Everybodyelse Productions announced today that they have just finished recording the first two episodes of a new science-fiction audio drama series called Osiris.

Osiris tells the story of Nottingham graphic designer Jason Fox who stumbles upon a spaceship buried deep beneath the roots of the Major Oak tree in Sherwood Forest. Jason, his best friend William Tyler and his sister Melissa Fox are then taken on a dangerous adventure where they are chased by government authorities and then hunted by a ruthless alien assassin across the solar system.

Osiris is a fun cinematic adventure on audio! It is not a narrated audiobook, but a full-cast audio drama that sounds like a Hollywood film. The cast details are as follows:

Jason Fox - Christian Edwards (Doctor Who: Daleks Among Us)
William Tyler - Robert Whitelock (Hercules, Doctor Who: The Bells of Saint John)
Melissa Fox - Liz White (Life on Mars, The Woman in Black)
General Stone - Colin McFarlane (Batman Begins, The Dark Knight)
Jessica - Georgia Moffett (Doctor Who: The Doctor’s Daughter, Spooks: Code 9)

Episode 1: Pilot is written by Martin Johnson and Episode 2: Osirian Enemy is written by Daniel Lacey. Both are directed by Lisa Bowerman and produced by Martin Johnson. The episodes will be released together as a feature-length format presented in 5.1 surround sound on a Special Limited Edition DVD, a world first for audio drama! They will also be available singularly on CD and digital download released at a later date.

We are also running a competition! Anyone who pre-orders the Limited Edition DVD will be in with a chance of receiving two posters, one for each episode, signed by the entire cast and production team. There will be 2 winners announced after release. The closing date is 15th August, 2014.

Osiris can now be pre-ordered from the Everybodyelse Productions website www.everybodyelse.co.uk in the following formats:

-  Released 15th August 2014 – Special Limited Edition DVD (1000 copies only, numbered) Volume One: Episodes 1 and 2 in a feature-length format presented in 5.1 surround sound with exclusive extra content. This is a world first for audio drama!
-  Released 12th September 2014 – Episode 1: Pilot - CD Release
-  Released 10th October 2014 – Episode 2: Osirian Enemy - CD Release

+  Like the Everybodyelse Productions Facebook page!
+  Listen to the Osiris "Sherwood" Teaser!

Download formats will be available on the CD release dates via iTunes, Amazon, Google Play and more.

[Source: Martin Johnson] 

BBC Books have released the cover art and details for their forthcoming 12th Doctor novel, The Blood Cell.

The Blood Cell
By James Goss

"Release The Doctor - or the killing will start." 

An asteroid in the furthest reaches of space - the most secure prison for the most dangerous of criminals. The Governor is responsible for the worst fraudsters and the cruellest murderers. So he's certainly not impressed by the arrival of the man they're calling the most dangerous criminal in the quadrant. Or, as he prefers to be known, the Doctor. 

What does impress the Governor is the way the new prisoner immediately sets about trying to escape. And keeps trying. Finally, he sends for the Doctor and asks him why? But the answer surprises even the Governor. And then there's the threat - unless the Governor listens to the Doctor, a lot of people will die. 

Who is the Doctor and what's he really doing here? Why does he want to help the Governor? And who is the young woman who comes every day to visit him, only to be turned away by the guards? 

When the killing finally starts, the Governor begins to get his answers...

+  The Blood Cell is released on 11th September 2014, priced £6.99.
+  Preorder via Amazon.co.uk for just £5.24. 

[Source: BBC Books]

BBC Books have released the cover art and details for their forthcoming 12th Doctor novel, The Crawling Terror.

The Crawling Terror
By Mike Tucker

"Well, I doubt you'll ever see a bigger insect."

Gabby Nichols is putting her son to bed when she hears her daughter cry out. 'Mummy there's a daddy longlegs in my room!' Then the screaming starts... Alan Travers is heading home from the pub when something rushes his face - a spider's web. Then something huge and deadly lumbers from the shadows... Kevin Alperton is on his way to school when he is attacked by a mosquito. A big one. Then things get dangerous.

But it isn't the dead man cocooned inside a huge mass of web that worries the Doctor. It isn't the swarming, mutated insects that make him nervous. It isn't an old man's garbled memories of past dangers that intrigue him. 

With the village cut off from the outside world, and the insects becoming more and more dangerous, the Doctor knows that no one is safe. Not unless he can decode the strange symbols engraved on an ancient stone circle, and unravel a mystery dating back to the Second World War.

+  The Crawling Terror is released on 11th September 2014, priced £6.99.
+  Preorder via Amazon.co.uk for just £5.24. 

[Source: BBC Books]

BBC Books have released the cover art and details for their forthcoming 12th Doctor novel, Silhouette.

Silhouette
By Justin Richards

"Vastra and Strax and Jenny? Oh no, we don't need to bother them. Trust me." 

Marlowe Hapworth is found dead in his locked study, killed by an unknown assailant. This is a case for the Great Detective, Madame Vastra. 

Rick Bellamy, bare-knuckle boxer, has the life drawn out of him by a figure dressed as an undertaker. This angers Strax the Sontaran. 

The Carnival of Curiosities, a collection of bizarre and fascinating sideshows and performers. This is where Jenny Flint looks for answers. 

How are these things connected? And what does Orestes Milton, rich industrialist, have to do with it all? This is where the Doctor and Clara come in. The Doctor and his friends find themselves thrust into a world where nothing and no one are what they seem. Can they unravel the truth before the most dangerous weapon ever developed is unleashed on London?

+  Silhouette is released on 11th September 2014, priced £6.99.
+  Preorder via Amazon.co.uk for just £5.24. 

[Source: BBC Books]

Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Written By: LM Myles, Mark Ravenhill, Una McCormack & Nev Fountain

RRP: £14.99 (CD) / £12.99 (Download)

Release Date: July 2014

Reviewed by: Nick Mellish for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 16th July 2014

Breaking Bubbles by LM Myles
The Doctor and Peri find themselves in the palatial gardens of the deposed Empress Safira Valtris where nothing is ever quite what it seems.

Of Chaos Time The by Mark Ravenhill
Cast adrift in his own chronology, the Doctor must avert the consequences of a catastrophic experiment in using time as a weapon of war.

An Eye For Murder by Una McCormack
The year is 1939, and a case of poison pen letters at St Ursula’s College threatens to change the course of the Second World War. Fortunately thriller writer Miss Sarah Perry is on hand to investigate...

The Curious Incident Of The Doctor In The Night-Time by Nev Fountain
Michael is a young boy who likes to solve mysteries, such as the mystery of the extra gnome, the mystery of the absent father, and the mystery of the strange man in yellow trousers at the bottom of the garden.

* * *
It’s that time of the year again, when Big Finish pauses for a bit in the run of trilogies and gives us one of its ‘4x1’ releases. Ever since the highs of Circular Time, these releases have become something to look forward to (in my eyes, at least). 1001 Nights and Recorded Time were both hits in my eyes, so I was looking forward to listening to this release.

The key to getting these sort of releases ‘right’, is in creating stories slight enough to fill up half an hour but with enough detail to not feel slight; to have a plot which doesn’t feel wasted by using it up in only one episode but is arresting enough to feel just right. Short episodes, like short stories, are an art form to get right, and thankfully, this release as a whole gets it right. Naturally, there are some stories I definitely preferred to others, some plots which arrested me more than others, but in terms of all being decently-crafted episodes, this CD ticks the boxes.

Given that it covers four separate stories, I’ll look at each of them in turn for this review.

First up, we get Breaking Bubbles itself, by LM Myles. I rather liked the way this tale manages to distill much of what is typical about Doctor Who into one episode, whilst also playing it. So, we get The Doctor and his companion separated, but they end up in part working against one another. We get a prisoner and escort tale, but neither of them are as black and white as is so often the case. Indeed, this theme of playing with perception proves to be the foundation of this play: who people appear to be and who they really are; actions they say they will take but may not.

The ending is perhaps a bit rushed, but no more than you would get if there were two episodes to play with. Myles has written a strong start to the overall release and an interesting tale in its own right.

Next up is the appropriately confusingly titled Of Chaos Time The by Mark Ravenhill. If Breaking Bubbles felt like it got things started quickly, Of Chaos Time The makes it look positively pedestrian in comparison. We literally hit the ground running, caught up midway through an adventure... as does The Doctor. Again, it’s a neat take on an old trope: starting the story when it’s already well underway, except this time the protagonist is every bit as confused as the listener. Long-time listeners of Big Finish release will see similarities to Creatures of Beauty here with its disjointed structure, but whilst that was a novelty, here it is integral to the tale itself: time is all cockahoop, and it’s up to The Doctor to make sense of it all.

Of all the stories on this release, this is perhaps the one that feels most like a radio drama, with lots of scenes where The Doctor narrates his thinking aloud and describes what he sees, something inevitable with audio drama but perhaps a bit limiting at times. It’s certainly the episode which I felt stretched its premise out the thinnest, but not to the stage where it outstays its welcome. Even so, it proved to be the weakest of the four stories for me, whilst the next was the best.

An Eye For Murder by Una McCormack is a wonderfully atmospheric tale of mystery, tension, mistaken identity and politic. Set in the outbreak of the Second World War at St Ursula’s College, Peri is mistaken for a writer of mysteries and before too long, she is embroiled in finding out who is responsible for a particularly nasty series of letters at a time when racial and political tensions are reaching a peak: if only her pesky assistant, The Doctor, can stay out of trouble and do his typing in peace...

Taking a more sedate pace than the previous two tales, McCormack is able to cover a lot in the thirty minutes afforded to her, from ideological disparity at a time of racial tension, to the role of women at a time when emancipation and Feminism were dirty terms, whilst also having a lot of fun with the idea of The Doctor and Peri being detectives. They fit into that mould with incredible ease, and to be perfectly honest, I would easily have just listened to them solve a mystery in a purely-historical context rather than having an alien influence (though that said, the fantastical twist is rather a nice one and slots into the background well). Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant are on top form throughout this, Bryant in particular relishing the material she is given, and the guest cast are as strong as the script. If you listen to just one story on this release, this is the one to go for.

We end with The Curious Incident Of The Doctor In The Night-Time by Nev Fountain, a story which wears its influence on its sleeve and manages to simultaneously evoke Mark Haddon’s fantastic novel whilst being its own thing. As with An Eye For Murder, in many ways I’d have easily enjoyed this without its Doctor Who trappings.  I mean, I know you couldn’t do the episode without The Doctor and Peri being in it, but when they do arrive, they perhaps slow the pace down somewhat, which is a shame. Whilst The Doctor is flitting around in the background without any lines or interaction with the main protagonist, I was arguably more engaged with the tale. As soon as they appear, things become a bit more sci-fi/fantasy: which, in all fairness, is as it should be, really.  The Doctor and Peri, travellers through space and time and oddity aplenty, crashing into the ordinary day of a family and making it extraordinary. It’s just arguably not as arresting once this happens. I was more invested when we were just learning about Michael, his family, and his coming to terms with important events in his life.

And then, just when I resigned to this as my overall feelings towards this episode, Nev Fountain gives us the final scene and completely slaughtered me emotionally.  Baker is absolutely mesmerizing and incredible in those final few moments, and the heart is truly... touched. It’s as beautiful an ending to a tale as you’re likely to find and ends up making this second half stronger than the first.

So, there we have it. Four stories of varying strengths and varying settings. The final two were, for my money, the real winners, but the opener is strong and even the weakest of the four has much to celebrate. More like this, please. A real treat.

Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Written By: LM Myles, Mark Ravenhill, Una McCormack & Nev Fountain

RRP: £14.99 (CD) / £12.99 (Download)

Release Date: July 2014

Reviewed by: Nick Mellish for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 16th July 2014

Breaking Bubbles by LM Myles
The Doctor and Peri find themselves in the palatial gardens of the deposed Empress Safira Valtris where nothing is ever quite what it seems.

Of Chaos Time The by Mark Ravenhill
Cast adrift in his own chronology, the Doctor must avert the consequences of a catastrophic experiment in using time as a weapon of war.

An Eye For Murder by Una McCormack
The year is 1939, and a case of poison pen letters at St Ursula’s College threatens to change the course of the Second World War. Fortunately thriller writer Miss Sarah Perry is on hand to investigate...

The Curious Incident Of The Doctor In The Night-Time by Nev Fountain
Michael is a young boy who likes to solve mysteries, such as the mystery of the extra gnome, the mystery of the absent father, and the mystery of the strange man in yellow trousers at the bottom of the garden.

* * *
It’s that time of the year again, when Big Finish pauses for a bit in the run of trilogies and gives us one of its ‘4x1’ releases. Ever since the highs of Circular Time, these releases have become something to look forward to (in my eyes, at least). 1001 Nights and Recorded Time were both hits in my eyes, so I was looking forward to listening to this release.

The key to getting these sort of releases ‘right’, is in creating stories slight enough to fill up half an hour but with enough detail to not feel slight; to have a plot which doesn’t feel wasted by using it up in only one episode but is arresting enough to feel just right. Short episodes, like short stories, are an art form to get right, and thankfully, this release as a whole gets it right. Naturally, there are some stories I definitely preferred to others, some plots which arrested me more than others, but in terms of all being decently-crafted episodes, this CD ticks the boxes.

Given that it covers four separate stories, I’ll look at each of them in turn for this review.

First up, we get Breaking Bubbles itself, by LM Myles. I rather liked the way this tale manages to distill much of what is typical about Doctor Who into one episode, whilst also playing it. So, we get The Doctor and his companion separated, but they end up in part working against one another. We get a prisoner and escort tale, but neither of them are as black and white as is so often the case. Indeed, this theme of playing with perception proves to be the foundation of this play: who people appear to be and who they really are; actions they say they will take but may not.

The ending is perhaps a bit rushed, but no more than you would get if there were two episodes to play with. Myles has written a strong start to the overall release and an interesting tale in its own right.

Next up is the appropriately confusingly titled Of Chaos Time The by Mark Ravenhill. If Breaking Bubbles felt like it got things started quickly, Of Chaos Time The makes it look positively pedestrian in comparison. We literally hit the ground running, caught up midway through an adventure... as does The Doctor. Again, it’s a neat take on an old trope: starting the story when it’s already well underway, except this time the protagonist is every bit as confused as the listener. Long-time listeners of Big Finish release will see similarities to Creatures of Beauty here with its disjointed structure, but whilst that was a novelty, here it is integral to the tale itself: time is all cockahoop, and it’s up to The Doctor to make sense of it all.

Of all the stories on this release, this is perhaps the one that feels most like a radio drama, with lots of scenes where The Doctor narrates his thinking aloud and describes what he sees, something inevitable with audio drama but perhaps a bit limiting at times. It’s certainly the episode which I felt stretched its premise out the thinnest, but not to the stage where it outstays its welcome. Even so, it proved to be the weakest of the four stories for me, whilst the next was the best.

An Eye For Murder by Una McCormack is a wonderfully atmospheric tale of mystery, tension, mistaken identity and politic. Set in the outbreak of the Second World War at St Ursula’s College, Peri is mistaken for a writer of mysteries and before too long, she is embroiled in finding out who is responsible for a particularly nasty series of letters at a time when racial and political tensions are reaching a peak: if only her pesky assistant, The Doctor, can stay out of trouble and do his typing in peace...

Taking a more sedate pace than the previous two tales, McCormack is able to cover a lot in the thirty minutes afforded to her, from ideological disparity at a time of racial tension, to the role of women at a time when emancipation and Feminism were dirty terms, whilst also having a lot of fun with the idea of The Doctor and Peri being detectives. They fit into that mould with incredible ease, and to be perfectly honest, I would easily have just listened to them solve a mystery in a purely-historical context rather than having an alien influence (though that said, the fantastical twist is rather a nice one and slots into the background well). Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant are on top form throughout this, Bryant in particular relishing the material she is given, and the guest cast are as strong as the script. If you listen to just one story on this release, this is the one to go for.

We end with The Curious Incident Of The Doctor In The Night-Time by Nev Fountain, a story which wears its influence on its sleeve and manages to simultaneously evoke Mark Haddon’s fantastic novel whilst being its own thing. As with An Eye For Murder, in many ways I’d have easily enjoyed this without its Doctor Who trappings.  I mean, I know you couldn’t do the episode without The Doctor and Peri being in it, but when they do arrive, they perhaps slow the pace down somewhat, which is a shame. Whilst The Doctor is flitting around in the background without any lines or interaction with the main protagonist, I was arguably more engaged with the tale. As soon as they appear, things become a bit more sci-fi/fantasy: which, in all fairness, is as it should be, really.  The Doctor and Peri, travellers through space and time and oddity aplenty, crashing into the ordinary day of a family and making it extraordinary. It’s just arguably not as arresting once this happens. I was more invested when we were just learning about Michael, his family, and his coming to terms with important events in his life.

And then, just when I resigned to this as my overall feelings towards this episode, Nev Fountain gives us the final scene and completely slaughtered me emotionally.  Baker is absolutely mesmerizing and incredible in those final few moments, and the heart is truly... touched. It’s as beautiful an ending to a tale as you’re likely to find and ends up making this second half stronger than the first.

So, there we have it. Four stories of varying strengths and varying settings. The final two were, for my money, the real winners, but the opener is strong and even the weakest of the four has much to celebrate. More like this, please. A real treat.

Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Written By: Stephen Cole

RRP: £14.99 (CD) / £12.99 (Download)

Release Date: June 2014

Reviewed by: Nick Mellish for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 16th July 2014

France, the year 1770: by special invitation, the famous 'Doctor', friend of Voltaire, arrives at the lonely estate of the lovely Marquise de Rimdelle – once a hostess to the highest of high society, now isolated by the strange, pernicious mist that lingers round the countryside.

But there's more in that fog than mere vapour, confesses the Marquise's strange niece to the Doctor's ward, Nyssa. She senses some uncanny machine circling the fringes of the estate, in the space between the shadows. Watching. Always watching. She's given it a name: 'The Steamroller Man'.

Meanwhile, the man in the cellar talks to the Doctor; a dead man, trapped behind the cellar walls. The Steamroller Man is coming, he says; coming to smash the place down. It seems the Doctor has been drawn into a very dangerous liaison…

* * *
Before I even start this review, I want to note that it is going to contain spoilers, not just for this play but the other two in this recent Fifth Doctor/Nyssa trilogy also.  You have been warned!

The third in this most recent run of adventures for the Doctor and Nyssa sees them joined once again by Hannah Bartholomew, the latest TARDIS stray who we met at the start of this trilogy and surprised us all in the midway point (or did so to this listener at any rate).  Masquerade starts off with us all on the back foot. You rather feel like you’ve skipped past the first three-or-so tracks when you begin the tale: plenty of things are afoot, and it’s up to us to play catch up. It is quite a neat and refreshing move and gets the story off to a good start. One thing I really admired the play for was not doing the usual thing of keeping a twist to one side until the cliffhanger to the opening episode. Within a few minutes, you are aware that things are not all they appear to be: The Doctor is not acting like The Doctor, Nyssa is not acting like Nyssa, and no-one else seems quite right either. Stephen Cole doesn’t shy away from being bold and blatant in his set-up so early on, and, again, this is something to be applauded. It bucks the trend and gives us something pleasingly original instead of the same old story trotted out yet again. It’s the sort of thing Big Finish can do so well at times, so it was nice to have it here.

Sadly though, Masquerade never lives up to that opening burst of ingenuity and flair. The story that follows is fine (things remain not what they ought to be, people keep being not who they appear to be, the regulars carry on getting to have some good “There’s something wrong with my mind!” moments) but, ultimately, nowhere near as strong or interesting as the opening would have you believe, which is a pity. Even the main antagonist lacks the required stench of fear or bite to really make all the elements gel.

Crucially, for a tale which so neatly bucks the trend to begin with, things later on feel increasingly... familiar. Cole’s writing is fine enough, but there is too much that feels like we’ve seen it all before.  I had that a little bit with Tomb Ship last month, being able to directly compare like-for-like that story to another Fifth Doctor one, and whilst that isn’t the case here, you can still see the numbers beneath the drying paint, sadly.

Even the very ending can be seen coming, and what happens next (as in, in future releases)... well, sadly I can imagine. I can imagine that there is a clear ending here but that, as with Hex and Flip and Charley and, arguably, even Nyssa, Big Finish won’t stop. Because the ending here clearly signals the end of Hannah. But will it be? I doubt it somehow.

The very ending feels rather rushed, as if it’s missing a TARDIS scene to tie things up, which perhaps gives the impression more of a pause before Hannah returns in some guise than a full stop, which it should be for the story to make any sense at all. It feels like Hannah was never intended to reappear beyond Moonflesh and now Big Finish are uncertain what to do with her: do they kill her off? (Yes, sort of.) Do they keep the doors open? (Maybe: explains the way the tale just... ends without any sense of closure.) Or does it reflect Hannah being a very late addition, so they can dispose of her character without any grand gesture, as if she were just an additional cast member in this story only? (Possibly.)

I don’t know what happens next.  Maybe Hannah will return. Oddly, I think they need to tie up the ending here in some way, but I would rather see her staying put. An acknowledgement of her fate perhaps hanging over The Doctor and Nyssa in their next adventure before carrying on afresh? I think this would work better than the alternative, which is having her come back and making a nonsense of this story’s plot. I guess we will see.

What I do know is that this speculation is perhaps more enjoyable to engage in than listening to Masquerade was. Heck, the fact the original CD pressing and download were missing about five seconds’ worth of dialogue created more drama than you get for the most part in this play.

A series of diminishing returns, I hope the next Fifth Doctor and Nyssa trilogy glows brighter.

The BBC have tonight released a full launch trailer for Series 8 of Doctor Who.

The trailer gives us a taste of the first few episodes from the eighth season of Doctor Who, and you can view it in the player, below:

[youtube:TivqZTq5u6Y]
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]

Are you guys hungry for some of the best official band, movie, gaming and of course Doctor Who merchandise online? How about some of the coolest alternative clothing and street wear?

Well, just pay our friends over at www.fourleafclothing.co.uk a visit and we're sure you'll find exactly what you're looking for.

Fourleaf supply a huge range of T-shirts, hoodies, jackets, belts and bags from all of your favourite bands, movies, games, tv shows and comics! You'll even find more obscure items such as mugs, bottle openers, coasters and so much more...

What's that? Still not convinced? Well how about an exclusive discount off ANY order? Just enter the code DRWHO at checkout and you'll recieve 20% off your purchase!

+  Movies, Gaming & TV: http://www.fourleafclothing.co.uk/movies-gaming-tv~h-22
+  Doctor Who: http://www.fourleafclothing.co.uk/DR-WHO~c-3254

[Source: Fourleaf Clothing]

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]

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

The trailer kicks off inside the TARDIS with explosions around the console, whilst a voice, very similar to Davros is heard stating:

"I see into your soul, Doctor. I see beauty, divinity, hatred..."

As the line is spoken it changes from the Davros sounding voice into that of a Dalek.

Watch the trailer in the player, below:

[youtube:W5mS0FnXrB0]
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]

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]

At last! After what seems like an age, we are thrilled to unveil some more New Series News in the form of a cracking new promo image for the first episode of Series 8; 'Deep Breath'.

The image (which can be viewed in full, in the right-hand features column) features The Doctor and Clara in what seems to be a tweaked TARDIS interior.

To tie-in with today's promo image, the BBC have also released a teaser trailer (which you can view below), that includes some rather interesting dialogue: 

The Doctor: "Clara, be my pal, tell me, am I a good man?"
Clara: "I don't think I know who The Doctor is anymore..."

[youtube:CIzgoB8pXuc]
Below is DWO's guide to the confirmed and rumoured titles for Series 8:

8.1: Deep Breath - written by Steven Moffat
8.2: [Untitled] - 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]

One of the biggest requests we get here on DWO is from fans looking to buy a wide range of SciFi related clothing.

We recently came into contact with the awesome team over at Eyesore Merch; a Music and Entertainment merchandise company based in the UK.

Eyesore Merch stock a huge range of T-Shirts, hoodies, jackets, hats and bags from your favourite bands, Movies, TV shows, Comics and Video Games, and we’re thrilled to announce we have teamed up with them to introduce their range of Star Wars and Star Trek merchandise.

Whether you are looking for an 'Empire Strikes Back' or ‘Yoda' T-Shirt or perhaps an official Star Trek ‘Command', ‘Sciences' or ‘Ops’ uniform then you can be sure to find something that you’ll love within their extensive range.

Head over to the Eyesore Merch store now to check out the full ranges:

+  STAR WARS: http://eyesoremerch.com/film-tshirts/s/star-wars-tshirts
+  STAR TREK: http://eyesoremerch.com/tv-show-tshirts/s/star-trek-tshirts

[Source: Eyesore Merch]

From now until the morning of 4th July, Cecily's Fund is auctioning 17 unique and exclusive mock school reports written by major celebrities through eBay for charity.

The celebrities - each recalled the real reports they received as schoolchildren and recreated them for this special auction. 

One of the celebrities is none other than The 12th Doctor himself, Peter Capaldi - you can bid on his report, here. You can also view the report in the features column to the right-hand-side of this news article.

All proceeds from the auction will go to Cecily's Fund, to support their work enabling orphaned and vulnerable children in Zambia to access education.

[Source: Cecily's Fund]

Our friends over at Ultra Records are pleased to announce the release of Frontload’s newest track, appropriately titled ‘Dr. Who’.

Their latest beat combines the group’s signature electronic sound while modernising the popular Doctor Who theme song from the long running British television series, which is currently in its 51st year worldwide.

The owners to the publishing rights of the Doctor Who intro theme gave their stamp of approval by clearing the theme part of the track.

‘Dr. Who’ is a follow up to the group’s previous popular track titled Rebels (Wake Up).

Hear the listening track for 'Dr Who' via Ultra Music's YouTube channel, below:
[youtube:3sxOUDOmEAM]

+  Download Frontload’s ‘Dr. Who’ on iTunes, here.
+  Stream Frontload’s 'Dr. Who', here.

[Source: Elaine Karlsson Management]

New Rock group; Space Elevator, have released a new track, titled 'I Will Find You (Gallifrey Dreams)', as a tribute to Doctor Who.

DWO visitors wanting to listen to the song can download it here: http://www.spaceelevatorband.com/mp3-download/.

The password to download it is Gallifrey and you also need to include your email address.

You can also watch the music video, which features the track, below:

[youtube:6v5BnCdfqKQ]  
Space Elevator’s Lead Singer (and huge Doctor Who fan) ‘The Duchess’ says:

“Quite simply, our debut album is all about space and would not be complete without a Dr Who song. The song is a tribute as I have a Time Lord crush in all his incarnations. There’s something there for every woman! He’s strong, intelligent, unobtainable (crucial), he will fight daleks and cybermen..he has two hearts.. lol! ...or maybe I’m the only girl that dreamt of what her own Tardis would look like inside?”

The album Space Elevator (Cat No SECD1) is Out Now at HMV, Amazon and all good record stores, with the vinyl album (SELP1) being released on 14th July 2014. 

[Source: Paul Sabin]

BBC Worldwide today announce a major global publicity tour to launch episode one of the new series of Doctor Who and introduce Peter Capaldi as the new Doctor.

Doctor Who: The World Tour will begin in the UK on 7th August and finish in Brazil on 19th August. The trip will see Twelfth Doctor Peter Capaldi, on-screen companion Jenna Coleman, and the show’s Lead Writer and Executive Producer Steven Moffat*, visit seven cities across five continents in 12 days to take part in a series of media and fan engagements to publicise the show’s forthcoming Series 8 to a global audience.

The tour marks the largest ever promotional undertaking in Doctor Who’s 50-year history and will kick off in Cardiff, Wales before taking in London (UK), Seoul (South Korea), Sydney (Australia), New York (US), Mexico City (Mexico) and Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). More details of the itinerary will be available soon at www.doctorwho.tv/worldtour as well as reports from the tour as it happens, which fans everywhere will be able to enjoy across social and digital platforms.

BBC Worldwide’s ambition for the brand has grown considerably since the global success of the 50th Anniversary which saw the special episode The Day Of The Doctor broadcast simultaneously in 98 countries and in over 1500 cinemas across the world, setting a new record for event cinema in its first three days on general release.

Peter Capaldi, speaking ahead of the tour, said:

“It’s fantastic that so many people across the world love Doctor Who. After eight months solid filming deep in the world of monsters, Jenna and I are thrilled to be heading for the Planet of Fans."

Executive producer and lead writer Steven Moffat added:

“I've always thought we'd all be a lot safer if the Doctor conquered the world, instead of the Daleks. Now with Jenna and Peter leading the charge, it looks like it's going to happen. I'll be bringing up the rear to handle the exposition scenes, and maybe carry some bags.”

Rhodri Talfan Davies, Director BBC Cymru Wales, said:

"Where better to start the World Tour than the Doctor's home for the last decade? The sight of the TARDIS and marauding aliens is now a familiar part of Welsh life - though they still scare the life out of the traffic wardens. There is a real sense of excitement and anticipation about the new series – and I know Peter and Jenna are going to be a breath-taking new team. Roll on August!"

Filming is well underway on the new series, with guest stars confirmed to join Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman including Frank Skinner, Ben Miller, Tom Riley, Keeley Hawes and Hermione Norris.

* Due to production commitments, Steven Moffat will be unable to attend to the entire tour. The cities he will join the tour for will be announced soon. 

[Source: BBC Media Centre]

It's no secret that we at DWO are big fans of Apple - after all, practically 90% of all the technology we use to run the site is made up of Apple products. So imagine our surprise when we were trawling through Apple's new developer code (Swift), and much to our surprise, we saw a blatant reference to Doctor Who hidden in the code!

A quick navigation to Page 347 of 'The Swift Programming Language' - which is FREE to download in the iBooks store - will reveal that "Lots of planets have a north" - a direct reference to Christopher Eccleston's Doctor in the Series One episode; 'Rose'.

See the reference for yourself by clicking on the image to the right of this article.

Why not check out DWO's Apps on the App Store:

Doctor Who: iWho
by DWO Media - £1.99 (iOS & Android)

Why not kick off with our signature Doctor Who app, providing you with all the latest Doctor Who news, as well as in-app streaming of the latest DWO WhoCast Podcast episodes, Videos, Tweets, Polls, Locations Guide and R2 DVD Guide and more!

+ Download for iOS. + Download for Android.

Doctor Who: WhoGuide
by DWO Media / £2.99

WhoGuide, provides in-depth guides to every televised episode of Doctor Who, complete with guides to all the Doctors, Missing Episodes, Locations, DVDs and more!

+ Download for iOS. + Download for Android. 

[Sources: DWO; Apple]

FTS Media have announced that their fan-funded documentary, ‘Doctor Who: Celebrating 50 Years of Fandom’, is available now on DVD and Blu-ray, as well as Video On Demand! This celebratory film explores what makes Doctor Who fans so special, and how not only has the show influenced them, but how they have influenced the show in return!

Featuring interviews with actress Louise Jameson, and members of the production team like Robert Shearman and prop builder Nick Robatto, this documentary is sure to “strike a chord with any Doctor Who Fan” (Who-News.com). They also take a trip across the globe to meet Michelle Osorio, a filmmaker from California who just so happens to have a Dalek named Gary in her garage! Most importantly though they speak to the fans, as without them, Doctor Who wouldn’t have been back on our screens for a 50th anniversary episode and this film would never have been made! “A thought-provoking and affectionate look at how fandom has evolved in 50 years” (The Gallifrey Times), this is one documentary you really can’t afford to miss!

With a string of 5 star reviews under their belt, ‘Doctor Who: Celebrating 50 Years of Fandom’ really is a must for any fan! Joe Lidster, writer for Torchwood, The Sarah Jane Adventures and a string of Big Finish stories called it a “fantastic and insightful documentary that shows the fun fandom can bring!”, while Lisa Bowerman (Karra in ‘Survival’ and Bernice Summerfield for Big Finish) commented that 50 Years of fandom “reflects absolutely, and with huge affection the impact Doctor Who has had on peoples' lives. It plots the progress of fandom in all its diversity - talks to the people who know, and treats its subject with great respect. Brilliant.” 

‘Doctor Who: Celebrating 50 Years of Fandom’ is available to purchase from their official website at www.ftsmedia.co.uk, priced at £9.99 for the DVD (here) or £13.99 for the Blu-ray (here) 

There’s also a whopping 70 minutes of Special Features on the Blu-ray version of the film, including full-length interviews with Louise Jameson & Robert Shearman, and an EXCLUSIVE 10 Questions with Louise, where she answers YOUR questions. Want to know if she’s worn her Leela costume since leaving the show? Then you’ll have to buy the Blu-ray to find out!

+  Celebrating 50 Years Of Fandom is Out Now, priced £9.99 (DVD) / £13.99 (Blu-ray).

[Source: FTS Media]

British singer-songwriter Foxes will perform a track and appear in the new series of Doctor Who, which lands this August on BBC One.

Foxes, speaking about her casting said:

"I can't believe I'm actually going to be in an episode of Doctor Who! Especially as it all came about from a chance meeting. I was playing a gig and got chatting to the show's production team who'd been watching my performance. I was telling them how much I loved Doctor Who and next thing they invited me to be on it. I couldn't think of a better place to make my acting debut than on one of the UK's most iconic shows!"

Steven Moffat, lead writer and executive producer, said:

"We are completely thrilled that the amazingly talented Foxes is joining us on board ... well, you'll see. Let's just say, The Doctor is finally catching up on his phone calls."

Grammy award-winning Foxes has recently been on tour in the UK, supporting her album Glorious, which recently debuted top 5 in the official album chart. This follows on from her three hit singles - Youth, Let Go For Tonight and Holding Onto Heaven.

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

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

[Source: BBC Media Centre]

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]

The BBC have confirmed that Series 8 of Doctor Who will launch in August 2014.

To whet fans appetites until then, a short 15-second teaser trailer was launched today which features the Doctor Who logo followed by flashes of Peter Capaldi's Doctor inside the TARDIS.

Watch the trailer in the player, below:
[youtube:QYN6ruU672Y] 
Get in touch:
What do you think of the teaser trailer? Discuss via the Forum link or in the Comments box below!  

[Source: BBC]

Doctor Who: The Day Of The Doctor, the 50th anniversary special of the BBC sci-fi show, has been crowned the Radio Times Audience Award winner at the 2014 Arqiva British Academy Television Awards. 

The only award at the TV Baftas decided by the public, the Audience Award was voted for by tens of thousands of people on RadioTimes.com during April and early May.  

In a keenly fought race, the Doctor Who special, written by showrunner Steven Moffat, saw off stiff competition for the prize in the shape of Broadchurch, Breaking Bad, Gogglebox, Educating Yorkshire and The Great British Bake Off.  

The Day Of The Doctor aired on 23rd November 2013, exactly 50 years after the first episode of Doctor Who, An Unearthly Child starring William Hartnell, was screened and introduced the Time Lord and TARDIS to the world for the very first time.   

Broadcast simultaneously to 94 countries across the globe in both 2D and 3D, the 75-minute episode was the television event of 2013.  Starring Matt Smith and Jenna Coleman, the episode saw the return of former TARDIS incumbents David Tennant and Billie Piper, as well as a featuring role for legendary veteran British actor John Hurt as the War Doctor.  With a cameo from incoming incarnation of the Time Lord Peter Capaldi and a glimpse of former TARDIS favourite Tom Baker, the episode was without doubt one of the most spectacular chapters in the show's long and illustrious history.  

Described as "a love letter to fans", the episode attracted 12.8 million viewers on British television, with a further 2.4 million watching the US simulcast on BBC America - breaking the channel's all-time record.  The show also took the record for the most requested programme on the BBC's iPlayer, enjoying almost 3 million streams before the end of 2013.  

There were big numbers for the anniversary special in the cinema too, with cinema takings of over £1.7 million in the UK pushing Doctor Who to number three in the UK cinema box office in the week of airing, and the show pulling in more than $10 million across the world in movie theatres.  

Doctor Who: The Day Of The Doctor is the second Radio Times Audience Award winner.  The 2013 award was won by HBO fantasy drama Game Of Thrones, shown in the UK on Sky Atlantic.  

[Source: Radio Times]

Doctor Who is arguably one of the finest British sci-fi productions ever. In fact, this highly acclaimed TV series featuring The Doctor (a Time Lord) - just yesterday won the 2014 British Academy Television Award for ‘The Day Of The Doctor’, as-voted by Radio Times readers for their ‘Audience Award'

In 2011 a BAFTA television award for best actor was presented to Matt Smith – the first time in the history of the show that such an accolade was awarded. More significantly, Doctor Who holds the record for the longest running sci-fi series on TV in the Guinness Book of Records. The show first aired in 1963 to 1989, for 26 seasons. It was picked up again in 2005 and is already in its 7th season.

The premise of the show for those who have not had the pleasure of seeing it is about an alien time traveller known as the The Doctor who explores the universe in his TARDIS. Of course there are many enemy combatants along the way, but The Doctor is tasked with saving civilization and helping ordinary people at every juncture.

It has become a popular cult favourite in the UK and indeed across the United States of America. Television producers certainly hit jackpot pay dirt when they decided to reintroduce Doctor Who back in 2005. There's certainly no gamble when it comes to this show’s popularity. The Time Traveller seems to have it all figured out – much like a skilled card player employs blackjack strategy while sussing out opponents at the table!

Long may the show continue to wow audiences, far into the future!

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]

In this week’s Radio Times, on sale Today (for listings 17th-23rd May 2014) Steven Moffat recalls writing The Day Of The Doctor, revealing it was the most “difficult” and “terrifying” thing he has ever written and reveals why he chose Peter Capaldi to be the new Doctor.

Steven Moffat writes:

“When you choose a Doctor, you want somebody who is utterly compelling, attractive in a very odd way. None of the Doctors are conventionally attractive, but they’re all arresting. Handsome men don’t quite suit. Matt Smith’s a young, good-looking bloke from one angle but is actually the strangest looking man from another. You need that oddity; you need somebody who is carved out of solid star, really. Doctor Who is a whopping great star vehicle, despite the fact it changes star every so often.” 

The Day Of The Doctor is one of the nominees for this year’s Radio Times Audience Award at the British Academy Television Awards 2014 – the only BAFTA award open to public vote. Voting is open until 12pm Thursday 15th May, the winner will be announced on Sunday 18th May.

The new issue of Radio Times also includes 16-page guide to the Bafta TV Awards 2014 featuring David Attenborough, Dominic West, Rory Kinnear, Helen George, Laura Carmichael, Natalie Dormer and much, MUCH more...

+  Radio Times is out Today, priced £1.80.

+  Buy this issue of Radio Times as well as past issues from CompareTheDalek.com!

[Source: Radio Times]

Doctor Who Executive Producer and Head Writer, Steven Moffat has teased that The 12th Doctor may be headed back to a planet he visited in the 5th Doctor adventure, Planet Of Fire.

Speaking in a press release issued today, which also confirms the casting of Hermione Norris in Series 8, Moffat said:

“For the first time since 1984, the Doctor Who production team is heading to Lanzarote. The Doctor is returning to the scene of an old adventure - but there have been sinister changes since his last visit." 

On Norris' casting Moffat added:

“It's a testament to the quality of Peter Harness's intense and emotional script, that we've been able to attract an actress of the brilliance of Hermione Norris."

Speaking about her casting, Hermione Norris said:

"It's exciting to be part of such an iconic show, and one that my kids can watch!!!"

Norris has recently been starring in The Crimson Field on BBC One, and is no stranger to solving mysteries having played Ros Myers in the BAFTA award-winning drama Spooks. Prior to that she starred in comedy-drama Cold Feet.

The episode is written by Peter Harness (Jonathan Strange And Mr Norrell, Wallander), produced by Peter Bennett and directed by Paul Wilmshurst (Strike Back, Combat Kids). The episode also stars Ellis George, Tony Osoba and Phil Nice.

+  Series 8 will air in Late August / Early September 2014.

Get in touch:
Do you think The 12th Doctor will be going back to Sarn? Discuss via the Forum link or in the Comments box below!  

[Source: BBC Press Office]

Yesterday, we were shocked and saddened to hear the news that Big Finish Production Assistant and Producer, Paul Spragg had died.

Paul had worked at Big Finish for over 5 years, and as well as his behind-the-scenes work, Paul provided customers and website owners and bloggers with the most fantastic service and upbeat attitude to his work which he clearly loved.

Big Finish posted a news item on their site, stating:

"Paul had worked with us for over five years and had become an essential member of the team. We will remember him for his tireless diligence, his total dedication to his job, his cheery nature, his hilarious sense of humour and his kindness and friendship.

He had relatively recently become editor of Vortex magazine (a promotion he was given 'live' on a podcast).

His work behind the scenes on contracts, script distribution, proof-reading, cover layout, studio management, CD Extra interviews, the website and so much more made him vital to the company's operations." 

Doctor Who Magazine Editor and friend of Paul since he was 11, Tom Spilsbury, posted a poignant and heartfelt tribute on his blog, here. 

On a personal level, Paul was the guy who provided DWO with all our Big Finish covers for our site reviews and merchandise guide. From the many emails we have bounced back and forth over the years, he had a great sense of humour and was one of the fastest email repliers out there!

Paul's partner, Natalie Hayden, issued a statement on Facebook, yesterday.

"To all of you that I didn't manage to text yesterday (I couldn't get round to everyone): there is sad news that Paul died yesterday suddenly. He'd been unwell for a few weeks, and was due to go to the GPs yesterday. But he was too breathless to be able to make it in to the surgery, so they phoned him instead. They arranged for a non-emergency ambulance to come and take him to hospital so he could be monitored. When they arrived, he was talking to them normally, and then had a seizure. He came out of that one, then had another seizure, during which his heart stopped and he stopped breathing. The ambulance crew tried to resuscitate him for two hours at home, and then took him to hospital where they tried for a further half an hour, but couldn't bring him round."

DWO would like to pass on our condolences to the Paul's friends and family, as well as the Big Finish family.

[Source: Big Finish]

Ex-Doctor Who actor Matt Smith has been cast in the new Terminator movie trilogy, Paramount Pictures confirmed today.

Below is from today's official press release:

Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions announced today that “Doctor Who” star Matt Smith will join the cast of the upcoming “TERMINATOR” reboot.

Smith will play a new character with a strong connection to John Connor, alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jason Clarke, Emilia Clarke, Jai Courtney, J.K. Simmons, Dayo Okeniyi and Byung Hun Lee.

Alan Taylor is directing the film from a screenplay by Laeta Kalogridis and Patrick Lussier. David Ellison and Dana Goldberg of Skydance Productions are producing. Skydance’s Paul Schwake, Annapurna Pictures’ Megan Ellison, Kalogridis and Lussier are executive producing.

Smith is best known for playing The Doctor on the popular “Doctor Who” television series during the 2011-2103 seasons. His other television credits include “Christopher and His Kind,” “Moses Jones,” and “The Street.” He can be seen next on the big screen in “LOST RIVER,” directed by Ryan Gosling, alongside Christina Hendricks, Saoirse Ronan and Eva Mendes.

He is represented by United Talent Agency and Michael Duff at Troika.

The “TERMINATOR” franchise launched in 1984 with Schwarzenegger as the title character and spanned three subsequent films, which have earned more than $1 billion at the worldwide box office.

+  Terminator: Genesis will distribute worldwide on 1st July 2015.

[Source: Deadline]