Penguin Random House have been in touch with details of a brand new Doctor Who charity anthology; Adventures In Lockdown, comprising some of the stories that featured during Lockdown, as well as all-new ones - all in aid of BBC Children In Need!

A star-packed collection of stories from the Whoniverse published in aid of BBC Children in Need, including new fiction from Neil Gaiman, Chris Chibnall, Russell T Davies, Steven Moffat, Mark Gatiss, Joy Wilkinson, and Vinay Patel, with illustrations from Chris Riddell, Sophie Cowdrey, Mike Collins and more.

Darkness Never Prevails

Penguin Random House is excited to announce Doctor Who: Adventures in Lockdown, a collection of stories written by Doctor Who writers in response to COVID-19. During challenging months of global uncertainty and isolation, the Doctor and the TARDIS has remained a dream that drew many - allowing them to roam the cosmos in search of distraction, reassurance and adventure. This very special short story collection brings these epic tales together, along with three brand new stories and beautiful illustrations in support of BBC Children in Need.

Adventures in Lockdown is a book for any Doctor Who fan in your life, stories that will send your heart spinning wildly through space and time...

Full list of stories:

1. A Message from the Doctor
2. Things She Thought While Falling by Chris Chibnall
3. The Terror of the Umpty Ums by Steven Moffat
4. Doctor Who and the Time War by Russell T Davies
5. Revenge of the Nestene by Russell T Davies
6. Rory’s Story by Neil Gaiman
7. One Virtue, and a Thousand Crimes by Neil Gaiman
8. The Simple Things by Joy Wilkinson
9. The Tourist by Vinay Patel
10. Fellow Traveller by Mark Gatiss
11. The Shadow Passes by Paul Cornell
12. Shadow of a Doubt by Paul Cornell
13. The Shadow in the Mirror by Paul Cornell
14. Press Play by Pete McTighe
15. Listen by Steven Moffat
16. The Secret of Novice Hame by Russell T Davies.

+  Adventures In Lockdown is released on 5th November 2020, priced £8.99.
+  PREORDER this title from Amazon.co.uk.
+  Discuss all the Doctor Who Book releases in the DWO Forums.

[Source: Penguin Random House]

Terror Of The Time Team!

In the absence of any new news from Cardiff, the big talking point this past week has been the reveal of Doctor Who Magazine's all-new Time Team lineup. Traditionally, the Time Team - a feature launched in 1999 - has consisted of a group of four fans working their way through the entirety of Doctor Who, in chronological order, giving commentary, opinions, and observations as they go - usually accompanied by sublime illustration by Adrian Salmon. Now, however, it’s all-change, and a brand new group of twelve bold adventurers, who’ll be ruminating on a selection box of stories each month, was revealed in Issue 525 on Thursday the 3rd of May.

This may not sound like a big deal to the casual observer, but such was the interest in this unveiling that the phrase ‘Time Team’ was trending on Twitter - it appeared that everyone had something to say about this shiny new team. The responses could be broadly sorted into three main categories - celebration, apoplectic fury, and people who were confused that the news wasn’t to do with Tony Robinson and archeology.  

Most of the complaints seemed to stem from the fact that none of the new team are over the age of twenty-six, and that some of them are *gasp* only familiar with the post-2005 modern series of Doctor Who. Some people clearly felt that the magazine was betraying its loyal older readership by ‘dumbing down’ and presenting a selection of young ’n’ trendy social media types who wouldn’t know a Garm from a Gastropod. The sense of entitlement - the outrage that these whippersnappers could be permitted to pass comment on OUR holy texts - was fascinating to witness. And, at times, a little disturbing. 

There were also complaints from some quarters about the fresh team being diverse in race and gender - presumably from the same sorts of people who refuse point-blank to watch a female Doctor, get their knickers in a twist about racially diverse actors appearing in historical adventures, and think that accusing someone of being concerned with social justice is somehow an insult… You know the type - those who are convinced that even the vaguest mention of anyone who’s not a straight white cisgendered male is some sort of ‘box-ticking’ PC conspiracy. We shan’t concern ourselves with this monstrous minority any further - let’s just leave them screaming impotently into the void.

I have to confess to some brief, initial agreement with those who voiced concerns. And, as someone who was born in the year of City of Death, I’m naturally confused by, suspicious of, and a little bit scared by YouTubers and social media ‘influencers’…  The few that I’ve been exposed to in the past seemed to share identikit ‘upbeat’ personalities and unnatural uniform beauty, weaponised by ruthless commercial acumen. ‘YouTuber hair’ is definitely a thing. I quickly realised, of course, that this distrust is merely a product of my own advancing years and a failure on my part to embrace and comprehend new forms of expression. (But I still reckon that someone ought to write a Doctor Who episode where YouTubers turn out to be Autons - have that for free if you’re reading this Chris…) 

However, having done some light research on the debuting dozen, I’m pleased to report that any foolish fears have been allayed. They appear to be a delightful bunch of bright young things, many of whom have more than demonstrated phenomenal creative talents in various other projects and arenas. And of COURSE they are - they were selected and put together by Benjamin Cook, a shining stalwart of our beloved periodical since he was but a tadpole himself, and proof, if it were needed, that it’s perfectly possible to be simultaneously a YouTube sensation AND wield expertise on the life-cycle of a Vervoid. Plus I’m already familiar with, and a fan of, the work of two of our intrepid archeologists - the fabulous Fan Show presenter Christel Dee, and the smouldering Big Finish performer Jacob Dudman. We’re in safe hands. (If you’re reading this Jacob - I love you.) 

Yes - they could have plumped for greater variance in age, but isn’t it actually rather fun and exciting that they haven’t…? We’ve all heard a hundred opinions on The Claws of Axos from the old guard who can recite the production codes backwards. The fact that some of this new gang of bright-eyed beauties have never even seen a single episode of ‘classic’ Who means that we’re going to get real fresh and untainted responses to the material. In a way, this modern approach is more akin to the phenomenally successful ‘Class 4G’ articles put together by Gary Gillatt in the nineties, than the classic Time Team's who were often clearly just faking that it was their first time. I know it seems unthinkable to some that Doctor Who fans could possibly be trendy young people who don’t own even a single anorak, but to me it’s thrilling and heartwarming to see the sacred flame being passed on to the next generation of space oddities. I’d encourage anyone who’s worried by this development to do their best to put aside their concerns, embrace the future, and enjoy the ride. Sure, these youngsters may spout the occasional odd opinion - such as classic show cliffhangers being ‘cheap tricks’, or describing the Brigadier as a ‘babe’ - but surely we’ve all held odd opinions at some time or another…? (I took me until my thirties to truly appreciate the utter glory that is Time And The Rani. “Leave the girl, it’s the man I want!”) Different perspectives are what makes this interesting.

Isn’t it extraordinary that the lineup change of a humble magazine feature has sparked such passionate discourse…? But, ultimately, the only way is forward. Doctor Who is for everyone - everyone who ever caught a glimpse of the magic blue box and had it imprinted forever on their hearts. To jealously guard our fantastical treasures and deem others who are perhaps less well-versed in the scripture as somehow ‘unworthy’ of studying them is the antithesis of everything that blue box represents. If the magazine, and the show, are to survive for future generations to enjoy, we literally HAVE to welcome fresher faces to the party - none of us are immortal! I wish the Time Team of 2018 the very best on their new adventure. Enjoy! 

However, I’m FURIOUS about the new article not being accompanied by an Adrian Salmon illustration. Doctor Who Magazine is dead to me!
 

Richard Unwin

+ Follow @Richard_Unwin on Twitter!
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[Source: DWO]

Hello! Welcome to this new column! ‘What’s it about?’ I hear you cry. Good question. I’m not entirely sure of the answer yet - let’s just see what happens. 

My initial thought was that this would be a sort of ‘Doctor Who Diary’ - a monthly round-up of things that have been happening in the Whoniverse, peppered with gossip and chit-chat and gags. A bit like the ‘3AM Girls’, but with more Terileptils. With this in mind, on Friday the 13th of April I dutifully headed off to the Target Books signing at the London Forbidden Planet Megastore on Shaftesbury Avenue. Due to attend were all five authors of the new adaptations, including Russell T Davies and Steven Moffat - perhaps I could get some juicy quotes from them! Maybe Russell could be persuaded to finally spill the beans on Christopher Eccleston, or Steven could explain the actual literal silence at the end of Vampires of Venice…? That sort of inside scoop could really get this fledgling feature off to a flying start! 

Quick bit of background: I have been to a few organised fan events in the past, but not many. I attended Panopticon 93 - the big 30th anniversary convention - as a precocious fourteen year old. And then, twenty years later, I trotted along to the enormous, slick, BBC organised 50th Anniversary celebration at London’s ExCel Exhibition Centre. (Where fans were herded about in giant hangers like Ood being prepared for shipping - a lot of the experience was quite miserable.) And, most recently, for the past couple of years I’ve enjoyed the annual Utopia weekends held at Eynsham Hall in Oxfordshire, relaxed affairs which are much more up my alley. Mostly a lot of drunk gay men in a big old country house fawning over Wendy Padbury and other ‘actresses of a certain age’. (I say that with the greatest of affection, and count myself among the fawners.) Throw in the odd book signing here and there, (as well as pub meets for LGBT Doctor Who fans with The Sisterhood of Karn in Soho - more on them another time…) and that’s about the sum total of my fan event experience. So I had a reasonable idea of what to expect from the Target event, but by no means consider myself an expert on such matters. 

I arrived at Forbidden Planet a good hour before the scheduled start time, and was surprised to be confronted by a snaking queue already winding its way right around the block - there were *hundreds* of people there, far more than I had anticipated. Perhaps you were one of them and saw me - looking slightly panicked as I walked along the line to join the back of the queue, trying desperately to appear terribly cool and above it all.

I’ve always had a slightly complicated relationship with my own fandom. I consider myself to be a hardcore aficionado - I own Wartime on DVD - but there’s still sometimes a slight sense of shame that can nip at my heels from time to time. Here I was, suddenly exposed and out on the street, clutching my carrier bag full of books ready to be signed. Within the first few minutes several bemused onlookers asked what was going on - the look on their faces when I explained that the queue was to meet some Doctor Who writers only helped to fuel my shame demons… Which I *know* is ridiculous - I *know* that being a fan is wonderful and magical and enriching - I think it’s just the baggage of preconceived ideas of others that sometimes weighs heavy on me. Plus there was the fact that at that precise moment I was surrounded by the worst thing in the universe - other fans. 

Fans in front of me, fans behind me - nothing but fans. I didn’t want to interact, I didn’t want them to talk to me - I steeled myself for however many hours it was going to take of standing in complete silence. I absolutely didn’t want to engage with the sort of people who would subject themselves to standing in the cold, for hours, all for the sake of a sci-fi show. So instead I popped in my headphones and played the latest Fifth Doctor adventure from Big Finish. 

Eventually, the people in front of me, two men and a girl, did strike up a conversation, and, reluctantly, I got drawn in. And then, of course, we talked for *hours*. Talking and talking and more wonderful talking. It is an extraordinary and liberating thing to converse with people who share the same specialised knowledge as oneself. (‘Yes, the spine numbering on the Titan graphic novels IS quite irritating…’ ) We learnt about each other’s lives and loves and favourite Virgin Missing Adventures. And it was glorious. There was I, intent on being all stand-offish and judgemental, and here were these wonderful, funny, generous people - kind and wise enough to ignore my pretentions and include me in a happy little makeshift group that smiled and laughed and queued in the cold.

When we reached the head of the line - two and a half hours later - we insisted to the Forbidden Planet gatekeepers that we should go in to the signing as a foursome, and refused to be separated. It is clear to me, and probably to you, that I had been projecting my own fears and insecurities about my own fandom onto others, and that, dear reader, is a very silly thing to do. What I had so foolishly feared wasn’t other fans at all - it was simply my own reflection. Fortunately, on this occasion the Mara was defeated, and everyone skipped off into the sunset for space buns and tea. 

I can’t say that the shame demons will never haunt me again, but this happy and enlightening experience has equipped me to better fight them off if they do. (Oh - also there was a bit where some people signed some books for us, but that was over very quickly, and I was too busy giggling with my new friends to ask them for any quotes or gossip. Sorry.)

Richard Unwin

+ Follow @Richard_Unwin on Twitter!
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[Source: DWO]

BBC Books / Penguin have confirmed the synopsis' and covers for the new series Doctor Who Target novelisations, due out in April.

In addition to the four, new series adventures, a fifth title, (The 4th Doctor adventure) 'City Of Death', will be released at the same time. City Of Death was one of only five stories from the original series (1963-1989), not to have been novelised for the Target book range.

Synopsis for each title are below, and the covers are in the right-hand column, with the exception of 'Twice Upon A Time' and 'City Of Death' which we will be adding very shortly. The covers for the range have been designed by Anthony Dry, in the style of Chris Achilleos, who provided the covers for the original Target range.

Audiobook releases of the titles will be released in June.

Rose
By Russell T. Davies

“Nice to meet you, Rose. Run for your life!”

In a lair somewhere beneath central London, a malevolent alien intelligence is plotting the end of humanity. Shop window dummies that can move – and kill – are taking up key positions, ready to strike.

Rose Tyler, an ordinary Londoner, is working her shift in a department store, unaware that this is the most important day of her life. She’s about to meet the only man who understands the true nature of the threat facing Earth, a stranger who will open her eyes to all the wonder and terror of the universe – a traveller in time and space known as the Doctor.

+  Rose is released on 5th April 2018, priced £6.99.
+  PURCHASE this title on Amazon.co.uk!

The Christmas Invasion
By Jenny T. Colgan

Earth is under attack by power-hungry aliens. This is no time for the Doctor to be out of action.

When a British space probe is intercepted by a sinister alien vessel on the eve of Christmas, it marks the beginning of an audacious invasion of the Earth by the Sycorax – horrifying marauders from beyond the stars. Within hours, a third of humanity stands on the brink of death with not a single shot fired.

Our planet needs a champion – but the Doctor is not fit for service. He’s just regenerated, delirious in a new body and a dressing gown. Forced into his battered shoes is his friend, Rose Tyler, a girl from a London council estate. Will she save the world from this nightmare before Christmas – or see it destroyed?

+  The Christmas Invasion is released on 5th April 2018, priced £6.99.
+  PURCHASE this title on Amazon.co.uk!

The Day Of The Doctor
By Steven Moffat

When the entire universe is at stake, three different Doctors will unite to save it.

The Tenth Doctor is hunting shape-shifting Zygons in Elizabethan England. The Eleventh is investigating a rift in space-time in the present day. And one other – the man they used to be but never speak of – is fighting the Daleks in the darkest days of the Time War. Driven by demons and despair, this battle-scarred Doctor is set to take a devastating decision that will threaten the survival of the entire universe… a decision that not even a Time Lord can take alone.

On this day, the Doctor’s different incarnations will come together to save the Earth… to save the universe… and to save his soul.

+  The Day Of The Doctor is released on 5th April 2018, priced £6.99.
+  PURCHASE this title on Amazon.co.uk!

Twice Upon A Time
By Paul Cornell

Still reeling from his encounter with the Cybermen, the First Doctor stumbles through the bitter Antarctic wind, resisting the approaching regeneration with all his strength. But as he fights his way through the snowdrifts, he comes across the familiar shape of a blue police box, and a mysterious figure who introduces himself as the Doctor…

Thrown together at their most vulnerable moments, the two Doctors must discover why the snowflakes are suspended in the sky, why a First World War Captain has been lifted from his time stream moments before his death, and who is the mysterious Glass Woman who knows their true name. The Doctor is reunited with Bill, but is she all she seems? And can he hold out against the coming regeneration?

+  Twice Upon A Time is released on 5th April 2018, priced £6.99.
+  PURCHASE this title on Amazon.co.uk!

City Of Death
By James Goss

The key to Earth's destruction lies buried in its past.

Visiting Paris in 1979, the Doctor and Romana’s hopes for a holiday are soon shattered by armed thugs, a suave and dangerous Count, a plot to steal the Mona Lisa and a world-threatening experiment with time.

Teaming up with a British detective, the Time Lords discover that a ruthless alien plot hatched in Earth’s pre-history has reached its final stage. If Scaroth, last of the Jagaroth, cannot be stopped then the human race is history, along with all life on Earth…

+  City Of Death is released on 5th April 2018, priced £6.99.
+  PURCHASE this title on Amazon.co.uk!

[Sources: BBC Books; Amazon.co.uk]

What an amazing 60 minutes of TV that was! Steven Moffat has capped off Series 10 in an utterly satisfying way, giving us a finale that will be remembered in the annals of Doctor Who history for some time to come.

We pick up pretty much where World Enough And Time left off, and thanks to some little flashback scenes to move the story forward a bit, we find The Doctor has been captured by Missy and The Master and that the Cybermen are planning an en-masse attack. The battle lines are drawn, and there is a feel of The Time Of The Doctor about this episode.

Missy and The Master are deliciously despicable together, but you sense the disparity between them. It is clear that Missy is conflicted and that she really does want to change, but The Master is so deeply rotten, that you don't know which way she will settle. There's a particularly poignant moment where The Doctor gives a passionate speech to the pair and you expect John Simm's Master to at least show a glimmer of hope, but even we were shocked at his response; it's pretty heart-breaking, actually. What happened that made these two best friends go down completely different paths, and what made The Master hate The Doctor so much?

We do learn a little more about what happened to The Master after the events of The End Of Time, and that after returning to Gallifrey there was a "mutual decision" to kick him out, in turn, removing the drum beat in his head. 

Both Missy and The Master's story / timelines are wrapped up by the end of The Doctor Falls, with maybe a little wiggle room for John Simm's Master to return. We have loved Michelle Gomez as Missy, but we're not quite ready to say goodbye to Simm's Master yet - he has found the sweet spot as The Master (possibly our favourite portrayal of the character to date) and if the show's producers can find a way to somehow retain him, they really must!

One final point regarding Missy / The Master is that Steven Moffat makes a decision that would have been so wonderful to see through to fruition, but, rather cruelly (and totally for the right reason), we never will.

Were not 100% sure, but we think this is our last episode with Nardole, played so wonderfully by Matt Lucas. He has been the comic relief that has been needed in a season with such high stakes, and whilst we fully admit we weren't a fan of his character at the very beginning, all the way back in The Husbands Of River Song, he has completely won us over. Nardole gets to show his mettle in The Doctor Falls, and there's even a glimmer of a happy ending. 

After the terrible events of the previous episode, Bill is coming to terms with what has happened to her, and its crushing to see. The big question is can she ever go back to the way she was before the cyber conversion? The answer lies somewhere in this spoiler-free preview!

In The Doctor Falls, Pearl Mackie has delivered her finest performance to date in Doctor Who, and after the events of this episode, we really hope it's not her last. What she has done for the role of the companion, equality and diversity is truly amazing, and she has inspired and empowered a whole new generation of fans. We've run this fan site for over 20 years now, and we've never seen a companion received as well as Bill Potts has!

And finally...Peter Capaldi as The Doctor; his final days are numbered, and with Christmas just a few months away, we have just a little longer to prepare ourselves for the inevitable regeneration that's coming - even if there may be a few false starts along the way ;) It was so good to see The Doctor share some decent screen time with Missy and The Master, and you'll want to lap up every second they are all in together.

There is very little we can say about the end of the episode except we end at the beginning.

Steven Moffat's contribution to Doctor Who has been immense; rich characters, scary monsters and plots that actually make you think and make you feel clever for following them through to conclusion. He's made gutsy decisions that take the show (and its characters) into bold new directions. But even with all that in mind, he has taken a show that we all love - including himself - and stayed true to its roots. We'd like to go on record by saying a big Thank You to Steven for all he has done, and we are going to be very sad to see him go. With just one episode to go at Christmas, we know he's going to go out with a bang, and the aftershocks will no doubt be felt throughout Doctor Who fandom for many years to come.

5 Things To Look Out For:

1)  Jelly Babies
2)  Guyliner
3)  "Where there's tears, there's hope..."
4)  "I don't want to go!"
5)  The _______ will ______ at _________.

+  10.12: The Doctor Falls airs This Saturday at 6:45pm on BBC One.

[Source: DWO]

Having seen what The Doctor and his TARDIS are capable of, Bill is given the choice to go into the future or into the past, as the second episode of Series 10 hits our screens this Saturday.

Having chosen the future, and when asked why by The Doctor, Bill retorts: “Why do you think? I want to see if it’s happy!”, and she is about to see just how happy the human race are (and the cost if you're not).

This episode feels like a cross between The Happiness Patrol and Silence In The Library. The emoji-bots, as we've all come to know them as, have more than one similarity with the Vashta Nerada, and we genuinely thought they were going to be revealed as being behind the events of the story, but the emoji bots are something new to the Doctor Who universe, and we can't help feeling this was perhaps an opportunity missed. That being said, there's still something rather sinister in their cute exterior, coupled with the emoji's they display on their faces.

If you were a fan of Bill's TARDIS observations in episode 1, get ready for some more classic one-liners as she critiques the point of the chairs being so far away from the console, and whether there are seat belts! It's great seeing how differently Bill sees things, and, rather amusingly, how The Doctor reacts.

One of the main stars of this episode is undoubtedly the setting, and the Doctor Who locations team deserve a pat of the back for what they came up with in Smile. The main white structure, coupled with the surrounding wheat fields in contrast with the blue sky, make for a striking visual, and you really feel like this could be a futuristic city in a far off world.

Ralph Little's role was much smaller than we were expecting - he only appears about 10 minutes before the end of the episode, but he does a great job - as does Kaizer Akhtar as Praiseworthy! Mina Anwar is also a little underused; she's so loveable and watchable, and you can't help wanting more screen time with her.

Murray Gold's music features a little more in this episode, and it really helps set the scene and pace, further. Without giving too much away in the scene, there's a great piece of music that plays after The Doctor tells Bill to stay away from his browser history. It's the first piece of music this season that we've got really excited about and it was worth waiting for. There's something quite Classic Who about it in feel, and has a touch of Mark Ayres about it.

This is the second offering from writer, Frank Cottrell-Boyce, and whilst his first episode (In The Forest Of The Night) divided some fans (not sure why - we actually loved it), this episode should have something everyone likes. There's great Doctor / Companion dialogue, and the main plot point was cleverly constructed, albeit slightly rushed at the end - but this feels more of a production decision than a writing decision.

Smile is a great episode that neatly checks the box for futuristic adventure, and is only let down by the speedy resolution at the end.

5 Things To Look Out For:

1) “You don’t steer the TARDIS. You negotiate with it.”
2) Bill refers to Nardole as 'Little Fella'
3) A magic Haddock!
4) There's something in the fertiliser.
5) Patch.

+  10.2: Smile airs This Saturday at 7:20pm on BBC One.

[Source: DWO]

This Christmas on BBC One, the Doctor joins forces with a comic-book superhero in New York for a heroic special written by Steven Moffat, titled ‘The Return of Doctor Mysterio’. 

The family favourite will return on Christmas Day as The Doctor, played by Peter Capaldi, joins forces with an investigative journalist, played by Charity Wakefield (Wolf Hall, The Player) and a superhero to save New York from a deadly alien threat.

Steven Moffat, Writer and Executive Producer, says:

“I’ve always loved superheroes and this Christmas Doctor Who dives into that world. My favourite superhero is Clark Kent. Not Superman, Clark Kent.”

Justin Chatwin (Orphan Black, War of the Worlds) plays Grant in the special, he says:

“Working with the amazing people at Doctor Who has been one of the most fun and rewarding projects I’ve ever had the pleasure of being involved with.”

Matt Lucas (Nardole) will also be joining the cast of the special with Adetomiwa Edun (Lucifer, Bates Motel), Aleksandar Jovanovic and Logan Hoffman.

The 60 minute Doctor Who Christmas Special will air on BBC One and is written by Steven Moffat, Executive Produced by Brian Minchin, Produced by Peter Bennett and Directed by Ed Bazalgette (Poldark), it was shot in Cardiff at BBC Wales Roath Lock Studios.

Watch a special teaser trailer in the player, below:
[youtube:kFcSe0VrbXc]
[Source: BBC Worldwide]

Back in July, John Barrowman gave us all a glimmer of hope that another series of Torchwood could very well be a possibility. But in the weeks that have passed, it now seems that we may be back to square one. This week, Barrowman added an update, citing 'egos' as the reason for the shows prolonged absence. Today, Steven Moffat hit back at the claims, and rather than trawling through the internet, we have provided you with all the quotes and sources, below:

July 2016 - Barrowman offers hope for the future of Torchwood
Source: Comic Con HQ

Speaking to Comic Con HQ in San Diego at the weekend, Barrowman explained how the wheels are already in motion to bring the show back:

“I’ve already set the ball rolling to get Torchwood back (and that’s an exclusive here at Comic Con), I have a first telephone conversation on Monday about moving it forward to see how we can get it back on television.”

Barrowman then went on to talk about his new Torchwood comic, explaining how its success will help the cause:

“The fans know me well enough, I’m only going to say it if I really mean it and believe it, and if you do believe in Torchwood as you all do and say online, get the comic, just get the series going; it’s like a kickstarter - if you buy the comic you’ll show the support and also it’ll be a huge success because we need Captain Jack back on the screens!”

So what does this all mean for the future of the show? If there really is some bad blood between John Barrowman and Steven Moffat (the writer of Captain Jack Harkness' first ever TV episodes), then there obviously needs to be some resolution before everything can move forward amicably. It's clear, (and one is inclined to believe what Steven says here), that he is not trying to block the show, but according to Barrowman, someone is. The question is who, and, more importantly, why?!

DWO would like to hear from our visitors as to what you think about the situation and how you'd like Torchwood to return. Please leave your thoughts in the comments box, below.

[Sources: Comic Con HQ; Radio Times; SciFi Bulletin]

Doctor Who Showrunner, Steven Moffat, is going to be honoured by the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) at its graduation ceremony on Tuesday 5th July 2016 at Thomas Coats Memorial Baptist Church, Paisley - a ceremony that will, ironically, see him become The Doctor! :)

Steven, who was born and bred in Paisley, is best known for his role as writer and executive producer on award-winning BBC programmes, Doctor Who and Sherlock.  He was originally an English teacher working at Cowdenknowes High School in Greenock for over three years, and went on to experience success with his first foray into TV as the writer of the hit children's drama about a school newspaper, Press Gang, which ran from 1989-93.

Steven, who was awarded an OBE in the 2015 Queen's Birthday Honours List for services to television, said:

"It's always a joy to go home - but to go back to Paisley to receive a doctorate feels like I finally made it. I feel very honoured, and more importantly very happy."

Professor Craig Mahoney, Principal & Vice-Chancellor of University of the West of Scotland, said:

“Steven is quite simply one of the country’s greatest screenwriters and through his work on both the small and big screen he has brought joy to millions of viewers worldwide. He is a further example of success from our wonderful town of Paisley in a long line of truly successful people brought up in the town.  Steven is great role model for anyone, not just our students, and demonstrates that your path in life will be determined by your own passion for the things you believe in and that anyone can have success if they work hard. Steven is a hugely deserving recipient of this Honorary Doctorate and we are delighted to honour him in his home town.”

[Source: UWS]

Doctor Who Magazine celebrates its 500th issue with two exclusive interviews with Doctor Who star Peter Capaldi, as well as a specially commissioned front cover where Peter recreates the first ever cover of the magazine. The 500th issue features Peter adopting the same pose alongside a Dalek that fourth Doctor Tom Baker did for the very first edition on 11th October 1979. Doctor Who Magazine hits newsstands on Thursday 26th May.

Commenting on the magazine’s success, Peter says:

“The magazine was enormously helpful to me. When I started playing the Doctor I was able to get piles of them and dive in. I went out and bought lots of Doctor Who Magazines, because I deliberately wanted to steep myself in Doctor Who and connect – reconnect – to it in a very kind of visceral way, to the affection and the heartbeat of it.’

And in what he calls is his last ever interview with the magazine, Tom Baker adds:

“500 is a big milestone, and I’m sure you’re right to want to mark it BIG. Your magazine has been extremely good to me, and has helped to create a warm and faithful fanbase for the programme. I am still signing first editions. After all these years." 

The highly collectable 500th issue comes packaged in a striking card envelope and is a bumper 116 pages long, priced £9.99. Other highlights include an interview with Doctor Who showrunner, Steven Moffat and a special treat for fans also in the form of an exclusive letter to Doctor Who Magazine readers from Pearl Mackie, who will play new companion Bill.

Also featured in the magazine is an interview with the first Doctor William Hartnell, dating from 1965 and written by an eleven year old fan.

The first issue of Doctor Who Magazine was published on 11th October 1979. It began life as a weekly publication with a cover price of just 12p, created as the perfect accompaniment for fans of the BBC One primetime show. Featuring exclusive interviews with Doctors, Companions and even some monsters, the magazine included comic strips, features, news and interviews. Among the buyers of Issue 1 were an eight-year-old David Tennant, 16-year-old Russell T Davies and 17-year-old Steven Moffat. All of them have been reading the magazine ever since. 

+  Doctor Who Magazine Issue #500 is out on Thursday 26th May, priced £9.99.
+  Check Out The DWO Guide to Doctor Who Magazine!

+  Follow @DWMTweets on Twitter!

+  Follow @DrWhoOnline on Twitter!
+  Follow @DrWhoOnline on Instagram!

[Sources: BBC Worldwide]

 

Doctor Who Showrunner, Steven Moffat has collected his OBE at yesterday's investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

Moffat received his award for 'services to drama', from the Prince Of Wales and said about the honour:

"It was very thrilling and formal and slightly, slightly, just very slightly, like being back at school. But nicer because everyone got a prize. Talking to other people before I came in, I kind of feel everyone's here for a better reason than me. I've got not one, but two dream jobs so to get this lovely thing for already indulging myself in public, seems like an excess of good fortune."

Watch Steven Moffat discussing the honour outside Buckingham Palace, in the player below:

[Source: Press Association]

 

The BBC have now confirmed that Steven Moffat will be stepping down after Series 10 has aired in 2017, and that Chris Chibnall will be taking over for the 2018 series.

The news means that there will be no series in 2016, just a Christmas Special on Christmas Day. Moffat will be handing the TARDIS keys over to Chibnall, who has previously written for Doctor Who and Torchwood, as well as creating hit ITV series Broadchurch.

BBC1 controller Charlotte Moore said:

“I have decided to schedule Steven’s big finale series in Spring 2017 to bring the nation together for what will be a huge event on the channel. 2016 is spoilt with national moments including the Euros and Olympics and I want to hold something big back for 2017 - I promise it will be worth the wait! I want to thank Steven Moffat for everything he has given Doctor Who – I’ve loved working with him, he is an absolute genius and has brought fans all over the world such joy. I will be very sad to see him leave the show but I can’t wait to see what he will deliver in his last ever series next year with a brand new companion. I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome Chris Chibnall, a wonderfully talented writer who I know will bring something very special to the hit series.” 

Polly Hill, BBC controller of drama commissioning, added:

“Like Charlotte I would like to thank Steven for his brilliance, which has made Doctor Who a global hit under his tenure.  Chris Chibnall is the perfect successor to take over the reins of this incredible show, so I am delighted that his love for Doctor Who has made it impossible for him to resist !  Chris is an incredible writer and his vision and passion for Doctor Who gives it an exciting future and promises to be a real treat for Doctor Who fans across the world.”  

On stepping down from the role, Steven Moffat said:

“Feels odd to be talking about leaving when I’m just starting work on the scripts for season 10, but the fact is my timey-wimey is running out. While Chris is doing his last run of Broadchurch, I’ll be finishing up on the best job in the universe and keeping the TARDIS warm for him. It took a lot of gin and tonic to talk him into this, but I am beyond delighted that one of the true stars of British Television drama will be taking the Time Lord even further into the future. At the start of season 11, Chris Chibnall will become the new showrunner of Doctor Who. And I will be thrown in a skip.”

On taking over, Chris Chibnall said:

"Doctor Who is the ultimate BBC programme: bold, unique, vastly entertaining, and adored all around the world.  So it's a privilege and a joy to be the next curator of this funny, scary and emotional family drama. I’ve loved Doctor Who since I was four years old, and I’m relishing the thought of working with the exceptional team at BBC Wales to create new characters, creatures and worlds for the Doctor to explore.  Steven’s achieved the impossible by continually expanding Doctor Who's creative ambition, while growing its global popularity. He’s been a dazzling and daring showrunner, and hearing his plans and stories for 2017, it’s clear he’ll be going out with a bang. Just to make my life difficult." 

More news as we get it... 

[Source: BBC; Radio Times]

As Christmas Day is almost upon us, and as we wanted to a little gift to all our visitors, DWO have recorded a song called 'Memories Become Stories'. The track is inspired by Clara's departure from The Doctor in 'Hell Bent' at the end of Series 9 of Doctor Who.

The song, which is written and performed by DWO's Editor, Sebastian J. Brook, is FREE to play / download via Soundcloud and is dedicated to Jenna Coleman, Steven Moffat, Murray Gold and #DoctorWhoDaniel.

Listen to 'Memories Become Stories' in the SoundCloud player, below:

If you enjoy the song, please take a second to Like / Comment directly on the SoundCloud page!

We have also included the lyrics for you, below:

Memories Become Stories
By Sebastian J. Brook

I remember your name, but I do not know why,
I think that I knew you, once upon a time

But I guess we’re all stories in the end.
Yes I guess we’re all stories in the end.

You travelled with me, or did I travel with you?
One thing that I’m sure of, is I’m lost without you.

So I guess we're all stories in the end.
Yes I guess we're all stories in the end.

Memories become stories, when we forget them,
maybe some of them become songs.

One day I’ll find you, when I recall,
all the things I’ve forgotten for so long.

I remember this place, I’ve been here before,
I think that we came here, but I cannot be sure.

And I guess we’re all stories in the end.
You and me we’re just stories in the end.

Memories become stories, when we forget them,
maybe some of them become songs.

One day I’ll find you, when I recall,
all the things I’ve forgotten for so long.

So I’ll think of you often, please think of me too,
and this story we’ve written, will someday come true.

'Cos I guess we’re all stories in the end.
Yes I guess we’re all stories in the end.

Memories become stories, when we forget them,
maybe some of them become songs.

Memories become stories, when we forget them,
maybe some of them become songs.

+ Follow DWO on Twitter!
+ Follow Sebastian J. Brook on Twitter!

[Source: DWO]

Alex Kingston returns to Cardiff to reclaim her role as Professor River Song for the highly anticipated 2015 Doctor Who Christmas special, part of BBC One’s essential seasonal viewing. 

It’s Christmas Day in the future and the TARDIS is parked on a snowy village street, covered in icicles, awaiting its next adventure. Time traveller River Song meets her husband’s new incarnation, in the form of Peter Capaldi, for the first time this Christmas.

Day one of filming the eleventh Doctor Who Christmas special starts this week and is written by Lead Writer and Executive Producer, Steven Moffat, Executive Produced by Brian Minchin, produced by Nikki Wilson and directed by Douglas Mackinnon (Doctor Who, Sherlock).

River Song made her first Doctor Who appearance in 2008 in ‘Silence in the Library’ and ‘Forest of the Dead’ and has appeared in 15 episodes to date.

Award winning Alex Kingston comments on her reappearance:

“To be honest, I did not know whether River would ever return to the show, but here she is, back with the Doctor for the Christmas special. Steven Moffat is on glittering form, giving us an episode filled with humour and surprise guest castings. I met Peter for the first time at Monday’s read through, we had a laugh, and I am now excited and ready to start filming with him and the Doctor Who team. Christmas in September?, why not!”

Steven Moffat, Lead Writer and Executive Producer adds:

“Another Christmas, another special for Doctor Who - and what could be more special than the return of Alex Kingston as Professor River Song. The last time the Doctor saw her she was a ghost. The first time he met her, she died. So how can he be seeing her again? As ever, with the most complicated relationship in the universe, it’s a matter of time ...”

The witty line-up of guest cast joining Alex for a magical adventure on the TARDIS will be announced over the coming months.

+  The 2015 Doctor Who Christmas Special will air on Christmas Day, Time TBC.

[Source: BBC Worldwide]

BBC Worldwide are excited to announce that Michelle Gomez and Ingrid Oliver will be joining Peter Capaldi and Steven Moffat at the official Doctor Who Festival, which will take place at ExCeL, London, on the 13^th, 14^th and 15^th November 2015. The Festival will offer fans an exclusive and interactive glimpse into how the inimitable world of Doctor Who is created.

We are also pleased to confirm that photo opportunities* will be available with Peter Capaldi, Ingrid Oliver and Michelle Gomez, plus the opportunity to have an iconic photo taken on the set from Series 9.  

In a weekend event like no other, television fans of all ages will be invited to see how one of the UK’s most-loved television programmes is created. Ticket holders will be able to discover the inspiration behind the Doctor’s recent adversaries, the imagination required to create whole new worlds and the ingenuity that goes into designing and making the beautiful backdrops that give Doctor Who its unique look. This Festival is a must-attend event for die-hard Doctor Who fans and for those who want to learn more about television production, with many, many more exciting announcements to come!

Day Ticket Prices:

-  Standard ticket: £65
-  Standard child ticket: £30
-  Standard family ticket: £165
-  TARDIS ticket: £110 - SOLD OUT
-  TARDIS child ticket: £50 - SOLD OUT
-  TARDIS family ticket: £285 - SOLD OUT

-  THEATRE SHOWS – exclusive access to the writers and cast from the series as they talk about how to make an idea become reality on a series as big and bold as Doctor Who.
-  ON SET PHOTO – photo opportunities on one of the current filming sets.
-  WARDROBE DEPARTMENT – an exhibition of costumes and props from the series.
-  COSPLAYERS SHOWCASE - where fans can showcase their impressive Doctor Who-themed outfits.
-  THE FAN CHALLENGE! –Fans young and old can battle it out in the ultimate test of Doctor Who knowledge in order to be crowned the ultimate fan.
-  DRAMA SCHOOL - the techniques and secrets that the cast learn when filming Doctor Who.
-  OFFICIAL MERCHANDISE - the ultimate fan shopping experience.
-  PRODUCTION VILLAGE – a chance for fans to explore a day in the life of the production team and crew.
-  PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES - an opportunity for fans to purchase an individual photograph with the current cast members appearing.

The ticket price includes day entry to the Festival, access to three theatre shows, lanyard, floor planner and all of the above. TARDIS tickets to include the above plus brochure, lounge access, front block theatre show seats and a Doctor Who goody bag! Tickets, further information and monthly newsletters are available from www.doctorwhofestival.com.

Watch the promotional trailer in the player, below:
[youtube:jxRrjLmLfcs]
[Source: BBC Worldwide]

The schedules for the San Diego Comic Con 2015 panels have now been revealed, with Doctor Who featuring this Thursday.

Thursday 9th July:

Doctor Who panel with Peter Capaldi, Jenna Coleman, Michelle Gomez, and Steven Moffat. 2:15PM (Hall H)

In addition to the Doctor Who panel, LEGO Dimensions will be revealing their Doctor Who additions to the range.

[Source: San Diego Comic Con; LEGO Dimensions]

BBC Worldwide has today announced details of the official Doctor Who Festival, which will take place at ExCeL, London, on the 13th, 14th and 15th November 2015. The Doctor Who Festival will be attended by the current Doctor, played by Peter Capaldi, and series show runner Steven Moffat. The Festival will offer fans an exclusive glimpse into how the inimitable world of Doctor Who is created.

Get inside the adventure; find out how to develop the latest hide-behind-the-sofa monster and explore the series 8 & 9 Doctor Who sets and props! Fans of all ages will be able to discover the inspiration behind the Doctor’s recent adversaries, the imagination required to create whole new worlds and the ingenuity that goes into designing and making the beautiful backdrops that give Doctor Who its unique look.

Visitors will be given access to the Festival which will include an exciting array of backstage areas including theatre shows where they can come up close and personal with key talent, Interactive Workshops where you can learn the television production process as well as the ultimate Doctor Who shopping village for the collectors merchandise and photo opportunities. This Festival is a must-attend event for die-hard Doctor Who fans, with many, many more exciting announcements to come!

Peter Capaldi says:

“If having the world's favourite Time Lord back on screen every week isn't enough for you (and it's not for me) then The Doctor Who Festival in London is the place to be. I'll be heading there in November to join the fun and if it’s anything like the 50th anniversary event, then prepare yourself for total Time Lord mania."

Steven Moffat added:

“I can’t believe we’re going to give away our secrets! This is the closest you could possibly get to finding out what happens on set and how this magical show is put together.”

DAY TICKET PRICES

-  Standard ticket: £65
-  Standard child ticket: £30
-  Standard family ticket: £165
-  TARDIS ticket: £110
-  TARDIS child ticket: £50
-  TARDIS family ticket: £285

-  THEATRE SHOWS – exclusive access to the writers and cast from the series as they talk about how to make an idea become reality on a series as big and bold as Doctor Who.
-  ON SET PHOTO – photo opportunities on one of the current filming sets.
-  WARDROBE DEPARTMENT – an exhibition of costumes and props from the series.
-  COSPLAYERS SHOWCASE - where fans can showcase their impressive Doctor Who-themed outfits.
-  THE FAN CHALLENGE! –Fans young and old can battle it out in the ultimate test of Doctor Who knowledge in order to be crowned the ultimate fan.
-  DRAMA SCHOOL - the techniques and secrets that the cast learn when filming Doctor Who.
-  OFFICIAL MERCHANDISE - the ultimate fan shopping experience.
-  PRODUCTION VILLAGE – a chance for fans to explore a day in the life of the production team and crew.
-  PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES - an opportunity for fans to purchase an individual photograph with the current cast members appearing.

The ticket price includes day entry to the Festival, access to three theatre shows, lanyard, floor planner and all of the above. TARDIS tickets to include the above plus brochure, lounge access, front block theatre show seats and a Doctor Who goody bag! Tickets, further information and monthly newsletters are available from www.doctorwhofestival.com.

Watch the promotional trailer in the player, below:
[youtube:jxRrjLmLfcs]
[Source: BBC Worldwide]

Speaking in the latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine (485), Steven Moffat has discussed the future of Doctor Who.

In the 'Ten Years At The Top' feature, which celebrates the past 10 years, Moffat confirmed that the show will continue for at least another 5 years:

"I thought it would last ten years. I didn't think it would last ten years with Worldwide trying to get me in a room to talk about their plan for the next five years! So it's going to do a minimum of 15. I mean, it could do 26!"

[Source: Doctor Who Magazine]

Will Brooks’ 50 Year Diary - watching Doctor Who one episode a day from the very start...

Day 795: The Beast Below

Dear diary,

Every so often in this marathon I find myself approaching a story that I just know I’m not going to like. Usually it’s because I’ve seen it before and it’s left a less than favourable taste in my mouth. When these episodes come along (thankfully, it’s a rare occurrence), I find that one of two things happens. Either the episode ends up being even worse than I remembered (as was the case last week with Planet of the Dead, which went from being one I didn’t remember fondly to being one that I really didn’t enjoy), or it swings the other way and ends up being rated probably a little above what it deserves because I’m so taken aback by the fact that I’ve enjoyed it. I’m pleased to say that today’s episode has fallen into the latter of those two categories.

I wasn’t at all expecting to like this one. First time around it felt like crashing back down to Earth after the highs of the previous week’s massively confident start to the new regime. Since then it’s simply occupied a place in my mind filed away with other stories that I never really intended to watch again in a hurry. But actually, there’s quite a decent little story tucked away in here! Oh, sure, it’s not ever going to win prizes as being the greatest episode of Doctor Who ever made, but it’s a perfectly serviceable one to pass 45 minutes, and if we take Series Five as being intended as a new start for an audience unfamiliar with Doctor Who (which is certainly what the production team seem to have been thinking in places), then it provides a crucial tent-pole in that regard.

We’re introduced to the idea that the Doctor is a Time Lord and the last of his kind. There’s none of the mystery built up around it that we had in The End of the World, because it’s not needed - from the point of view of an established audience, we already know what happened (roughly). From a new perspective the description of the Time War as ‘a bad day’ simply fills in enough to keep the conversation moving. The story gets a little less subtle towards the end when trying to about the point about the Doctor and the Star Whale being very similar (they make the point twice in the Tower of London, and then just in case you don’t get it, Amy comes to find the Doctor again and spell it out as plainly as she can), but on the whole it works.

There’s also some rather nice design work in this episode to help set it apart from the tone of Doctor Who from the last few years. One of the things that felt a shame first time around was that this story didn’t feel like it was following the same fresh new look established with The Eleventh Hour, and while it’s certainly true that this is perhaps less honed in places, it certainly does have its own unique style, and it’s really rather lovely. I’d never noticed, for example, the way that the elevators are designed to resemble the London Underground - right down to the tiling on the walls outside them. That’s a nice touch.

And while I’m on the subject of design, I’m going to mention it, because I know I’ll never get around it it otherwise: the new TARDIS. I remember not being all that fussed on the white window frames and shade of blue on the exterior when it was first revealed. I didn’t dis*like it, I just didn’t particularly love it, either. Now, though, I have to confess that I really *do like it. The interior… maybe it’ll grow on me this time around, but I was never that fond of this console room. Something about it just felt that bit too much like a set, in the way that the previous version of the room didn’t. It just doesn’t quite gel with me in the way that the coral did immediately. Not to worry, though, because the greedy Eleventh Doctor gets two console rooms, and his next one is much more up my street…

Will Brooks’ 50 Year Diary - watching Doctor Who one episode a day from the very start...

Day 794: The Eleventh Hour

Dear diary,

In the weeks leading up to the broadcast of The Eleventh Hour, I couldn’t have told you the last time I’d been more excited for the start of a series. I’d largely managed to avoid ‘spoilers’ throughout the 2009 filming, so the trailer released after David Tennant’s departure really did a good job of whetting my appetite ready for the new run. But then, in early 2010, I was working on a project which meant I had to be completely up-to-date with Doctor Who, so that the material would still be relevant by the time it hit the shelves. This meant having to do the most exciting thing in the world - go and be locked in a room at the BBC and read some of the scripts, as well as a general outline, for Series Five. All that work avoiding spoilers was for nothing, because this was the ultimate spoiler. I found, in the long run, that it hampered my enjoyment of several episodes on broadcast, because I’d spent months imagining them one way in my head only to be disappointed when they were presented differently on screen.

Largely it’s because I couldn’t have predicted the unique way that matt Smith would play the part, and I don’t think any of us could have predicted the huge shift in tone that the series undergoes from this episode on. Just look at that long shot which looks around Amelia’s garden before leading us to the scared little girl in the house. It’s like a film! And it doesn’t stop there - Adam Smith is one of my favourite Doctor Who directors, and I wish he’d come back to do more than the handful of episodes he was responsible for in this series. The rest of the episode looks completely unlike anything we had in the Russell T Davies era - it properly starts out confident and strong, proclaiming itself to be the start of something new.

Even to this day I can’t decide wether that’s the best thing or not. Everything has changed at this point. New Doctor. New Companion. New Man-In-Charge. New TARDIS interior. New TARDIS exterior. New Sonic Screwdriver… before the series is out we’ll be able to add New Daleks to the list. This is getting on for as bigger a shift in direction as the one between Seasons Seventeen and Eighteen in the ‘classic’ run, and I don’t think we’re a million miles away from the big change of Seasons Six to Seven. In some ways, I like that it’s such a confident casting off of what went before - a programme in a new form which is proud to stand up and be its own thing. On the other, as the original broadcasts played out, I couldn’t help but think it came across as a bit of a middle finger to the five years immediately preceding it, almost as a ‘you did it wrong’. With hindsight, I think it works, and it’s certainly not any kind of disrespect to the things which came before. It’s simply Doctor Who reinventing itself almost totally, which is just what it’s good at.

So, as for The Eleventh Hour as an episode… oh, it’s good, isn’t it? I’d spent so long dying to see what it looked like on screen and then in the run up to the broadcast, I found myself booking a date for the same evening. Even as it was being arranged, there was a little voice in the back of my mind that said ‘You can’t see her that night! That’s the start of the new Doctor Who season!’. Oh we’ve all been there. And what do you do? How do you choose? I went for the simple option - have your cake and eat it. Let’s get pizza at mine and watch the new series of Doctor Who. Yes, that’s romantic. I’m not entirely sure if she was at all keen on Doctor Who by the time the episode had finished (she certainly hadn’t been before hand), and was probably a little put-off by the fact that the date ended early so I could sit and watch the episode again later that night (I know, I know, priorities), but she did return for episodes sporadically throughout the rest of Series Five, so it wasn’t a complete bust!

Oh, but it was good. Immediately after broadcast, the figures of the Eleventh Doctor (in a two-pack with a ‘raggedy’ version) and his new Sonic Screwdriver were released. I’d managed to pick up my figure earlier in the day and took great delight in adding him to the shelf alongside all the other Doctors. Matt Smith had won me over completely, and we were standing at the dawn of an exciting new era. That’s the best feeling in the world…

Speaking at yesterday's press screening at the BFI for the 2014 Doctor Who Christmas Special; Last Christmas, Steven Moffat confirmed the title for Episode 1 of Season 9 of Doctor Who.

The episode is titled 'The Magician's Apprentice' and will begin filming, together with the rest of Series 9, in January 2015, for an expected airdate of Autumn 2015.

[Source: BFI]

The BBC have announced the title of the 2014 Doctor Who Christmas Special; Last Christmas.

The special is rumoured to be at least an hour in length and is written by Steven Moffat and directed by Paul Wilmhurst.

Along with the announcement, two new promo pictures were released (pictured-right), which depict The Doctor (Peter Capaldi), Clara (Jenna Coleman), Santa Claus (Nick Frost) and two Elves; Wolf (Nathan McMullen) and Ian (Dan Starkey).

During the BBC's Children In Need television appeal, a special clip from Last Christmas was aired, which you can watch in the player below:
[youtube:MsxEenCBRG0]
Check out the teaser trailer in the player, below:

[youtube:waSvCQSNruE]

+  Last Christmas will air on Christmas Day, Time TBC, on BBC One.
+  Donate to Children In Need, here. 

[Source: BBC]

On Tuesday, DWO attended a screening of Death in Heaven in Cardiff, which was followed by a Q&A session with Doctor Who Showrunner Steven Moffatt, Executive producer Brian Minchin, and Visual Effects Supremo Will Cohen. During the course of the chat, the trio reflected on the making of Season Eight, discussed the epic season finale, and even started to look toward the future… 

Doctor Who is a very emotional show. Do you focus on that when writing? What’s at the forefront of your mind when creating an episode?

Steven Moffatt: To try and make sure that nobody’s talking about watching anything else! You need to find an emotional through line to very story, because everything else about Doctor Who is so mad. It’s all monsters, and CGI, and explosions, and running. Nothing wrong with any of those things, they’re all my favourites, but you also need for it to be about something, and that I think is what makes it work.

What made you turn the Master in to a woman?

SM: I’d never written a Master story, and there had been a number of Masters in the show from the amazing Roger Delgado through to John Simm, and I could never think of a way to do it which was interesting.

And then I thought, if you could smuggle her in to the show in plain sight and then land that one… and then once and for all absolutely establish in plain sight, so nobody has any doubt about this whatsoever: yes, Time Lords can do that… it just expands the show a little bit.

You get old time fans saying ‘no! You’re not allowed to do that…!’

And what about Disney fans? She’s Mary Poppins!

SM: Mary Poppins has always been evil!

I don’t know why. To be honest, it was a gimmick at the start - there’s nothing wrong with a gimmick - and I was really fiddling with how on Earth I was going to write it. 

Michelle Gomez was on the list for a different part, and she’d been offered another part but couldn’t do it. But then I thought ‘Oh my God, that’s it!’ Michelle is so genuinely barking… I thought there’s never going to be a dull moment on screen! I’ve known Michelle for a long time, because she was married to Jack Davenport who had done Coupling. So I’d known her, I’ve gotten drunk with her, and she actually is like [she is on screen]. That’s toning it down.

So is the Master gone now?

SM: Yes. 

I was delighted back when the wonderful Anthony Ainley was the Master back with Peter Davison, and he would definitively get fried, or incinerated, or destroyed at the end of each story… and he’d turn up at the beginning of the next one and basically say ‘I escaped’. I had no problem with that! 

So… observe how I’ve avoided your question! What are the chances?

This is the first time that the Master has worked with the Cybermen…

SM: Oh, but the Master has met the Cybermen before. Would you like me to list them?

But why the idea to team them up?

I’ve never written a Cyberman one, and when I was a kid, I absolutely loved the Cybermen. They were my favourite. I mean, the Daleks were really my favourite, but I pretended that the Cybermen were my favourite to make myself more interesting. Which absolutely doesn’t work.

I’d always wanted to make them creepy and scary. I was aware that there is kind of a problem that the Cybermen are brilliant at standing there, and brilliant at breaking out of tombs, fantastic at breaking out of tombs - they’ve been doing that since 1967 - but when they stand up and actually arrive… they’ve a monotone voice, no facial expressions, and no emotions. That can be tricky. You sort of want to put them with somebody who can be the interface. But I love Cybermen. 

I don’t even know why they’re great. The absolutely indispensable part of the Cybermen is that they’ve got handles there… I mean the idea of removing them would be heresy… But what are they for? 

But I do adore them. Especially an old show called The Tomb of the Cybermen, which I’ve ripped off many times, it’s just perfect Doctor Who. Glorious Doctor Who. 

If you bring the Rani back, would she be a man?

SM: What, still? I don’t know! I’ve never been quite sure if outside of the circle of Doctor Who fans, if she’s really a character that people know about. I don’t know. I don’t think that people who have real lives - not like us - would really recognise that character. The Master, everyone seems to know about the Master, but I’m never quite sure about the Rani. But… I could just be bulls******g! I said I wasn’t bringing back the Master right at the start of this series - just a straightforward lie! But it’s a good idea… the Rani as a man is quite…!

In this season, you really explore who the Doctor is. Was that part of the reaction to bringing in a new actor to the role?

SM: Well, it was sort of two things. I thought it was time to do that. Before we discussed who was going to be the new Doctor, I was thinking ‘it’s getting all a bit cosy’. The Doctor is a reliable hero, and he’ll turn up and be fantastic. Matt Smith was incredible at doing that, but I thought it was a bit cosy and reliable. So, the reason that I did what I did in Matt’s last episode - to trap him on a planet for a thousand years, and remind him that everybody else will die around him, he’s not anybody’s boyfriend, he’s not really one of their playmates, he’s something else entirely - meant that you could go somewhere else with it.

From the Doctor’s point of view, he’s had a long break in his travels. If you asked him… I think he’d be quite surprised to discover that there’s an early Saturday evening adventure serial about him. I suppose that would come as a shock to anyone. But he doesn’t think of himself as a hero, you’ve got to give him something to play.

He’s great, as Peter has started doing, turning and looming into the camera for a ‘hero reveal’, and if you’ve got actors as the Doctor of the calibre that we’ve had since the very beginning of the show, then you’ve got to give them something to play. Not just falling out of planes… though that’s good too…

What does it feel like to see everything you’ve written come together in to an episode?

SM: What does it feel like? It feels absolutely brilliant. That’s how it feels. There are things I’ve experienced in life which don’t get old - quite a few, actually! - and that is definitely one of them.

It can be murderously difficult getting all the bits together, but genuinely, it is joyous. It’s wonderful. Absolutely terrific. I haven’t got an ounce of cynicism in me about that process.

I think it is… utterly thrilling. And if that’s something you want to do, don’t let anyone tell you ‘you know that really is a proper job, and you have to work very hard, and it’s probably not as exciting as it seems…’ yes it bloody is! It’s Doctor Who stories! It’s brilliant. I do not ever get tired of that.

Is that true for Brian and Will, too?

WC: Completely inspiring. You can have a really bad few days, but you look at it, even tonight, just to hear what everyone else has done, all of it coming together is hugely inspiring.

BM: I find it quite addictive, because you get to tell such huge stories, on such a big scale. You know how much people care about the show and you really want it to be as good as it can possibly be. Everyone wants it to be the best ever, and we get amazing writers, amazing actors… it’s a fantastic feeling.

What was the first episode you made of Doctor Who?

SM: Well, the first one I wrote, when Russell was running Doctor Who, was called The Empty Child. It was a little gas mask boy, crying for his mummy. And the first one when I was Excessing it, was The Eleventh Hour. 

Well, The Eleventh Hour was the first one that went out - the first one with Matt Smith in. The first one we actually made was the Weeping Angels one, The Time of Angels and Flesh and Stone. 

That seems ages ago to you, doesn’t it? That’s really appallingly old. My kids were saying ‘we’re watching one of the old Doctor Who’s, daddy!’ and I was thinking ‘brilliant! They’ve finally taken my advice! Which one is it?’… The Girl in the Fireplace. That’s not old!

All these episodes are really complex. How do you plan them? Where do you plan them? Do you have a lair? 

SM: I should have a lair… Maybe something underground… Sorry, I’m distracted now thinking about designing my lair…

Yes, you do plot out… actually, do you know, one thing we did this year is to not write things down. Get to the point where you have memorised every episode you’re going to do, and what’s going to happen, where Clara is, where Danny is. We never really had a document, really. It keeps it flexible in your head.

I have this fear when I write things down, that having written it, I will stick to it. I don’t really want to. I want to think it’s still flexible. But I’m definitely getting some work done on that lair…

Do you ever make very, very, very late changes? On set even? How down to the wire?

SM: We don’t make huge late changes, because you can’t. It’s a huge, military show. Down to the wire…? Oh my GOD, yeah! 

How much do you listen to fan’s feedback?

SM: It’s an interesting question. There was a little Doctor Who fan in Scotland, who wrote in repeatedly, to the point that the BBC complained about him. We recently cast him as the Doctor… Never let anyone tell you it doesn’t work! That was the most successful letter-writing campaign in history!

It’s a hard one. As most Doctor Who fans would be the first to say that they are not typical members of the audience. And the voice of the fan is in my head - I sit awake at night worrying about UNIT dating… You don’t even know what that means! Personally, I think Captain Yates was dating Osgood.

I think, I keep saying this, there’s the ‘fans’, and there’s the other 100% of the audience. That’s what you have to make it appeal as; a huge mainstream hit. I do believe it’s true that that’s what they want Doctor Who to be. They don’t want it to be a minority thing, they want it to be a huge thing. That does occasionally mean that you make decisions fans don’t like as much. But, I tell you the truth: you listen to a good idea.

Out of all the planets the Doctor has visited, which is your favourite? 

Will Cohen: One of Steven’s planets… Silence in the Library is one of them! We won an award for it! There’s this wonderful awards do in America, in Los Angeles, and they voted that as the best environment in a TV show, which was real honour for us. It was the first time we’d won for Doctor Who and we were chuffed.

SM: Just to do with the ingenuity of our former producer Marcus Wilson, there was a time when we were filming Asylum of the Daleks and the Doctor’s running around on top of a snowcapped mountain.

The reason I love that is nothing to do with the snow or anything like that, but because Marcus was out shooting the cowboy episode, A Town Called Mercy, and he looked out of his window and thought ‘hang on, there’s snow up there! Instead of doing that in the studio, I’m just going to phone up the Doctor Who production office and send them out!’ I thought that was just an example of brilliant producing.

WC: I’m very fond of Gallifrey, too, when we went there for the Time War. To go over Arcadia…

SM: But what about the one we’re going to do for the first story next year…?

You can’t just say that! Can you tell us any more?

SM: No!

Next year also marks ten years since the programme returned to our screens. Are there any plans to celebrate that?

SM: If you think about it, isn’t it quite a complex message to put out there; ‘do you know that show that was 50 years old a little while ago, and we wouldn’t stop going on about it? Well, now it’s ten…’

I could be lying. My worry is always… my worry about the 50th, which seemed to come off, and people seemed to be really really happy, is how many times are you going to have a huge celebration of the show? You have to stop applauding yourself at some point, I think.

Brian Mincin: I think, between about 50 and 60, you start celebrating in fives, don’t you?

Through series 8, the theme is people ‘dying… but not really dying’. That’s something you can see a bit of in your previous episodes; in Silence in the Library they weren’t dead they were in a computer, for example. We haven’t seen much final ‘before their time’ death…

SM: Were you watching that episode?

Exactly! There were lot’s of surprising deaths in that. Is that a theme that will continue? People dying before their time?

SM: Dear God! I was told directly by Russell ‘you’ve written six episodes of Doctor Who and not killed anyone’ - he meant fictional characters! - so, I don’t know. Do you know what? I’m sentimental. I am, I’m sentimental, and I actually quite like people not doing - in real life and in fiction!

If I watch a show and somebody dies, I always want them to come back to life at the end. Like in The Lion King! Where’s his dad? Ever since that damn film Bambi, I’ve been saying ‘fiction has control over death’! Bring nice people back!

How did you arrive at Peter Capaldi’s costume as the Doctor?

BM: When Peter was finding his outfit, I think he tried on every form of clothing that was possible. We were getting these hilarious photos of different versions of what the Doctor could be. He was very single-minded in his attempt to try on every different outfit in London…

SM: The ones he didn’t like, he just stood in the photographs like [grumpy expression]. But the ones he did like he did [strikes a ‘Doctor’ pose]!.

BM: He didn’t quite go back to the very first one he tried, but close.

Who made the final decision on the costume? Was it Peter Capaldi?

SM: Yes. We all loved it, it looked great, but the job of that costume is to make Peter Capaldi feel like the Doctor. I think it’s total nonsense to impose a costume on somebody. They have to sort of find it, make it part of their Doctor.

Obviously, we turned down the clown suit… And the gorilla mask… we’d ask him to think again…

What’s happening with River Song?

SM: Well… She’s dead!

You will admit that it’s a troubled relationship which begins in that way. Which goes from death, to a wedding where one of them is a miniaturised version of themselves in a robot duplicate… it’s not normal. Where can we go from there?

I said to Russell, he was just asking what was going on because he does, I said that I think that’s it, and we’re not going to do that again and he said ‘Noooo! Noooo! Capaldi and Kingston! It’ll be a sex storm!’

So when you see an episode called ‘Sex Storm’, written by Russell T Davies… I don’t know. She was a great character, I loved her, but I always worried that you might be bringing something back who’s day is done. Said he. As the Executive Producer of the 51-year-old show…!

Does the Doctor have a name?

SM: Well… he must have one. But it cannot be known by anyone. His name’s the Doctor, that’s the name he’s chosen.

But yes, in the fiction of the show. At some point he had a name that for whatever reason we may speculate on, he has completely abandoned. But you know, I wouldn’t feel entitled to make one up. I pretended I was going to once by calling an episode The Name of the Doctor, but surprisingly enough it was a lie!

DWO’s spoiler-free preview of episode 8.4: Listen:

Since Doctor Who’s return to screens in 2005, current show-runner Steven Moffat has been the king of ‘scary’. He provided us with the chilling ‘are you my mummy?’ in Series One, ‘who turned out the lights?’ in Series Four, the ominous tick-tock of the Clockwork Droids in Series Two, and - of course - the Weeping Angels, some of the scariest monsters that the programme has ever produced. In many ways, Listen feels like a return to Moffat trying to scare us, and it’s safe to say that he succeeds.

This story revolves around a simple premise - what if when we’re all alone… we’re actually not. What if every second of our lives, there’s someone, or something there with us. What if when we talk aloud to ourselves, there’s someone listening, and when the hairs on the back of our necks stand on end, it’s the breath of another creature right behind you. It’s this thought which has preoccupied the Doctor when we find him at the start of the story, and the tale becomes his quest to find the answer.

The idea at the heart of this tale pulls on threads that Moffat has used before in a story for the 2007 Doctor Who story book, where he answered the question with the suggestion that people sometimes attract ‘Floofs’, small creatures which attach themselves to people and toy with them by hiding keys, or making mischief. Listen takes many of the concepts from that story and transfers them masterfully to the screen, managing to make them even more unnerving in the process. It’s safe to say that people will be checking in the shadows (and under the bed) on Saturday night. And probably Sunday night, too. And Monday, if we’re honest. [DWO have been checking for the last hour and a half, just in case.]

All the scares have been realised here by director Douglas Mackinnon, who storms back into the series with some truly gorgeous visuals. It’s some of his best directing work, and the use of colour in the episode is particularly nice. The direction of this story really serves to heighten the fear in places, and make a simple blanket the most terrifying thing in the universe. It’s also good to see that - as with Robot of Sherwood last week - directors are finding new and interesting ways to use the TARDIS set. It feels huge here, and somehow manages to make even Peter Capaldi seem small here, when left alone with his thoughts.

We’re also seeing the welcome return of Samuel Anderson in this episode, after a break from the programme last week. Danny Pink continues to be a source of humour here, but it’s nice to see Anderson given the chance to tackle some more dramatic stuff, too. He’s given lots to do here, and it’s hard not to simply love him. We can’t wait to see where his story goes from here - and this episode certainly give us some tantalising hints.

Five things to look out for: 

1) "Scared is a super power."
2) "Robinson Crusoe at the end of the universe…"
3) "A soldier so brave, he doesn’t need a gun."
4) Are you afraid of the dark?
5) "The human race. You’re never happy, are you?"

[Sources: DWO; Will Brooks]

 

A fourth teaser trailer for Series 8 of Doctor Who has aired.

The trailer kicks off outside the TARDIS looking in and then pans up to see The Doctor sitting on the roof. The Doctor utters just one word:

"Listen!"

This could very well be a reference to the rumoured title of Episode 4 of Series 8 (Listen), written by Steven Moffat.

Just one question though...where is the lantern on top of the TARDIS gone? Surely The Doctor isn't dimensionally transcendental, too? :)

Watch the trailer in the player, below:

[youtube:wwhWDnff1sk]
Below is DWO's guide to the confirmed and rumoured titles for Series 8:

8.1: Deep Breath - written by Steven Moffat
8.2: Into The Dalek* - written by Phil Ford
8.3: Robots Of Sherwood* - written by Mark Gatiss
8.4: Listen* - written by Steven Moffat
8.5: Time Heist* - written by Stephen Thompson
8.6: [Untitled] - written by Gareth Roberts
8.7: Kill The Moon*
8.8: Mummy On The Orient Express*
8.9: Flatline*
8.10: [Untitled]
8.11: [Untitled]
8.12: [Untitled]

* Unconfirmed

+  Series 8 of Doctor Who will air in the UK on 23rd August 2014, on BBC One.
+  Series 8 of Doctor Who will air in the USA on 23rd August 2014, on BBC America.
+  Series 8 of Doctor Who will air in Canada on 23rd August 2014, on SPACE.
+  Series 8 of Doctor Who will air in Australia on 24th August 2014, on ABC1. 

[Source: BBC]

Peter Capaldi's first full episode as The Doctor - Deep Breath - will be screened in cinemas around the world from 23rd August 2014.

This year’s screenings follow the success of the global cinema release of Doctor Who’s 50th anniversary episode The Day Of The Doctor which was screened in over 1500 cinemas around the world, allowing fans to come together to watch the show like never before.

Doctor Who makes a spectacular return to the big screen in the feature-length premiere episode of Series 8, Deep Breath. Directed by acclaimed director Ben Wheatley (Sightseers, A Field in England) and written by lead writer and executive producer Steven Moffat, the beginning of the Twelfth Doctor’s era stars Peter Capaldi as the Doctor, Jenna Coleman as his companion Clara Oswald and sees the return of fan favourites The Paternoster Gang - Madame Vastra (Neve McIntosh), Jenny Flint (Catrin Stewart) and Strax (Dan Starkey) – in a pulse-racing adventure through Victorian London.

Steven Moffat comments:

“Last November the Doctor didn't just conquer the world on television, he did it in the cinemas too. And like the show-off he is, he can't resist another go - one taste of the silver screen is never enough. On August 23rd the new Doctor will begin his new adventures on BBC One and in cinemas all over the world. Movie-land beware - Capaldi is coming to get you!"

8.1: Deep Breath will be screened in participating cinemas around the world from 23 August, 2014. More information will be released by BBC Worldwide and participating cinema chains over the coming weeks. For all of the latest information please visit the BBC's dedicated cinema page.

Check Out the Full Trailer for Series 8, below:
[youtube:TivqZTq5u6Y]

+  Series 8 of Doctor Who will air in the UK on 23rd August 2014, on BBC One.
+  Series 8 of Doctor Who will air in the USA on 23rd August 2014, on BBC America.
+  Series 8 of Doctor Who will air in Canada on 23rd August 2014, on SPACE.
+  Series 8 of Doctor Who will air in Australia on 24th August 2014, on ABC1. 

[Source: BBC]

The fab folks over at Showmasters have put together an even more amazing line-up of Doctor Who related guests for this year's London Film And Comic Con, which include the following:

Steven Moffat - (Showrunner / Head Writer) - Saturday Talk
Jenna Coleman - (Clara) - Autographs / Photoshoot
John Hurt - (The War Doctor) - Saturday Talk / Autographs / Photoshoot
Paul McGann - (The 8th Doctor) - Saturday & Sunday Autographs / Photoshoot
Colin Baker - (The 6th Doctor) - Sunday Autographs / Photoshoot
Bernard Cribbins - (Wilf) - Saturday Autographs / Photoshoot
William Russell - (Ian Chesterton) - Friday Autographs
Jemma Redgrave - (Kate Stewart) - Saturday Autographs / Photoshoot
Sarah Louise Madison - (Weeping Angel) - Sunday Autographs

On Saturday 12th July, there will be a very special Doctor Who talk, featuring; Steven Moffat, John Hurt and Paul McGann. This is a paid-for talk and will be sold on the days of the show. It will be held on the super stage so there will be plenty of seats available.

The talk will last for 45 minutes and the tickets will be £25 each. They will be on sale on the sales desk inside the show at Earls Court 2.

DWO are thrilled to announce we too will be there for all 3 days offering a selection of Doctor Who merchandise, and with every purchase over £10, you will get a FREE Doctor Who gift! We will be offering a wide range of Toys, Books, DVDs, CDs, Radio Times, Autographs, Trading Cards and more, so do pop by and say hello!

We will also be interviewing any fans who want to tell us how much they are looking forward to Peter Capaldi's Doctor, for a short video feature we will be releasing just before Series 8! If you would like to be part of this, please ask a member of the DWO team at our tables!

+ Buy your tickets for the London Film And Comic Con, here. 

[Source: Showmasters]

Michelle Gomez (Bad Education, Green Wing) will join the cast of Doctor Who, playing The Gatekeeper of the Nethersphere when the series returns on 23rd August.

Speaking about the role, Michelle Gomez said:

"Well of course Peter Capaldi is our next Doctor, which makes complete sense. I'm thrilled to join him. Well, you would be wouldn't you?"

Lead writer and executive producer, Steven Moffat, added:

“I've known Michelle for years, and I'm thrilled to welcome her to Doctor Who. She's everything we need - brilliant, Scottish, and a tiny bit satanic.”

Filming is well underway for Series 8 of Doctor Who. Guest stars confirmed to join Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman in the new series, which will air on BBC One this Autumn include Frank Skinner, Ben Miller, Tom Riley, Keeley Hawes and Hermione Norris.

+  Series 8 of Doctor Who will air in the UK on 23rd August 2014, on BBC One.
+  Series 8 of Doctor Who will air in the USA on 23rd August 2014, on BBC America.
+  Series 8 of Doctor Who will air in Canada on 23rd August 2014, on SPACE.
+  Series 8 of Doctor Who will air in Australia on 24th August 2014, on ABC1. 

[Source: BBC]

Doctor Who show runner Steven Moffat has revealed that the BBC considered axing the show after David Tennant left the role.

Moffat, who was taking part in a Q&A at the recent Hay Festival in Herefordshire, said:

"David owned that role in a spectacular way, gave it an all-new cheeky sexy performance and became a national treasure. And he didn't do it instantly, he did it over time. So the idea that Doctor Who could go on at all in the absence of David was a huge question, I didn't realise how many people thought it wouldn't succeed at all. That was quite terrifying when I found out about it later.

I think there were plans maybe to consider ending it. It was Russell saying, you are not allowed to end it."

[Source: David-Tennant.com]

Room 101 host Frank Skinner is the latest name confirmed to guest star in an episode of the new series of Doctor Who this Autumn.

Fran Skinner said:

"I love this show. I subscribe to Dr Who magazine, I've got a Tardis ringtone, a five-foot cardboard Dalek in my bedroom and when I got the call saying they wanted me to read for the part, I was in the back of my tour bus watching episode three of The Sensorites. I am beyond excited."

He is currently touring the UK with his stand-up show Frank Skinner: Man In A Suit, alongside presenting the Saturday Morning Breakfast Show on Absolute Radio. Skinner previously appeared in the one-off Doctor Who 50th anniversary comedy homage The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot.

Steven Moffat, lead writer and executive producer, says:

“It's no secret that Frank's been pitching vigorously to get into Doctor Who for a while. He's been volunteering to be 'third monster on the left' as long as I've been in this job. But now, in Jamie Mathieson's sparkling script, we finally have a part that can showcase all of Frank's famous wit and charm. Hopefully he'll get out of my garden now.”

The episode is written by Jamie Mathieson (Being Human, Dirk Gently), directed by Paul Wilmshurst (Strike Back, Combat Kids), and also stars David Bamber, Daisy Beaumont, Janet Henfrey and Christopher Villiers.

Other guest stars confirmed to join Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman in the new series, which will air on BBC One this Autumn, include Ben Miller, Tom Riley, Keeley Hawes and Hermione Norris.

+  Series 8 of Doctor Who will air in Late August 2014.

[Source: BBC Media Centre]