Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Written By: William Gallagher

RRP: £14.99

Release Date: 31st March 2012

Reviewed by: Matthew Davis for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 30th March 2012

In the year 16127, the once devastated and abandoned planet Earth is slowly being repopulated forty years after the colonists of Nerva Beacon returned. Those who have been chosen for the program find living conditions are from tough to the extreme. Transmat scientist Roger Buchman, his wife Veronica and daughter Toasty arrive at one of the new settlements on an island surrounded by the frozen waters of what was once called Loch Lomond.

The island is empty and the other crew members are nowhere to be found. As if that is not enough trouble to deal with, two complete strangers beam in from Nerva city, calling themselves Flip and The Doctor. It isn’t long before the horrific fate of the crew is discovered and The Doctor realizes an old enemy is lurking, hidden under the ice waiting to emerge and feed. But what do the Wirrn want other than hosts for their eggs? Who is the mysterious voice that taunts Flip over the two way radio and just what connection does it have to the Buchman family’s tragic past?

The Wirrn have always been a fascinatingly gruesome foe for The Doctor, and in Wirrn Isle (their second appearance in a Big Finish audio since the superb Wirrn Dawn), we get to see how the absorption of their host’s memories and personality can cause heartbreak and devastation on a galactic scale. The Wirrn were a strikingly visual creature on television, so it is up to the excellent sound design of Simon Robinson to bring every sinister chirp they make to life, creating a instant feeling of dread once they are heard.

The majority of The Wirrn swarm are used sparingly in the play, allowing the scenes in which the character of Iron appears, to have more of an emotional punch producing some genuinely chilling moments, such as the scene where he stalks Flip out on the ice over the radio. It is incredibly creepy and memorable scene.

Colin Baker is of course on top form as The Doctor, playing not only the scientific expert but a mediator between the warring factions of the Buchman family. The Doctor knows the terrible danger that he and the others are in and his struggle to keep them all together in the face of the ever growing danger is riveting to listen to. It is lovely to hear how The Doctor is becoming almost like a worried parent towards Flip and this is really rather touching. The Sixth Doctor has been lucky that Big Finish has provided him with such distinctive and likeable companions and in this trilogy he has struck gold again.

The wonderful Lisa Greenwood utterly shines as Flip, a character I personally am becoming fonder of the more I hear of her. Greenwood’s strong, funny and sweet natured performance has been one of the highlights of this series of plays. The scene in which she lies, broken and battered after a flight in a mini airplane while her blood has frozen her to the ice as The Wirrn begin to emerge is a truly nerve shredding moment and Greenwood sells every moment of it.

What is great about Flip is summed up by The Doctor himself in that he is not sure whether she is incredibly brave or foolhardy. The attention devoted to this idea makes one wonder whether this will be revisited in future stories with Flip of which I hope there will be many more of.

It is a shame when Flip ends up on Nerva City out of the main action, but this is necessary given the extremity of the family drama that plays out around The Doctor. He has enough trouble playing the science fiction equivalent of Jeremy Kyle as he struggles to keep the family together in the midst of coming galactic doom.

The rest of the cast perform very well in their roles particularly Jenny Funnell and Tim Bentinck who play Veronica and Roger. Funnell excels in a role which requires a lot of deep emotional turmoil, in regards to the loss of her son and her anger at everyone, including The Doctor if they so much as lead her on with false hope of any kind.

Some of the supporting characters, including the frankly ridiculously named Toasty, do not come off as well as the main players. I do not think this is a fault of the writing, but they seem to just not have as interesting a dynamic as that between The Doctor, Flip and Veronica and Roger.

I get the feeling that when Wirrn Isle expands the threat to a universal level it loses some of the intense, under siege threat that runs so strongly in the first two episodes. It doesn’t diminish the play at all, but the marvellous sense of claustrophobia is taken away.

Also if you are a lover of transmat action then this is the play for you as the latter half of the story seems to be utterly devoted to it. Although the presence of it adds much to the threat posed by The Wirrn, the story at times ends up being like a game of musical chairs, as one person or Wirrn is transported here there and everywhere for the latter half of the story.

Wirrn Isle is a very good play; a powerful family drama set amongst a horrific science fiction setting that, despite losing some of its momentum towards the end, has enough strong ideas and excellent moments to linger in the memory.

Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Written By: John Dorney

RRP: £10.99

Release Date: 31st March 2012

Reviewed by: Matthew Davis for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 30th March 2012

The Doctor has taken his companion Leela to ancient Norfolk to learn about her ancestors but they get a little closer than they hoped. Caught in the middle of a battle between Roman centurions and tribal warriors, the travellers unexpectedly become guests of the legendary warrior queen Boudica.

After hearing of the tragic circumstances which have led to her fight against the Romans, Leela is keen for The Doctor to help Boudica and her tribe, The Iceni overthrow the invaders. The Doctor however is anxious to move on, as incredibly significant events in Boudica’s history are drawing closer and any further interference from him could cause irreparable damage to not only the future of the world but perhaps also a very dear friendship.

After some of the more traditional monsters and corridors stories it is lovely to see The Fourth Doctor and Leela in a purely historical drama. In a way The Doctor actually takes a step back from most of the precedings as this is quite clearly a story about Leela.

A warrior of the Sevateem meeting the most fearsome warrior Queen in history is simply too good an opportunity to pass up and, in the hands of the very skilled John Dorney, the results are fantastic.

It is extraordinary how quickly Leela does fall under Boudica’s spell, but this seems to be very much a consequence of her conflict with The Doctor. Until now she has always believed The Doctor was a force for good, righting the wrongs, defeating the invaders and freeing the subjugated. Now her mentor has challenged this with his desire to leave the Iceni to their fate, all for the sake of preserving the course of unfolding history. But why does The Doctor feel he has the right to decide who is saved and who must die? Through Leela, the ethical and moral choices of The Doctor’s actions come into question and to see Leela replace The Doctor with Boudica as a mentor more on the level of her warrior upbringing is both understandable and believable.

It is a credit to Louise Jameson’s strong and convincing performance that we see Leela’s struggle as she discovers her new Queen to be cruel and heartless in the pursuit of her revenge. One scene in particular when Leela observes Boudica killing innocent and defenceless people stirs the two women into a one on one fight to the death; a scenario that Dorney must have enjoyed writing immensely as it is one of the highlights of the audio.

Following up on the strength of Jameson’s performance is undoubtedly Ella Kenion as Boudica. Her portrayal is electrifying; all at once noble, fierce, cold and monstrous. This is clearly a woman who has dedicated her sole purpose to the extinction of the Roman occupation of her country and anyone who gets in her way will be trampled under horse or run through with her blade.

The Doctor gets to enjoy some lovely scenes with the Iceni cook Bragnar, played by the lovely Nia Roberts. This provides Tom Baker with some nice moments for comedy but Bragnar is given some interesting depth in a subplot in which she overhears The Doctor relate to Leela the tragic fate of the Iceni prompting her decision to flee rather than die a wasteful death.

Supporting players Michael Rouse and Daniel Hawksford are very good in their rather small roles but give enough to elevate their parts from simply being devices to steer the plot forward.

The cast is surprisingly small considering the scale and ambition of the play. The sound design of Richard Fox and Lauren Yason is to be applauded, for bringing the battle scenes to vivid life and for providing an excellent score.

The Wrath of the Iceni is a highly enjoyable play and an excellent character piece, and proof that Big Finish can create a thoughtful and convincing historical adventure story - let us hope that they do more of them.

Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Written By: Eddie Robson

RRP: £8.99

Release Date: 31st March 2012

Reviewed by: Matthew Davis for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 30th March 2012

UNIT have recovered a damaged Alien computer, and for once they do not require The Doctor’s help. Preferring to keep their scientific advisor in the dark, they call in Dr Elizabeth Shaw, to oversee the repair of this alien technology. All is not what it seems however as the soldiers who had been guarding the computer have vanished without a trace.

To help her in the repairs UNIT have sent to Liz a computer expert by the name of Sergeant Andrew Childs. As repairs begin it is not long before Liz and Sergeant Childs find themselves inside the computer.

Trapped and desperate to escape, Liz and Childs begin to traverse the inner workings of the computer. But why are they finding the vanished soldiers dead and just what is stalking them through the mainframe? The Doctor is not around to save the day this time, so Liz must find her own way out but can the increasingly evasive Childs be trusted?

Liz Shaw, one of the shortest lived companions in the history of Doctor Who, but despite this has made a rather strong impact in the hearts of many fans. So it seems only fitting that Big Finish are determined to give this Companion the life she should have had on screen and have pulled out this rather fun and thoughtful Companion Chronicle.

What is at first striking about Binary is the decision to make this release a full cast audio drama rather than a talking book. This is rare for the Companion Chronicles, one of the last releases to get this treatment was the superb Solitaire, but the effect really helps this story as it is nice to hear Caroline John reacting to another actor instead of creating the parts herself.

The story of Binary is a good one. It is not brilliant or particularly striking but it is entertaining. The concept of being trapped in a computer is not a new one, but there is enough ideas running throughout the story to help it elevate past more than a mere run around story. One of most interesting parts of Binary is the idea of a computer producing an organic life form to fix faults within it. Although this does generate a stereotypical foe to chase Liz around a corridor, the concept is so highly original you can forgive the short comings of its ultimate execution.

The cast all work well together, particularly Caroline John. John portrays Liz as a woman struggling to make something of herself in a man’s world, and her bitterness towards the sexism and the patronising attitude of The Doctor (who appears in this story thanks to messages on a screen) really add depth to Liz’s character.

Joe Coen as Seargent Childs is excellent in the role and although the revelation of the true nature of his character is at times rather obvious. Coen, though, brings enough charm and subtle manipulation to the part to make any listener second guess his character’s motives.

The full cast play format is an excellent device for the Companion Chronicles as a series and I for one would like to see Big Finish exploring the possibilities of this direction with future releases in the range.

Binary is an entertaining and intriguing addition to the Companion Chronicles, with some very good performances and for anyone jumping on board is a lovely introduction to a sadly short lived TV companion.

Manufacturer: BBC Worldwide Consumer Products

Written By: Bob Baker

RRP: £20.42

Release Date: 2nd April 2012

Reviewed By: Dale Who for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 30th March 2012

It's a well known fact in science fiction programmes that some stories work better than others. In the case of Classic Doctor Who, there are some that are held up as being deserving of fan worship, whilst others are often looked down upon as being somewhat less than successful. Nightmare Of Eden sadly falls into the latter camp for many people. Derided over the years for it's studio-bound action and it's rather lovable monsters, this release should be a perfect opportunity to redress the balance and defend what's both a fine story and, for a meagrely budgeted television show in 1979, a determined, spirited, damn good try at getting that story on-screen.

In a move that's saddening and infuriating in equal measure, that's not how it's treated. It's derided still further, and talked about so negatively, someone should have thrown the supposedly "special" features into the bin and started again. Please remove all sharp objects from your vicinity and if possible have a great deal of chocolate or tea to try and improve your mood whilst sitting through the extras.

When the commercial starliner Empress rematerialses from warp speed and collides with the Hecate, the passengers and crews of both craft are put in mortal peril. Drug smuggling, unstable projection devices and huge marauding monsters are all in the mix. When the TARDIS materialises in the vicinity, it's up to The Doctor (Tom Baker), with Romana (Lalla Ward) and robot superdog K-9 (voiced here by David Brierly) to save the day. Can The Doctor seperate the ships, stop the smugglers, recapture the menacing Mandrels, and fix the shonky CET machine?

This single disc release from BBC Worldwide has done the usual magic with sound and picture quality so they're both amazing, and has audio navigation and subtitles available. Also included on the release are the Info Text and Radio Times PDF extras and a Photo Gallery of behind the scenes and publicity shots from the serial.

Special Features:

Commentary - Firstly, someone needs to tell Toby Hadoke you do not talk over the episode one titles of a Doctor Who story, you need to let the programme start before you do. In this commentary he is joined by Lalla Ward (Romana), Colin Mapson (visual effects designer) and story writer Bob Baker. It lacks the wit and warmth of many of the commentaries, and although Lalla somewhat defends the show and its budget, it does seem the only person who seems to remember what it's like to actually enjoy Doctor Who is host Hadoke himself.

The Nightmare of Television Centre - A negative, and disparaging piece, starting with severely lacking titles and everyone being filmed against a stark white background. Colin Mapson, the visual effects designer, does nothing but moan about the whole story from start to finish, calling it "a disaster" - apart from his models of course which were apparently the best things ever made. AJ "Mitch" Mitchell, video effects designer, gives a very half hearted defence of some of the technology used and million pound slow-motion video machines belonging to BBC Sport being available for twenty minutes, and Assistant Floor Manager Val McCrimmon tells of stroppy directors getting fired, Tom Baker being loud and mouthy, and Lalla being over picky and playing up. The cast and crew and the sets and monsters are mocked, laughed at, and spoken badly of. Honesty is fine, and of course necessary, but this crosses the line into a complete hatchet job of what's not the worst story in history, even with the hystrionics in the studio, despite what these people would have you believe.

Going Solo - More unimaginative white titles, followed by Bob Baker also being filmed against a white background.  aker will probably be best remembered for his work with two dogs: Gromit, of Wallace and Gromit fame, and as co-creator of K-9, one of the most endearing/irritating (depending on your view!) science fiction robots in TV history. Here, he's talking about his first solo writing task for Doctor Who, his ideas and research for the CET machine. You can tell he's less than enthusiastic about The Mandrels and a certain Germanic accent, but he's got the right attitude about these things ("What can you do?") and Bob easily comes across to the viewer as the best advocate of the story. Hardly surprising considering he wrote it, but at least he's positive and defends it very well indeed.

The Doctor's Strange Love - Simon Guerrier presents this piece from Sarah Jane's attic.  Mister Smith is out and all lit up, and the set looks glorious, which causes a small flutter of love lost in the heart. Joining him in this piece to mock and laugh at Nightmare Of Eden are Josie Long and Joseph Lidster. It starts off quite nicely... but in under two minutes it's poking fun and being generally unpleasant about it all. It's all far too fannish and jokey, and seems like we're watching a group of fans just laughing at things in their own private mocking party. A few funny lines from the pair on the chaise longue lighten it up a little, but mostly it's a case of very few valid points being made, against far too much "look at this, it's rubbish" and "let's laugh at this bit now". By far the most intelligent input in the whole extra comes from Mister Smith himself, who wisely opts to remain silent the whole time. Another negatively slanted mess that could have reinforced the story's many good qualities rather than just poking fun at the show.

Ask Aspel - A 1979 edition of the children's show in which the wonderfully calm and affable Michael Aspel asks viewers' questions to his guest; in this case the second Romana - Lalla Ward. The questions from the youngsters who've written in are entertaining enough in this light and fluffy piece, and there's a rather fabulous clip from The Creature From The Pit. Lalla is honest and open and rambles on at great speed with much laughter and smiling. It also showcases Lalla's artwork for two books from that era, and there's one or two clips of Ms. Ward in other TV appearances, followed by another lengthy Doctor Who clip, this time from The Horns of Nimon. A lovely little piece, and would have benefitted greatly from being put on a disc with much better support from the other extras. A hidden gem.

Coming Soon Trailer - Nitro-9 at the ready, Doctor Who's next box-set is all about the teenage tearway from Perivale! Featuring her introduction into the series in the story Dragonfire and further adventures on Terra Alpha in The Happiness Patrol, the next DVD releases can truly be described as Ace Adventures!

Nightmare of Eden is not a bad story. It's not in the same league as Terror of the Zygons, but it doesn't deserve the unending scorn poured on it in this release. With the exception of Bob Baker there's very little done to defend the tale from any of it's critics, mostly of whom seem to have an axe to grind against the tale. The extras filmed for this disc seem designed to make you take a real dislike to the story, and although we can all agree that it's not exactly at the top of its game, it really deserves a lot better than the sorry back-up features its given here, which are both limited and woeful.

+  Compare Prices for this product on CompareTheDalek.com!

+  LOVEFiLM not only offer a DVD rental rental service and streaming movies but you can now also watch tv online - with a huge catalogue to choose from (including Doctor Who!) it's the best place for online television.

The BBC have unveiled the Series 7 Teaser Trailer (as shown at The Official Doctor Who Convention).

View the trailer below:

[youtube:7BtPbh2GCZw]

** Please Note this video is only viewable to fans based in the UK.

+  Series 7 of Doctor Who will air Autumn 2012.

[Source: BBC]

BBC America have uploaded a promotional picture featuring Jenna-Louise Coleman with the TARDIS.

The image (pictured right) is the first to be released since the announement of Coleman's casting.

Is is still unknown as to what the name of her character will be, but it is expected to be confirmed over the coming weeks and possibly months.

Coleman's first appearance in Doctor Who will be in the 2012 Christmas Special.

[Source: BBC America]

The BBC have confirmed the scheduling and some further details for Series 7 of Doctor Who.

It was announced at today's press conference, which also saw the confirmation that Jenna-Louise Coleman would be the new Doctor Who companion, that there will be 6 episodes of Doctor Who (including the Christmas Special) this year, and 8 episodes next year.

Steven Moffat also confirmed that Rory and Amy's last episode will be Episode 5, and that "Amy & Rory will leave in a final encounter with the Weeping Angels. Not everyone gets out alive and I mean it this time".

More news to follow...

[Source: BBC]

Jenna-Louise Coleman has beaten hundreds of hopefuls to become the new companion to Doctor Who, it was announced today by Steven Moffat.

Twenty-five year old Jenna from Blackpool will star alongside the 11th Time Lord, Matt Smith, to mark the biggest year in the show’s history.

Best known for her roles in Emmerdale (Jasmine Thomas) and Waterloo Road (Lindsay James), Jenna will replace Karen Gillan when she and Arthur Darvill bow out of the show in a heartbreaking departure after one final series of rollercoaster voyages later this year on BBC One.

Jenna says: "I'm beyond excited, I can't wait to get cracking; working alongside Matt I know is going to be enormous fun and a huge adventure."

The Doctor will meet his new friend in a dramatic turn of events as the show builds towards its enormous, climactic 50th anniversary year - full of thrills, adventures and big surprises. Series seven is currently filming and comprises 14 big, blockbuster-movie episodes - each a brand new epic adventure featuring new monsters and some familiar foes as you've never seen them before.

Lead writer and Executive Producer, Steven Moffat, says: "It always seems impossible when you start casting these parts, but when we saw Matt and Jenna together, we knew we had our girl. She's funny and clever and exactly mad enough to step on board the TARDIS.

"It's not often the Doctor meets someone who can talk even faster than he does, but it's about to happen. Jenna is going to lead him his merriest dance yet. And that's all you're getting for now. Who she's playing, how the Doctor meets her, and even where he finds her, are all part of one of the biggest mysteries the Time Lord ever encounters. Even by the Doctor's standards, this isn't your usual boy meets girl."

Danny Cohen, Controller, BBC One, adds "As we approach Doctor Who's 50th anniversary it's great to welcome a new companion to the TARDIS. I feel confident the Doctor will look after her in his own very unique style."

In 2011 Jenna made her big screen debut in Captain America: The First Avenger and is soon to star as Annie Desmond in ITV1’s Titanic. She has just finished filming on Stephen Poliakoff's Dancing On The Edge for BBC Two.

+ Watch the BBC News interview with Jenna on her casting.

[Sources: BBC]

BBC Books have sent DWO the covers and details for the forthcoming Classic Series, Doctor Who Target reprints.

Doctor Who and the Tenth Planet

Written by: Gerry Davis - Introduction by: Tom MacRae

The TARDIS brings the Doctor and his friends to a space tracking base in the Antarctic - and straight into trouble.  A space mission is going badly wrong, and a new planet has appeared in the sky.

Mondas, ancient fabled twin planet of Earth has returned. Soon its inhabitants arrive. But while they used to be just like the humans of Earth, now they are very different.   Devoid of emotions, their bodies replaced with plastic and steel, the Cybermen are here.

Humanity needs all the help it can get, but the one man who seems to know what's going on is terminally ill. As the Cybermen take over, the Doctor is dying...

This novel is based on the final story to feature the First Doctor, which was originally broadcast from 8 to 29 October 1966.  This was the first Doctor Who story to feature the Cybermen. Featuring the First Doctor in his very last adventure as played by William Hartnell, and his companions Ben and Polly.

Doctor Who and the Ice Warriors

Written by: Brian Hayles - Introduction by: Mark Gatiss

The world is in the grip of a second Ice Age. Despite a coordinated global effort, the glaciers still advance.  But they are not the only threat to the planet.

Buried deep in the ice, scientists at Britannicus Base have discovered an ancient warrior. But this is no simple archaeological find.  What they have found is the commander of a spaceship that crashed into the glacier thousands of years ago.  Thawed from the ice, and knowing their home planet Mars is now a dead world, the Ice Warriors decide to make Earth their own...

Can the Doctor and his friends overcome the warlike Martians and halt the advance of the glaciers?

This novel is based on a Doctor Who story which was originally broadcast from 11 November to 16 December 1967. This was the first Doctor Who story to feature the Ice Warriors. Featuring the Second Doctor as played by Patrick Troughton, and his companions Jamie and Victoria.

Doctor Who and the Day of the Daleks

Written By: Terrance Dicks - Introduction by: Gary Russell

UNIT is called in when an important diplomat is attacked in his own home - by a man who then vanishes into thin air.  The Doctor and Jo spend a night in the 'haunted' house and meet the attackers - who have time-jumped back from the 22nd century in the hope of changing history.

Travelling forward in time, the Doctor and Jo find themselves trapped in a future world where humans are slaves and the Daleks have already invaded.  Using their ape-like servants to Ogrons to maintain order, the Daleks are now the masters of Earth.

As the Doctor desperately works to discover what has happened to put history off-track, the Daleks plan a time-jump attack on the 20th century.

This novel is based on a Doctor Who story which was originally broadcast from 1 to 22 January 1972. Featuring the Third Doctor as played by Jon Pertwee, with his companion Jo Grant and the UNIT organisation commanded by Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart.

Doctor Who: The Three Doctors

Written by: Terrance Dicks - Introduction by: Alastair Reynolds

A mysterious black hole is draining away power from the Universe. Even the Time Lords are threatened.  The Doctor is also in trouble.  Creatures from the black hole besiege UNIT Headquarters. The only person who can help the Doctor is... himself. 

The Time Lords bring together the first three incarnations of the Doctor to discover the truth about the black hole and stop the energy drain. 

The Doctors and their companions travel through the black hole itself, into a universe of anti-matter.  Here they meet one of the very first Time Lords - Omega, who gave his race the power to travel through time.  Trapped for aeons in the black hole, he now plans to escape - whatever the cost. 

This novel is based on a Doctor Who story which was originally broadcast from 30 December 1972 to 20 January 1973. Featuring the first three Doctors as played by William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee, together with Jo Grant and the UNIT organisation commanded by Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart.

Doctor Who and the Ark in Space

Written by: Ian Marter - Introduction by: Steven Moffat

The survivors of a devastated future Earth lie in suspended animation on a great satellite.  When Earth is safe again, they will awaken. But when the Doctor, Sarah and Harry arrive on the Terra Nova, they find the systems have failed and the humans never woke.

The Wirrrn Queen has infiltrated the satellite, and laid her eggs inside one of the sleepers.  As the first of the humans wake, they face an attack by the emerging Wirrrn.

But not everyone is what they seem, and the only way the Doctor can discover the truth is by joining with the dead mind of the Wirrrn Queen.  The price of failure is the Doctor's death, and the end of humanity.

This novel is based on a Doctor Who story which was originally broadcast from 25 January to 15 February 1975. Featuring the Fourth Doctor as played by Tom Baker, and his companions Sarah Jane Smith and Harry Sullivan.

Doctor Who and the Loch Ness Monster

Written by: Terrance Dicks - Introduction by: Michael Moorcock

Centuries ago, a Zygon spaceship crash landed in Loch Ness.  Now, with their home planet destroyed, the alien creatures plan to take over Earth.  Their most powerful weapon is a huge armoured dinosaur-like creature of terrifying power that they brought to earth as an embryo - the Loch Ness Monster. 

The Doctor, Sarah and Harry soon discover that the Zygons have another weapon. They can assume the identity of any human they capture.  Who knows which of their friends might really be a Zygon?

UNIT faces one of its toughest battles as Broton, Warlord of the Zygons, puts his plan into action and the Loch Ness Monster attacks.

This novel is based on a Doctor Who story which was originally broadcast from 30 August to 20 September 1975. Featuring the Fourth Doctor as played by Tom Baker, with his companions Sarah Jane Smith and Harry Sullivan and the UNIT organisation commanded by Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart.

+  The books are released on 10th May 2012, priced £4.99 each.

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[Source: BBC Books]

AudioGO have sent DWO the cover and details for the forthcoming Doctor Who CD release of Paradise Towers.

Much in need of a holiday, Mel and the Doctor head for Paradise Towers: a luxury man-made planet with sparkling fountains, sunny streets, exotic flowers and a shimmering blue swimming pool.

But when the TARDIS materialises in a dark, rubbish-filled, rat-infested alley it seems that this particular Paradise has turned into Hell!

Pursued by rogue cleaning machines, authoritarian caretakers and old ladies with strange eating habits, the Doctor and Mel track down the source of the chaos to one mysterious character – the designer of Paradise Towers, the Great Architect himself...

This title is read by Bonnie Langford.

+  Paradise Towers is released on 5th April 2012, priced £13.25 (CD) / £12.29 (Download).

+  Compare Prices for this product on CompareTheDalek.com!

[Source: AudioGO]

Sophie Aldred - The Doctor's Companion Ace, takes a candid look back at her time in Doctor Who, in Issue 445 of Doctor Who Magazine.

"We never thought, at the time, how far-reaching our episodes would be – especially now, with this rebirth of the series, people discovering our episodes for the first time. It would be interesting to see what Amy Pond thought of Ace..."

ALSO THIS ISSUE:

DOCTOR DOWN UNDER

Executive producer CAROLINE SKINNER tells DWM about her recent trip Down Under for the Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular and her reaction on reading the script for Episode 1 of the new series in her first ever PRODUCTION NOTES!

KEEP IT IN THE FAMILY

DWM catches up with the scourge of the Silents, CIA agent Canton Everett Delaware III – aka actors MARK SHEPPARD and his father, MORGAN SHEPPARD –and finds out about making it as an actor, and whether Canton could return...

IT'S THE KEY THING!

DWM celebrates 1978/9's KEY TO TIME Season – six linked adventures which introduced the Time Lady Romana and featured Douglas Adams' first script for Doctor Who – as COUNTDOWN TO 50 continues.

THE FALL OF THE GODS?

With the Doctor at the mercy of the mighty Zeus, and with Rory and Amy facing a titanic foe in Ancient Athens, what can humble philosopher Socrates do to save the day? Find out in the final world-changing episode of the latest comic strip, THE CHAINS OF OLYMPUS, written by SCOTT GRAY with art by MIKE COLLINS.

THE LAST VOORD!

Get ready for adventures within adventures, as the First Doctor and his companions brave screaming jungles, snows of terror and seas of acid! Discover a wealth of fascinating new info as THE FACT OF FICTION scrutinises the 1964 story, THE KEYS OF MARINUS!

CHANGING HISTORY FOR THE BETTER...?

Doctor Who fans are spoilt with the care and attention that is lavished on the DVD releases. But as well as being lovingly restored, should the stories be improved, correcting technical 'errors' of the past? Sparring partners TONY HADOKE and JOHNNY CANDON argue whether rewriting history is ever justified in A BATTLE OF WITS!

CHAOS IN THE CLASSROOM!

THE TIME TEAM go back to school with the Tenth Doctor and Rose, and are reacquainted with two dear, old friends – Sarah Jane Smith and K9. Join Chris, Emma, Will and Michael on the sofa, and see what they make of 2006's SCHOOL REUNION...

OFF THE RECORD!

The Watcher challenges readers with The Six Faces of Delusion, celebrates another Supporting Artist of the Month and continues A History of Doctor Who in 100 objects with a look at the extraordinary 1980s single Doctor in Distress, in WOTCHA!

PLUS! All the latest official news, TV and merchandise reviews, previews, competitions, a prize-winning crossword and much, much more!

+  Doctor Who Magazine Issue #445 is out on Thursday 8th March 2012, priced £4.50.

+  SUBSCRIBE and get 12 x Issues, 1 x Special and Worldwide Shipping for £85 via CompareTheDalek.com!

[Source: Doctor Who Magazine]

It is with deepest regret that DWO announces the passing of Classic Doctor Who Actor, Philip Madoc.

Philip, who was born in 1934 in Wales played no less than five roles in Doctor Who:

The Krotons (as Eelek)

The War Games (as the War Lord)

The Brain of Morbius (as Mehendri Solon)

The Power of Kroll (as Fenner)

Madoc also appeared in the 1966 Doctor Who Movie; Dalek's Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D., as Brockley.

In 2010, DWO interviewed Philip Madoc at the Series 5 Launch Party in London, below is the video interview segement, taken from our VLOG from the event:

[youtube:pEA3Z41-5b0]

DWO would like to extend our sympathies to Philip's family and friends.

[Sources: DWO; TARDIS Index File]