Filming has begun in Cardiff for series 9 of Doctor Who and includes a star-studded guest cast. The new series will be back on BBC One in Autumn 2015.

The episodes currently being filmed are written by Toby Whithouse (The Game, Being Human), produced by Derek Ritchie and directed by Daniel O’Hara (Silent Witness 2015, The Game, Being Human).

Steven Moffat, lead writer and Executive Producer, said:

“An amazing guest cast for a brilliantly creepy two-parter by Toby Whithouse. Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman are back in Cardiff, back in the box, and back in action - for one of our scariest adventures yet!” 

On set filming for the new series, Peter Capaldi added:

“The adventures begin again for myself and Jenna and I’m delighted to be back filming my second series of Doctor Who.”

Paul Kaye who played Thoros of Myr in the third series of Game of Thrones joins the Doctor Who cast for the two-part episode. A comedian and actor, Paul is also well-known for being the voice of Vincent the fox on the puppet-based BBC comedy Mongrels.

Commenting on his role, Paul Kaye, said: 

“As a kid of the 1970’s, the two shows you always watched were Top of the Pops and Doctor Who, they were unmissable. I actually wrote a song called ‘Looking for Davros’ in my first punk band and I sang it like a demented Dalek. I got to present TOTP back in the mid ‘90’s and landing this role in Doctor Who completes the dream double. Peter is a perfect Doctor and I’m loving every minute of the experience, even the five hours in make-up. What a treat, best 50th birthday present ever!”

Also starring in the episodes will be Morven Christie who recently played the role of Amanda in the crime drama Grantchester and featured in Death in Paradise (2014) and Twenty Twelve.

Arsher Ali who played the part of Malik Suri in the critically acclaimed The Missing (BBC One) takes up a role in the guest cast alongside Colin McFarlane who appeared in Eastenders as part of the Who Killed Lucy Beale? storyline.

Recognised for her theatre and TV performances, actress Sophie Stone appears in the show for the first time. Sophie was the lead actress in the play Woman of Flowers and has appeared in Midsummer Murders and Casualty.

Also joining Peter Capaldi (The Doctor) and Jenna Coleman (Clara Oswald) and confirmed for roles in the double episode are Zaqi Ismail, Steven Robertson and Neil Fingleton.

Further guest cast for series 9 will be released over the coming months.

[Source: BBC]

Speaking at the recent BBC Worldwide Showcase in Liverpool, Steven Moffat talks about the “insane” idea of remaking Doctor Who for international audiences.

When asked if any foreign TV channels had ever enquired about making their own version of Doctor Who, Moffat replied:

"If anyone were to ask me, I'd say it's an absolutely insane idea. You couldn't have more than one Doctor Who in the world. It would just be dreadful."

Despite events like the BBC Worldwide Showcase and the sums of money to be made from selling programmes to foreign channels, Moffat says he does not write shows with overseas sales in mind.

"I don't think creatively it makes any sense at all to try to imagine selling your show to the rest of the world. You'd get it wrong anyway. Sherlock and Doctor Who are both doing rather well but they couldn't be more definitively British. They're obtusely British. They're about as British as it gets. You shouldn't be afraid of being British because that's what you're selling."

[Source: BBC News]

Over the past week, DWO visited central London and the Bluewater shopping centre to film some scenes for our 2011 DWO Christmas video.

The video, which features a poem written and performed by DWO site editor, Sebastian J. Brook, takes a look at a couple of the main Doctor Who related stories from 2011, coupled with festive scenes and a warming Christmassy backing track.

Expect to see a few more treats right here on DWO in the coming days, but for now we present you with 'A Blue Box For Christmas':

[youtube:NSUlLAI4jNU]

+  Like / Leave Comments for this video!

+  Subscribe to the DWO YouTube Channel.

[Source: Doctor Who Online]

AOL have recently added an interview with Steven Moffat looking at his tenure on Doctor Who, River Song and iconic villains (to name just a few topics).

I'm really interested in an idea you've been exploring this season, that the Doctor's past choices and actions -- all these things are coming home to roost for him. Was that always where you wanted to take the show or the character, or was this something that came to mind after your first season on the show?

I think there's just some weird thing that happens with a character like the Doctor. When you bring him back in 2005, he's the lone drifter that no one's ever heard of, but gradually and inevitably, he becomes the greatest hero in the universe. He can stand up in the center of Stonehenge and say, "Come on, do you think you're hard enough?"

And what does the man who just wants to be a drifter, who just wants to just knock around a bit, think about that? And I think within the mad, mad, mad world of 'Doctor Who,' it's not an incredible development that, of course, the Daleks would be sort of wetting themselves when he turns up. Of course, he'd become a legend. Of course, all of those things would be happening.

But why would he be comfortable with that? And you know, he actually abuses this to some degree in [the mid-season finale] 'A Good Man Goes to War,' he abuses the power of it and starts calling in favors and it doesn't work out for him. So that's interesting.

I'm interested in the conception of the River Song story. In 'Silence in the Library,' did you already know she was going to be the daughter of a companion?

Oh no, no. I mean, it was one possible theory. Why is it somebody who's got such connections, who would that be? Is it just a future companion? What if it's somebody's got a lifelong commitment to the Doctor or his companion? So when I introduced Amy, I kept my options open [and used the name Pond]. I thought I was doing [the name thing] in plain sight and nobody [caught] it for a long while. But I didn't know at the time Karen was going to stay long enough for that story to come off. I didn't know if Alex would keep coming back.

So Plan A held, but there were other ones, including the [Plan B] that maybe River never came back at all and you could just imagine that she knows the 59th Doctor in the far future.

+  Read the full interview at AOL TV.

[Source: AOL TV]