In celebration of the 60th anniversary of the much-loved BBC series, Doctor Who, a special after-dark water-based projection in Cardiff Bay will take audiences on the incredible journey through 60 years of the show.  

With a script arranged by former Doctor Who script editor Gary Russell and featuring the brand-new version of composer Murray Gold’s iconic theme, the audio-visual spectacle, which will launch on Doctor Who Day, will feature key highlights from throughout the many iterations of the series, including The Doctor, as well as companions and foes of the Time Lord, plus an exclusive shot featuring upcoming fifteenth Doctor Ncuti Gatwa. 

The water-based projection, commissioned by BBC Wales, begins on Thursday 23rd November – Doctor Who Day - and runs until Saturday 25th November at Roath Basin in Cardiff Bay, which has a long history with the series. The after-dark showings will run every half hour from 5.30pm until 9.30pm on those days, with each lasting approximately 5 minutes. The initial switch-on, scheduled for 5.30pm on Thursday 23rd November, will be hosted by Steffan Powell, presenter of Doctor Who: Unleashed.  

The longest running sci-fi TV show in the Universe, Doctor Who first appeared on BBC television on 23 November 1963, with William Hartnell as the first Doctor. Originally running for 26 years before coming to an end in 1989, the show would be relaunched triumphantly onto TV screens in 2005 after a 16-year hiatus - overseen by showrunners Russell T Davies and Julie Gardner and produced by BBC Wales. 

A newly published economic impact report details how the sci-fi series has contributed to the Welsh economy. Between 2004 and 2021, Doctor Who has generated approximately £134.6m in GVA, of which more than £113.1m was in the Welsh creative industries. The report also shows that for every £1 spent on the hit series, a subsequent £0.96 is generated in Wales, making its economic contribution £1.96. The analysis considers the impact of Doctor Who from the start of production on Series 1 in 2004 to the most recent series with Jodie Whittaker as the Doctor (Series 13), which was broadcast in 2021. 

Doctor Who’s return was a pivotal moment and became a catalyst for the immense growth of the Welsh creative industries over the last 15 to 20 years. The screen sector – comprising of production, post-production, digital and special effects for film and TV, and TV broadcasting – is now the largest of the five Creative Industry sub-sectors prioritised by the Welsh Government and accounted for more than £459m turnover in 2022. 

In addition to the water-based projection in Cardiff Bay, the 60th anniversary celebrations will also include the opportunity for visitors to Cardiff to see the TARDIS and one of the Doctor’s most notorious villains, a Dalek, at the Senedd building from Thursday 23rd November, until Saturday 2nd December.  

This builds towards the return of the series to TV screens on Saturday 25 November, with the first of three 60th Anniversary Specials to feature fourteenth Doctor David Tennant, who made a surprising return in last year’s The Power of the Doctor. Airing on BBC One and iPlayer, ‘The Star Beast’ finds The Doctor reunited with Donna Noble, played by Catherine Tate, for the first time in many years. The second of the specials, ‘Wild Blue Yonder’, airs on BBC One and iPlayer on Saturday 2 December, with ‘The Giggle’ completing the trio a week later.  

Produced by Bad Wolf with BBC Studios, the specials mark the return of Russell T Davies to the Doctor Who brand as showrunner and sees him teaming up once more with Bad Wolf co-founder Julie Gardner, who is executive producer alongside Bad Wolf co-founder Jane Tranter.  

The company providing the water projection is LCI Productions and permission was granted to use Roath Basin by Cardiff Council and Associated British Ports. Coleridge Cymru assisted in facilitating the project.  

[Source: BBC Cymru Wales]

The BBC have released the first promo picture of Pearl Mackie on her first day filming for Series 10 of Doctor Who.

Pearl was on set filming scenes at Cardiff University, which is doubling for St Luke's University in Bristol. Reports from the scene suggest there is fake snow around the campus, hinting at a Winter setting.

+  Series 10 of Doctor Who will air in 2017.

[Source: BBC Worldwide]

   

When it comes to Captain Jack Harkmess and his appearances in Doctor Who thus far, we're sure we can all agree that his return has been long-overdue. The last episode to feature Jack was a short scene in David Tennant's, 10th Doctor swan song; The End Of Time. But could a recent video posted by John Barrowman lead way to the return of Jack this Christmas?

Well yes...and no... You see, John was recently in Cardiff to sign copies of his new book, Conjuror (co-written with his sister, Carole E. Barrowman), and at the end of the day, John posted a video to his Facebook page stating:

"I will be back in Cardiff in about a week and a half, but I'm not telling you what for... Shhh!"

So what could it be? As a DWO visitor, we rather suspect that you (like us) are hoping it will be to film scenes for the 2016 Doctor Who Christmas Special - and we may very well be right. Evidence to support the theory exists in the form of a recent interview with Doctor Who Production Designer, Michael Pickwoad, who stated that filming for Series 10 would start in May 2016. A week and a half from now and we'd still be quite comfortably in May.

Other possibilities are that John could be filming scenes for new Doctor Who spin-off 'Class' which is now well underway with the filming schedule. Of course, the other possibility is it could be something entirely different that John just so happens to be excited about.

Either way, whatever the reason, we would love to hear your thoughts on what you think will happen, and, if Jack is back, how would you like to see him return?

In the meantime, check out the video in the player, below:

+ The 2016 Doctor Who Christmas Special will air on Christmas Day, Time TBC.

The new Doctor, Peter Capaldi, stepped on set today for his first full day of filming as production begins on series eight of the hit BBC show.

Arriving on set in Cardiff to begin filming, Peter Capaldi, said:

“New job, first day, slightly nervous. Just like the Doctor, I'm emerging from the TARDIS into a whole other world.”

Steven Moffat, Lead Writer and Executive Producer, added:

“First the eyebrows! Then, at Christmas, the face! Coming soon, the whole Doctor. In the Cardiff studios, the Capaldi era begins.”

Accompanying The Doctor on his adventures will be companion Clara Oswald, played by Jenna Coleman.

The first episode of series eight has been written by Steven Moffat, with the second episode penned by Phil Ford. These are the first episodes that Peter will shoot and they are directed by Ben Wheatley.

Ben Stephenson, Controller of Drama Commissioning, said:

"Excitement and anticipation fills the air as Peter Capaldi’s Doctor takes control of the TARDIS for the very first time today. It’s going to be one hell of a ride and I can't wait for the journey to start."

Charlotte Moore, Controller BBC One, commented:

"A new year, a new face, a new Doctor! 2014 has arrived and it's Peter Capaldi's time so let the adventures begin!"

Filming is taking place in Cardiff until August 2014. Doctor Who is executive produced by Steven Moffat and Brian Minchin, and produced by Nikki Wilson and Peter Bennett. It is a BBC Cymru Wales production for BBC One.

Just before Christmas DWO and Blogtor Who met Peter Capaldi who had the following to say on his new role and the upcoming series:

"I met with Matt last night, who gave me some advice about dealing with the attention. He's a lovely guy!

I've just been working this week on the new series and we did the read through yesterday. I've never seen so many people at a read through!

I hope you like the Christmas episode and to see what were going to do with the show."

Watch Peter Capaldi's DWO video greeting:

[youtube:YdKFnh-fzKI]
More news as we get it...

+  Series 8 of Doctor Who will air in August / Early September 2014.

[Sources: BBC; Tim Vine]

Llandaff Society is hoping to join celebrations for the 50th Anniversary of Doctor Who by unveiling a plaque for creator of The Daleks, Terry Nation, on the home he grew up in, in Cardiff.

Now the heritage loving Llandaff Society is hoping to celebrate the life of their creator, Terry Nation, with a blue plaque on the home he grew up in Cardiff.

The group’s chairman, Geoff Barton-Greenwood, said:

“We are trying to get a blue plaque put up at the time of the 50th anniversary on the house where Terry Nation came from. At the moment we are seeking permission from the owner of the house and, in addition, we want the BBC to take an interest in this, and possibly get one of the main characters from the Doctor Who series to do the unveiling.

If we could get Matt Smith we would be delighted. But we don’t know whether he will be around.

If you look at the duration of the Doctor Who series, over a 50 year period, and the fact that the Daleks appeared in the second series and have been there ever since as the arch enemy of the doctor, there must be something about them that has made them iconic to young people.

My grandson has vast images of them on his walls. It has made a big impression on him. Just like it did on his father, who is now 41.”

He is waiting for the BBC’s head of drama publicity to get in touch with him.

Terry lived in 113 Fairwater Grove West, which is tenanted currently. He was a schoolboy at Canton High School and lived at Fairwater Grove West for the first 20 years of his life before going off to make his fortune in London, and subsequently in Hollywood as a scriptwriter.

Terry also came up with cult sci-fi shows Blake’s 7 and Survivors, and worked on The Avengers, The Baron, The Persuaders, The Champions, Department S, and The Saint.

It is hoped CADW will provide half the funding for the memorial, which would be made either from ceramic or aluminium.

There is no official blue plaque scheme in Wales but there is a civic initiative scheme run by the Welsh Government agency.

A BBC spokeswoman said:

“Terry Nation was a fantastic writer and we would be happy to support this recognition of his creative talent.”

A CADW spokesman said:

“There is no dedicated blue plaque scheme, such as in England, but Cadw can make grants to voluntary organisations for plaques to commemorate historic places or people. The Civic Initiatives Heritage Grants Scheme is aimed at small-scale projects which help to preserve, enhance or improve the historic environment of Wales and increase social awareness of Welsh heritage.”

[Source: WalesOnline]

Doctor Who star Matt Smith and Lead Writer Steven Moffat created their own piece of Doctor Who history today during their first visit to the Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff as the their hand prints were immortalised in cement, which will be displayed permanently at the new attraction. Matt Smith is the first Doctor to be immortalised in this way, while the fingers of the show’s Lead Writer will also be set in stone.

The casts were in addition to the unveiling of several new exhibits of the most iconic monsters and props from the recently broadcast series including the dress worn by new companion actress Jenna-Louise Coleman (Oswin’s dress and boots from Asylum of the Daleks), Grayle’s Chained Weeping Angel and The Cherub Angels (The Angels Take Manhattan) and the Robots and costumes of Solomon and Nefertiti (Dinosaurs on a Spaceship). 

Matt Smith says:

“It’s fantastic that the Doctor Who Experience has been given its very own purpose-built home here next to the studios and it feels like a bit of a spiritual home for Doctor Who. It’s been great fun unveiling some of the Doctor’s most fearsome adversaries from Series 7 and with the Christmas special and more episodes next year, there’ll be plenty more props to come down the line.

I’m honoured to have made my own little piece of Doctor Who history today. It’s a show with so much tradition over nearly 50 years, so to be the first Doctor to take part in something like this is really special”.

Steven Moffat says:

“I’m very excited and honoured to have my hands preserved forever. And quite relieved they came back out of the cement! I now know, for all my future crimes, that my fingerprints are readily and permanently available.”

The Doctor Who Experience is the only interactive Doctor Who attraction in the world. It welcomed over 230,000 visitors during a one-year stay at London’s Olympia before moving to Cardiff in July 2012. Since opening in July, over 40,000 fans have passed through the TARDIS doors and taken part in their very own Doctor Who adventure. 

[Source: BBC Worldwide]

The Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff opened its doors today, and DWO's Will Brooks was there to report on the event.

This reporter visited the Doctor Who Experience - billed as an ‘interactive journey’ and a ‘spectacular adventure through time and space’ - during its stay in London last year, but I’ve been chomping at the bit to take a look inside its brand new home at Porth Teigr in Cardiff; right next door to the Doctor Who Studios. 

Housed in a specially constructed building - TARDIS blue, of course - the experience is set to stay in Cardiff for the next five years, meaning you’ve got plenty of chances to come down and meet the monsters. 

While outside, the waiting crowds are kept entertained by Daleks, Cybermen and Silents, Doctor Who Online has been given special access to all the exhibits - a real chance to get ‘up close’ to some of The Doctor’s greatest foes. 

The Experience, much like it’s previous incarnation at the Olympia in London, is comprised of two separate sections. The first is an interactive walk-through, which puts you at the heart of a Doctor Who adventure. Featuring specially filmed material of Matt Smith as The Doctor (who’s managed to get himself locked up in the Pandorica… again!), the half-hour journey sees you pilot the TARDIS, a fantastic replica of the TV series’ current console room, battle with Daleks, avoid the clutches of the Weeping Angels (absolutely no blinking allowed…) and more - which I’ll leave for you to find out! 

Obviously tailored toward it’s younger visitors, the interactive journey aspect of the Experience manages to walk that very specific line that the show itself pulls off - the kids will be enthralled, while us ‘older children’ will be loving the ride, too.

It was a bit of a shame too see that the walk-through hasn’t been changed since it’s London debut, as it’s very much written for a post-series 5 audience. That’s a minor quibble, though, and for people who didn’t visit the London version, it’s still going to be amazing. 

Where the Experience does cater for those of us who’ve been before is in the exhibition hall. Those who have visited the Experience before will recall a smallish section toward the end that housed several costumes and props from across the years. Now in its own purpose-built space, these items have real room to breathe.

The starting point being a display of all the eleven Doctor’s costumes should be a hint that you’re in for a real treat; the Experience makes no distinction between ‘classic’ and ‘new’ - it’s all just a part of Doctor Who. Given more space to breathe than was possible in London, the exhibits fill a huge space, and cover a real vast selection of things.  

Obvious ‘key’ areas are the Ninth and Tenth Doctor’s TARDIS console room - the original one - and also a console room for the Fifth Doctor, featuring the Five Doctors version of the console. You can get up close with the Eleventh Doctor’s TARDIS exterior, and they also have the Police Boxes from Tom Baker’s last season, and David Tennant’s run, too. While I was there, a screen above the 80s console was playing Timelash – say what you want, but I love that a whole audience are queuing up to see Colin’s Doctor! 

Upstairs is a whole new area of magic. You’ll find something to fascinate any fan of the show in here, from recent creations like Series 6’s Peg Dolls and Silents to The Giant Robot from Tom Baker’s debut, an Ice Warrior, a Zygon, the Empty Child and more. For a child discovering the classic series for the first time - this place is an absolute gold mine. It’s completely up to date, with the wooden king and queen from last year’s Christmas special happily throned in the centre of the large hall.

There’s plenty here that wasn’t on display in London - or at least wasn’t when I visited last July - which makes it possible to come back for a second visit if you’ve been before. Speaking with one of the – extremely friendly! – members of staff, they described it as ‘Doctor Who coming home’, and there really is a sense of that here.

After the Exhibition section, of course you’ve got a little shop! Filled to the rafters with Doctor Who goodies; this is the perfect chance to pick up DVD’s you’ve not seen, grab hold of the latest action figure, or get a commemorative T-Shirt.

So after all that, we’re just in time to head back outside - into sunshine! It’s a perfect day to open. The crowds are in high spirits - many in costume or waving sonic screwdrivers! There are people here who’ve come from all across the world – there’s fans from Australia, Canada, Scotland… and more than one or two from Wales!

Undaunted by looming Cybermen and Daleks, spirits really couldn’t be higher within the crowds. Anna (an English visitor!) said she’d been to the London version, "but there’s no way I was going to miss the opening of this one!"

11:30am, and it’s opening time. To cut the ribbon, three children have been selected from the waiting masses. All in costume, the ribbon is cut by a miniature Doctor (complete with fez!), and assisted by Amy Pond and a Blue Dalek!

I’ll leave them to it as the first group of ticket holders make their way into the big blue building - they’re off on the adventure of a lifetime, and they won’t be disappointed!  

The Doctor Who Experience really is a place any fan of the show has to visit. The perfect blending of the show’s current status with its rich and varied history alone makes it the best exhibition of its type ever held. Throw into that the interactive experience, the great atmosphere and the knowledge that just about a hundred feet away, they’re making actual, real Doctor Who for us to enjoy on TV next year… absolutely magical!

+ Get your tickets to the Doctor Who Experience via the official website.

** With thanks to BBC Worldwide for arranging everything for us.

[Sources: DWO; Will Brooks]

BBC Worldwide today announced the official opening date for their multi-award winning attraction the Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff, the home of the BBC One show. Doors will open to the public on the 20th July with tickets going on sale at 10am on the 14th June.  Paula Al-Lach, Head of Exhibitions and Events at BBC Worldwide formally accepted the keys to the Experience’s distinctive new home in Cardiff Bay this afternoon and the first exhibits are already being moved in.

Philip Murphy, Managing Director of BBC Worldwide Live Events said:

“The Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff is going to be just minutes away from where the BBC Wales television series is made which I’m incredibly excited about. The Experience sets out to engage visitors’ imaginations from the outset immersing them in the world of Doctor Who and what better place to do this than in Cardiff the home of the show.”

The Doctor Who Experience is the first ever interactive Doctor Who exhibition that invites visitors to star in their very own Doctor Who adventure. Arriving at the venue they will step through a crack in time to become the Doctor’s companion, taking on the challenge of reuniting the Doctor with the TARDIS whilst fending off threats from some of his most fearsome foes - entering a Dalek spaceship and finding a way through a maze of Weeping Angels. Featuring a replica of the Eleventh Doctor’s TARDIS which visitors get to fly themselves the interactive walk-through culminates in a stunning 3D finale that sets the scene for fans entering the exhibition.

The exhibition presents fans with the world’s most extensive collection of original Doctor Who costumes and artefacts stretching back almost 50 years to the very first series of Doctor Who.

The content of the exhibition is updated constantly with new items from the television series to ensure it is ever changing offering fans the chance to get up close to the incredible sets, costumes and props that feature in their favourite show.  New items to be shown to the public for the first time in Cardiff include the Doctor’s cradle seen in A Good Man Goes to War; the Silence spaceship and Matt Smith’s sonic cane from Let’s Kill Hitler with many more items being kept under wraps until the doors open.

[Sources: BBC Worldwide]

Doctor Who Brand Manager, Edward Russell, is taking on a 160-mile walk from Cardiff to London to raise money for Meadow House Hospice, in memory of Elisabeth Sladen, who sadly passed away earlier this year.

Below is what Edward had to say about the task:

"I am going to walk 160 miles from Cardiff to London!

I'm walking in order to raise money for Meadow House Hospice. This NHS-funded facility recently cared for Elisabeth Sladen, known to many of you as Sarah Jane Smith from the TV series Doctor Who.

Like many of her fans and friends, I was deeply saddened by Lis' death in April 2011 and I hope to raise as much money as possible for this wonderful cause. More details and a target sum are to follow.

Starting on Saturday 3 September, I will walk from the BBC's Upper Boat studios in Cardiff (where SJA was filmed), aiming to arrive at the BBC Television Centre (where Lis first filmed Doctor Who) in London the following Friday. I will largely be following the National Cycling Route No. 4 - walking the equivellent of a marathan every day!

I'll be updating my training progress and adding words from colleagues and friends on my blog http://walkforlis.blogspot.com/.

Please dig deep and donate now, in memory of this fantastic lady."

+  Click Here to make a donation on Just Giving.

[Source: Edward Russell]