In a heartwarming gesture, Matt Smith (The 11th Doctor) has filmed a short video message for ill Doctor Who fan, ‘Jack’ from Denmead.

In the video filmed in Texas, America, Matt slowly pans down the camera before singing part of the Doctor Who theme tune.

He then tells Jack he will send him some goodies and try to visit him when he gets back to England.

Jack, who has an inoperable brain tumour, is a massive Doctor Who fan. Since his diagnosis last month, friends and family have rallied around to makes Jack’s wishes come true.

His dad Terry, 47, said:

“Jack was over the moon. Gary Barlow tweeted he had a message from Matt Smith, but we didn’t expect this, thank you Gary. And thank you to Darren Langford, a well-wisher, who said he had also been in contact with Matt. Not sure which person he responded too, but we are grateful that he has.”

Mr Robinson, of Bere Road, added:

“Jack had gone to sleep, but we woke him up to show him the message. His eyes just lit up and he was so delighted. It has made his day.”

Watch the video in the player, below:



[Source: Portsmouth News]

After a successful Kickstater campaign last April that raised over $10,000 in funds (82% over their original goal) and had 300+ backers from 22 different countries; PixelWho is going strong and already looking ahead to new pieces that are in the works.

The newest news is that PixelWho is looking to do another Kickstarter campaign to help fund their 9th Doctor poster creation. The image of the poster will be revealed when they launch the campaign, but for now there are plenty of 9th Doctor poster previews on their Facebook page.

The art project continues to grow in its third year. The PixelWho project is focused on recreating Doctor Who characters in 8-bit art style. The goal of the project is to be the most complete visual catalog and character dictionary for all 50 years (and counting) of Doctor Who in order to celebrate the creativity and dedication of the all the artists who have worked on the program.

The project seeks to document every character, both significant and incidental, from every Doctor's respective move/series runs. The artist, Nathan Skreslet, freeze frames DVDs and scours episode screen captures and publicity photos in order to recreate each character accurately and roughly to scale in pixel form. Every pixel is individually laid by hand; no computer conversion program is used. His art is a true labor of love which requires dedication and time.

Thanks to the successful Kickstarter campaign their newest 4th Doctor poster set was printed and is now available. It covers all of Tom Baker's epic 7 seasons run represented over two posters with over 700 characters in total. The 10th Doctor (David Tennant) and 1st Doctor (William Hartnell) poster prints are also available as well. All the Doctor posters are limited edition and individually hand-numbered, only 500 of each Doctor's posters have been made.

PixelWho has expanded to include smaller prints as well. A print featuring 11 Doctors set against a Gallifreyan symbol print was created, along with collectible character cards, and weatherproof vinyl TARDIS sticker. There's also a Tom Baker face print for 4th Doctor fans. Also don't forget the popular Every Dalek poster which chronicles the changes to the Dalek design from 1963 up to the "Asylum of the Daleks" episode, as well as the various incarnations of Davros. There's also an Every Doctor Bookmark to help keep those book pages in line.

PixelWho has also recreated the Van Gogh Exploding TARDIS image in 8-bit style. As with every art piece they do, each and every pixel is individually placed for this re-creation. Creating a swirly and flowing Van Gogh inspired artwork is not easy when limited to only using pixel squares and half pixel triangles, but it's carried off beautifully. There's even a miniature Vincent Van Gogh in the corner painting the image as a well placed Easter egg.

Interested in owning the latest artworks by PixelWho? Visit their Etsy shop at www.etsy.com/shop/PixelWho and like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PixelWho to get updates on their art projects. Nathan is now sharing preview images of the 9th Doctor poster on their Facebook page.

If you'd like to meet the artist in real life, he goes to several conventions a year and a convention schedule is listed on PixelWho's Facebook page. Both he and his wife, PixelWho's manager, love going to science fiction and comics conventions where they get to meet fans in real life, and frequently attend in cosplay themselves. Please help support this independent artist as he strives to be pixel perfect in providing a complete visual character dictionary and illustrated episode guide for Doctor Who fans.

[Source: PixelWho]

 Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Written By: Nicholas Briggs, Alan Barnes & Matt Fitton

RRP: £20.00 (CD) / £20.00 (Download)

Release Date: February 2014

Reviewed by: Matthew Davis for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 17th February 2014

When the Doctor defeated the Dalek Time Controller and its Time Lord ally, the timelines shifted and events changed... but the danger is far from over. And new threats to the continued safety of the universe are emerging.

Molly O'Sullivan carried on with her life as a nursing assistant in World War One. She probably thought she would never see the Doctor in his 'Tardy-box' again...

From the Dalek occupied planet Nixyce VII through Earth's history and to the very edge of the universe, the Doctor's footprints across eternity are being tracked by foes old and new. But when did it all begin and when will it end? Living his life through the complexities of time travel, the Doctor can never be quite sure if he's experiencing his life in the most helpful order. The only certainty appears to be the advance of the powers of evil and the oncoming threat of a fight to the death against forces that would destroy everything the Doctor holds dear.

* * *

This really is a great period for The Eighth Doctor. After the huge success of the first award winning Dark Eyes, Paul McGann returned to the role of The Doctor in the extremely well-received Night of the Doctor. His brief but perfect performance got many fans unfamiliar with his portrayal very curious. 

Who was this mysterious Doctor who had previously had only one television adventure? And just who were those companions he listed off before turning into John Hurt?

Interest in The Eighth Doctor was at an all time high and Big Finish must have been leaping for joy, for not only being made cannon but I’m sure an increased interest in their excellent output by new listeners.

So it makes me doubly happy to say that the joyous wave for Paul McGann gets even higher with the release of Dark Eyes 2, a brilliant collection of stories that continues to push The Eighth Doctor into new and exciting territory.

Following a non-linear narrative told over 4 parts, Dark Eyes 2 excels in great storytelling and excellent characterisation. Knowledge of the previous Dark Eyes is essential as in some aspects of the main narrative it explicitly harks back to that story. 

But Dark Eyes 2 thankfully does not bog itself down too much in continuity as these linked stories are cracking tales in their own right.

Nicholas Briggs, who held sole writing duties on the first Dark Eyes only takes the first part whilst handing over writing duties of the rest to Alan Barnes and Matt Fitton. 

I shall not to go too much in depth into the storyline as there is so much to enjoy here and far too many surprises. What I can talk about is the fascinating story thread of the character of The Doctor.

The writers have really taken on board the direction of The Eighth Doctor as being the reluctant warrior. Whilst his previous incarnation had been the grand manipulator who had made difficult choices for the greater good, The Eighth Doctor makes them out of reluctance. He has seen so much death, the aftermath of which was explored in the first Dark Eyes, and he just wants to help make a difference to the universe without having to sacrifice anymore of those he cares about. It is a fascinating direction for a character that started out as a more romantic type. In light of what happens to the character in Night of the Doctor, the course taken here in Dark Eyes 2 is perfectly in line with The Eighth’s Doctor’s eventual fate. 

The performances from the main cast are excellent. Paul McGann is fantastic once again in the role and he really develops his performance throughout the stories.

Ruth Bradley makes a very welcome return as Molly O’ Sullivan joined by the excellent Nicola Walker as Liv Chenka, a character first seen in Nicholas Briggs' sublime Robophobia. Both characters are brilliant foils for the Doctor in different ways, and both have their own different experiences of The Doctor in the Dark Eyes 2 which creates some excellent dramatic tension and a unique perspective throughout. Nicholas Briggs steps behind the microphone not only as The Daleks but the delightfully devious Dalek Time Controller making a return appearance after the dramatic conclusion to the first Dark Eyes.

In a series of stories with returning characters, one of the sheer highlights is Alex Macqueen returning as the Master, a role he made completely his own in the excellent UNIT: Dominion.

It is difficult to find any fault with Dark Eyes 2, as a lot of steps have been taken to ensure this has all the quality of its predecessor but pushing it in new and tantalizing directions. 

With a superb cliff-hanger to conclude it, this reviewer cannot wait for Dark Eyes 3.

To celebrate the release of recently recovered missing Doctor Who adventure The Web of Fear on DVD, a marathon screening of the story, and preceding adventure The Enemy of the World has been announced by BBC Worldwide and Prince Charles Cinema, in association with BFI.

The twelve 25-minute episodes will be shown back to back at London's Prince Charles Cinema on Saturday 22nd February at 11:15am. Tickets will go on sale from 9:00am on 14th February 2014 from www.princecharlescinema.com, and are priced £14 (£11.50 Prince Charles Cinema members).

The screening will be followed by a 45 minute Q&A session with key cast members from the episodes as well as a member of the Troughton family. The panel will be chaired by writer, actor and Doctor Who fan Toby Hadoke.

Nine of the episodes from these classic stories were missing and feared lost forever before they were returned to the BBC by television archive expert Philip Morris in 2013, after he located them in Nigeria.

+  Download The Enemy Of The World for £9.99 via iTunes in the UK.
+  Download The Enemy Of The World for $9.99 via iTunes in the USA.
+  Order The Enemy Of The World DVD on BBC Shop for just £13.99!

+  Download The Web Of Fear for £9.99 via iTunes in the UK.
+  Download The Web Of Fear for $9.99 via iTunes in the USA.
+  Order The Web Of Fear DVD on BBC Shop for just £13.99!

+  Follow Doctor Who Online on Twitter (@DrWhoOnline)!

[Sources: BBC Worldwide]

It is with deepest regret that DWO announces the passing of Classic Series Doctor Who Director, Christopher Barry.

Christopher was perhaps best known to Doctor Who fans for directing the Classic Series adventures; The Daleks, The Rescue, The Romans, The Savages, The Power of The Daleks, The Daemons, The Mutants, Robot, The Brain Of Morbius and The Creature From The Pit.

He was one of only three people to direct stories featuring the first four Doctors (William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker).

DWO would like to extend our sympathies to Christopher's family and friends.

[Source: Tim Vine]

Time is running out! This issue will no longer be available from 26th March 2014 so make sure you don’t miss out. From the lavish presentation pack to a beautifully framed set of stamps, the Royal Mail Doctor Who stamp collection offers fans the perfect souvenir of the world’s longest running science fiction series. 

Explore the Doctor Who collection now at Doctor Who Stamps at Royal Mail Shop or call one of the team on 08457 641 641 (+44 131 316 7483 from overseas) who will be more than happy to help. Phone lines are open between the hours of 8.30am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. 

+  Explore the collection now at Doctor Who Stamps at Royal Mail Shop.

[Source: Royal Mail]

Here at DWO, we love to get behind a great Kickstarter project, and one of our old team members, George Watson (creator of our awesome Series 4 flash animations), has teamed up with Doctor Who Writer, Tom MacRae, for an awesome short film project titled 'Time Tramp'.

'Time Tramp' is the story of brothers Sammy and George who come across a tramp living in a shed claiming to be from the future.

Written by Tom MacRae ('Doctor Who', 'Threesome', 'Lewis', 'As If'), directed by George Watson ('Twelve', 'Child') and produced by Tom Webb ('Twelve', 'Child'), 'Time Tramp' is a coming-of-age story set somewhere between the real world and the imagination of the younger of the two brothers that the story follows. The pre and early teenage years are some of our most formative, children find themselves torn between wanting to be old enough to cross the road by themselves rather than hold mummy’s hand, but also young enough to still be lost in their own imaginary worlds. This story crosses those two worlds.

George (14) and his younger brother Sammy (8) live in a small council flat in London’s docklands. They are just a stone’s throw from the vast financial citadel that is the Canary Wharf district, but they might as well be in another world. And Sammy often is. He spends his time dreaming of ‘Space City’, the world that he imagines and the gods and monsters that occupy that world. Back in reality the two brothers spend their time trawling the Thamesmead post-industrial wasteland, George always looking after his dreamer younger brother. One day they come across the TRAMP after he saves young Sammy’s life when he slips off a roof. The tramp claims to be from the future and to have important information that will change both their lives for the better. Sammy, of course, is quick to believe him, whilst George remains cautiously cynical. The information that he wishes to impart is that Sammy has something special to offer the world, but it is up to George to make the right decisions to ensure he gets there.

'Time Tramp' is a short film with a heart warming story aimed at the whole family. It is the third collaboration between up-and-coming director George Watson, and producer Tom Webb, and the first time the pair will have worked with the incredibly talented writer Tom MacRae, who as George's mentor, came to write the script due to his passion for the story.

The reason the team are utilising crowd funding is because of the ambition of the project. The last short they worked on was the intense relationship drama 'Twelve' (recently shown at the London Short Film Festival) which stared BAFTA winner Monica Dolan, and Joseph Mawle, but this is a much bigger adventure! The shoot will be predominantly outside - using London's ever changing docklands landscape as a fourth character - there is a stunt, many visual effects that capture the imaginations of the young boys, and none of that comes cheap! The other reason is so that the audience for the film - you! - can stay in constant contact with the filmmakers, and let them know your thoughts and have your input, in what will be a two-way process. 

This film is for its audience, the team want you to be involved at all stages, and that is why many of the rewards include visits to the set and even the opportunity to star as an extra! So, please pledge generously...!

Watch the promotional trailer, below:

+ Support the 'Time Tramp' Kickstarter Project!

[Sources: Ben Stoddart, George Watson]

Here at the Post Office Shop we were engrossed by The Day of the Doctor special TV episode to mark 50 years of Doctor Who as well as the Christmas special The Time of the Doctor. 

The Day of the Doctor celebrating 50 years of Doctor Who certainly lived up to our expectations here at the Post Office Shop. Viewing figures prove that Doctor Who achieved his own worldwide domination with this one-off show!

It appears that sci-fi fans of the TV series from all four corners of the globe witnessed the one-off  75 minute TV drama marking the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who with the fervour generated likened to a Royal Wedding or a momentous Sporting Occasion.

In the UK alone, the Doctor Who 50th anniversary special featuring Matt Smith and former Time Lord David Tennant achieved an average television audience of 10.2 million.

It wasn't just millions of people glued to their TV sets at homes up and down the country and worldwide though – more than half a million tickets were sold for cinema screenings at 1500 venue around the world with The Day of the Doctor making more than £6m in box office takings in its first three days.

A month later the final part in a loose trilogy of episodes, The Time of the Doctor followed The Name of the Doctor and The Day of the Doctor and was the farewell episode for Matt Smith. The Time of the Doctor also marked the first regular appearance of Peter Capaldi as the twelfth doctor following his brief cameo in The Day of the Doctor. It was actually the 800th episode of the science fiction phenomenon and also featured Jenna Coleman as the Doctor's companion Clara Oswald. 

Aired on Christmas Day, The Time of the Doctor addressed numerous plots developed over Matt Smith's tenure including the prophecy of the Silence and the Doctor's fate on the planet Trenzalore. Notable enemies encountered by the Doctor included the Cybermen, Silence, Daleks and Weeping Angels in the festive special was witnessed by 8.3 million viewers. 

Doctor Who was in fact the second most watched programme across all channels on Christmas Day with the popularity of Doctor Who continuing to fascinate sci-fi fans both young and old. So now it's over to Peter Capaldi and here's to another 50 years of everyone's favourite Doctor as the Time Lord continues to travel through time in his TARDIS.

[Source: Post Office Shop]

Doctor Who Magazine have sent DWO the cover and details for Issue 470 of DWM.

The new issue of Doctor Who Magazine is out now, and looks back on Matt Smith's four years as the Doctor.

"A big part of me wanted to stay because it’s a wonderful job and he’s a wonderful character. My life will never be the same. I’ll never play another part quite like this…"

Also in this issue:

-  Model-maker extraordinaire MIKE TUCKER and members of the Model Unit talk exclusively to DWM about creating the visual effects for Doctor Who in 1980s.
-  Doctor Who's new executive producer BRIAN MINCHIN writes exclusively for DWM in Production Notes.
-  A detailed look at the Fact of Fiction of 1980's Meglos.
-  The Blood of Azrael – the first part of a new comic strip adventure for the Doctor and Clara.
-  The Time Team welcome Donna aboard the TARDIS as they watch Partners in Crime
-  A preview of the recently rediscovered The Web of Fear on DVD.
-  A review of the newly released Moonbase DVD from Matthew Sweet.
-  Jacqueline Rayner debates the ethics of telling the truth to her children in Relative Dimensions.
-  The Watcher his favourite Doctor Who planets, and outs another helpless supporting artiste in Wotcha!.
-  Reviews of the latest DVDs, CDs and books.
-  Competitions, puzzles, and much more!

+  Doctor Who Magazine Issue #470 is out on Thursday 6th February, priced £4.99.

+  Subscribe Worldwide to DWM for just £85.00 via CompareTheDalek!

+  Check Out The DWO Guide to Doctor Who Magazine!

[Source: Doctor Who Magazine]

New Series Director, Ben Wheatley was recently interviewed for Science and Entertainment News site, io9, about the upcoming Eighth Series of Doctor Who, in which he describes it as "More like Classic Who".

Wheatley talks about the dark nature of the show and how Series 8 feels like it's going back to Doctor Who's darker roots:

"Oh yeah, Doctor Who is pretty dark, I think. Generally it's dark, it's always been dark. Even in the more modern ones. If you look at the Tom Baker stuff, it's especially dark. When he leaves Leela - who's a very beloved assistant - he just laughs after it. There's none of the [breaking down and crying]. He just laughs, and "on to the next one," you know. It's a bonkers show. It's a monster. To have a unity that runs eight years [of the new series]… it's pretty crazy.

They've done everything, they've tried all sorts of stuff. It seems to me the episodes that we're doing now seem more like classic Who. We're going back to that style. But you'll have to wait and see."

Wheatley also talks about Peter Capaldi's casting as The Doctor:

"With someone like Capaldi, he's a massive Who fan. He knows Who inside out. And everything he does is very, carefully planned and thought about. I remember when they first started talking to me about doing it, and I was very nervous for just those reasons. How do you shape this performance?

But then when I heard who was going to do it — when they told me it was Capaldi, [I thought] that's not really a problem. He's so good. I was relieved, pretty much. It would have been a very different situation if it had been another kind of Matt Smith character. A guy who you don't know. Molded from the start. But with Capaldi, you look at his career and you look at his performances they are all so brilliant, and all so different as well. It was a lucky break for me, I think that.

It was something I sought out. I got my agent to kind of badger them about doing, because I was a fan as a kid. But also because my kid was a fan of the show and I wanted to make something that he could see, for a change. That was it. And it's been very geeky indeed. Going into the TARDIS, I held the Sonic Screwdriver the other day, and that was a particular thrill. All sorts of stuff. Also stuff I can't talk about, that's been very, very exciting for me."

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

[Source: io9]

Following the recent success of their Doctor Who Coins, New Zealand Mint are releasing a new five-coin series featuring Doctor Who Monsters.

The Doctor Who Monsters series is a limited mintage of 5000 coins only per release, and is crafted from ½ Ounce of fine silver (0.999). Each coin is sold with an individual presentation case, along with an individually numbered certificate of authenticity. Like recent releases, the coins will be issued under the licensing authority of Niue.

New Zealand Mint showcased this series at the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Celebration in London last November, and so it is exciting to now see the final product ready to ship. 

As a special value add for customers who purchase from their website, New Zealand Mint have reserved a block of the low certificate numbers in the series, numbers 50-999. These will be exclusively for their retail customers.

In addition, everyone who purchases the Dalek coin will have the opportunity to receive identically numbered certificates for each further release in the series, i.e if you get Dalek coin number 179, then you can also have number 179 of the next coin, and the next e.t.c.

Link: http://www.nzmint.com/coins/shop-online/doctor-who-monsters-daleks

[Source: New Zealand Mint]

With the reveal of The 12th Doctor's outfit earlier this week, we have been inundated with requests from fans wanting to know where they can buy it. DWO have done some digging, and we are thrilled to unveil our first 'Get The Look' guide!

View our image to accompany the guide, in the right-hand column!

Get The Look: The 12th Doctor 

Coat
by 'Crombie'
'Retro' Coat - Dark Blue with Red lining
Available at: www.crombie.co.uk

Cardigan
by 'Crombie'
Navy Merino Wool
Available at: www.crombie.co.uk

Boots
by 'Loake'
'Brogue' - Black, smooth leather
Available at: www.loake.co.uk or www.britboot.co.uk

Shirt
by 'Crombie'
White, 'Tommy Nutter' long-staple, cotton poplin
Available at: www.crombie.co.uk

Trousers
by Unknown Designer
Dark Blue

There have been online disputes questioning the designer of the boots, with the BBC initially reporting they were Dr Martens. DWO can confirm that the boots are in fact Loake's, and Peter Capaldi got them himself. Nicholas Roumana, the store owner of the Camden Town branch, told The Telegraph:

“Peter Capaldi came in a week or two before Christmas and said he was looking for a pair of smart dress boots. I suggested this one, because not only is it very smart, it’s exclusive to us and made in England. It’s a great boot. He bought it in size 10.”

What do you think of the costume? Leave your comments below, or in the DWO Forums!

[Source: DWO]

Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Written By: Matt Fitton

RRP: £12.99 (CD) / £9.99 (Download)

Release Date: January 2014

Reviewed by: Matthew Davis for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 31st January 2014

The search for the final segment of the Key to Time takes the Doctor and the First Romana to Ancient Rome. The Time Lady is appalled when her companion prefers to watch the latest Plautus comedy rather than complete their mission, and is even less delighted to meet the playwright himself.

But all is not what it seems, either onstage or behind the scenes…

In the far, far future, the Second Romana is destined to have her own encounter with a legacy of Rome, but Stoyn has been waiting. And his actions will set Romana on a collision course with her own past.

Quadrigger Stoyn wants his final revenge on the Doctor, and only Romana stands in his way.

Both of her.

* * *

The Stoyn trilogy comes to a close in the first Companion Chronicle of the year, and despite great ambition the story doesn’t feel quite as strong a finale as perhaps it could’ve been.

Luna Romana was originally written to have included Mary Tamm, but in light of Tamm’s recent passing, the story was rewritten. Tamm’s part is taken by Juliet Landau who portrays a future incarnation of Romana who first appeared in the spin off series Gallifrey VI. Landau proceeds to tell her side of the story as a recollection of her time as the first Romana during the events of the Key to Time.

Landau’s performance is certainly lovely but not as full of gusto as Lalla Ward when she takes over narration during the second episode. Indeed Lalla’s narration is perhaps the strongest part of this release and although Landau does a fine job, you really do begin to miss Mary Tamm’s presence. It would have been lovely to see a more authentic comparison between both incarnations of the character would’ve been fascinating but sadly of course this was not to be.

The Stoyn trilogy has been of a mixed run of stories for me personally. I found overall The Beginning by Marc Platt to be the strongest of the trilogy. The character is still played wonderfully by Terry Molloy but he does seem an odd choice of antagonist for a run of stories set to celebrate the 50th anniversary. Indeed the character’s resolution is rather horrible considering that the poor man was taken out of time by the criminal actions of the Doctor. 

Four episodes seems rather too much for this story as there are moments which can be quite easily written off as padding. This is a shame as there are some great ideas in the story but I personally think that it would’ve benefitted as a two parter, with the narrative intercutting between both Romanas throughout.

Whatever the story‘s faults, what cannot be overlooked are the very touching moments when it pays tribute to the first Romana and the legacy of Mary Tamm. Her contribution to the character and her contribution to Big Finish before her were tremendous and it is good to see it recognised here, and Juliet Landau delivers the closing lines with real compassion.

Luna Romana is an interesting but not entirely satisfying conclusion to an unusual trilogy of stories. 

The Doctor Who 50th Anniversary special, The Day Of The Doctor was the third most-watched programme on BBC iPlayer for 2013, the BBC has confirmed.

The special episode, which saw The 11th Doctor (Matt Smith) team up with The 10th Doctor (David Tennant) and John Hurt's War Doctor, received a total of over 3,144,000 individual requests.

Also making it into the top 20 were The Bells Of Saint John at position 9 with 2,610,000 requests and The Rings Of Akhaten at position 17 with 2,289,000 requests.

Victoria Jaye, Head of TV Content for BBC iPlayer, says:

“2013 has been a fantastic year for iPlayer. We’ve begun the journey to transform iPlayer from a TV catch-up service into an online TV destination in its own right with the introduction of iPlayer exclusive content and programme premiering. We’re delighted by the audience response to both. As we move into 2014, we will originate more exclusive programmes for iPlayer, as well as offer an ambitious range of content to complement our biggest brands and events.”

Dan Taylor, Head of BBC iPlayer for BBC Future Media, says:

“With 3 billion programme requests across over 1,000 devices, 2013 was another record-breaking year for BBC iPlayer. We're delighted that iPlayer is enabling more and more people to enjoy the fantastic shows we create when and where they want.” 

[Source: BBC Media Centre]

The BBC have unveiled the costume that Peter Capaldi will wear as The 12th Doctor!

The Doctor has a new look as Peter Capaldi’s era officially begins. In an image (pictured-right) released today by the BBC, Capaldi can be seen in the costume that will define his time as the Twelfth Time Lord in one of TV’s biggest roles.

Sporting a dark blue Crombie coat with red lining, dark blue trousers, a white shirt as well as black Dr. Marten shoes, the look was created by Doctor Who costume designer Howard Burden. 

Commenting on his costume, Peter Capaldi said:

“He's woven the future from the cloth of the past. Simple, stark, and back to basics. No frills, no scarf, no messing, just 100 per cent Rebel Time Lord.”

While lead writer and executive producer Steven Moffat added:

“New Doctor, new era, and of course new clothes. Monsters of the universe, the vacation is over - Capaldi is suited and booted and coming to get you!” 

Filming for episode one of series 8 began earlier this month, after 10.2 million tuned-in on Christmas Day to get their first much-anticipated glimpse of Capaldi’s Doctor.

Charlotte Moore, Controller of BBC One, commented:

"Peter Capaldi's Doctor is officially recorded in history today with the unveiling of his new costume.  It's sharp, smart and stylish - The Twelfth Time Lord means business."

What do you think of the costume? Leave your comments below, or in the DWO Forums!

+  Find Out how to Get The Look, in our News item, here.

+  Series 8 of Doctor Who will air Autumn 2014 on BBC One. 

[Source: BBC]

Doctor Who: Dark Eyes, which stars Paul McGann as The Doctor and Ruth Bradley as his new companion Molly, has won Best Online or Non-Broadcast Drama at the 2014 BBC Audio Drama Awards.

The ceremony took place on Sunday, and the award was collected by Nicholas Briggs (writer, director, executive producer and voice of the Daleks), Jason Haigh-Ellery (executive producer) and David Richardson (producer).

Commenting on the win, Doctor Who executive producer Steven Moffat says:

"I am completely thrilled, I am air-punching. In the wilderness years, when Doctor Who was off the air, Big Finish did so much to keep the legend alive in the hearts and minds of the fans. Now, in this time of Who abundance, it is beyond exciting to see their excellent work recognised. Hopefully this award will bring the Big Finish audios to the attention of an even wider public. Recently, on TV, we saw how the Paul McGann Doctor died - now it's time to find out he lived."

Nicholas Briggs says:

"I'm really delighted. It's so lovely to receive such recognition. And the congratulations we've received from our listeners, people at the BBC and Russell T Davies *and* Steve Moffat make it doubly rewarding."

Executive producer Jason Haigh-Ellery says:

"I am thrilled that we have won this prestigious award for Doctor Who: Dark Eyes.  To be recognised for a production by the BBC is an achievement that we should be very proud of. After Nick did his very heartfelt acceptance speech, I nipped up to the podium to thank two people whose support over the years has been more valuable than they would probably want people to know.  I am of course speaking of Russell T Davies and Steven Moffat.  In addition to them, I would also like to thank the small army of people who have worked with Big Finish over the last 15 years of Doctor Who – it’s been hard work – but boy, has it been fun!"

Big Finish producer David Richardson says:

"Someone asked me recently how I might one day look back at working on these Doctor Whos for Big Finish, and I said I’d remember it as the happiest time of my life. For us to win an award while having the privilege of doing such gloriously happy work is indeed an honour. Congratulations to Nick who conceived, developed, wrote and directed Dark Eyes - the whole project was very much his baby, and I was just lucky enough to produce it. And also special mention to Jason, who has made Big Finish the happy and creative company it is, and to Andy Hardwick, for his phenomenal sound design and music."

+  Order Dark Eyes on Amazon.co.uk for £40.00. 

[Source: Big Finish]

Episode #313 of the DWO WhoCast, Doctor Who Podcast is Out Now!

In this week's episode of the DWO WhoCast...

Dave and Thomas take giant steps while walking towards The Moonbase as they look at the latest DVD release and have a natter about all things Cyberman. Also a look at the wacky world of lost episode rumours.  

Listen to Episode #313 of the DWO WhoCast in the player below:

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[Source: DWO]

Here at DWO we regularly get sent some truly fantastic creations from fans, and the latest from Tom Kurzanski are no exception!

Tell your companion how you feel with brand new Who-themed "ValenTime" Cards from Tom Kurzanski's Etsy shop. $10 Limited Edition sets of ten 3" x 4" glossy cards with space on the reverse to fill in the recipient and sender.

Each card boasts a character from the Who-niverse paired with an appropriate Valentine sentiment. Follow the artist on Facebook for future Whovian goodies!

Cards ship worldwide - use coupon code: KIDNEYLOVE for a 10% discount!

[Source: Tom Kurzanski]

Doctor Who and Matt Smith both won awards for the categories they were nominated in at this years National Television Awards.

Doctor Who won the award for Drama, beating off competition from Downton Abbey, Broadchurch and Call The Midwife.

Matt Smith won the award for Drama Performance, beating off competition from Martin Clunes (Doc Martin), Maggie Smith (Downton Abbey) and Miranda Hart (Call The Midwife).

Smith couldn't attend in person to accept the award, with Steven Moffat and Jenna Coleman accepting it on his behalf. Matt recorded a thank you video, which you can view below:

[youtube:goz0PcQW66o]

[Source: National Television Awards]

At this year's Toy Fair, Titans Vinyl Figures have unveiled the figures for their upcoming Doctor Who Gallifrey and Geronimo collections.

From the Geronimo Collection we have the new look Cyberman and the Wooden Cyberman as seen in the 2013 Christmas special The Time Of The Doctor, Clara in her ‘Souffle Girl’ outfit, Rory the Last Centurion, a terrifying Whisper Man, The ‘Monster’ Doctor from The Crimson Horror, John Hurt’s War Doctor, Amy Pond, a shape shifting Zygon, an Ice Warrior, and everyone’s favourite Sontaran butler Strax!

And from the Gallifrey Collection we have The Tenth Doctor in his Sanctuary Base 6 spacesuit and his TARDIS, which someone has graffiti’d with the words ‘Bad Wolf" - with more to be announced!

View a gallery of the upcoming figures, below: 

[Source: Titans Vinyl]

News is coming in thick and fast to DWO HQ from the 2014 Toy Fair in London, this week, and one of the nuggets we're hearing is that there will be another subtle revision to the Doctor Who logo.

If the design we have seen is finalised, there will be a change to the 'H' as well as the removal of the nibs from the D, R, W & H letters.

We have put together a mock-up of the revised logo, which you can view in the right-hand column.

More news as we get it...

[Source: Doctor Who Online]

BBC Worldwide and Titan Comics team up for all-new Doctor Who comic book adventures!

In the universe of Doctor Who, regenerations bring not only a new Doctor but often a fresh look and feel to the series, and BBC Worldwide is bringing that same approach to Doctor Who comics as it signs a new deal with Titan Comics.

The deal will open up the world of Doctor Who and provide fans with new stand alone adventures featuring the Tenth Doctor, Eleventh Doctor and after the new series launch, the Twelfth Doctor. Creative and production teams will be announced in the coming weeks and the first comic books will be released in 2014.

The Doctor Who Christmas special, The Time of the Doctor, saw Matt Smith’s Eleventh Doctor regenerate into the Twelfth Doctor, played by Peter Capaldi. The next season is now in production and will premiere in 2014. In 2013, Doctor Who set ratings and social media records for BBC America.

[Source: BBC Worldwide]

It is with deepest regret that DWO announces the passing of Classic Series Doctor Who Actor, Jerome Willis.

Jerome was perhaps best known to Doctor Who fans for appearing in the Classic Series, 3rd Doctor adventure; The Green Death as Stevens.

Jerome's other career highlights include; Within These Walls, Wish Me Luck and Space Precinct.

DWO would like to extend our sympathies to Jerome's family and friends.

[Source: Neil Marsh]

 Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Written By: Philip Martin

RRP: £14.99 (CD) / £12.99 (Download)

Release Date: January 2014

Reviewed by: Matthew Davis for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 20th January 2014

Future Britain is bankrupt, its corporate owners facing financial ruin. Fortunately, the Universal Monetary Fund, and its slimy representative Sil, are willing to give its President a multi-billion credit bail-out... but terms and conditions apply, and Sil's proposed austerity measures go far beyond mere benefit cuts.

Responding to a distress call, the Doctor and his companion Flip land in a London whose pacified population has been driven largely underground. But the horrors down there in the dark are as nothing to the horrors that await them at ConCorp HQ, where a young biochemist in Sil's employ is working on a permanent solution to the nation's terminal unprofitability.

Because in the final account, Sil plans to make a killing...

* * *

Written as a direct sequel to Mindwarp, Antidote to Oblivion has a lot more in common with Philip Martin’s first entry for Doctor Who, Vengeance on Varos, and that is both its strongest and weakest point.

Like Varos, Antidote to Oblivion has a strong political message this time, focused rather bluntly on the economy and financial crisis. I say bluntly as the story is so obvious with what it is discussing you can almost see it being pointed out by red flashing headlights throughout. 

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing as it allows for a very enjoyable run of black humour even if the plans of the Government become somewhat ludicrously insane towards the end. I assume what Martin is getting at is that desperation can make even the most moral of people commit the most monstrous acts. 

Whatever issues I had with the story I cannot say entirely the same for the main cast.

Colin Baker plays the Doctor fantastically and his interaction with Sil really brings out the very best of the Sixth Doctor’s character.

As for Sil, played wonderfully once again by Nabil Shaban, he lifts the whole piece up. Shaban’s delightfully slimy and villainous performance is the real highlight of the whole story. 

Lisa Greenwood returns as Flip and despite a spirited performance she is let down somewhat by the material. At times she is reduced to generic companion dialogue throughout the script but Greenwood is so charming in the role that you can overlook it. Flip is certainly one of the best companions Big Finish have created and I want to see much more from her, especially as she was so good in her first run of stories in 2012.

Despite some great performances from the supporting cast, their material is not as interesting as when the action shifts back to the main characters. That isn’t to say the material they work with is bad, on the contrary it is interesting but because Sil’s presence is so huge in the story that whenever he isn’t around I found my interest waning.

Antidote to Oblivion is not a bad story, but it feels at times that Philip Martin is treading on much too familiar ground. If you like Martin’s previous Doctor Who stories then you will not be disappointed. I was just hoping for something more.

Our friends at TV Store Online have another special Doctor Who giveaway. TVStoreOnline.com is offering one of  their fun Doctor Who TARDIS, Navy Blue Bath Towel's to DWO readers. This Tardis towel is made from 100% cotton and measures in inches at 30"x60". Of course, as with all TV Store Online Doctor Who items, DWO readers will only get officially licensed items for their collections. We all knew that the TARDIS could take you anywhere in time that you wanted to go, but who knew it could dry you off as well after a shower?

In addition, starting today TVStoreOnline.com is also offering DWO readers a sleek and cool looking Doctor Who TARDIS Glowing Stars White Sublimation Tee as well.  This Doctor Who t-shirt is made from 100% polyester and is available in various sizes from Adult Small to Adult 3XL. This glowing stars Doctor Tardis t-shirt is officially licensed and offers a cool design showing the Tardis from a very unique perspective.  This Doctor Who shirt will turn heads at your next comic or Doctor Who convention!

Keep calm and check out TVStoreOnline.com for their massive selection of Doctor Who t-shirts for men and women as well as other hot Doctor Who clothing items like bath towels, costumes, bathrobes, boxer shorts, baby clothes, dresses, hoodies and even Doctor Who ugly Christmas sweaters as well! TVStoreOnline.com has all of your Doctor Who merchandise needs covered.

+  For all these and more, check out TVStoreOnline.com.

[Sources: TV Store Online]

In 2013, Doctor Who celebrated an impressive 50 years as one of the BBC’s most famous, well-loved and iconic TV shows. To have been scaring and enthralling children for so long is no mean feat. While current episodes are freely available on BBC iPlayer, older episodes can be located at LOVEFiLM. 

The Doctor

The Doctor is a time-traveller from the planet Gallifrey and looks human, but has two beating hearts. He and his fellow Gallifreyans are generally known as Time Lords, of whom the Doctor is the only one still alive. 

The Doctor has been played, since 1963, by 12 different actors, from the original Doctor, William Hartnell, to the incumbent incarnation in the form of Matt Smith, who looks much younger than Hartnell’s Doctor, despite being hundreds of years older. The reason the Doctor has taken so many forms, is that he can regenerate. 

The Doctor’s time machine/home is the TARDIS, which takes the form of an old-fashioned police box and has been ever-present since the show’s inception. 

The Time Lords

The Time Lords - of whom the Doctor is a member – are an ancient civilisation of beings that closely resemble humans. Time Lords receive their name, not only because of their ability to travel rapidly through time and space, but because of the way in which they perceive time in a completely non-linear fashion, which in turn allows them to see ‘everything that was, is and could be’ simultaneously.  

Villains in Doctor Who

The most well-known enemies of the Doctor are undoubtedly the Daleks - cyborgs created by a mad scientist called Davros, who genetically-modified a race of extra-terrestrial beings called Kaleds to be complete devoid of compassion or empathy. While the only emotion they feel is hate, their most well-known catchphrase is ‘Exterminate! Exterminate!’ In these ways, the Daleks are seen as polar-opposites of the Doctor. 

Other persistent enemies of the Doctor are the Cybermen, who descend from organic species of humainoids from the planet Mondas. They first appeared in 1966 and continue to make appearances today. The Cybermen began to implant more and more artificial parts to their bodies in order to survive the worsening climate on their planet, but this led to an unfortunate side-effect of becoming cold and machine-like in their bid for self-preservation.

A Cultural Phenomenon

Doctor Who has a huge global fanbase, and has become ingrained in British culture and indeed the outside perception of the British nation, spawning not only TV episodes, but radio programmes and novelizations. Doctor Who is regularly the subject of fan conventions, at which the actors who have played different characters, as well as different incarnations of the legendary protagonist, are often the guests of honour.  

[Source: Discovery Media]

Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Written By: John Dorney

RRP: £10.99 (CD) / £8.99 (Download)

Release Date: January 2014

Reviewed by: Matthew Davis for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 17th January 2014

Dowcra base. The third Elite Sontaran Assassination Squad closes in on its target. A dozen trained killers, but even they will be unable to bring down the invincible Strang…

Manipulated by the Time Lords, the TARDIS also arrives on Dowcra. And the Doctor is set to encounter the greatest Sontaran ever cloned...

* * *

As we begin a new Big Finish year, we start off with a brand new season of adventures for the Fourth Doctor and Leela. 

After the excellent second season in which we sadly got to hear the lovely Mary Tamm as Romana one last time, Louise Jameson returns as Leela. 

With an excellent script by John Dorney, The King of Sontar plunges us directly into a battle zone and does not slow down in a story full of action, humour and with a rather unexpected ending.

Since making their Big Finish debut in Heroes of Sontar, the Sontarans are quickly becoming a favourite monster in the company’s output. The casting of seasoned television Sontaran Dan Starkey as Strang is a brilliant move as his performance is a definite highlight of this release.  Similar in vocal patterns to Commander Strax, Strang possesses a more fanatical personality and he is certainly no one’s comic relief. He is a superb antagonist who works very well with Tom Baker’s Doctor. 

The supporting cast is headed up by the great David Collings who puts in a lovely performance as Rosato the scientist in a terrible moral dilemma which makes for some interesting exchanges with the Doctor. If The Pirate Planet taught us anything, it's that The Fourth Doctor knows how to put forward a case of moral outrage and this part of his personality comes out again throughout this story.

In fact morality is a running theme throughout The King of Sontar.

In the story there are characters that completely lack morality or have distorted and polarising views of what is right and wrong. The culmination of this occurs in the rather surprising final scene between the Doctor and Leela.

Big Finish have said that the theme of the first Fourth Doctor season was the Doctor educating Leela in an almost Pygmalion fashion. Rather than simply keeping the relationship the same as that of their television years, Big Finish have been keen to develop this relationship between the Doctor and companion and The King of Sontar is a great example of this. 

The Doctor and Leela come to a crossroads bringing out some excellent performances from both Baker and Jameson. It will be fascinating to see how this plays out in the rest of the season.

Strong and defining moments such as this do not usually occur until much later in a season’s run but the fact that Big Finish has pulled this out so early is another example of how much they have done to develop the characters.  It is a real standout moment from the tone of the previous Fourth Doctor releases and a great shift in direction for future stories.

The King of Sontar is a fantastic opening story for the new season which promises great developments to come.

It is with deepest regret that DWO announces the passing of New Series Doctor Who Actor, Roger Lloyd Pack.

Roger was perhaps best known to Doctor Who fans for appearing in the New Series, 10th Doctor adventures; Rise Of The Cybemen & The Age Of Steel as John Lumic.

Roger's other career highlights include; The Vicar Of Dibley, Only Fools And Horses and Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire.

DWO would like to extend our sympathies to Roger's family and friends.

[Source: BBC News]

If you're a member of the many social networks available online, then you will be pleased to know that you can follow Doctor Who Online on two of the largest - Twitter and Facebook.

Our Twitter account was launched back in January 2009, and as of today, we are proud to have one of the largest Doctor Who followings with a whopping 90,000+ followers! Follow the DWO Twitter account for Spoiler-Free News and Reviews as they happen, as well as exclusive Doctor Who competitions, discussion, opinion and more.

+  Follow DWO on Twiiter at: twitter.com/DrWhoOnline.

Our Facebook account was launched in 2011, and currently has over 10,000+ Likes. As with the Twitter account, followers will be updated with the latest Spoiler-Free Doctor Who News and Reviews, as well as exclusive polls, competitions, discussion, opinion and more.

+  Like DWO on Facebook at: facebook.com/DoctorWhoOnline.

[Source: Doctor Who Online]

BBC Digital have released the cover art and details for their forthcoming Doctor Who eBook, Tales Of Trenzalore.

As it had been foretold, the armies of the Universe gathered at Trenzalore. Only one thing stood between the planet and destruction – the Doctor. For nine hundred years, he defended the planet, and the tiny town of Christmas, against the forces that would destroy it. 

He never knew how long he could keep the peace. He never knew what creatures would emerge from the snowy night to threaten him next. He knew only that at the end he would die on Trenzalore.

Some of what happened during those terrible years is well documented. But most of it remains shrouded in mystery and darkness.

Until now. 

This is a glimpse of just some of the terrors the people faced, the monstrous threats the Doctor defeated. These are the tales of the monsters who found themselves afraid - and of the one man who was not. 

Tales of Trenzalore documents four of the Doctor’s adventures from different periods during the Siege of Trenzalore and the ensuing battle: 

Let it Snow – by Justin Richards
An Apple a Day – by George Mann
Strangers in the Outland – by Paul Finch
The Dreaming – by Mark Morris

+  Tales Of Trenzalore is released on 27th February 2014, priced £2.99.
+  Preorder via Amazon.co.uk for just £2.49. 

[Source: BBC Digital]