Gaming website; Big Download have informed DWO of a brand new interview they conducted recently with the BBC regarding the forthcoming online Doctor Who Multiplayer game; Worlds in Time.

Speaking to The Executive Vice President of Digital Entertainment at BBC Worldwide; Richard Nashak, the interview sheds some more light on what to expect with the hotly anticipated MMO.

What sorts of quests will players have to go on in the MMO?

In general, players will be able to help the Doctor stave off the forces of evil by thwarting the plots of classic villains from throughout the show's history. There will be a variety of quest types requiring different skills to keep the game constantly fresh and exciting.

Will there be any support for multiplayer quests in the game?

You bet. The game will allow for collaboration on quests and encourage social play at every turn.

The Doctor doesn't normally use violence. How will this attitude affect the gameplay in terms of how the player deals with challenges?

The acronym in the name "Worlds in Time" says it all. The game embraces the Doctor's philosophy of using cleverness and wit above violence whenever possible. This allows us to create an innovative and interesting gameplay experience where players have to work together and be creative to solve problems, battle the forces of evil, and help save time and space. They also get to have a laugh.

What sort of social features will there be in the MMO?

As an online social game, Doctor Who: Worlds in Time has social gameplay at its core. The game will not only foster collaboration and cooperation inside the game, but integrate with social platforms. We can't reveal too much right now about how these mechanics will unfold.

+ Click Here to read Big Download's full interview with BBC Worldwide.

[Source: Big Download]

BBC Children's Books have been in touch with a last minute offer for fans to attend the 2in1 Book Signing tomorrow in London.

The event will take place between 11am-1pm in The Doctor Who Experience at Olympia 2, Hammersmith Road, London.

Don't miss this fantastic chance to meet the masterminds behind the exciting new Doctor Who adventure series from BBC Children's Books. Justin Richards, Oli Smith and other Doctor Who experts will be ready to be grilled on all things intergalactic.

For the book signing, no ticket purchase in necessary, but tickets for the Doctor Who Experience are selling fast so advanced booking is advised to avoid disappointment.

For more information check out: www.doctorwhochildrensbooks.co.uk & www.doctorwhoexperience.com.

[Source: BBC Children's Books]

In a recent press release at the BBC Press Office website, Matt Smith has been interviewed regarding his role in upcoming drama; Christopher And His Kind.

Christopher And His Kind, by acclaimed British playwright Kevin Elyot (My Night With Reg), explores Christopher Isherwood's formative years in Thirties Berlin in the run-up to the Second World War. Here, Matt Smith reveals why he wanted to play one of the 20th century's finest writers.

"First and foremost as always it was the script that attracted me to the role," explains Matt Smith, who is best known for playing The Doctor in Doctor Who. "The story is such a fascinating one. I loved the idea of playing someone so extreme to me, that different kind of vocalisation and physical shape.

"Christopher Isherwood is such an interesting man. There's something very romantic about Christopher and Auden going off as young men to Berlin. At the heart of the piece is Christopher's acceptance of his own identity and self-discovery – I think we learn about a man exploring his sexuality and the arena in which he can do that freely."

The popular actor explains why visiting the home Isherwood shared with his partner proved to be an invaluable experience.

"For research I went to see Don Bachardy [Isherwood's partner before he died] in the States at the house they shared. Don helped me understand his character – he said Christopher was very polite. Just seeing the love Don had for him, and to be in the space where Christopher had lived and written was very informative.

"I also read Christopher's novels, and then spent a lot of time trawling through video footage, watching, listening and repeating his voice. I had a wonderful voice coach called Patsy Rodenburg who said: 'Look, just go for it. Don't worry about trying to imitate him. What's more interesting is trying to capture the essence of the man and then be yourself.'

"I don't know whether I've managed to capture his voice exactly because I think that has to remain the invention of the actor; however, I hope there's an element of him in there."

Playing Isherwood has given Matt a fresh perspective on the magnitude of the work involved in trying to characterise a real person on screen.

"This has given me a great respect for people like Michael Sheen," continues Matt. "But I hope I've captured a moment – that little glimpse of glee in Christopher's eye you know he had; that mischief."

Having to make mental adjustments away from his Doctor Who persona was a hurdle the 28-year-old was able to master.

"Just thinking in a different way physically to The Doctor was also a very interesting challenge for me because one is based on movement and madness and the other on stillness and stiffness really. I hope that you look at this and quickly forget that you're watching The Doctor."

Another challenge for Matt was taking part in the nude scenes ... and experiencing stubble rash for the first time!

"Well, you've just got to commit to it, gung ho. It's different from when you're doing nude scenes with a boy than doing them with a girl, as you can imagine," explains Matt. "But I tried to commit to it and wholeheartedly go for it. Having to kiss boys, and finally understanding the nature of stubble rash, was interesting," he laughs.

Filming took place in Ireland where sets were constructed to resemble Berlin in the Thirties, but Matt had no difficulties visualising the real Berlin because he'd spent some time there shooting another project prior to filming.

"I did a film in Berlin last year before doing Christopher And His Kind; I was there for three months. It's one of my favourite cities in the world. I would have loved to have seen it at that time in the Thirties because even now it has such a liberal sort of atmosphere, that's one of its great virtues. That's one of the things that drew Christopher there, I think."

The Northampton-born actor, whose credits include Moses Jones, Party Animals and The Street, was a huge fan of his period costumes.

"The costume designer has done a wonderful job; the costumes really fly off the screen. I think she captured the Thirties to Fifties brilliantly. It made me want to buy a three-piece suit from the Thirties!" laughs Matt.

Having old friends on set made the experience even more enjoyable, he continues.

"Working with Lindsay Duncan again, who's a great friend of mine, was wonderful. I could work with her on everything I do, every hour of the day. She makes me laugh, she's so much fun. Pip Carter [who also starred alongside Matt in Party Animals] is wonderful as Auden; he's a fabulous actor who really makes it all look very effortless."

Matt, who studied drama with creative writing for a time at the University of East Anglia, has aspirations of his own to be a writer.

"Christopher was such a wonderful writer of prose. The other thing I learnt from Don is Christopher would always write in the morning, he'd get something done every day.

"When I was playing Christopher I would write as much as I could every day. Being around Steven Moffat [Doctor Who writer and creative head] and working with writers like Kevin Elyot has been really interesting. I'm just trying to learn about structure at the moment."

With Christopher Isherwood under his belt, would Matt consider playing another real person on the small screen if the role was right?

"Well I'd quite like to play Ted Hughes. That would be cool."

[Source: BBC Press Office]

DWO can exclusively reveal that The 6th Doctor adventure; Vengeance on Varos will be released on DVD in 2012.

2|Entertain Classic Doctor Who Commissioning Editor, Dan Hall spoke to DWO regarding the release and had the following to say:

"We have been surprised and delighted by the fan campaigns that have championed for a Special Edition release of Vengeance on Varos, and due to the good old fashioned display of fan power that Doctor Who is famous for, 2|Entertain have listened and can confirm a fast commission for the release in 2012."

The Vengeance on Varos Special Edition DVD was originally slated to be part of the Revisitations 2 box-set, but was later replaced in favour of The Seeds of Death. 2|Entertain have kindly supplied us with a draft copy of the original proposed box-art that would have included the story (pictured).

Earlier today, 2|Entertain also confirmed the Late 2012 release of The 1st Doctor adventure; The Reign of Terror via their Twitter feed.

[Source: 2|Entertain]

After many weeks of hard work, the DWO iWho App is now live on the Apple App Store.

Developed by DWO's Sebastian J. Brook and James Kelly, iWho is your #1 app for the latest Doctor Who News and Reviews, together with episodes of the DWO WhoCast podcast, as well as the DWO Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and Blog Streams - right in the app itself!

Don't forget to Rate & Review iWho on the App Store, and as always, your feedback is greatly appreciated.

+ Click Here to buy iWho for just £1.19 ($1.99).

+ Read More about iWho in the DWO Apps section.

[Source: Doctor Who Online]

The DWO WhoCast podcast is planning a Nicholas Courtney tribute episode, and we want you, his fans, to get in touch.

Although we will have our own feature on Nicholas, the DWO WhoCast is asking our listeners to get in touch with mp3 audio (no background music) and emails for us to read out, about what you thought of Nicholas Courtney's role as The Brigadier, how you felt when you heard the tragic news, as well as any other stories or memories you may have.

You can send your feedback to: feedback@dwowhocast.com, and we will put the episode together over the next week.

+  Watch DWO's tribute video to Nicholas Courtney.

[Source: Doctor Who Online]

AudioGO have sent DWO the cover and details for the forthcoming CD release of Doctor Who: The BBC Radio Episodes.

A special slipcase containing each of the Doctor's full-cast BBC radio adventures: "The Paradise of Death"; "The Ghosts of N-Space"; "Exploration Earth - The Time Machine" & "Slipback".

Also included is the 1975 made-for-LP audio adventure 'Doctor Who and the Pescatons' and the 1994 spoof 'Whatever Happened To...Susan?'.

Jon Pertwee, Elisabeth Sladen, Nicholas Courtney, Tom Baker, Colin Baker, Nicola Bryant and Jane Asher are amongst the cast.

+  Doctor Who: The BBC Radio Episodes is released on 7th April 2011, priced £60.00.

+  Compare Prices for this product on CompareTheDalek.com!

[Source: AudioGO]

AudioGO have sent DWO the cover and details for the forthcoming CD release of Inferno.

In this exciting reading of a Doctor Who novelisation, first published by Target Books in 1984, the Doctor is trapped in a parallel world, unable to act as the Earth is threatened by a poisonous liquid leaking from top-secret drilling project Inferno.

This title is read by Caroline John.

+  Inferno is released on 7th April 2011, priced £13.25.

+  Compare Prices for this product on CompareTheDalek.com!

[Source: AudioGO]

Leading up to the San Francisco Game Developers Conference (GDC), BBC Worldwide today announced a major new partnership with game developer Three Rings to create BBC Worldwide's first ever free-to-play multiplayer online game centered around the blockbuster drama television show, Doctor Who.

For the first time ever, players from around the world will be able to follow in the footsteps of the eccentric and brilliant Doctor by travelling through time and space, exploring new worlds and encountering many alien races, both friend and foe. Titled Doctor Who: Worlds in Time, the game allows players to enter the TARDIS and be set a challenge by the mysterious Time Lord to help him defend civilized culture against infamous Doctor Who enemies.

Robert Nashak, EVP Digital Entertainment at BBC Worldwide says:

"Doctor Who: Worlds in Time will be a free-to-play multiplayer online game that invites players to save the universe by using their wits to solve time-bending puzzles and pulse-pounding challenges. Three Rings is the ideal team for this groundbreaking creative partnership. Not only are they visionaries in the online gaming space, they are lifelong Doctor Who fans with a passion for delivering the level of quality that our players will expect and deserve."

Daniel James, CEO Three Rings says:

"Three Rings is delighted and honored to have the opportunity to create an online game based on Doctor Who. Our goal with 'Words in Time' is to capture the imaginative spirit and depth of the series, whilst being fun and easy to play for all ages."

Doctor Who: Worlds in Time is developed to be both highly engaging and fun, allowing players to socialize and foster genuine cooperation, building a global community where fans worldwide will now be able to experience first hand the exciting action and adventure synonymous with Doctor Who. Development is well underway and is expected to launch later this year.

[Source: BBC Press Office]

2|Entertain have sent DWO the cover & details for the upcoming DVD release of the Revisitations 2 Box-set.

The Seeds of Death

It is the 21st Century and Earth is totally dependent on T-Mat, a revolutionary form of instant travel. When the system breaks down the Doctor and friends make a hazardous journey to the relay station on the moon only to find that it has fallen into the hands of the Ice Warriors who plan to invade Earth. Can the Doctor outwit the evil Ice Warriors and destroy the fungus in time to save a dying world?

Special Features:

Disc 1:

• 6 x 25 min monochrome episodes with mono audio.

• Commentary – with actors Frazer Hines and Wendy Padbury, director Michael Ferguson and script editor Terrance Dicks.

• Audio Trailer (dur. 0’ 45”) – an off-air amateur recording of the original BBC1 trailer for the story. Suggest using this in the ‘Episode Selection’ menu, either as a background audio loop on the menu screen or as a selectable item.

• Coming Soon (dur. approx 1' 00") - a trail for a forthcoming DVD release.

• Programme Subtitles

• Subtitle Production Notes

Disc 2:

• Lords of the Red Planet (dur. 28’ 31”) – a look back at the creation of the Ice Warriors and their re-appearance in the ‘The Seeds of Death’. With actors Wendy Padbury and Frazer Hines, director Michael Ferguson, script editor Terrance Dicks, costume designer Bobi Bartlett and TV historian Richard Bignell. Narrated by Katherine Mount.

• Sssowing the Ssseedsss – (dur. 24’ 05”) – Ice Warrior Sonny Caldinez, Ice Lord Alan Bennion and make-up designer Sylvia James recall their experiences of bringing the Martian warriors to life.

• Monster Masterclass (dur. 3’ 44”) – director Michael Ferguson talks about his experiences directing some of Doctor Who’s most famous monster stories.

• Monsters Who Came Back For More! (dur. 16’ 26”) – Nick ‘Voice of the Daleks’ Briggs and Doctor Who Magazine’s assistant editor Peter Ware take a look at the reasons why monsters often return for further adventures.

• Photo Gallery (dur. 4’ 30”) - a selection of design and production photographs from the story.

• TARDIS Cam no.6 (dur. 0’ 57”) – a model vignette created for the BBC’s Doctor Who website.

• PDF material - Radio Times listings in PDF format.

Carnival of Monsters

The Doctor and Jo take the TARDIS on a test flight and arrive on a cargo ship, the SS Bernice, that appears to be crossing the Indian Ocean in 1926 but is in fact trapped inside a miniscope — a banned peepshow of miniaturised life-forms — on the planet Inter Minor.

Special Features:

Disc 1:

• 4 x 25 min episodes with mono audio.

• Commentary 1 – with actress Katy Manning and director Barry Letts.

• Commentary 2 – with actors Peter Halliday, Cheryl Hall and Jenny McCracken, script editor Terrance Dicks, sound effects designer Brian Hodgson. Moderated by Toby Hadoke.

• Episode Two – Early Edit (dur. 29’ 44”) – a longer early edit of the second episode, featuring the subsequently rejected ‘Delaware’ version of the theme music. It is presented here completely un-restored.

• Behind the Scenes (dur 1’ 48”) – on the studio floor and inside the gallery during production of the story, courtesy of a film crew from the BBC’s ‘Looking In’ documentary.

• Visual Effects Models (dur. 8’ 41”) – an expanded version of this feature, including unused model shots, trims and tests.

• ‘Five Faces of Doctor Who’ Trailer (dur. 4’ 10”) – a trail for the 1981’s repeat season, which saw many of Doctor Who’s classic stories – including ‘Carnival of Monsters’ - repeated for the first time in many years.

• Director’s Amended Ending (dur. 1’ 18”) – for the ‘Five Faces’ repeat of the story, director Barry Lett’s took the opportunity to re-edit the ending to remove a shot of a very obvious ‘bald cap’ which he had always felt spoiled the show.

• CSO Demo (dur. 3’ 07”) – director Barry Letts was very keen on the possibilities offered by the use of Colour Separation Overlay to place actors into fantastical model sets. In this BBC training film, he demonstrates the technique for fellow directors.

• TARDIS Cam no.2 (dur. 0’ 45”) – a CGI model vignette created for the BBC’s Doctor Who website.

• Coming Soon (dur. approx 1' 00") - a trail for a forthcoming DVD release.

• PDF material - Radio Times listings in PDF format.

• Programme Subtitles

Disc 2:

• Destroy All Monsters! (dur. 23’ 11”) – cast and crew look back at the making of the story. With actors Katy Manning, Cheryl Hall and Peter Halliday, director Barry Letts, script editor Terrance Dicks, assistant floor manager Karilyn Collier and visual effects assistant Colin Mapson. Narrated by Marc Silk.

• On Target with Ian Marter (dur. 16’ 08”) – actor Ian Marter played Andrews in this story before more famously playing companion Harry Sullivan in Tom Baker’s first stories. He was also a writer and novelised many previous Doctor Who adventures for the Target book range. With actors Tom Baker, Elisabeth Sladen, Nicholas Courtney and Nigel Plaskitt, script editors Terrance Dicks and Gary Russell.

• The A-Z of Gadgets and Gizmos (dur. 11’ 22”) – a tongue-in-cheek look at gadgets and gizmos in Doctor Who over the years. Narrated by Paul Jones.

• Mary Celeste (dur. 18’ 01”) – just as the SS Bernice disappeared from the Indian Ocean in the story, many real-life ships have mysteriously disappeared too. A trio of maritime experts discuss some of these events, including perhaps the most famous maritime mystery of all time, the strange case of the Mary Celeste. With the University of London’s Prof. Roger Luckhurst, Merseyside Maritime Museum’s Ian Murphy and the National Maritime Museum’s John McAleer.

• Photo Gallery (dur. 2’ 55”) - a selection of design and production photographs from the story, plus photos from the commentary session and Frank Bellamay’s Radio Times artwork.

Resurrection of the Daleks

The Doctor and his companions are captured in a Time Corridor, and are forced to land on 20th Century Earth, diverted by the Doctor's oldest enemy - the Daleks.

It is here that the true purpose of the Time Corridor becomes apparent: after 90 years of imprisonment, Davros, the ruthless creator of the Daleks, is to be liberated to assist in the resurrection of his army. But not even the Daleks forsee the poisonous threat presented by their creator. Indeed, who would suspect Davros of wanting to destroy his own Daleks - and why?

Only the Doctor knows the truth. But will he be capable of descending to Davros' level of evil in order to stop him?

Special Features:

Disc 1:

• 2 x 45 min colour episodes with original mono audio and optional Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound.

• Commentary with actor Terry Molloy, writer Eric Saward and visual effects designer Peter Wragg, moderated by Nick Pegg.

• Casting Far and Wide (dur. 32’ 16”) – Actor and comedian Toby Hadoke interviews five of the jobbing actors who worked on the story about their careers and their experiences on the show. With Roger Davenport, Del Henney, Leslie Grantham, Jim Findlay and William Sleigh.

• On Location (dur. 18’ 32”) – producer John Nathan-Turner, director Matthew Robinson and writer Eric Saward return to London’s Shad Thames to reminisce about the story in its major filming location .

• Extended and Deleted Scenes (dur. 7’ 03”) – extra material from early edits of the episodes.

• Breakfast Time (dur. 7’ 56”) – Janet Fielding and John Nathan-Turner interviewed on the BBC’s breakfast show, including an item about the show’s music and sound effects featuring Malcolm Clarke and Brian Hodgson.

• Trailer (dur. 0’ 31”) – a BBC1 trailer for the original transmission.

• The Last Dalek (dur. 8’ 33”) – a behind-the-scenes look at the Ealing studios filming for 1967’s epic Dalek story, ‘The Evil of the Daleks’, courtesy of an 8mm film shot by BBC designer Tony Cornell. With narration by BBC visual effects designers Michealjohn Harris and Peter Day.

• TARDIS Cam no.4 (dur. 0’ 41”) – a model vignette created for the BBC’s Doctor Who website.

• Isolated Music - option to view the episodes with isolated music scores.

• Coming Soon (dur. approx 1' 00") - a trail for a forthcoming DVD release.

• PDF material - Radio Times listings in PDF format.

• Programme Subtitles

• Subtitle Production Notes

Disc 2:

• 4 x 25 min colour episodes with original mono audio and optional Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound.

• Commentary with actors Peter Davison and Janet Fielding, director Matthew Robinson.

• Come In Number Five (dur. 56’ 27”) – a retrospective of Peter Davison’s tenure as the fifth Doctor. With actors Peter Davison, Janet Fielding and Mark Strickson, producer John Nathan-Turner, executive producer Barry Letts, director Fiona Cumming, script editors Christopher H Bidmead, Eric Saward and Antony Root, BBC Head of Series and Serials David Reid and new series head writer Steven Moffat. Presented by David Tennant

• Tomorrow’s Times – The Fifth Doctor (dur. 12’ 17”) – the ongoing series looking at the press reaction to Doctor Who through the years reaches the fifth Doctor’s era. Presented by Frazer Hines

• Walrus (dur. 1’ 21”) – an oddity from the BBC’s archives. A Welsh woman comes face to face with a Dalek, who is determined to make her speak in a monotone…

• Photo Gallery (dur. 5’ 16”) - a selection of design and production photographs from the story.

• Coming Soon (dur. approx 1' 00") - a trail for a forthcoming DVD release.

• PDF material - Radio Times listings in PDF format.

• Programme Subtitles

• Subtitle Production Notes

[Source: 2|Entertain]

It is with deepest regret that DWO announces the passing of much-loved Classic Series Actor, Nicholas Courtney.

Nicholas (born in Egypt in 1929), was known to fans for his role as Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart in the Classic Series of Doctor Who. He was the only actor to have worked with all of the first five Doctors, as well as the Seventh Doctor from 1965-1989, and was one the longest-serving co-stars in the show's entire history.

Courtney's first appearance in Doctor Who was as Space Security Agent, Bret Vyon, in the First Doctor adventure; The Daleks' Master Plan, but it was for his role as Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart (later Brigadier), who made his first appearance in The Web of Fear in 1968, that fans regard most.

In total, the character of The Brigadier appeared in 23 stories:

The Web of Fear, The Invasion, Spearhead from Space, Doctor Who and the Silurians, The Ambassadors of Death, Inferno, Terror of the Autons, The Mind of Evil, The Claws of Axos, Colony in Space, The Daemons, Day of the Daleks, The Time Monster, The Three Doctors, The Green Death, The Time Warrior, Invasion of the Dinosaurs, Planet of the Spiders, Robot, Terror of the Zygons, Mawdryn Undead, The Five Doctors & Battlefield.

In 2008, Courtney returned to the role in the spin-off series, The Sarah Jane Adventures, in an episode titled, Enemy of the Bane. Fans had long been requesting his return to Doctor Who, but, alas, it never came to pass.

As well as taking part in several Big Finish audio adventures, Courtney also featured as a regular cast member in Cosmic Hobo's The Scarifyers, as Detective Inspector Lionheart, in which his co-stars alongside Terry Molloy (Davros in the Classic Series).

Courtney is survived by his wife, Karen and children, Bella and Philip, whom DWO would like to extend our deepest sympathies to.

DWO Editor, Sebastian J. Brook had the following to say about Nicholas:

"Hearing this news is indeed an incredibly sad blow to fans worldwide. On a personal note, I have had the pleasure of meeting, and indeed working with Nicholas over the years. He was always an incredibly warm, generous and wickedly funny man, who always found time for his fans. He will be sorely missed and leaves an irreplaceable void in Doctor Who."

On hearing the news early this morning, DWO asked our Facebook and Twitter followers for your memories and comments about Nicholas. Below are just a few:

Alan Dobbie via DWO Facebook

"I last met Nick at a fundraiser 18 months ago in a Tottenham restaurant where of course he was on good form; everyone wanted to speak to him and not the guest speaker!! A fond memory I also have is at breakfast at a convention and dear Nick just couldn't work the tea machine and turned to me and "Benton's never around when you need him". He always had time for the fans, thanks Nick and we'll raise a pint for you!!!"

Dale Who via DWO Facebook

"I was fortunate enough to meet Nick on many occasions, and he was always such good value. He was very well respected by both fans and peers alike, always in demand and always a witty, clever and thoroughly professional man. The acting world - and Doctor Who in particular - has lost a shining star, and my heart goes out to the many affected by his passing."

Brian Stultz via DWO Facebook

"I was not fortunate enough to meet Nic! I have watched so many hrs of Dr. Who that included this fine actor. He has made such an impact on my life, brought me many hrs of enjoyment and I feel as though I have lost an old friend or family member. He will be truly missed and never forgotten!"

@andy984 via Twitter

"@drwhoonline RIP Nicholas Courtney 1929-2011. In memory I'll be watching Inferno cos he was just bloody brilliant in it!"

@mrdavidj via Twitter

"@drwhoonline I don't think I've seen anyone or anything else applauded and welcomed with such passion."

@cpn_jack via Twitter

"@drwhoonline R.I.P nicolas courtney I may not of watched all your episodes but you were brilliant in SJA and the five doctors."

Finally, to commemorate Nick's life and contribution to Doctor Who, DWO have put together the following tribute video via our YouTube Channel:

[Source: BBC]

Karen Gillan has been nominated in this years 'Women of the Year' Awards by Glamour Magazine.

Karen features in the UK TV Actress category, along with Billie Piper (Rose Tyler), Lenora Crichlow (Cheen in 2.3: Gridlock) & Sarah Parish (Empress of the Racnoss in The Runaway Bride).

Voting has now opened, and fans can vote for Karen at the following url: http://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/celebrity/glamour-awards-2011.

[Source: Glamour Magazine]

In a recent article for the Daily Mail newspaper, Classic Series Doctor; Peter Davison discusses his recent trip to Australia and New Zealand.

On the thought of travelling with children, Davison had the following to say:

"My wife Elizabeth and I thought it sounded a great idea but we had two major reservations. It wasn't the fans, the signings or hanging out with the likes of Hercules and Flash Gordon at sci-fi events that bothered us; it was the thought of dragging our two boisterous boys, Louis and Joel, both aged under ten, halfway across the world. The prospect of a nightmare 21-hour flight was not enticing. But we decided to bite the bullet and booked New Zealand, with a stopover in Sydney."

On the New Zealand leg of his trip, Davison got to meet the Weta team, who, it became clear, were big Doctor Who fans:

"Mix in a dash of geekdom (one of the Weta guys disappeared suddenly, only to return from his house around the corner with an obscure episode of Doctor Who circa 1982 that he just happened to have on his bookshelf) and their success in the film industry begins to make sense."

+ Read the article in full on the Daily Mail website.

[Source: The Daily Mail]

Those of you wishing to escape the trappings of the real world for a few hours, can take solace in what is arguably one of the finest online sims for Doctor Who. The 'Katrina' region of SecondLife, is a land dedicated to Doctor Who, with painstaking attention to detail from a team of designers who, quite frankly, are geniuses.

But what is this SecondLife? Isn't it that online virtual world that you sometimes hear about in the news? Well…yes…it is, but the Katrina sim is a little different, in that it has everything a Doctor Who fan could want, housed in a friendly, inviting, and thoroughly entertaining area. It's a place where everything you ever wanted to do in the Doctor Who universe, can actually happen and become reality, albeit, virtually.

The sim is an incredibly loyal reconstruction of the Cardiff bay area, complete with Roald Dahl Plass; Millennium Centre et al (pictured). The best part is that within this familiar setting are attractions that will be of interest to all Doctor Who fans; including a Doctor Who Museum / Exhibition (pictured), a cinema (streaming Doctor Who related YouTube videos), as well as the ability to walk through and operate a wide variety of TARDIS' from the show. You can even dress up as your favourite characters from the show, and take part in battles as your favourite Monster / Villain.

Doctor Who Online has its very own base in Katrina next to the museum (pictured), where you can find out about the site as well as listen to our latest podcast episodes, purchase SecondLife Doctor Who inspired T-Shirts for your Avatars, compare prices for the latest Doctor Who merchandise, and much more.

There are plenty of themed events to take part in too - some of which DWO will be organising in the near future. Our friends over at fellow Doctor Who podcast, Podshock, have a SecondLife meet-up on 27th February in the Katrina sim between 1pm-6pm PST.

One other particular feature of the sim that is worth a special mention, is the Hands of Omega Time Travelling Capsule range. The Hands of Omega team have worked hard to produce fully operational TARDIS' that users of SecondLife can buy and fly around the sim. Just hop aboard your Police Box, set the controls to a location in SecondLife, and within seconds you will be transported through time and space.

One cannot help being reduced to a child as you spend hours playing with the numerous controls and landing in reproduced locations from the TV series. The sheer hard work and effort that the team have put into the range is admirable to say the least. Worthy of a special mention is their 11th Doctor TTC (pictured).

So if you find yourself with a bit of time to spare this week, we strongly encourage you to check out the Katrina Doctor Who sim in SecondLife. It's totally free to use, and the SecondLife software can be downloaded from http://www.secondlife.com/. Don't forget to stop by the DWO SL Base!

** The Doctor Who Katrina sim and Hands of Omega are both non-profit and no copyright infringement is intended.

+ Download the SecondLife software.

+ Watch a SecondLife orientation video by Victor1st Mornington.

+ SLURL for the Katrina region of SecondLife.

+ SLURL for the DWO SL Base in SecondLife.

[Source: Doctor Who Online]

Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Written By: Dick Sharples & Terry Nation (Adapted by Simon Guerrier & Nicholas Briggs)

RRP: £25.00

Release Date: 31st December 2010

Reviewed by: Paul Everitt for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 18th February 2011

Big Finish continue their Lost Stories season, with a very special box set dedicated to the second doctor; the great Patrick Troughton.  The box set includes two adventures plus over fifty minutes of bonus material – including interviews and a look behind the scenes. The first adventure sees Earth in a very different light, with a very sinister undertone throughout. The second adventure is rather special in its own right, a lost story involving the mighty Daleks which never saw the light of day...

The first adventure, Prison In Space see’s the Doctor, Jamie and Zoe looking for a little vacation. Even Jamie has become tired of fighting “wee little beasties”.  Promising them a vacation, with perhaps a picnic, the Doctor flies the TARDIS to safe haven – one with plenty of greenery and peace, or so he thinks. 

It’s not long before our heroes find themselves in trouble, arrested for trespassing the soon find that their so called haven is actually run by a mad tyrant – Chairman Babs. Not only do they find themselves arrested, the Doctor and Jamie soon realise that this world is run by women, who see men as inferiors – men are the weakest and are therefore treated like animals, with contempt and disdain. Soon things get even more serious as Jamie and the Doctor are sent to a prison in space, trailed and convicted for their crime – Zoe is left in the hands of the Chairman, forced to choose sides – with the resulting events proving to be explosive and quite unexpected. 

For this adaptation we see the return of Frazer Hines and Wendy Padbury, reprising their roles as the Doctors companions. It’s great to hear the Scottish accent of Jamie return; Zoe is as bright as ever, in a part which really pushes Zoe to the limits. The sound effects bring back the sense of the sixties incarnation of the show, helping to push the narrative along at a great pace. Big Finish has adapted this lost script brilliantly, bringing back the essence of Patrick Troughton’s Doctor. This could have easily proved to be one of the second Doctor’s best TV adventures...

Moving onto the second adventure included in this box set, The Daleks: The Destroyers, is the adaptation of the unmade US TV Pilot. Big Finish has adapted this script into a gripping space adventure, full of tension and scares. This is definitely one to listen to by yourself in the dark. 

The adventure takes place around Explorer Base 1, a human exploration station – located on the surface of meteorite M5. Newly built and protected by a force wall, the occupants have no reason, to think of anything dangerous, from the swamp lands laying, just past the force wall. However in the darkness lurks a terrible threat – The Daleks. Within the first five minutes of the adventure, the station is ripped apart – all personnel killed in cold blood. 

Enter our three heroes, sent to investigate by the Special Space Security forces. Sarah Kingdom, played brilliantly by Jean Marsh is an intelligent, efficient agent, who has a habit of screaming. Mark Seven the android, with an emotion chip, classic good looks and superhuman strength. Played by Alan Cox, who gives the character life, making great use of the lines to inject some life, into what could have been a dull character. Then we have the leader of the squad, one Jason Corey rugged and intelligent. Jason is played by Chris Porter with an authority, which brings the character to life in your head.  The intrepid trio soon find themselves playing a cat and mouse game with the Daleks, trying to remain hidden – whilst discovering the alien’s master plan.

The narration to the story, drags you into this new world – masterfully read and acted making the hairs on your body tingle with excitement. The story is a lot darker than I had imagined, giving the Daleks a meaner darker look, than I can remember from the sixties. Even though there is a definite darker undertone, Big Finish have still managed to make it sound like an original episode from yester year. The main theme brought flashes of sixties TV flooding back, its catchy American style stays in your head, hours after listening to it. The score sets new standards, becoming at times operatic in substance, making you tense up, feel elation all at the right moments. Even the sound effects help you build a picture of what could have been, allowing you to connect to the main characters. A blinding story, which ends on a cliff-hanger, which I hope is resolved.

Also included is a fifty minute documentary, detailing how Prison In Space happened. A fascinating look into how the original script was found and the process that followed. It’s full of fact and gives us an insight into the love that the team had for Patrick Troughton. 

This box set prove compelling listening for any fan out there, showcasing what could have been if things were done a little differently.