Christmas each year when you can use them again!

+  Click Here to buy them now from BBC Shop!

Silva Screen Records have sent DWO the final cover and full tracklisting for the Doctor Who Series 6 Soundtrack.

The long awaited soundtrack to Doctor Who Series 6 is finally in sight, continuing Murray Gold’s outstanding contribution to the highly successful BBC sci-fi series. The final details of the release are still to be confirmed, but it is believed the CD will be a double one as was the previous Series 5 soundtrack.

DISC ONE

The Impossible Astronaut / Day of the Moon

1.  I Am The Doctor In Utah

2.  1969

3.  The Impossible Astronaut

4.  Trust Me

5.  Help Is On Its Way

6.  Another Perfect Prison

7.  Greystark Hall

8.  Apollo 11

9. Day Of The Moon

10. I See You Silence

The Curse of the Black Spot

11. You’re A Dead Man

12. Deadly Siren

13. Perfect Reflection

14. All For One

15. The Curse Of The Black Spot

The Doctor’s Wife

16. I’ve Got Mail

17. My TARDIS

18. Run, Sexy

19. Locked On

The Rebel Flesh / The Almost People

20. The Chemical Castle

21. Which One Is The Flesh?

22. Scanning Me

23. Ransacked

24. Always With The Rory

25. Double Doctor

26. Tell Me The Truth

27. Loving Isn’t Knowing (The Almost People Suite)

A Good Man Goes to War

28. River’s Waltz

29. Pop

30. Tell Me Who You Are

31. Melody Pond

DISC TWO

Let’s Kill Hitler

1. Growing Up Fast

2. The Blush Of Love

3. Terror Of The Reich

4. The British Are Coming

5. A Very Unusual Melody

6. When A River Forms

7. Pay Attention Grown Ups

8. The Enigma Of River Song

Night Terrors

9.  Bedtime For George

10. Tick Tock Round The Clock

11. A Malevolent Estate

12. Night Terrors

The Girl Who Waited

13. Apalapucia

14. 36 Years

15. Lost In The Wrong Stream

The God Complex

16. The Hotel Prison

17. Room Of Your Dreams

18. Fear Enough

19. What’s Left To Be Scared Of?

20. Rita Praises

Closing Time

21. Stormageddon, Dark Lord Of All

22. Definitely Going

23. Over Your Shoulder

24. Ladieswear

25. Fragrance

26. My Time Is Running Out

The Wedding of River Song

27. Tick Tock (Vocal Track)

28. 5:02 PM

29. The Head Of An Enemy

30. My Silence

31. Brigadier Lethbridge–Stewart

32. Forgiven

33. Time Is Moving

34. The Wedding Of River Song

Day of the Moon

35. The Majestic Tale (Of A Madman In A Box)

+  The Doctor Who Series 6 Soundtrack is released on 19th December, priced £11.99.

+  Compare Prices tfor this product on CompareTheDalek.com!

[Source: Silva Screen Records]

The BBC have released some more promo images from the upcoming Doctor Who Christmas Special; The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe.

The images, which can be seen below, have just been released today, and give us a little taster of what's to come:

[Source: BBC Pictures]

Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Written By: Rick Briggs

RRP: £14.99

Release Date: 30th November 2011

Reviewed by: Matthew Davis for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 24th November 2011

Hidden within the grounds of the estate of Tranchard’s Folly, there is an old, overgrown sealed well. When the curious owner of the house, Aleister Portillion, and his excavation team break it open, they unleash a horror that has been trapped for centuries. 

Two teenage twins, Lucern and Finicia barely escape with their lives, rescued by a woman calling herself Mary Shelley and a man known only as The Doctor.

The mystery of the ancient evil only stirs the Doctor’s curiosity, and he embarks on a journey to the past to uncover its origin. It isn’t long before things go terribly wrong, and the Doctor and Mary find themselves separated in Tranchard’s Folly’s past and future.

In the Twenty-First Century, Mary and the twins go in search of an artefact that may hold the key to the horror within the well and in the Seventeenth, amidst a wave of fear and persecution; the Doctor feels the wrath of Master Kincaid, the Witch-Pricker.

As the paths of all converge, it seems that even across centuries and universes, thou shall not suffer a Witch to live.

The Witch From the Well, the second in the new trilogy of Eighth Doctor adventures, is a rather fun story, filled with great concepts and characters. As you may have guessed from the title, there is no shortage of witch related moments, most significantly in the sequences set in the Seventeenth Century.

The Doctor’s quiet and disappointed disgust with the primitive superstitions of the villagers is written well and Paul McGann excels in his delivery.

Many of the plays most interesting scenes are the confrontations between The Doctor and Kincaid, played brilliantly by Simon Rouse. There's usually a danger of treating men of extreme faith with contempt and it is a credit to the writing and Rouse’s performance that Kincaid does not become a raving stereotype. The Doctor and Kincaid are simply men on opposite sides, both striving for a similar goal, the only difference being their beliefs and methods.

There are a great many characters throughout this play all served by terrific performances, particularly Serena Evans as Agnes Bates, the poor innocent herbalist, condemned as all women of her kind were.

Having Mary and the Doctor separated in the past and future, allows for her to stand alone for nearly the whole story. Julie Cox once again, impresses as Mary Shelley and it is nice to see the character be her own person, rather than fall into the trap of simply following the Doctor around and getting forgotten in all the mayhem. The interesting subplot in which Mary comes close to discovering her future is interesting and it is intriguing to see the character wrestle with the temptation of it. It would have been nice to see more of Mary with the Doctor as such a great rapport was set up in The Silver Turk.

This the first full length adventure by Rick Briggs for Big Finish, having previously been the lucky winner of BF’s writer’s opportunity. The result of that contest was The Entropy Composition, an excellent story which was included on The Demons of Red Lodge and Other Stories released last year. 

With The Witch From the Well, Briggs has certainly established himself as a writer to watch, as there is no end of original ideas here. Witches are foremost in the mind of the story, but they are not employed to simply put a Doctor Who spin on a popular myth. What Briggs chooses to focus on is how the persecution of others can destroy not only the persecutors but also those being condemned.

To say how this theme develops further in the play would be to spoil a surprisingly dark motivation for the story’s antagonists. It is a very neat twist, and raises very interesting questions that stay with you long after listening.

Overall, The Witch From the Well is an entertaining and thought provoking adventure that is well worth a listen.

Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Written By: Simon Guerrier

RRP: £8.99

Release Date: 30th November 2011

Reviewed by: Matthew Davis for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 23rd November 2011

The Doctor is dead. Steven Taylor and Oliver Harper are on the run. Trapped on the planetoid Grace Alone, they arrived to face the fate which had been haunting them since Oliver joined the TARDIS crew in 1960s London. Greeting them were the massacred bodies of the planetoid’s crew, and the perpetrators of the deed; an alien race known as the Vardans. Steven has felt recently, that when travelling with the Doctor he is living on “borrowed time”. Time is very quickly running out, and not everyone will escape it alive.

The First Wave is the conclusion to, and the strongest entry in the Oliver Harper trilogy.

The story itself works nicely for the format. It is not over complicated but it has a wonderfully tense and reflective feel. The theme of the story is most certainly about borrowed time, and how this has become a part of Steven Taylor’s character throughout the trilogy. His reflections on those he has lost when travelling with the Doctor, and cool resignation that he is next in the firing line are played superbly by Peter Purves who carries this play almost single handed with another fantastic interpretation of the First Doctor.

That is not to discredit the performance of Tom Allen as Oliver, who has grown on me throughout the course of the trilogy. There is something unapologetically heroic about Oliver towards the play’s conclusion, and Allen, particularly in the closing scene plays him beautifully.

The inclusion of returning villian, the Vardans, has thankfully not been shoe horned in for nostalgia’s sake. Their presence makes perfect sense and works to the story’s advantage, particularly in the final sequence.

Simon Guerrier’s writing is on top form. The play is written more as a two handed drama, with flashbacks and flash forwards narrated by Purves and Allen. This approach works very well, and the sense of foreboding about the inevitable fate of Oliver is clear and present but not so much that the conclusion lacks an emotional impact.

The closing scene is too good to spoil, suffice to say it is unexpected, original and done very well indeed. 

The only real criticism I could give is that the character of Oliver has gone before he had more time to really flesh out. I could see more stories with Oliver Harper, as the character had begun to grow, and his back story was strong enough to merit more exploration of his character but sadly it seems it was not to be.

With sterling direction by Lisa Bowerman, The First Wave is an excellent conclusion to what has been an intriguing trilogy for the Companion Chronicles.

Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Written By: Mark Wright and Cavan Scott

RRP: £8.99

Release Date: 31st October 2011

Reviewed by: Matthew Davis for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 23rd November 2011

“The day of my death started normally enough...”

As opening lines go it's rather hard to come up with a more intriguing one, particularly when this Companion Chronicle delivers what its title promises.

UNIT is anticipating the return of the Doctor, and the Brigadier is not happy that he is late. Jo Grant on the other hand, hopes the Doctor has not forgotten her now that he has regained control of the TARDIS, but sure enough the Doctor returns and he is not alone. He has rescued a persecuted Alien refugee, one whose race, the Zoanthrax will not give up the search for her easily.

The Zoanthrax attack UNIT HQ, and as the Doctor lays down ready to die, Jo will demonstrate her loyalty to the man she is prepared to die for. A noble sacrifice; A sacrifice that will occur again, and again and again.

This is a story about the nature of Jo Grant and her feelings toward the Doctor. Jo is someone who completely believes in the Doctor. His presence in the Universe, to her, is far more important than her own life. A strong opening sequence sets this theme in motion brilliantly, but after that the drama starts to become sadly somewhat repetitive. This is ironic considering that the play wears its intent on its sleeve. 

What follows are a series of similar scenarios, all linked by a single character called Rowe who appears in many guises throughout and is integral to the final revelation at the play’s conclusion. Jo sacrifices herself many times, in a variety of even more bizarre life threatening situations. Throughout the listener is dropped dramatically into the each story that the peril becomes sadly redundant. But that seems harsh to judge the play by that since this is more of a character study of Jo than an adventure.

You might think that a character, so ready to die for the Doctor might get a bit tiresome but in the hands of the glorious Katy Manning, Jo Grant remains one of the finest companions in Doctor Who history. Manning’s performance here is the strongest part of the release and well worth checking out for that alone. Nicholas Ashbury is excellent playing the various guises of Rowe throughout, and is particularly brilliant in the story’s conclusion.

But overall, the story doesn’t quite hang together fully with its many threads and scenarios, but nonetheless, The Many Deaths of Jo Grant is a good listen and makes this reviewer want to hear more of Katy Manning in the Chronicles.

Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Written By: John Dorney, from a story by Barbara Clegg

RRP: £14.99

Release Date: 31st October 2011

Reviewed by: Matthew Davis for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 23nd November 2011

After what was to my mind, was a mixed season of releases, the Lost Stories return, with the Fifth Doctor making an excellent debut in the range.

After the events of Arc of Infinity, Tegan is back in the TARDIS and the Doctor has mixed feelings about it. He decides to take both Tegan and Nyssa to the paradise world of Florana but they wind up under the dome of a battle scarred planet, run by the Elite. The Doctor is intrigued by this place, one in which the people are all young and the old are absent. While the military fights for the glory of the Elite, everyone lives in reverence or fear of the High Priest who lives hidden in the cathedral of power. The situation is about to dangerous for the High Priest knows the Doctor of old, and an old enemy will stir.

The Elite is very good indeed. A gripping and intriguing narrative, coupled with exciting all out action, particularly near the story’s conclusion.  Everything about this release feels like authentic Peter Davison era Who from the characterization, to the suitably Peter Howell-esque musical score.

Peter Davison himself delivers an excellent performance throughout, as do the rest of the main cast with Janet Fielding in particular on good form.

What gives The Elite its hook is the central mystery of the High Priest. I will not spoil it for you, but when his true nature is revealed, it is very satisfying.  Dorney does an excellent job of keeping us guessing right until the revelation, and it is a credit to the rest of the story that it does not get swamped by its magnitude.

In fact The Elite has so much more on offer than a mere plot twist. 

What impresses is the exploration of the abhorrent ideology of eugenics and the examination of the church versus the state. The ugly nature of the Elite is slowly revealed and what disturbs is how much it’s young citizens have such absolute conviction that the elimination of the weaker elements of society should be erased.  It is played with complete conviction by the cast and credit must be given to the actors involved, as it ensures their characters do not become mere soundboards for the Hitler Youth politics the Elite believes in.

The depiction of religion in the play is fascinating.  The acolytes of the High Priest, such as the character of Thane, played like a true zealot by Ryan Sampson, are completely devoted to the ideal of the High Priest as their one true God, even when his divinity comes into question.  Although the Thane character comes close to being worryingly two dimensional towards the end, he best represents the shadowy nature of the religious organization and its suspicion of the military powers. The mutual distrust between the military and the church, and their rightly held belief that one is trying to overthrow the other is explored well and offers some excellent dramatic tension throughout.

The Elite, is a thoughtful, exciting and rich play. The only downside is that some of the characters aren’t as well served by the script as others. Poor Sarah Sutton is relegated to the sidelines and spends most of the time under the spell of the military education, a plot line that is underdeveloped which is sad considering how much strong material is on display. However The Elite is a very strong debut for the Fifth Doctor in the Lost Story range. Highly recommended.

Our friends over at SciFi Now Magazine have been in touch with a pre-Christmas treat, exclusive to DWO!

The most feverishly anticipated event in the calendar, the star-studded winter-warmer that is the Doctor Who Christmas Special, and like greedy children SciFi Now Magazine opened the final door first and gobbled up the TARDIS-shaped chocolate within.

On a very un-Christmassy day in October, SciFiNow rolled up to a patch of Cardiff drenched in snow, tinsel and cheer. In a little corner of the world frozen in time and date-locked to 24 December, 1941, they caught up with Matt Smith – the titular Time Lord himself! – and the comedic Oceans’ 11 of garrulous guest stars – Bill Bailey, Alexander Armstrong, Arabella Weir and Paul Bazely – to discover how deep their links to Doctor Who go, as well as what’s coming in Season Seven, and which classic monsters are set to return.

With no spoilers, but plenty of teasers, check out the first two pages of their on-set spectacular, exclusively on Doctor Who Online [available right], and read the rest in SciFiNow Issue #61, available in all good newsagents, online from the ImageShop, or for iPads and iPhones from Apple Newsstand.

[Source: SciFi Now]

The BBC have released the third official promotional image from this year's Doctor Who Christmas Special, The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe.

The image [pictured right] shows The Doctor (Matt Smith) with his trusty Sonic Screwdriver against a snowy backdrop.

Synopsis:

It’s Christmas Eve, 1938, when Madge Arwell comes to the aid of an injured Spaceman Angel as she cycles home, in this year’s Doctor Who Christmas Special, starring Matt Smith as the Doctor.

He promises to repay her kindness – all she has to do is make a wish.

Three years later, a devastated Madge escapes war-torn London with her two children for a dilapidated house in Dorset. She is crippled with grief at the news her husband has been lost over the channel, but determined to give Lily and Cyril the best Christmas ever.

The Arwells are surprised to be greeted by a madcap caretaker whose mysterious Christmas gift leads them into a magical wintry world. Here, Madge will learn how to be braver than she ever thought possible. And that wishes can come true...

+  The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe airs on Christmas Day, Time TBC on BBC One.

[Source: BBC]

The BBC have released the second official promotional image from this year's Doctor Who Christmas Special, The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe.

The image [pictured right] shows The Doctor (Matt Smith) and Lily (Holly Earl) in a snow-laiden forest.

Synopsis:

It’s Christmas Eve, 1938, when Madge Arwell comes to the aid of an injured Spaceman Angel as she cycles home, in this year’s Doctor Who Christmas Special, starring Matt Smith as the Doctor.

+  The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe airs on Christmas Day, Time TBC on BBC One.

[Source: BBC]

The Doctor Who team are planning on streaming a live Q&A session from the Series 6 Box-set signing taking place today at Westfield Stratford City with Matt Smith, Karen Gillian and Arthur Darvill in conversation with Jo Whiley between 4:00pm and 4:30pm.

The team will be taking over the BBC Worldwide YouTube Channel with a Doctor Who Skin at www.youtube.com/bbcworldwide from 4pm GMT, giving fans the chance to take part in the chat on the right hand side of the page.

[youtube:USsOcO3wvoI]

[Source: BBC Worldwide]

Last night saw the Doctor Who Christmas Special Preview Trailer, and a slightly nude Matt Smith as part of Children In Need's evening of fundraising programming...It also saw the end of DWO's very own Children In Need Doctor Who eBay auction, with 100% of the proceeds going to CIN.

We had hoped that we would reach our target of £500+, but in the last 20 minutes, were blown away by some last minute bids which saw our final total rocket to a staggering £1070 - more than double what we had initally hoped for!

So a big congratulations to eBay member 'Bow-Peep', a.k.a Katy Payne, who generously gave to the Children In Need cause, and eventually won our Doctor Who eBay auction, which included a poster signed by David Tennant, a First Day Cover from 1999, a 2012 Doctor Who Calendar, The Brilliant Book of Doctor Who 2012, 2 x 2in1 Doctor Who books, The Silent Stars Go By book, Companions And Allies book, Series 6: Part 1 DVD, 1st ever issue of SFX Magazine, Doctor Who 'Inferno' audiobook, and last (but by no means least) a DWO Flyer!

We hope to update this news item shortly with a short interview with Katy, our auction winner - watch this space!

DWO Editor, Sebastian J. Brook had the following to say on last night's auction:

"Last night was truly one of the proudest moments in the entire 16 years of DWO's history. We had a busy 3 days tirelessly promoting our charity auction on DWO, Twitter and Facebook, and it has been amazing to see so many areas of fandom pulling together to help such a worthy cause."

"I'm not ashamed to say I was wiping the tears away when I saw us not only beat our target - but double it, and then some! Even if you didn't win or even bid on our auction, every single person who helped promote it is responsible for that fantastic final figure. Thank You!"

As promised, DWO also wish to thank the following people who helped us in promoting the auction. We have tried to include as many of you as possible (and as traceable), so please forgive us if you are not mentioned below:

Websites, Podcasts & Magazines:

The Doctor Who Appreciation Society, The Doctor Who News Page, Kasterborous, BlogtorWho, Den Of Geek, Forbidden Planet International, SciFiNow, Doctor Who and the TARDIS by Craig Hurle, The Doctor Who Site, Companions of The Doctor, TalkingWho, Capricorn One & ThoseVideoGuys.

Celebrity Retweeters:

Russell Tovey (Midshipman Frame in Doctor Who), Andrew Hayden-Smith (Jake Simmonds in Doctor Who), Rufus Hound (Comedian), James Moran (Doctor Who & Torchwood Writer), Paul Cornell (Doctor Who Author), Steve Hughes (New Series Director), Tony Lee (Doctor Who Comic Author), Paul Bradford (Tech Manager for Ghost Hunters International),

Other DWO Twitter Followers:

@aastrid, @adriwadri, @AlexiHampson, @ats2040, @AustinMe, @CartoonBeardy, @CliffChapman, 
@CrowHawk, @dailyanglofile, @DavidKeep1964, @Doctor_No1, @dragonfall05, @DWF2006, @elad_eiram, @Galadriel1010, @HarryHayfield, @IanOTimelord, @ItsMiaBro, @JasonOnion, @jldomini, @Kirstie_Nash, @KneelDowne, @LadyBugLass, @linerlovers, @MellorCarolyn, @MerseyMal, @Mouse_Mallow, @nwgayboyuk, @OneGirlGeek, @Rdkil, @robynschneider, @SimonGA, @SirRoundSound, @SteamPiffler, @Stoogie, @THEDeanBatch, @ullemon, @Waltmouse, @Wolfie_Rankin, @xenelle, @XenRaiha, @zort70.

+  You can still donate to Children In Need here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey/donate/.

[Source: DWO]

The BBC have unveiled the title and trailer for the 2011 Doctor Who Christmas Special.

The title, which was announced during Tonight's Children In Need campaign on BBC, was finally revealed as: The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe.

View the trailer below:

+  The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe will air on BBC One on Christmas Day, Time TBC.

[Source: BBC]

The BBC have released the first official image from this year's Doctor Who Christmas Special.

The image [pictured right] shows The Doctor running down a fiery circular corridor, pointing his Sonic Screwdriver.

The as-yet untitled special will air on Christmas Day, with the exact time to be confirmed. Various rumours suggest the title may link in with The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. 'The Lion, The Witch and The TARDIS' is a possible contender, but as always, nothing is official until confirmed by the BBC.

[Source: BBC]

This BBC have released more details for tomorrow's Doctor Who additions to BBC One's Children In Need television appeal.

Fans of the Doctor should tune into Children in Need on Friday night on BBC One.

There'll be a sneak peak of the Christmas Special plus a brief treat for anyone who can't wait until December to catch up with our favourite Time Lord! Written by Steven Moffat and starring Matt Smith as the Doctor, the Children in Need exclusive represents a first in the history of Doctor Who... But we'll tell you more about that nearer the end of the week!

The entire Doctor Who team has been an enthusiastic supporter of Children in Need for decades and over the years the big night has involved everything from clips to cast appearances. You can find out more about Children in Need here and don't forget to tune in on Friday evening to catch all the fun!

A quick look at the Official Doctor Who Twitter account gives us a few more tidbits of information for the specially recorded segment:

"Hurray! Things ARE going according to plan! Steven Moffat’s mini-script has just hit the in-boxes of a lucky few… Must look over shoulders…"

"We’ve seen the short script and it is NOT what you’d expect. Oh, it’s funny and fast and Doctorish and brilliant… but not what you’d expect..."

"Not what you’d expect, UNLESS you’re from the future. In which case, wasn’t it good? Talking of the future, we’ll have more news tomorrow..."

"Great to see people reading the CiN mini-script for the first time. They read a bit. Pause. Smile. Look up and usually start laughing."

"‘Really? Wow!’ is another common response... Quick reminder! #DoctorWho on Children in Need, Friday night, BBC ONE"

"Great news! Richard Senior, who directed the brilliant Let’s Kill Hitler is onboard and will be directing Children in Need’s #DoctorWho bit."

"CiN update. Matt has wrapped! The first time The Doctor has been filmed at BBC TVC since 'Ghost Light' in 1989!"

Three new promotional pictures featuring Matt Smith and Pudsey have also been released [pictured right].

+  Click Here to place your bids on the DWO Children In Need Auction!

+  Donate to Children In Need directly on the following link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey/donate/.

[Source: BBC]

Children In Need is upon us, and this year Doctor Who Online are getting behind the cause more than ever! We've put together a fantastic collection of goodies to be auctioned on eBay that every Doctor Who fan will love, and of which 100% of the proceeds will be going to Children in Need!

The star item in our auction is an A3 Poster of The 10th Doctor, hand-signed by David Tennant. DWO were lucky enough to get this special item signed by the man himself a few weeks ago at the Entertainment Media Show in London.

Having launched just last night at 9:45pm, the auction already has over £100+ of bids. We strongly encourage all our visitors to give what they can to the charity and take part in our auction. It would be amazing if we could earn over £500 for Children In Need, and we can only do it with your help!

We welcome bidders from all over the world and no matter where in the world you live, we will also cover the costs of postage!

What you are bidding for:

-  A3 '10th Doctor & Jenny Poster', Hand-Signed by David Tennant!

-  'The Entertainer's Tale' First Day Cover with Dalek Stamp from 1999.

-  2012 Official Doctor Who Calendar.

-  Series 6: Part 1 Doctor Who DVD.

-  'The Silent Stars Go By' Doctor Who Book.

-  'The Brilliant Book of Doctor Who 2012'.

-  'Companions and Allies' Doctor Who Book.

-  2in1 Doctor Who Book #1.

-  2in1 Doctor Who Book #2.

-  1st ever issue of popular SciFi Magazine; SFX (from June 1995)!

-  Doctor Who: 'Inferno' Audiobook.

-  A 2011 Doctor Who Online Flyer! (surely the most prized possession!)

The auction winner will also be given the choice to be interviewed for the Doctor Who Online News page.

+  Click Here to place your bids on the DWO Children In Need Auction!

+  Donate to Children In Need directly on the following link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey/donate/.

[Source: DWO]

This year BBC Worldwide has a fantastic Christmas gifts for Doctor Who fans with a terrific new range of Doctor Who hand crafted glass tree decorations.

Whether it is a treat for your own home or a wonderful gift for your loved one, BBC Shop has an exclusive range of out-of-this-world products, perfect for any fan of the most successful Sci-Fi series ever. 

Doctor Who: Hand-Crafted Glass Dalek or Tardis Tree Decorations

Forget everything you ever knew about Daleks and imagine that this one comes in peace for Christmas, dressed all in red and rendered temporarily harmless.   And wherever there is a Dalek the TARDIS is sure to be close behind. Materializing on Earth just in time for Christmas, its classic TARDIS blue colour and instantly recognizable chassis give your tree an intergalactic touch, from far beyond the brightest star the human eye can see.

Each hand-crafted glass Dalek Christmas decoration is styled in the traditions of mouth blown glass. Skilled artisans have hand painted each ornament with intricate details. This is certain to make your Christmas tree unique and stylish.  RRP only £13.99.

Doctor Who Series 6 DVD & Exclusive Dalek & Tardis Tree Decorations

The Doctor, Amy and Rory return to face monsters, mysteries and adventures all across time and space in the action-packed sixth series. Billed as the biggest and best series yet, all 13 thrilling episodes of Series 6 together with host of exclusive Doctor Who Series 6 is now available in this wonderful Doctor Who Christmas bundle. Including both the hand crafted glass Dalek and Tardis tree decorations.  A must have Christmas present for any fans of the show, available from BBC Shop priced only £57.99.

+  Click Here to buy them now from BBC Shop!

[Source: BBC Shop]

Britain’s biggest TV stars travel through time and space to meet fans at Westfield Stratford City.

Stars of BBC One’s phenomenally successful TV show, Doctor Who, will be landing in their TARDIS at Westfield Stratford City on Monday 21st November to celebrate the release of the Doctor Who Series 6 boxset on DVD and Blu-ray.

Matt Smith (the Doctor), Karen Gillan (Amy Pond) and Arthur Darvill (Rory Williams) will be at Europe’s biggest shopping centre, the recently opened Westfield Stratford City, to sign copies of the newly released boxset and take part in a Q&A hosted by celebrity Doctor Who fan Jo Whiley.

Fans of Doctor Who can get the chance to see the stars of the show at Westfield Stratford City in two ways:

DOCTOR WHO SERIES 6 BOXSET SIGNING

WHERE: HMV Westfield Stratford City

WHEN: Matt Smith, Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill will be signing copies of the Doctor Series 6 Boxset on Monday 21st November at 1.30pm

HOW TO GET TICKETS: 250 wristbands will be issued in HMV on a first-come, first-served basis on the day of the event from 8.30am 

DOCTOR WHO Q&A WITH JO WHILEY

WHERE: The gallery area at Westfield Stratford City

WHEN: Matt Smith, Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill will be in conversation with Jo Whiley between 4 and 4.30pm

TWITTER: Join the conversation #DoctorWho

[Source: 2|Entertain]

Harry Potter director David Yates is teaming up with the BBC to turn its iconic sci-fi TV series Doctor Who into a big screen franchise.

Yates, who directed the last four Potter films, told Daily Variety that he is about to start work on developing a Doctor Who movie with Jane Tranter, BBC Worldwide's L.A.-based exec VP of programming and production.

"We're looking at writers now. We're going to spend two to three years to get it right," he said. "It needs quite a radical transformation to take it into the bigger arena."

Doctor Who follows the adventures across space and time of a super-intelligent alien in human form, who battles a variety of cosmic bad guys aided by plucky human companions.

"The notion of the time-travelling Time Lord is such a strong one, because you can express story and drama in any dimension or time," Yates said.

The series ran from 1963 to 1989, and then was successfully rebooted in 2005 by writer Russell T. Davies and subsequently by Steven Moffat (The Adventures of Tintin). Tranter oversaw the revival when she was the BBC's drama topper in London.

Doctor Who, starring Matt Smith as the 11th incarnation of the Doctor, is now one of the pubcaster's most lucrative global TV franchises.

Yates made clear that his movie adaptation would not follow on from the current TV series, but would take a completely fresh approach to the material.

"Russell T. Davies and then Steven Moffat have done their own transformations, which were fantastic, but we have to put that aside and start from scratch," he said.

Yates and Tranter are looking for writers on both sides of the Atlantic.

"We want a British sensibility, but having said that, Steve Kloves wrote the Potter films and captured that British sensibility perfectly, so we are looking at American writers too," he explained.

There are two previous films, based on the TV series: Doctor Who and the Daleks (1965) and Doctor Who: Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. (1966), both starring Peter Cushing.

The BBC has since made a few unsuccessful attempts to develop a Doctor Who feature, and shot a one-off telepic in 1996 at a time when the TV series was dormant.

But the combination of Yates and Tranter means this is the most high-powered effort to date to launch "Doctor Who" onto the bigscreen.

Before directing Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and both parts of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Yates worked with Tranter on several BBC TV series, including The Way We Live Now and State of Play.

DWO will keep you posted with more details as we get them.

Update -Tuesday 15th November @ 9:00am

Since the posting of our news item yesterday, many more media outlets have picked up the story. Certain circles at the BBC, however, appear to be playing down the movie news as rumour.

Doctor Who Brand Manager, Edward Russell, commented on his Twitter channel:

"Off Twitter for a few hours and the Doctor Who world explodes. There's always talk of a movie. Perhaps? Maybe one day. But not right now!"

Doctor Who Magazine had the following to say on their own Twitter channel:

"To those hearing Doctor Who movie rumours, it's just the same rumours which have been going round for years. Nothing's currently happening!"

BBC America tweeted confirmation that the movie is in development:

"A Doctor Who feature film remains in development w/ BBC Worldwide Productions in LA. As of yet no script, cast or production crew in place."

The official BBC Doctor Who website posted an update to the movie rumours this morning too:

"We can confirm that a Doctor Who feature film remains in development with BBC Worldwide Productions in Los Angeles. However, there is currently no script, cast or production crew in place.

We'll bring you any significant movie developments as they're confirmed, but right now there's a lot more Doctor Who coming your way which is imminent and incredible... You'll get a glimpse of what we mean when we release the first image from the amazing Christmas Special later this week!"

Many of you are asking us what we think about it all. The BBC are certainly correct that the movie isn't happening right now, but with David Yates confirming he is directing a Doctor Who movie (to renowned entertainment news site, Variety), and that it is 2-3 years away, surely this is confirmation that something iS happening, and that the movie IS going ahead...albeit in the planning stages.

We have received thousands of tweets from our followers on DWO's own Twitter channel. Many of you are excited at the prospect of a new Doctor Who movie, but there are a lot of fans expressing worry at the fact the movie will be separate to the TV series. It is worth noting that, as previously mentioned, everything is at a very early stage right now. Surely we should all give this project a chance and take the 'wait and see' approach? What do you think? Leave your comments below or discuss in the DWO Forums on the buttom below.

+  Are you happy at the news of a new Doctor Who Movie? Vote Now in the DWO Forums!

[Sources: DWO; BBC Doctor Who website; Variety]

BBC Worldwide today revealed details of the first ever official Doctor Who Convention since the series’ regeneration in 2005. The event will take place on the 24th and 25th March 2012 at the Millennium Centre in Cardiff, Wales - the current home of the show.  

Billed as the ‘Ultimate Doctor Who Fan Event’, there are just 1500 tickets available for each of the days – the programme is the same on each day to give attendees the most  in depth experience possible. Fans who manage to snap these up will gain unrivalled access to Eleventh Doctor star Matt Smith, Series Lead Writer and Executive Producer Steven Moffat and many more key members from the award-winning cast, crew and production team including Doctor Who Special FX Supervisor Danny Hargreaves, Production Designer Michael Pickwoad, Doctor Who Producer Marcus Wilson and the award-winning Millennium FX team. 

The unique interactive programme will include theatre sessions and Q&As with cast and crew; behind the scenes sessions show-casing the script to screen process; discussions with episode directors and writers and demonstrations from Special FX and prosthetics experts that will illustrate the challenges and scale of their work on the world’s longest running sci-fi show. Autograph and photo opportunities will also be available with attending cast members and there will be official Doctor Who merchandise and collectables on sale.

Convention attendees will be let into the secrets of Doctor Who special effects as Danny Hargreaves and his talented team, reveal the tricks used to create the stunning physical effects that leave audiences on the edge of their seats. Watch them recreate a spectacular battle scene with live pyrotechnics, amazing explosions and laser effects. 

Even more tricks of the trade will be unveiled by the award-winning Millennium FX team responsible for creating some of Doctor Who’s most iconic monsters including the Silence; the Silurians; the Weeping Angels and the Ood. The team will be giving a live demonstration of the skilful process involved in prosthetics application that fans can watch up-close and learn from the team how each stage is achieved. 

Convention attendees will also be able to get up close and personal with rare costumes and props from the show where designers and experts will be on hand to answer questions about the origins and history of the items on show. The Millennium Centre itself has starred in several episodes – it was the setting for a hospital in New Earth in Series 2 run by the cat-like Sisters of Plentitude, in Tom McRae’s episode The Girl Who Waited in Series 6 the building featured as a principle location on Apalapucia – the kindness facility where people were quarantined, see if you can spot the top floor balcony where Amy fought with a Handbot!

Matt Smith commented on the convention’s announcement: “It’s brilliant that the first official convention is being held in Cardiff, the home of Doctor Who. I’m really looking forward to seeing the fans there, and remember – bow ties are cool!” 

Steven Moffat said: “A whole weekend dedicated to all things Doctor Who, brilliant! We’re going to be celebrating the whole team behind the show, people who bring to life the Doctor's craziest adventures and letting fans into some of our trade secrets. If you want to get under the skin of Doctor Who this is an unmissable event!”           

All tickets will include:

-  Official Doctor Who Convention souvenir ticket.

-  Official Doctor Who Convention souvenir lanyard and pass.

-  Official Doctor Who Convention exclusive behind the scenes images postcard pack.

-  Official Doctor Who Convention bag.

+  Tickets are priced £99 will go on general sale on November 14th from 9am from: www.dwconvention.com.

[Source: BBC Worldwide]

DWO together with CompareTheDalek.com have come together to offer our visitors a special offer for the Official 2012 Doctor Who Calendar.

Order the 2012 Calendar now from CompareTheDalek.com for just £6.99 UK / £8.99 Worldwide (RRP: £9.99) and get a FREE Doctor Who Micro Figure, worth £1.99!

Travelling the stars to distant worlds helping those in need the Doctor, played by Matt Smith in this incarnation, lives up to his name time and time again. The official Doctor Who 2012 wall calendar will whisk you away on a time travelling adventure with your favourite heroes and your most hated villains.

This offer is open to customers worldwide, and as long as your order is placed before 20th November all orders are guaranteed in time for Christmas (current shipping time 5-14 days international, 2-3 days UK).

+  Get your Official 2012 Doctor Who Calendar NOW from CompareTheDalek.com.

[Source: CompareTheDalek.com]

Nothing at the End of the Lane is proud to present a new scriptbook, this time focusing on the unmade Second Doctor story from 1968, The Prison in Space.

“You leave this to me. There’s a special technique required in handling women...” - The Doctor 

When the TARDIS lands on the rooftop garden belonging to Chairman Babs, the travellers find themselves on a planet ruled by women. Tried and condemned to serve a sentence on an orbiting space prison, the Doctor and Jamie must use their ingenuity to break free and rescue Zoe, who has been conditioned to unquestioningly accept the rule of Chairman Babs... 

Eager to inject some humour into the series, producer Innes Lloyd called upon experienced scriptwriter, Dick Sharples, to come up with a story that would inject a lighter tone into Doctor Who. That adventure was The Prison in Space, originally envisioned to write out the character of Jamie and introduce a new companion called Nik - and it's a story that was just a hair's-breadth away from being made. 

The 268-page illustrated softcover book contains:

Facsimiles of Dick Sharples' original scene breakdown along with all four of his second draft scripts for The Prison in Space, reproduced directly from the original script pages.

A look at the history, development and cancellation of The Prison in Space by Richard Bignell.

Reviews of the story by Doctor Who Magazine's original Time Team, Jonathan Morris and Paul Scoones.

Copies of the original outline, scene breakdown and revised scene breakdown for the story originally intended to follow The Prison in Space, Brian Hayles' second Ice Warrior story, The Lords of the Red Planet.

Andrew Pixley looks back at the production of Season Six in Winds of Change and tries to make some sense of what we currently understand happened during Troughton's turbulent final series.

Artwork by Jason Fletcher, Westley Smith and Adrian Salmon.

The book costs £16.50 and orders can be placed through the new Nothing at the End of the Lane website - www.endofthelane.co.uk.

[Source: Nothing At The End Of The Lane]

BBC Books are delighted to announce the Doctor Who Encyclopedia iPad app, which has been developed by Brandwidth in partnership with BBC Books. Written by former Doctor Who script editor Gary Russell, the app is the ultimate guide to seven years of thrilling Doctor Who adventures, which includes up to date information on every episode since the show’s return to our screens in 2005.

It allows you to scroll your way through a complete A-Z of the show and explore and search thousands of entries by series or episode. You will discover the Doctor’s fiercest enemies, closest allies and key places and objects and have the opportunity to preview and buy those must-have episodes.

The app contains over 3000 entries and each entry includes links to episodes, people, places and objects that relate to it. Additionally, each entry has an episode reference, allowing you to search the Encyclopedia by episode or series – so you can find out all you ever need to know about the Doctor, his allies, enemies and everywhere he’s ever visited. You can also preview episodes and buy your favourites directly from iTunes.

The initial purchase of the app will be priced at £4.99 and will include all of the Eleventh Doctor’s content. Further downloads at £4.99 each include all Ninth and Tenth Doctor content.

The app also contains 11 unique portals - special interactive entries, for the Doctor, Amy, Rory, River and other major characters. The Doctors’ portal uses parallax technology which allows users to move their iPad to scroll through a 3D environment, featuring the Doctor’s closest companions and deadliest enemies.

+  Get the App from the Apple App Store for just £4.99!

[Source: BBC Books]