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Obituary: Richard Briers (1934-2013)

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

Richard was perhaps best known to Doctor Who fans for appearing in the Classic Series, 7th Doctor adventure; Paradise Towers as Chief Caretaker. He also appeared in the Torchwood episode A Day In The Death as Parker.

Richard's other career highlights include; The Good Life, Ever Decreasing Circles, Down To EarthMonarch Of The GlenLove's Labour's Lost and Cockney's Versus Zombies.

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

[Source: BBC News]

Reece Shearsmith Cast As Patrick Troughton In 'An Adventure In Space And Time'

Reece Shearsmith has been confirmed as playing Patrick Troughton in Mark Gatiss' Doctor Who biodrama 'An Adventure In Space And Time'.

The confirmation, comes from Radio Times, with Mark Gatiss explaining the casting:

“I first asked Reece about 12 years ago when I started thinking about this project. We were in the midst of League of Gentlemen and I just remember thinking, if anyone plays Patrick Troughton, it should be Reece. Like the second Doctor, he’s small, saturnine and a comic genius. The complete package. He thought it was a fantastic idea and I’ve kind of nurtured it all this time.

Reece has a funny relationship with Doctor Who – mostly to do with impressions of the Borad from Timelash! He and a friend were obsessed with Season 22 [Colin Baker’s Doctor, 1985]. One of my earliest memories of Reece is him going, ‘I am the Borad!’ He’ll do the whole of Timelash at the drop of a hat. Which is a strange qualification. He’s not steeped in Doctor Who like I am, but has been lightly dipped over the years. I know he’s delighted to be a part of An Adventure in Space and Time.”

Reece Shearsmith, speaking to DWO via Twitter, said:

"Very excited to be part of it."

At 43, Shearsmith is only three years younger than Patrick Troughton was when he took on the role as The Doctor. Shearsmith is known for his ability to portray a wide range of contrasting characters - as anyone who watched The League of Gentlemen or Psychoville can attest to.

The confirmed cast list for An Adventure In Space And Time is as follows:

David Bradley as William Hartnell (The first Doctor)
Brian Cox as Sydney Newman (BBC head of drama)
Jessica Raine as Verity Lambert (Doctor Who’s first producer)
Sacha Dhawan as Waris Hussein (Doctor Who’s first director)
Lesley Manville as Heather Hartnell (William’s wife)
Reece Shearsmith as Patrick Troughton (The second Doctor)
Jeff Rawle as Mervyn Pinfield (Doctor Who’s associate producer)
Andrew Woodall as Rex Tucker (BBC producer)
Ian Hallard as Richard Martin (Doctor Who director)
Jamie Glover as William Russell (companion Ian)
Jemma Powell as Jacqueline Hill (companion Barbara)
Claudia Grant as Carole Ann Ford (the Doctor’s granddaughter Susan)
Sarah Winter as Delia Derbyshire (musician at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop)
William Russell (the original Ian Chesterton) as Harry
Reece Pockney as Alan

+  An Adventure In Space And Time is due to be broadcast on BBC One later in the year.

+  Follow Reece Shearsmith on Twitter!

[Source: Radio Times]

Daleks Invasion Of Westminster Bridge 2013AD

The Daleks invaded London earlier this morning and resistance was useless – insofar as it was impossible to resist the striking sight of The Doctor’s iconic enemies swarming through the capital!

But their presence was not part of a plan to enslave Earth – or at least that’s what the production team is saying! The cast and crew of An Adventure in Space and Time were there to recreate some of the most memorable moments from Doctor Who’s early years – the scenes from The Dalek Invasion of Earth where the metal monsters imperiously glided through London, gloriously framed against the backdrop of famous sites like the Palace of Westminster.

Back in 1964 the photos of the ‘invasion’ became instant classics and over the years the imagery of those episodes has been referenced and updated on several occasions. But this is the first time that a production team has attempted to faithfully replicate the 1964 shoot using Daleks that were unique to that single adventure. The results look set to be stunning, as you can find out for yourselves when An Adventure in Space and Time - a one-off drama exploring the genesis of Doctor Who - debuts later this year.

A promotional image (pictured-right) was posted by the BBC Doctor Who website this morning.

Writer, Mark Gatiss, recorded a short video diary to make the event, which you can view below:

[youtube:NOoO6zdP87M]

[Source: BBC Doctor Who website]

The Tenth Planet: Part Four To Be Animated For DVD Release

The First Doctor’s final adventure The Tenth Planet is to have its lost fourth episode animated for DVD release, the BBC's official doctorwho.tv site has confirmed.

Teased yesterday at the Gallifrey One convention by Dan Hall, commissioning editor of the classic Doctor Who DVD range, The Tenth Planet sees both the introduction of the menacing, dead-eyed Cybermen, and the departure of The First Doctor, William Hartnell. The final episode has been missing from the BBC Archives since the mid-1970s, and will be reconstructed using the same Thetamation process used to recreate The Reign of Terror episodes 4 and 5.

Dan Hall said:

"It’s a real thrill to be bringing such an iconic Doctor Who episode back to life. Without the events established in The Tenth Planet episode 4, there would be no Doctor Who as we know it!"

The release date is currently scheduled for Late 2013.

View a clip of Episode One, below:

[Source: doctorwho.tv]

The Official Doctor Who Figurine Collection Magazine (Test Area Only)

A new Doctor Who Magazine and Figurine partwork called The Official Doctor Who Figurine Collection is currently on sale in a test area in the UK by publisher, Eaglemoss.

The Official Doctor Who Figurine Collection features classic characters from 50 years of Doctor Who, including the series’ greatest monsters, all 11 Doctors and the most important Daleks and Cybermen from every era!

Every issue comes with a richly illustrated collector’s guide that provides all the essential information about your figurine, is filled with official photography supplied by the studio and reveals the inside story behind the featured episode.

Every figurine is in perfect 1:21 scale, with measurements taken from the original props and the BBC’s archives to make sure that the height relationship of all the characters is correct.

Figurines that are touted to be releases include every Doctor, Daleks, Cybermen, Weeping Angels, Sontarans, Ice Warriors, Zygons, The Silence and much more.

The per issue price is £2.99 for Issue 1 and £6.99 for Issue 2 onwards.

Speaking to DWO, Eaglemoss confirmed that if the test area is successful, they are planning to launch nationwide in either September 2013 or January 2014 - the exact month is still to be confirmed.

+  Visit The Official Doctor Who Figurine Collection website.

[Source: Eaglemoss]

Moffat Adds Fuel To Past Doctor Return Rumours

Steven Moffat has (quite possibly deliberately) added fuel to the rumours that past Doctors might return for the 50th Anniversary Doctor Who Special.

Speaking at the recent BBC Drama Commissions event, and subsequently quoted by The Mirror newspaper, Moffat had the following to say regarding plans for the special:

“Getting the other Doctors involved would be very fitting for the anniversary episode, wouldn’t it?”

Initially The Mirror newspaper failed to state the source of the quote, but DWO today got confirmation that it was indeed at the BBC Drama Commissions event.

Matt Smith has also added fuel to the rumours, having been quoted saying:

“How amazing would it be to see Tom Baker? Can you imagine seeing him back in the scarf? That would be so cool! Paul McGann is a great Doctor – I say bring back Chris and Dave too.”

+ Woud you like to see past Doctors return for the 50th Anniversary Special? Vote Now in the DWO Forums!

[Sources: The Mirror; DWO]

The Caves Of Androzani - Soundtrack Tracklisting

Silva Screen Records have released the tracklising for the upcoming Doctor Who Soundtrack release of 'The Caves Of Androzani'.

Product Synopsis:

First time release for the music from this seminal 1984 Doctor Who adventure in which Peter Davison regenerated into the sixth doctor played by Colin Baker.  

The Caves of Androzani was Roger Limb’s seventh of eight contributions to the series, and the first of his two very successful collaborations with director Graeme Harper.

This is the first release in a series of archive recordings from Silva Screen to celebrate the 50th anniversary of this most British of television series.

Tracklisting:

1. Doctor Who (Opening Theme) (00'39") 
2. Androzani Minor (01'46") 
3. Gun-Runners (00'59") 
4. Morgus and Chellak (01'06") 
5. Death Sentence (01'36") 
6. Sharaz Jek (01'49") 
7. Death Under the Red Cloth (02'10") 
8. Androids (00'50") 
9. Next Time It'll Be for Real (01'07") 
10. Nobody Lives for Ever (02'16") 
11. Spectrox (01'11") 
12. Salateen (00'32") 
13. Exile (01'06") 
14. Clever Little Android (00'44") 
15. Two Kilos, What a Deal (00'50") 
16. The Magma Beast (02'14") 
17. Blind Fools (00'34") 
18. Tear His Arms Out (02'37") 
19. Stage Three (01'54") 
20. Geostationary Orbit (01'43") 
21. The Girl Will Be Alone (01'00") 
22. Peri Abducted (01'28") 
23. Vertical Descent Pattern (00'32") 
24. It Could Have Been Worse (02'08")
25. Do You Think I'm Mad? (02'56") 
26. The Doctor Pursued (03'13") 
27. Mud Burst (01'58") 
28. Morgus and Stotz (01'03") 
29. Face Off (01'11") 
30. Morgus Kaput (00'37") 
31. Not Beaten Yet (01'21") 
32. Milk of the Queen Bat (07'04") 
33. Return to the TARDIS (00'50") 
34. Is This Death? (02'18") 
35. Doctor Who (Closing Theme) (01'20")  

Further titles are yet to be confirmed, but Silva Screen have informed DWO that there will be 7, possibly 8 Doctor Who titles this year.

+  The Caves Of Androzani Soundtrack will be released on 25th March 2013, priced £10.75.

+  Preorder this product from Amazon.co.uk for £10.75.

[Source: Silva Screen Records]

BBC Brings Doctor Who Series 7 To Poland & South Africa One Day After UK Transmission

BBC Worldwide Channels has announced that the much-anticipated latest episodes of the BBC’s hugely popular sci-fi drama Doctor Who will be coming to BBC Entertainment in Poland and South Africa just one day after its UK premiere transmission.

The second part of Series Seven (eight episodes) will air on UK screens on 30th March 2013 and will transmit the following day, 31st March, on BBC Entertainment in Poland at 6:00pm, and on BBC Entertainment in South Africa at 7:00pm.

The first fantastic adventure in the run is written by the show’s lead writer and executive producer, Steven Moffat, and directed by Colm McCarthy, whose previous credits include Hustle, Spooks and Endeavour. Later adventures in the run are written by Mark Gatiss and Neil Gaiman among others.

Jon Farrar, VP Programming, EMEA, BBC Worldwide Channels said:

“It’s a very important part of our programming strategy to bring our acquired content to air as close to its UK transmission as possible. Doctor Who is a hugely popular programme and I’m delighted we are able to bring the Doctor’s latest adventures to Polish audiences just one day after the UK premiere transmission.”

Doctor Who is the world’s longest running science fiction series and will celebrate its 50th anniversary on 23rd November 2013. One of BBC Worldwide’s flagship global brands, the show has now been seen in over 200 territories worldwide.

[Source: BBC Press Office]

Edwin Hall Dalek Ride At Unique Auctions

Attention Collectors! The Unique Auctions Fine Antiques & Collectors Sale in Lincoln on Sunday 24th February, features a full size Red Edwin Hall Dalek.

The Edwin Hall Daleks were made in the mid 1960s and this ride (pictured-right) originally cost 20p and has room for a child to sit inside.

DWO spoke to the Auctioneer, Darryl Kirk, who had the following to say regarding the auction:

"We receive many interesting items every month ranging from collectables to Fine Antiques. The arrival of the Dalek stopped the general auction work, everyone came out to see it being lifted in. A full size Dalek cannot fail to impress, and we are looking forward to seeing it working. We have an electrician currently looking at the Dalek.

I remember playing on one these in the 1970s, and I am sure it will bring back memories for many others."

In May of 2006 a non-working Edwin Hall Dalek was sold at auction at Bonhams for £1560 inc. premium.

+  For further information call UK +44 (0) 1522 690444 or visit http://www.unique-auctions.com.

[Sources: Unique Auctions; Darryl Kirk; Terry Woodcock]

Harlequin Doctor Who Ladies Jewellery Collection Launched

Hot on the heels of the launch of their Doctor Who Statuaries, Harlequin Goldsmiths have now launched their Doctor Who Ladies Jewellery Collection.

The current Harlequin Goldsmiths Doctor Who Jewellery product catalogue includes:

-  Silver Charm Bracelet - from £24.99
-  Silver TARDIS Charm - from £29.99
-  Silver Dalek Charm - from £29.99
-  Silver Doctor Who Charm - from £29.99
-  Silver TARDIS Key Charm - from £29.99
-  Silver Sonic Screwdriver Charm - from £29.99
 Silver TARDIS Drop Earrings - from £39.99
-  Silver TARDIS Stud Earrings - from £39.99
-  Silver Dalek Drop Earrings - from £39.99
-  Silver Dalek Stud Earrings - from £39.99
-  Silver Sonic Screwdriver Drop Earrings - from £39.99
-  Gold-Plated Charm Bracelet - from £39.99
-  Gold-Plated TARDIS Charm - from £44.99
-  Gold-Plated Dalek Charm - from £44.99
-  Gold-Plated Doctor Who Charm - from £44.99
-  Gold-Plated TARDIS Key Charm - from £44.99
-  Gold-Plated Sonic Screwdriver Charm - from £44.99 
-  Gold-Plated TARDIS Drop Earrings - from £54.99
-  Gold-Plated TARDIS Stud Earrings - from £54.99
-  Gold-Plated Dalek Drop Earrings - from £54.99
-  Gold-Plated Dalek Stud Earrings - from £54.99
-  Gold Plated Sonic Screwdriver Drop Earrings - from £54.99
-  Silver TARDIS Pendant Necklace - from £64.99
-  Silver Dalek Pendant Necklace - from £64.99
-  Silver Sonic Screwdriver Pendant Necklace - from £64.99
-  Gold-Plated TARDIS Pendant Necklace - from £89.99
-  Gold-Plated Dalek Pendant Necklace - from £89.99
-  Gold-Plated Sonic Screwdriver Pendant Necklace - from £89.99

The Gentlemen’s Doctor Who Jewellery Collection will be available to pre-order from May.  

+  Check Out the Harlequin Goldsmiths Doctor Who website.

+  Follow Harlequin Goldsmiths on Twitter@HarlequinGifts.

[Source: Harlequin Gifts]

Review: The Ark In Space: Special Edition - DVD

Manufacturer: BBC Worldwide Consumer Products

Written By: Robert Holmes

RRP: £20.42

Release Date: 25th February 2013

Reviewed By: Dale Who for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 13th February 2013

The TARDIS arrives on an apparently deserted and deactivated space station Nerva, otherwise known as the Ark, orbiting Earth in the far future.

There the Doctor, Sarah and Harry discover the last survivors of the human race held in suspended animation, Earth having been evacuated thousands of years earlier when solar flares threatened to destroy all life.

* * *

It's another re-release; this time on the tale of the Wirrn and Nerva Beacon. The picture and sound quality have been remastered again, and are as sharp as you're going to get.

Disc One is the original release, complete with two Easter Eggs, and optional CGI effects, and goes as follows.

Disc One:

Commentary - A feature commentary, with Tom Baker (The Doctor), Elisabeth Sladen (Sarah Jane Smith), and Philip Hinchcliffe, discussing the story with many memories and anecdotes.

A New Frontier - From ideas, via many rewrites, to screen; the making of The Ark In Space. Philip Hinchcliffe, Rodney Bennett, and various cast members come together to discuss the serial. Wendy Williams (Vira in the story) is especially entertaining looking back at her role.

It's fairly obvious that the cast and crew loved the story, from the warm and glowing way they relate their experiences. From popping bubblewrap to a lack of slime, it's all covered in this entertaining little featurette.

Roger Murray-Leach Interview - The set designed sits on a white sofa and discusses how to make an Ark for Who out of "two and sixpence". Construction of ingenious corridors, multi-level sets, and how to take The Doctor to hospital. Roger's tenure on Doctor Who consists of The Ark In Space, The Sontaran Experiment, The Deadly Assassin, Planet of Evil and The Talons of Weng-Chiang. There's also Blake's Seven, but he doesn't want to talk abut that...

Model Effects Roll - A model of Nerva Beacon, and a particularly troublesome scout ship that simply will NOT take off properly! A short-ish extra, featuring the many tries and takes recorded for the blast off. Seems oddly reminiscent of Button Moon in some parts...

CGI Effects Roll - An altogether more impressive view of the Beacon, courtesy of some computer wizardry from the first release of this story. Beautiful graphics and a very different rocket ship departure from the Model version. It's glorious to look at, but slightly jarring when viewed in the story, which is an option available on this disc.

3D Technical Schematics - More CGI gloriousness, this time showing the layout and specs of Nerva Beacon. Again, beautiful graphics, and a few in-jokes in the names of the devices. Short, but very pretty.

Trail - A proper old school BBC1 trailer for Doctor Who, with Ark's first episode. A short clip, a *huge* lime green logo and a remind that the episode will be on at "5.35, tomorrow, on BBC1."  Wonderful nostalgia trip.  So very different from how it's done these days...

Alternate titles - A few different slide and tunnel effects, and a dreadful version of the TARDIS  leading into a slight variant of the first Tom Baker era title sequence.  

Alternate CGI sequences - Choose between the original model sequences, or the updated, beautiful CGI created for the release.  As previously noted, it might jar a little seeing it in the story but it's only a momentary thing, it never detracts from the story or makes you lose where you were.

TARDIS Cam No.1 - From the "BBC Fictionlab" back in 2002 comes the TARDIS Cam, odd little snippets of footage of the trusty old Police Box in various locations. A lovely model TARDIS, very similar to the ones later sold by ARC models in a limited run.

Photo Gallery - It's time for the usual mix of behind the scenes and publicity stills from the show, set to a variety of weird background FX noises. Particularly enjoyable are the stills with the look of disgust on Sarah's face and she's holding bits of Wirrn innards.

...and that's disc one wrapped up. No "Coming Soon Trailer" on this disc, which is slightly unusual. However that's only half of the story, as there's a helping of new extras on Disc Two!

Disc Two:

TV Movie version - A revised repeat from 1975, cut down to seventy minutes. The BBC used to screen these when live sporting fixtures went awry, due to bad weather or industrial action; or as "Christmas treats" - where this particular edit comes in. Those were the days, when there'd be an unscheduled Doctor Who story on a Saturday afternoon!!

Doctor Forever: Love & War - The story of Doctor Who books from Virgin's New Adventures onwards. When Doctor Who went off-screen in 1989 the books continued to take the TARDIS into new territory, with a new adult take on the Time Lord and his adventures. Talking heads contributing to this history of the New Adventures include Gary Russell, Paul Cornell, and Russell T. Davies. Mark Gatiss reads an excerpt from his book "Nightshade", and reminds us of just why he's SO good at writing Doctor Who and Sherlock; and RTD gives us a glimpse of "Damaged Goods", and then examines how it's inter-related to post 2005 Doctor Who.

The series didn't end terribly happily, and that too is looked at in this featurette. It's an honest look and a worthy new extra. Brilliant.

Scene Around Six - Footage from what happens when a Time Lord is let loose in Ireland. Tom Baker on both sides of the then divide, lighting Christmas trees, bewitching primary schools, and being treated like an absolute hero by hordes of kids. The power of Doctor Who. Tom Baker obviously adores it all, and it's all very light, fun, and heartwarming. Awesome footage of an awesome Time Lord.

Robot 8mm Location Footage - Silent film of behind the scenes filming for Tom Baker's first story. There's Bessie, and UNIT, and rather brilliantly there's the Brigadier in sunglasses. Short, but raises a smile.

Coming soon Trailer - It's another special edition - this time with the original TARDIS crew. When the time travellers arrive in the temple of Yetaxa, Barbara is mistaken for a reincarnation of the Aztec deity; and that's where there troubles really begin. William Hartnell stars in The Aztecs: Special Edition is out soon!

There are, as always, the usual Info Text and PDF Radio Times options, and Subtitles and Audio Navigation are included as standard.

There's a lot to love about The Ark In Space: Special Edition, however most of it was covered on the original release. This special edition re-release doesn't have masses from the era in which it was made added to it, so they've bulked it out with various miscellania (such as the featurette on the New Adventures). The footage of Tom Baker in Ireland is excellent though, and almost justifies the revamp by itself. It's not a stellar DVD release, but a good one all the same.

+  Compare Prices for this product on CompareTheDalek.com!

Rubbertoe Replicas Official Doctor Who Props And Collectables

A new license has been given by the BBC to Rubbertoe Replicas to make 100% authentic Doctor Who props.

The company, which is headed by New Series Doctor Who Prop Maker, Nicholas Robatto, offers a range of Doctor Who prop replicas, hand-made using the same materials and techniques as used on the show.

Speaking to DWO, Rubbertoe Replicas Founder, Nicholas Robatto said:

"After making props for Doctor Who for many years, we are incredibly excited to be launching our range of replicas and memorabilia. All our replicas are made in exactly the same way as they have been made for the show, so hopefully people will enjoy being able to own something that is a real, authentic piece of Doctor Who."

The current Rubbertoe Replicas Doctor Who product catalogue includes:

-  Gallifreyan Coasters - £46.99
-  Coaster Display Stands - £11.95
-  Sonic Coaster Display Stands - £11.95
-  Brass Gallifreyan Wibbly Wobbly Paperweight - £46.95
-  Silver Gallifreyan Wibbly Wobbly Paperweight - £46.95
-  TARDIS Type 40 Plaque - £37.99
-  'The Power Of Three' Cube - £37.99
-  Gallifreyan Sonic Screwdriver Display Holder - £39.99
-  River Song Squareness Blaster - £369.99
-  Captain Jack Sonic Blaster - £369.99
-  Dalek Death Ray Projector - £565.50 

+  Check Out the Rubber Replicas website.

+  Follow Rubber Replicas on Twitter@DoctorWhoProps.

[Source: Rubbertoe Replicas]

Radio Times FREE Doctor Who Postcards Offer

Radio Times starts its celebrations of 50 Years of Doctor Who with four free postcards of classic Doctor Who Radio Times covers with each issue – there are two sets of postcards to collect.

Also in this week’s Radio Times - What’s coming up to celebrate Doctor Who's 50th birthday:

November 2013 marks 50 years of Doctor Who on TV, and RT will bring you all the news as it unfolds – starting with some of the treats coming up. The most hugely anticipated event is surely the Anniversary special on BBC1.

All details are firmly under wraps – and it doesn’t even start filming until spring, but fans worldwide are praying for a multi-Doctor escapade, perhaps with a few former best friends and best enemies thrown in. Could it actually happen? And would all the surviving actors be available – and willing – to appear in such a celebration?

Tom Baker famously declined to participate in The Five Doctors in 1983, and the first three actors to play The Doctor are now long dead. But if William Hartnell can be recast (in The Five Doctors and now in An Adventure in Space and Time) is it conceivable that other actors might convince in Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee’s shadows? This might all be pure fantasy, but what is known is that showrunner Steven Moffat has been toiling with the script.

He tells Radio Times:

“I’m mostly excited, a little bit nervous, and aware of trying not to let people down.”

An Adventure In Space And Time:

Radio Times is chuffed that Mark Gatiss is calling his drama about Doctor Who’s birth An Adventure in Space And Time. This was the tagline RT printed on the billing for episode one in 1963 (below) and indeed on all 253 editions in the 60s. For Gatiss, the 90-minute special (filming now and due to air in November on BBC2) is “quite simply a dream come true”. He describes it as “the story of how an unlikely set of brilliant people created a true television original”.

David Bradley (Argus Filch in the Harry Potter films) is playing William Hartnell, the actor who was initially reluctant to take on the role of the mysterious time traveller. He soon fell in love with the character and was sad to leave in 1966. He died in 1975. Bradley says when Gatiss offered him the part, “I almost bit his hand off.” Our first picture of Bradley in character shows him on the second day of shooting last week, with Lesley Manville as Hartnell’s devoted wife, Heather.

Call the Midwife star Jessica Raine has been cast as producer Verity Lambert (then just 27), while Brian Cox (the international film star, not the prof) is playing the “father” of Doctor Who, Sydney Newman, a flamboyant Canadian who was BBC head of drama.

The only surviving member of the quartet who created the series is Indian-born director Waris Hussein. He’s helped Gatiss with his “meticulous research” and is delighted to be a key character in the drama. “I am to be portrayed by my doppelganger, Sacha Dhawan, a handsome actor. Vanity prevails!” he jokes. Recently seen in Last Tango in Halifax, Dhawan was one of the original History Boys (in the play and movie).

Filming began on 3rd February at BBC Television Centre, on what is likely to be the last drama made on the site before it’s redeveloped.

Executive producer Caroline Skinner tells Radio Times:

“As the BBC moves out of TV Centre, we are moving the cast and crew for An Adventure in Space and Time in! It’s a fantastic opportunity to film this momentous story in the actual location – a little bit of television history .”

Plus an exclusive shot of David Bradley as William Hartnell on his second day of shooting, we also look ahead to plans for the 50th anniversary and to the new series at Easter.

+  Radio Times is released Today, priced £1.60.

+  Order both issues with all 8 x Postcards from just £5.99 from CompareTheDalek.com.

[Source: Radio Times]

Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Special To Be Shown In 3D

The BBC Press Office has confirmed that the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Special will be shown in 3D.

Below is the release that BBC Controller, Ben Stephenson issued today:

“As part of the BBC's blockbuster celebrations to mark the Doctor turning 50, fans will be able to see the Time Lord and his adventures like never before - in 3D!  To be broadcast using some of the BBC’s HD capacity.

It's a nationwide celebration of both Doctor Who and the BBC because I think they are so synonymous. We will be doing a big Doctor Who special in 3D which is very exciting and feels very innovative.

We will be doing it on cinema screens as well. We are working out the logistics of that at the moment because we need to make sure the main BBC1 experience remains absolute value for money for the audience.

There will be lots of aliens and daleks and things like that – or maybe there won't. There are many different things to take into account and we will also have a Christmas special after that and it all connects. Or maybe it doesn't. There's lots to work out."

Steven Moffat, lead writer and executive producer, said:

“It's about time. Technology has finally caught up with Doctor Who and your television is now bigger on the inside. A whole new dimension of adventure for the Doctor to explore."

Steven Moffat is still working on the script for the show which will be filmed, like most of the series, in south Wales, and will follow an eight-part run of Doctor Who.

The BBC have also uploaded a showreel for their upcoming drama, which features a couple of new clips from Doctor Who:

+  Are you looking forward to seeing Doctor Who in 3D? Vote Now in the DWO Forums!

[Sources: BBC Press Office; The Guardian]

The Ice Warriors Confirmed For Series 7

SFX Magazine have exclusively revealed that Classic Series villains, The Ice Warriors, will return in Series 7 of Doctor Who.

Speaking to SFX in an exclusive interview, Executive Producer, Caro Skinner, had the following to say regarding their eturn:

“We’ve got the most fantastic episode by Mark Gatiss, where we are bringing back the Ice Warrior… on a submarine! It’s a really wonderful kind of ‘bunker’ episode, and a classic monster which Mark has brought his own inimitable twist to.

We wanted to bring them back because they’re wonderful! In the mix of stories that we were planning for this year it felt as if doing something very bold with a monster that hadn’t been seen for a while would be really cool. Mark is an enormous fan of the Ice Warrior stories and came up with the idea. The sense of a monster of that scale and that size trapped in a really small, contained environment such as a submarine was a really brilliant story to be able to tell. And obviously we’ve had a huge amount of fun going back to the traditional designs and recreating them, bringing the Ice Warriors back to life again.

They were such a beautiful original design, and are genuinely really scary in terms of what they look like as they’re coming towards you in that armour. Letting a huge Ice Warrior loose at the heart of a classic Hunt For Red October style submarine movie was exactly the kind of story that the Doctor should get mixed up in.

They’ve got really scary voices as well. I spent quite a lot of time on set trying to hiss like an Ice Warrior...”

Armed with lethal sonic technology, the reptillian warmongers first tangled with Patrick Troughton’s Doctor in 1967′s “The Ice Warriors”, returning two years later in “The Seeds Of Death”. Jon Pertwee’s incarnation encountered them in 1972′s “The Curse Of Peladon” and 1974′s “The Monster Of Peladon”. Traditionally seen as one of the show’s 'Big Four' pantheon of monsters – along with The Daleks, The Cybermen and The Sontarans – the militaristic Martians won a throwaway mention in 2009′s “The Waters Of Mars” but have remained unseen in the 21st Century series.

Watch a clip from The Ice Warriors, below:

[youtube:HMGJCssAXL0]

[Source: SFX Magazine]

Review: Destiny Of The Daleks - CD

Manufacturer: AudioGO

Written By: Terry Nation

RRP: £13.25 (CD) / £6.79 (Download)

Release Date: 1st November 2012

Reviewed by: Matthew Davis for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 11th February 2013

On Skaro, the home world of the Daleks, the Doctor encounters the militaristic Movellans - who have come to Skaro on a secret mission - whilst his companion Romana falls into the hands of the Daleks themselves.

It soon becomes apparent that the Daleks have returned to their abandoned home city with a crucial objective, one which they hope will give them the advantage in a strategic war. When the Doctor realises what the Daleks are up to, he is compelled to intervene.

But he has not bargained for the Movellans having a few secrets of their own, and soon he, Romana and the human refugee Tyssan are wondering who exactly they can trust.

Moreover, will they be able to avert the Daleks from their self-proclaimed destiny?

* * *

AudioGO continues its Doctor Who range by issuing this audio soundtrack for Lalla Ward’s debut story as Romana. The first story to take place after the epic Key to Time season and the one that sees the return to the series of the creator of The Daleks, Davros.

It is difficult for me to review this release as I must admit Destiny Of The Daleks is not one of my favourite Tom Baker stories. It is certainly not the weakest of Terry Nation’s Dalek stories but this is where The Daleks began to be over shadowed by the continuing presence of Davros, such is the shadow cast by him in the excellent Genesis Of The Daleks.

It doesn’t help that Davros has been recast and whilst giving it his all, David Gooderson cannot quite match the tour de force that was Michael Wisher

Previous audio soundtrack releases have been fantastic, due to the fact that they provided a way for fans to experience Doctor Who stories that have been lost in the visual format. Destiny Of The Daleks did not suffer the same fate so I find this release to be somewhat unusual. 

If there are any benefits to listening to the soundtrack it is that a lot of the humour that Douglas Adams peppered the script with becomes more obvious, and, (lets be honest), the rather ridiculous looking Movellans gain a bit more weight as characters when we cannot see them.

Destiny Of The Daleks is not a bad story and it is rather fun in places with some intriguing ideas, and the narration by Lalla Ward is lovely and very well placed throughout. 

What makes this release more interesting are the inclusion of the original TV camera scripts which can be viewed as Colour PDF files and a nice interview with Lalla Ward where she speaks rather movingly about Mary Tamm and Douglas Adams.

The Destiny Of The Daleks soundtrack is not an unwelcome release but if you like this story and wish to experience it in another format then this is certainly for you.

Review: Doctor Who And The Talons Of Weng-Chiang - CD

Manufacturer: AudioGO

Written By: Terrance Dicks

RRP: £13.25 (CD) / £12.29 (Download)

Release Date: 1st January 2013

Reviewed by: Matthew Davis for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 11th February 2013

Stepping out of the TARDIS into Victorian London, Leela and the Doctor are confronted by menacing, diabolical horrors shrouded within the swirling London fog - a man's death cry, an attack by Chinese Tong hatchet men, giant rats roaming the sewers, young women mysteriously disappearing...

The hideously deformed Magnus Greel, conducting a desperate search for the lost Time Cabinet, is the instigator of all this evil. Posing as the Chinese god, Weng-Chiang, Greel uses the crafty Chang, and the midget manikin, Mr Sin, to achieve his terrifying objectives.

The Doctor must use all his skill, energy and intelligence to escape the talons of Weng-Chiang.

* * *

The Talons of Weng-Chiang is considered and in my opinion rightly so, to be one of the great classics of Doctor Who. A perfect mash of Sherlock Holmes, Fu-Manchu and classic pulp adventure, it remains a master stroke in the show’s history and one of the crowning achievements of writer Robert Holmes.

AudioGO have released an audio book version of Terrance Dicks' novelisation of the story and like its television counterpart it is rather wonderful.

Terrance Dicks’ novelisation is excellent as he retains enough of Holmes’ original dialogue whilst crafting the narrative into an exciting and tantalising adventure. If Dicks had been writing in the 1930s, he would’ve made an excellent pulp writer as this story moves along at a cracking pace and never gets dull. It helps that the original story was so strong to begin with but that doesn’t diminish the great skill it takes to translate a great story from the screen to the page.

Christopher Benjamin is the perfect narrator for this adventure, as he tackles each role with gusto especially when returning to the part of Henry Gordon Jago which he originated. Benjamin’s work on the Big Finish spin off series Jago and Litefoot has prepared him well for the task, as at times it almost seems like Jago himself is relating his own adventure to a captive audience. He captures Tom Baker’s Doctor’s snappish nature rather well and his interpretation of Magnus Greel is a brilliant evocation of Michael Spicer’s original performance. He is also able to play Li H’sen Chang in a way that is reflective of John Bennett’s performance but not as an obvious racial stereotype.

The sound design and music is sublime as it is rather evocative of Dudley Simpson and the sound of a screeching giant rat makes the whole sequence in the sewer far more unnerving than the rather laughable rat puppet on television ever could.

This audio book version of Doctor Who And The Talons Of Weng-Chiang is an excellent production and one that this reviewer will quite happily listen to again in the future.

Review: Destiny Of The Doctor [#1] - Hunters Of Earth - CD

Manufacturer: AudioGO

Written By: Nigel Robinson

RRP: £10.20 (CD) / £6.79 (Download)

Release Date: 1st January 2013

Reviewed by: Matthew Davis for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 11th February 2013

Shoreditch, London, 1963. The Beatles have beaten John Smith and the Common Men to No. 1 and satellites are being launched in outer space. Back down on Earth, strange goings-on are occurring: The normally placid teenagers of Coal Hill are running riot and a master thief is stealing highly specialised equipment. Schoolgirl Susan Foreman just wants an easy life for herself and her grandfather, the mysterious Doctor.

She wants to be liked and accepted by Cedric and all the other pupils at Coal Hill School. But there’s trouble in in the streets and bombsites around Totter’s Lane. The teenagers are becoming dangerous… Their mission: to hunt down anyone different, or alien…

Susan’s quiet life is about to spiral out of control. Having inadvertently started drawing attention to herself she finds herself drawn into a desperate situation. Suddenly, the chase is on and she and her grandfather are now the hunted…

* * *

This year marks the 50th anniversary year of Doctor Who and already the BBC are beginning to get the celebratory merchandise underway. AudioGO have recruited Big Finish to produce Destiny of the Doctor, an eleven part inter-connected series of dramatised readings.

Kicking off things we have a First Doctor adventure, set before he and Susan encountered Ian or Barbara in An Unearthly Child. You think this would be a chance to really explore some of the First Doctor’s distant past before he landed on Earth in 1963, but Hunters of Earth seems to be retreading very familiar ground. We have Susan at Coal Hill School as the mysterious new pupil who knows far too much about science. We even have a teacher who takes an interest in Susan’s odd behaviour, even going so far to follow her home to Totter’s Lane.

For anyone who has seen An Unearthly Child, this will seem too familiar, and considering the conclusion of the story doesn’t really feel logical. Why would The Doctor stay there if he has aroused suspicion only for someone else to follow the exact same path a short time later?  

Despite some nice little nods to current Who such as Magpie Electricals, the story seems to tread too much familiar ground and if you know your Quatermass even more so. If there are any linking plot threads with further releases, they are difficult to see here unless you count Susan’s ominous premonition at the conclusion.

You can tell that Big Finish have had a hand in producing this release as it could easily have been a part of their Companion Chronicles range - such is the similarity of the format. There is some excellent music and sound design, including a good narrative performance by Carole Ann Ford and supporting cast member Tam Williams, but it is ultimately the story that lets the whole thing down.

Hunters of Earth is not a bad release, just not a strong one and a slightly disappointing start to the series.

Jemma Powell Cast As Jacqueline Hill In 'An Adventure In Space And Time'

Jemma Powell has been confirmed as playing Jacqueline Hill in Mark Gatiss' Doctor Who biodrama 'An Adventure In Space And Time'.

The confirmation, which comes from Powell's PR agency website, now completes the principal cast which comprises the original TARDIS team.

Powell has a list of credits including; Foyle's War, Hex and Alice In Wonderland.

[Sources: Flash Forward Publicity]

Jamie Glover Cast As William Russell In 'An Adventure In Space And Time'

Jamie Glover has been confirmed as playing William Russell in Mark Gatiss' Doctor Who biodrama 'An Adventure In Space And Time'.

The confirmation, which DWO hinted at in our news report from 30th January, comes from Glover's agency website, leaving the casting of Jacqueline Hill as the only remaining name from the original TARDIS team yet to be cast.

Jamie Glover, son of Julian Glover (The Crusade, City Of Death), has a list of credits including; Casualty, New Tricks, Holby City and Waterloo Road.

[Sources: Curtis Brown]

Doctor Who: The Early Adventures Announced By Big Finish

Big Finish Productions will be launching a brand new audio range in 2014. Doctor Who: The Early Adventures will comprise four-part stories starring the surviving lead cast members from Doctor Who’s black and white era.

Producer, David Richardson said:

“While working on The Lost Stories, we fell in love with releases like Farewell, Great Macedon and The Masters of Luxor, which combine narration with dialogue. I suggested to executive producers Nicholas Briggs and Jason Haigh-Ellery we could use that format to tell new stories for the First and Second Doctors, pushing the full cast elements in order to create big, impressive productions.

“The scripts for the first four Early Adventures are now in, and it’s so exciting to bring the early days of the series back to life in this way. The aim is for these to feel like lost television soundtracks. The first series will comprise First Doctor tales, and will feature an historical, a trip into outer space, a beautifully reflective character piece… and the return of a classic villain from the early years!”

Big Finish has also revealed that three of its Doctor Who audio ranges will be reaching their grand finales.

Doctor Who: The Lost Stories, the adaptations of scripts originally devised for television but never made, will end in December after a short final run of stories for the first three Doctors. Gallifrey, the much-loved spin-off centred on Romana and Leela on the Time Lord homeworld, concludes in spectacular style in October with series six. And The Companion Chronicles, adventures narrated by The Doctor’s friends, will end their monthly run in June 2014.

Nicholas Briggs, said:

“It’s always sad to say goodbye to something, especially if they are popular, but at Big Finish we feel we must always be moving forward, and finding new ways to tell exciting Doctor Who stories on audio.”

For those whose current subscription will leave them fewer than six releases from the end of The Companion Chronicles, we've added a four-release Final Season sub so it won't be necessary to buy up to five titles at full price.

[Source: Big Finish]

Event: Doctor Who At The Movies - [26/5/2013]

Dr Who and the Daleks and Daleks Invasion Earth 2150AD, originally released in 1965 and 1966 have been completely restored by the current owner, Studio Canal, to create new High Definition versions.

As well as being scheduled for release on Blu-ray, cinematic versions have also been made, and Riverside Studios in association with the Doctor Who Appreciation Society will be amongst the very first to premiere the new versions.

On Sunday 26th May 2013 both films will be shown in HD on the big screen at Riverside Studios in Hammersmith. The afternoon, co-organised by DWAS will be a fun packed afternoon Dalek-themed fun.

Tickets are just £10-50 for the double bill with discounts for children and other concessions.

Full details can be found at the DWAS website by visiting www.dwasonline.co.uk and clicking the ‘Dr Who at the Movies’ link.

[Source: DWAS]

Cubicle 7 'Adventures In Time And Space' 50th Anniversary Sourcebooks

To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Doctor Who, Cubicle 7 are releasing a series of Doctor Who Sourcebooks for the Doctor Who: Adventures in Time and Space roleplaying game.

Each book will take an in-depth look at an incarnation of The Doctor, featuring his companions, enemies, allies, gadgets and more. Each of his adventures will be presented, giving an overview of the action and themes, exploring how you can use them in your games. There will also be suggestions for further adventures based on the events depicted.

As well as being packed with information for use in your games, the books will be full of images from that Doctor’s incarnation, and will be a wonderful fan resource for the show’s history. Cubicle 7 are even keeping the first two in black and white to stay true to the feel of the show!

The books will be US letter-size (standard RPG size, 8.5”x11”) and 160 pages long with a hard cover. The First and Second Doctor Sourcebooks will feature full colour covers and period-appropriate black and white interior; all the others will be in full colour throughout. The team have commissioned a montage of the eleven Doctors, which will run across the spines of the Sourcebooks when they are on the shelf.

Subscription deal

Cubicle 7 are offering a time-limited subscription deal to give fans of the game a way to get themselves a great deal on these books, have them sent as soon as they are available, and to support them in the creation of this series. The first six books are at various degrees of readiness.

There are two deals available:

Deal 1 – the full set

This includes:

All 11 titles: The First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and Tenth Doctor Sourcebooks, plus the Eleventh Doctor Sourcebook One.

Both physical copies and PDFs

All Doctor Who short PDF-only products released in 2013 (at least three)

The MSRP for these books will be $385/£264 plus shipping – the subscription deal is $315/£216 plus shipping, a saving of $70/£48 – two free books!

Deal 2 – the early years

This includes:

Six titles: The First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Doctor Sourcebooks

Both physical copies and PDFs

The MSRP for these books will be $210/£144 plus shipping – the subscription deal is $175/£120 plus shipping, a saving of $35/£24 – one free book!

Shipping

The shipping rate depends on where the books are delivered to – 10% of the total order for UK/USA, 20% for Canada/Europe and 35% for everywhere else.

Timescale

The First Doctor Book is due to be delivered in April, with the PDF being available in February. The Second Doctor Book is almost complete; the majority of the writing is finished on the Third and Fourth Doctor books and the Fifth and Sixth are underway. 

Cubicle 7 aim to release a book every other month as a minimum, and hope to bring them out quicker than that. Of course, unanticipated delays can crop up, and in this case they will communicate with you on progress. In any case, subscribers will receive both the books and the PDFs as soon as they are available.

Cancellation and refunds

If, for whatever reason, you need to cancel your subscription, Cubicle 7 will refund your subscription fee in proportion to the number of books you have already received – for example, if you need to cancel after the 3rd book of deal one, you will receive a refund of 8/11 of the total paid.

+  Visit the Cubicle 7 website.

[Source: Cubicle 7]

Neil Gaiman's Series 7 Episode Title Confirmed

The title of Neil Gaiman's Series 7 Doctor Who episode has now been confirmed.

Speaking in an interview to TheMusic.com.au, Gaiman himself revealed the title of his Cyberman epsiode:

“I’ve written [one] that broadcasts in May. It guest stars Warwick Davis, Tamzin Outhwaite and Jason Watkins. The episode is called The Last Cyberman. It’s about identity, it’s about responsibility and it’s about porridge.”

[Source: TheMusic.com.au]

2013 Classic Series Doctor Who DVD Releases Confirmed

BBC Consumer Products have confirmed the majority of the 2013 Classic Series Doctor Who DVD releases.

February 25th - The Ark in Space: Special Edition

March 11th - The Aztecs: Special Edition (plus Galaxy 4 reconstruction)

May 6th - The Visitation: Special Edition

May 27th - Inferno: Special Edition

June 3rd - The Mind of Evil

June 24th - Terror of the Zygons

July 15th - Spearhead from Space (Blu-Ray)

August 5th - The Green Death: Special Edition

August 26th - The Ice Warriors

September 16th - Scream of the Shalka

+  Discuss all the Doctor Who DVD releases in the DWO Forums.

[Source: BBC Consumer Products]

Obituary: Reg Pritchard (1925-2013)

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

Reg was perhaps best known to Doctor Who fans for his roles in the following Classic Series adventures:

Ben Daheer in the 1st Doctor adventure; The Crusade.
Man In Mackintosh in the 1st Doctor adventure; The Dalek's Masterplan.

Reg, who was born in Wrexham; Wales, had a long career spanning as far back as 1961, and featured in such shows as Dixon Of Dock Green, The Avengers, The Saint and Z Cars.

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

* * *

On a personal note, there was a bit of story behind getting Reg's birth date. DWO deal with a number of Doctor Who related obituaries, and it is normally easy to find birth dates, but for some reason, there was no record online, or in any printed media of Reg's. We had this news item ready two days ago but kept drawing a blank when it came to finding Reg's year of birth. We contacted Equity, to no avail, and then contacted The Stage (on advice from Toby Hadoke), who informed us they would be in touch.

This afternoon we received a telephone call from a lovely lady named Audrey Leybourne - an actress, who has also had a long career. Audrey was friends with Reg, and did some detective work of her own and managed to find Reg's year of birth for us!

I guess the reason we are recounting this story is because we find it baffling and sad that a man who had such a long career, and who clearly had a lot of friends, should have so little said about him online - despite all the technology and resources we have available to us these days. And thank heavens for people like Audrey, who single-handedly trumped even the best that Google could offer!

[Sources: Neil Marsh; Audrey Leybourne; The Stage; Toby Hadoke]

Doctor Who Magazine - Issue #457

Read a previously unpublished interview with The Third Doctor, Jon Pertwee - Exclusive in Doctor Who Magazine #457!

Jon Pertwee, the actor who took Doctor Who to new levels of success in the 1970s, gave an extensive interview about his life and times to two young reporters back in 1994. The vast majority of the interview has remained unpublished - until now...

"I had no preconceptions about the programme when I joined it," says Jon. "I only knew I did not want to be like the Doctors who had gone before. However, the old producers wanted me to play it for laughs, you can see that in the first episode. The hat business. The shower. I had already decided I want to play it straight. Luckily those producers left after the first story and were replaced by Barry Letts who let me play it my way..."  

Also this issue:

THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVOURITE THINGS
Doctor Who's showrunner and head writer, STEVEN MOFFAT, replies to DWM readers' questions on Vastra's lips, River's name and his favourite story from each and every Doctor. Some of his answers will surprise you...!

IT MUST BE LOVE
Amy and Rory. The Doctor and Rose. Captain Jack and everyone. Yes, just in time for Valentine's Day, JONATHAN MORRIS turns down the lights, gets out the choccies and takes a romantic look at DOCTOR WHO'S GREATEST LOVE STORIES!

OLD SCHOOL
The Eleventh Doctor has the surprise of his lives, as he's reunited with Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright in Coal Hill School! And the shocks don't stop there, as the latest comic strip, HUNTERS OF THE BURNING STONE by SCOTT GRAY, with art by MARTIN GERAGHTY, continues…

OH, WHAT A NIGHT!
DWM uses its beryllium atomic clock to turn back time to 1996, and the momentous evening that Doctor Who returned to TV, starring Paul McGann, as COUNTDOWN TO 50 continues.

WALKING ON THE MOON
There's a plasma-sucking pensioner and Judoon on the Moon, as THE TIME TEAM settle down to watch the Tenth Doctor meet Martha in SMITH AND JONES. What will Chris, Emma, Will and Michael make of it all...?

CREEPY CRAWLIES
The Third Doctor faces certain death, while giant arachnids plot to invade the Earth! THE FACT OF FICTION brushes off the cobwebs from 1974's PLANET OF THE SPIDERS, Jon Pertwee's final adventure as the Time Lord, and uncovers a wealth of new information and rare photos.

GIFTS FOR ALL!
Remember last Christmas? It can be fun time if you're a fan, with Doctor Who goodies galore – but what if you're a parent? Will your kids share your passion? JACQUELINE RAYNER reveals what happened to her and her family over the festive season  in RELATIVE DIMENSIONS.

KNOW ME! AM I... THE DOCTOR?
The all-seeing Watcher discusses the delights of Jon Pertwee's seminal single, Who is the Doctor?, challenges readers with a poptastic Six Faces of Delusion and celebrates another Supporting Artist of the Month, in WOTCHA!

+  Doctor Who Magazine Issue #457 is out on Today (Thursday 7th February 2013), priced £4.75.

+  Subscribe Worldwide to DWM from just £17.99 via Unique Magazines!

+  Check Out The DWO Guide to Doctor Who Magazine!

[Source: Doctor Who Magazine]

Matt Smith To Star In Ryan Gosling's 'How To Catch A Monster'

Doctor Who star Matt Smith will be taking the male lead Ryan Gosling's directional debut picture 'How to Catch a Monster'.

The story is set against the surreal dreamscape of a vanishing city and centered on a single mother of two being swept into a macabre and dark fantasy underworld while her teenage son discovers a secret road leading to an underwater town. Production is set to start this spring.

Christina Hendricks and Eva Mendes will co-star in the movie which is produced by Marc Platt (not the Doctor Who Author), Adam Siegel, Michel Litvak, David Lancaster and Ryan Gosling.

Since the news broke, fans are already wondering where this leaves Series 8 of Doctor Who, questioning his involvement and sparking regeneration rumours.

DWO would like to point out that Smith was recently quoted in an interview with The Sun newspaper as saying:

"His first episode sounds great. It hasn't been written yet but the idea is as brilliant and as mental as you'd expect from Steven. So there's a lot to look forward to.

When Steven was going to pitch the next season to me not long ago, he said, 'Are you ready to cry?".

It is likely that the filming schedule for Series 8 will be a tighter one than normal, and could very well be transmitted in the Autumn of 2014. This is yet to be confirmed by the BBC.

[Source: Variety]

Claudia Grant Cast As Carole Ann Ford in 'An Adventure In Space And Time'

Claudia Grant has been confirmed as playing Carole Ann Ford in Mark Gatiss' Doctor Who biodrama 'An Adventure In Space And Time'.

The confirmation comes on Grant's agency website, which happens to be run by Jessica Carney (William Hartnell's granddaughter):

"Congratulations to CLAUDIA GRANT (see actresses) who is shooting An Adventure in Space and Time, her first TV job since graduating in the summer.  The 90 minuter written by Mark Gatiss for the BBC tells the story of the genesis of Doctor Who. Claudia is filming the role of actress Carol Ann Ford who played the first Doctor’s granddaughter."

DWO are expecting more casting confirmations shortly, including Jamie Glover as William Russell.

[Sources: Jessica Carney Associates]

The Nameless City - eBook Cover & Details

The second instalment in a sensational series of stories celebrating the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who is written by Michael Scott, best-selling author of The Immortal Nicholas Flamel.

Speaking to DWO on the @DrWhoOnline Twitter account, Scott (@FlamelAuthor), had the following to say on his upcoming title:

"I was thrilled to be asked. Dr's one of the reasons I ultimately became a writer! And I started with Patrick Troughton too."

Synopsis:

When Jamie McCrimmon brings the Second Doctor a mysterious book, little does he realise the danger contained within its pages. 

The book transports the TARDIS to a terrifying glass city on a distant world, where the Archons are intent on getting revenge on the Time Lord for an ancient grudge.

Eleven Doctors, eleven months, eleven stories: a year-long celebration of Doctor Who! The most exciting names in children's fiction each create their own unique adventure about the time-travelling Time Lord.

+  The Nameless City is released on 23rd February 2013, Priced £1.99.

+  Preorder this eBook from iTunes for £1.99.

+  Preorder this eBook on Amazon for £1.99.

[Source: Puffin Books]