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Version 3.0 of 'WhoFeed' Doctor Who News App - Now LIVE!

DWO are pleased to announce that Version 3.0 of the popular 'WhoFeed' Doctor Who News App, is now live in the Apple App Store.

The latest version is now also compatible across all iOS devices, incorporating iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

Current WhoFeed Features:

-  The latest News from the top Doctor Who News sites.
-  The latest Blog entries from the top Doctor Who Blog sites.
-  Individual News stream option.
-  DWO WhoCast Podcast episodes (in-app streaming).
-  Doctor Who Websites links.
-  YouTube videos from the Official ClassicDW Channel. 
-  Comment Wall for fan interactivity.
-  WhoFeed Contacts page.
-  PLUS - in-App Social Interactivity. 

Don't forget to Rate & Review WhoFeed in the App Store - your feedback is greatly appreciated!

+ Click Here to buy WhoFeed for just £1.49 ($1.99).

[Source: Doctor Who Online]

Who Girls 2013 Calendar

In a departure from previous projects, Fantom Publishing is proud to reveal their first ever calendar!

The Who Girls 2013 Calendar is a glorious celebration of the most glamorous travellers in time and space. Twelve stellar images featuring ANNEKE WILLS, DEBORAH WATLING, KATY MANNING, MARY TAMM, SARAH SUTTON and NICOLA BRYANT.

All photographs have been fully endorsed and approved by the actresses featured. Each calendar ordered directly through their website will come signed by one of the ladies featured!

+  Who Girls 2013 Calendar is available Now priced £12.99 including P&P.

[Source: Fantom Publishing]

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7.1: Asylum of the Daleks - Promo Images

After last night's preview screening at the BFI, the BBC have released a number of pictures from 7.1: Asylum of the Daleks.

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Asylum of the Daleks will air on Saturday 1st September on BBC One with the time to be confirmed. BBC America schedules are showing a 2 hour time-slot on Saturday 1st September between 8:00pm-10:00pm, with 7.X: The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe scheduled for 8:00pm. Therefore, it is strongly believed that Asylum of the Daleks will air at 9:00pm on the channel.

[Source: BBC America; BFI]

Review: Sonic Screwdriver Universal Remote Control

Manufacturer: The Wand Company Ltd

RRP: £59.99

Release Date: End of August 2012

Reviewed by: Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 14th August 2012

From the moment you open the packaging, it is clear that the Sonic Screwdriver Universal Remote is a thing of beauty. The attention to detail and craftsmanship is unlike any other sonic replica out there and the fact that it has IR functionality only adds to the value for money.

Out of the box, the device sits neatly on its own stand with a perspex hood, which protects the sonic should you wish to have it on display. The sonic itself smacks of quality. From the weight, right down to the die-cast metal and hand-polished, copper-plated finish, you can't help feeling that you're holding something a little bit special.

Programming the IR codes is surprisingly easy - long gone are the days of scouring through user manuals, hoping to find the right code for your TV set. All you do is press the desired button on your old remote in front of the sonic remote, and a voice confirms the process with a reassuring 'ok'.

Gestures include, Up, Down, Left Right, Push, Pull, Tap Top, Tab Bottom, Tap Left and Tap Right - with no doubt more that we've yet to discover!

There's an FX mode which houses 13 different sound effects that will please new fans right down to the hardcore purists. There are also some Easter Egg functions, but without spoiling the fun, we'll let you discover those for yourself.

It's hard to fault this product, at times it can seem a little too responsive, but as the instruction manual points out, 'gestures are cool, but humans need to practise them'.

The RRP of £59.99 may seem a little high for a remote control, but what you get here is a loyal replica of the 11th Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver with the added bonus of a remote control. Compared to other replicas that have gone before it, the Sonic Screwdriver Universal Remote is miles cheaper in comparison, with heaps more functionality to boot.

+  Click Here to buy now from FireBox!

Last month DWO teamed up with Firebox to offer 3 lucky DWO Twitter followers, the chance to win a ticket to the press launch of the Sonic Screwdriver Universal Remote. DWO WhoCast interviewer, Siobhan Gallichan was on-hand to interview the winners on the day which you can listen to below:

 

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Version 3.0 of DWO's 'iWho' Doctor Who App - Now LIVE!

DWO are pleased to announce that Version 3.0 of our popular 'iWho' Doctor Who App, is now live in the Apple App Store.

The latest version is now also compatible across all iOS devices, incorporating iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

Current iWho Features:

-  News & Reviews provided by DWO.
-  DWO WhoCast podcast episodes (in-app streaming).
-  Complete guide to the Region 2 DVD Guide (Region 1 coming soon).
-  DWO Twitter Timeline (with in-app interactivity).
-  DWO Facebook Timeline (with in-app interactivity). 
-  DWO YouTube Videos (in-app streaming). 
-  A LIVE Map of the DWO Minecraft Server.
-  Comment Wall for fan interactivity.
-  DWO Contacts page.
-  PLUS - in-App Social Interactivity. 

Don't forget to Rate & Review iWho on the App Store - your feedback is greatly appreciated!

+ Click Here to buy iWho for just £1.49 ($1.99).

[Source: Doctor Who Online]

New BBC Two drama to mark 50th anniversary of Doctor Who

The BBC today announced that a special BBC TWO drama has been commissioned to mark the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who next year.

An Adventure In Space And Time will tell the story of the genesis of Doctor Who since its first broadcast on 23rd November 1963. Exploring all aspects of the longest running science fiction series to date, the special one-off 90-minute drama will also look at the many personalities involved in bringing the series to life.

Written by Mark Gatiss, it is executive produced by current Doctor Who showrunner, Steven Moffat, and Caroline Skinner. The single drama was commissioned by Ben Stephenson Controller, Drama, and Janice Hadlow, Controller of BBC Two.

Mark Gatiss said: "This is the story of how an unlikely set of brilliant people created a true television original. And how an actor - William Hartnell - stereotyped in hard-man roles became a hero to millions of children. I've wanted to tell this story for more years than I can remember! To make it happen for Doctor Who's 50th birthday is quite simply a dream come true."

Steven Moffat, Executive Producer, said: “The story of Doctor Who is the story of television - so it's fitting in the anniversary year that we make our most important journey back in time to see how the TARDIS was launched.”

The production and transmission schedule will be confirmed next year, along with casting.

[Source: BBC Media Centre]

Richard E. Grant Confirmed for Christmas Special

The BBC Doctor Who Twitter account has confirmed that Richard E. Grant will star in the 2012 Doctor Who Christmas Special, which begins filming this week.

Richard has previously appeared in the Doctor Who Comic Relief sketch 'The Curse of Fatal Death' as well as the BBCi Doctor Who Webcast of 'Scream of the Shalka', in which he plays a separate and earlier character from the canonical Ninth Doctor (played by Christopher Eccleston on television).

The actor, author and director, has starred in over 80 film and television hits including Withnail And I, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Jack & Sarah, Gosford Park and The Iron Lady.

On joining the show, Richard says: "I played Doctor Who in the digital animated Scream Of The Shalka and I'm honoured to be in the Christmas Special."

It is rumoured that Richard will play the villain in the Christmas Special.

Watch Richard E. Grant in 'The Curse of Fatal Death', below (from 13:10 onwards):

[youtube:Do-wDPoC6GM]

+  Series 7 of Doctor Who will air Saturday 1st September.

[Source: BBC Doctor Who Twitter]

Review: The Greatest Show in the Galaxy - DVD

Manufacturer: BBC Worldwide Consumer Products

Written By: Stephen Wyatt

RRP: £20.42

Release Date: 30th July 2012

Reviewed By: Dale Who for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 3rd August 2012

When the TARDIS is invaded by the intergalactic equivalent of junk mail, The Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) and Ace (Sophie Aldred) are drawn to the world of Segonax, and the Psychic Circus. With sinister clowns in hearses, intergalactic explorers and a very strange family who don't ever seem to be entertained, something's not right; and it's down to the Time Lord to set things back on course.

Coming towards the end of the Classic series, there's still some rather famous faces doing their star turn (Dame Peggy Mount, for example, and T P McKenna), and popular TV personalities of the time Jessica Martin and Gian Sammarco as Mags and Whizzkid respectively.

The story is not great. Most of the series is looking very tired at this stage, and although the main cast do a stellar job with what they're given, it all looks very cheap and lacklustre. The cliffhanger to episode one is non-existant and the other episodes don't fare much better; the story is fairly dismal and seems to drag along - although Sophie Aldred in particular shines as the rebellious teenager who's got a dislike of clowns with a valid reason.

The supporting cast - with the exception of Dame Peggy Mount and Jessica Martin - are mostly unlikable and stilted; Flowerchild and Bellboy are pleasant enough characters, (and Bellboy is very pretty to look at) but the clowns, Deadbeat, Nordand especially mickey-take-of-Whovians Whizzkid are lame pastiches of cliches that have no place in what should be a decent drama. The incidental music is too electronic and late 1980s synth, and is tinny and doesn't work at evoking moods; it's all just rather bland and boring, sadly - much like the majority of the story. After the brilliance of Dragonfire, and the masterpiece that was Remembrance of the Daleks, this story seems a real let down; albeit one with an explosive finale...

The Greatest Show In The Galaxy is a single disc release from the BBC Consumer Products label and as always with the DVD releases, the sound and vision are optimal, and there are a raft of extras on the disc to support thie story.

Special Feautres:

Commentary - This time we've got main cast member Sophie Aldred (Ace) and guest cast Jessica Martin (Mags) and Christopher Guard (Bellboy the eyecandy) along with crew members Stephen Wyatt (writer), Andrew Cartmel (script editor) and musical maestro Mark Ayres. Moderated as always by Toby Hadoke, there's some interesting snippets about the show's limitations and the problems the production went through.

The Show Must Go On - The expected behind the scenes documentary on the making of Greatest Show, which sheds a lot of new light on the serial. From the appalling title for the story, via clowns and their sinister aura, the story and the making of the show are deconstructed and examined, and it does let the viewer understand where a great many of the show's problems came from.  It's very interesting and fascinating to watch, and the information imparted really does give a very different view of the circus and the drama. There's a lot of love that comes across for the story from the cast and crew alike, and happily their enthusiasm is infectious. Ian Reddington looks like he really needs a decent shower, unfortunately, but the rest of the contributors are top notch.  First rate featurette.

Deleted And Extended Scenes - From model shots of the TARDIS and the junkbot to Captain Cook driving his little jeep, there's a plethora of things that were edited out of the aired show for timing or editorial reasons. It's about the same as the story though; a little dowdy and down at the heel, and the interest isn't held for too long when the main cast aren't on screen.

Lost In The Darkness - A short look at the unused model shots for The Greatest Show in the Galaxy. There's some lovely model shots of the TARDIS spinning away in space, with her lamp gently flashing away.  An amazing little sequence that never made it  air because it was "too dark".

The Psychic Circus - A music video. No, really. A horrible piece of tat made of stuttering visuals from the show, with the vocals provided by the guest cast. Would have suited the mid 1990s era Top of the Pops, in the era of dreadful noise masquerading as music tracks.  With inane lyrics such as "There is no escaping us / We are the Psychic Circus!", the one redeeming factor is it's mercifully short and eminently forgettable.

Remembrance "Demo" - More of Mark's Melodies, this time Ayres' demo work for the soundtrack of Remembrance of the Daleks. Whilst it still sounds very clunky and electronic, it's a whole load better than the Greatest Show soundtrack, and this brief set of clips from earlier in the season shows just how good some of the stories really are - to the current release's detriment. Mildly interesting rather than engrossing, and diverting enough because Remebrance of the Daleks was such a good story.

Tomorrow's Times: The Seventh DoctorAnneke Wills hosts this episode of the series looking at the press reaction to the seventh Doctor Who, Sylvester McCoy, and his stories.  It's a dark piece, sadly, showing just how badly the show was being received and reviewed by both the press and the fans alike. Anneke is a breath of fresh air and always lovely to watch, and the Points Of View style voiceovers are wonderfully pointed and cliche, to great effect.  However the whole piece is painful to watch for the mauling Who receives constantly from the British Press of the age.

Victoria Wood SketchJim Broadbent IS The Doctor!   The Doctor and Fiona run into old enemy Crayola in this witty and suprisingly accurate Doctor Who sketch from Victoroia Wood As Seen On TV.  The effects and the technobabble are spot on for the era, and Broadbent's Doctor has a costume comprising parts of Tom Baker, Peter Davison and Colin Baker's wardrobes. Short but very funny!

Coming Soon Trailer - Oh dear, the TARDIS is playing up and the doors open as the Ship lands, reducing the Police Box and it's occupants to around an inch tall. Join the first Doctor, Susan, Barbara and Ian as they make small steps in a very big world, where domestic cats can be lethal and everything looks very, very large... Planet Of Giants is the next DVD release.

With the usual audio navigation available, a photo gallery of still from both in front of and behnd the camera, four episodes worth of Info Text to give you factoid and figures onscreen during the main story, and the PDF versions of the Radio Times Listings - and possibly the most boring Easter Egg in history (repeated elsewhere in a major extra, so what was the point?), The Greatest Show In The Galaxy is very much divided in two as a disc.  Whilst the story is somewhat uninspiring, the thought and love behind the show liven up the extras to the degree where your view of the story is almost improved as a result. Almost. It doesn't quite work, but it's certainly a valiant attempt.

+  Compare Prices for this product on CompareTheDalek.com!

Event: The Lords of Time - [7-9/9/2012]

Next month Massive Events is launching their new Doctor Who fan convention. And their first confirmed guest is non other than David Tennant!

This September fans have the chance to hang out with some of their favourite companions, villains, heroes and not forgetting The Doctor himself at The Lords Of Time.

As well as the multi-talented David Tennant they have just confirmed Lachelle Carl, who’s name might not be well known but who’s face is instantly recognisable as newsreader Trinity Wells of AMNN. As well as 9 episodes of Doctor Who she has also appeared in several episodes of Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures. And keep watching the website for many more guest announcements coming over the next few weeks.

The weekend-long convention is the perfect place to meet up with other fans of Doctor Who in the safe and relaxed atmosphere of a convention, take part in intimate group meetings with the guests, collect personal keep-sakes to treasure at the autograph sessions and professional photo shoots, and listen to on-stage talks and even ask the actors a few questions yourself!

And in the evenings you can party the night away at one of the great themed parties or chill out in the bar. (Parties to be announced soon) So dig out your best costumes and get ready to join in the fun!

For more information and the latest announcements check out the website: http://massiveevents.co.uk/

Convention Details:

The Lords Of Time
7th – 9th Sept 2012
The Hilton Metropole hotel, Birmingham NEC

Weekend tickets from £88 (includes autographs and entry to all parties and talks, etc). Tickets available to buy online now.

[Source: Massive Events]

New Series 7 Trailer

The BBC have unveiled a new Trailer for Series 7 of Doctor Who.

View the trailer below:

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The Trailer will be repeated on BBC One Tonight at 8pm.

+  Series 7 of Doctor Who will air on either Saturday 25th August or Saturday 1st September.

[Source: BBC]

New Series 7 Promo Image

The BBC Doctor Who Website has released a new promotional image for Series 7 of Doctor Who.

The image shows Amy Pond being carried by an injured, grim-faced Doctor. They’re both surrounded by Daleks that have been encountered during different eras of the Time Lord’s travels.

A Dalek on the right of the picture does not have any of the vertical grille-like slats that have become a familiar feature, indicating it’s a version the Doctor faced when he first met his oldest enemies on Skaro. And on the left there’s a Special Weapons Dalek, last seen in the 1988 story, Remembrance of the Daleks.

It’s a fiery and exciting sign of what’s to come in the new series!

[Source: BBC Doctor Who Website]

Review: The Krotons - DVD

Manufacturer: BBC Worldwide Consumer Products

Written By: Robert Holmes

RRP: £20.42

Release Date: 2nd July 2012

Reviewed By: Dale Who for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 31st July 2012

The Doctor (Patrick Troughton, on top form) steps from the TARDIS into a planet inhabited by not very bright people. These people - The Gonds - are bred and taught to be two-legged cattle, no more and no less. They mill around and get on with their lives, quite happy with the fact that they've been feeding their best and brightest (a bit of an oxymoron considering) to a machine for the past couple of generations; in the mistaken belief that they will be "companions to the Krotons". What they've actually beeing doing is providing target practice for the inbuilt system that gets rid of thickies.

Together with Zoe (Wendy Padbury) and Jamie (Frazer Hines), The Doctor must pit his wits against the owners of the machine, The Krotons themselves; strangely accented giant vacuum cleaners with ideas above their station. The task they face is huge: defeat The Krotons, teach The Gonds how to fight back effectively, and reverse the conditioning and stupidity that the learning machines (another oxymoron) instil into the populace.

This four-part story, release as a single disc from BBC Worldwide, showcases Patrick Troughton's Doctor perfectly. From the moment he emerges from the Police Box exterior of the TARDIS he's obviously completely in his element. He takes charge of situations with ease, and you get the feeling that this is a very easy day for him; almost a distraction to stop him from getting bored. Zoe manages to cause a lot of trouble and needs rescuing, and Jamie... isn't given a great deal to do.

Notable for the only appearance to date of the TARDIS' H.A.D.S - a very clever idea; The Krotons is a fairly fast moving tale that entertains effortlessly, even if a few of the effects are somewhat less than special.

The usual magic has been woven on the story's audio and visual properties and is pin sharp as a result, and as happens with some of the older Who stories the black and white print works really well for the story, and lends a credence to the alien world and the Krotons themselves.

Special Features:

CommentaryToby Hadoke talks over the credits again to introduce the people around the table for The Krotons. On this occasion, they are: cast wise, the late, great Philip Madoc (Eelek in this story, and so many other roles in Doctor Who), Richard Ireson (Axus), and Gilbert Wynne (Thara). From the technical and behind the scenes department are Richard Tilley (assistant floor manager), Sylvia James (make up designer), Bobi Bartlett (costume designer) and Brian Hodgson (special sound guru, and the man who invented the TARDIS demat noise!)

Informative as ever and gently entertaining, and always kept in good humour by Hadoke, the commentary doesn't stand out as one of the most memorable in the DVD series, but it's certainly not bad. It might have possibly been helped by having one of the main cast - either Padbury or Hines, present to lend it some more humour and a different perspective for some parts.

Second Time Around - A look at the reinvention of Doctor Who into the Troughton era; both in direction and and portrayal. This behind the scenes look at the show's renewal has contributions from Anneke Wills (Polly to the First and Second Doctors), Frazer Hines (Jamie), Deborah Watling (Victoria), Wendy Padbury (Zoe), Christopher Barry and modern era Doctor Who writers Rob Shearman and Gary Russell.  

An honest look that finally lays to rest the myth that William Hartnell chose to leave, and the ins and outs of the companions' entrances and exits and the transition from the historical adventure to the monster era of Doctor Who. It also covers the episode junkings of the 1960s, when the archive started being wiped for the sake of space. Informative, if a little talky, but entertaining and the narrative flows very easily.

Doctor Who Stories - Frazer Hines: Part One - With the usual animated beginnIng (albeit tailored to his run on the programme) Frazer Hines talks us through his time on Who. The footage used is not new, it's culled from 2003 and The Story of Doctor Who. It's fast and not terribly in-depth, but Frazer is always engaging and entertaining, so there's no chance of boredom creeping in.

For a short piece, the gentleness and informality of the extra turn it into something wonderful, and you can tell from first glance that Frazer still holds a great deal of affection for Jamie McCrimmon.

The Doctor's Strange Love: The Krotons - Oh. They're back. "Simon Gond" and "Joe Gond" (this time without "Josie Gond") are back in Sarah Jane's attic to discuss The Krotons. Unlike the other instalments of this extra series, this one's not actually bad at all; the duo seem to be a lot more positive about the story, and a decent discussion about the best elements of The Krotons ensues. A huge, quantum leap of an improvement on the previous editions as the sillyness and the constant barbing has been removed.

There's a lot to like in this little extra, and with the removal of the sneering tone, and a look at what's good, great, and works well in the televised story, this Doctor's Strange Love manages to go a long way towards redeeming itself.

Coming Soon Trailer - Do you like the circus? The Psychic Circus is certainly different to most others you might have visited: The Doctor, Ace, a robot from Rentaghost, a werewolf and the gods of Ragnarock. Robot ticket inspectors and sinister clowns. All coming soon to a DVD near you, as The Greatest Show In The Galaxy is the next release off the starting blocks.

There's Audio Navigation for those who many want or need it, and the usual helping of Info Text to give you facts and figures on-screen during the story included too. Add in the Radio Times Listings available in PDF format if you're viewing the content on a computer; and a Photo Gallery of publicity and behind the scenes stills of the story, and you have The Krotons on DVD.

Whilst the story itself may not be an all-conquering fan favourite, this DVD has plenty going for it. It's one of the few complete Troughton stories, and shows perfectly just what an amazing Doctor Patrick was. The Krotons, although hardly terrifying, are a decently realised adversary, and the story keeps a cracking pace through it's four episodes. The extras put on the disc, whilst hardly numerous, are some of the best produced (especially "Second Time Around") and with Mssrs. Guerrier and Lidster upping their game considerably this is a well rounded, great value release.

+  Compare Prices for this product on CompareTheDalek.com!

Big Finish Doctor Who Licence Extended to 2015

Big Finish is delighted to announce that its licence with AudioGO to make Doctor Who on audio has been extended up to December 2015.

“I’m so excited that we can continue our voyages with the Doctor for at least another three years,” says Big Finish executive producer Jason Haigh-Ellery, “and so pleased that AudioGO and the BBC continue to trust us with the telling of these stories.”

“It's been a privilege and a pleasure for me to have worked on the Doctor Who audio range since 1999,” adds executive producer Nicholas Briggs. “I'm looking forward to continuing the excellent relationship we have with AudioGO and the BBC – and, of course, to the many exciting adventures for the Doctor I'll be working on over the next three years or more.”

“We’re already making plans for 2015,” says line producer David Richardson, “which will be the sixteenth year of Doctor Who audio productions from Big Finish and include our landmark 200th main range play! In addition to the Doctor Who main range and Companion Chronicles, we are working through ideas for an exciting new range which we hope to announce during 2013.”

[Source: Big Finish]

Series 7 Trailer Confirmed for 2nd August

The BBC Media Centre have confirmed a brand new trailer for Doctor Who will air on Thursday 2nd August.

On BBC One British audiences are set to experience the global stories of ambition, determination and courage, as well as the excitement, drama and magical moments that make the Olympics such a unique sporting event.

BBC One will launch its new Original British Drama campaign to the nation throughout this period. Over the next 17 days audiences will get a sneak preview of the brand new original British drama coming up on the channel. From Hunted, Good Cop and The Secret of Crickley Hall to Accused, Shetland and Ripper Street. Plus, Doctor Who, Merlin, The Paradise and EastEnders – keep switched on at approximately 8pm each night to see more. 

[Source: BBC Media Centre]

Doctor Who Magazine - Issue #450

Matt 'Meets' Pat in Doctor Who Magazine 450!

In an exclusive, brand new interview with Matt Smith, Doctor Who Magazine imagines what would happen if he could talk with the actor who played the Doctor’s Second incarnation, Patrick Troughton.

MATT: “Patrick has a very Doctory face. Everything about Patrick is Doctory! He is peculiar without ever asking you to find him peculiar. All the elements were right. I loved his costume.”

PATRICK: “Well, you go along to the costumiers and they produce various things, and you say, 'Ahh, that would be good…'”

ALSO THIS ISSUE:

DO YOU WANT TO KNOW A SECRET?
Head writer and executive producer STEVEN MOFFAT drops his guard and reveals what's happening with the next 14 episodes of Doctor Who, exclusively in PRODUCTION NOTES!

DINOSAURS ON A SPACESHIP!
DWM talks to writer CHRIS CHIBNALL and grills him about his forthcoming scripts in the new season of Doctor Who – DINOSAURS ON A SPACESHIP and the “very different” Episode 4… 

REMEMBERING CARRY
DWM pays tribute to the late CAROLINE JOHN, the much-loved actress who played the Third Doctor’s assistant Liz Shaw and died in June – and looks back over her life and times.

RECOLLECTIONS OF THE DALEKS
Seasoned Dalek operators NICHOLAS PEGG and BARNABY EDWARDS give DWM readers on a unique, Dalek-eye view of the making of 2005’s BAD WOLF/THE PARTING OF THE WAYS – accompanied by photos from their private collections!

WHEN PAT MET COLIN
Stern Sontarans, ambitious Androgums and fantastic food! Yes, it’s time to uncover the fascinating details of what really happened when the Second and Sixth incarnations met, as THE FACT OF FICTION looks back at the 1985 adventure THE TWO DOCTORS!

DOCTOR WHO’S REPLACEMENT?
DWM investigates STARWATCH, a sci-fi series that, had it been made in the 1990s, would have starred JON PERTWEE. With never-before-published images from the project, DWM talks to the people who tried to make it happen…

WHEN PAT MET JON… AND PETER AND RICHARD AND TOM
COUNTDOWN TO 50 takes a nostalgic look back at the story which celebrated Doctor Who’s 20th anniversary with some old friends – and some ever older enemies! – as it remembers THE FIVE DOCTORS.

TREASURES BEYOND IMAGINING...
The Doctor, Amy and Rory face up to a ruthless collection of alien criminals within a mysterious ziggurat stuffed with priceless treasures in THE CORNUCOPIA CAPER, the latest DWM comic strip, written by SCOTT GRAY with art by DAN McDAID!

FIND THE DOCTOR!
The Time Team convenes to watch one of the most innovative and controversial Doctor Who stories of all time – 2006’s LOVE & MONSTERS. But what will Emma, Chris, Will and Michael make of it…?

THE BARE ESSENTIALS
DWM strands TOBY HADOKE and JOHNNY CANDON on a desert island, with only eight Doctor Who stories each to keep them company. But which episodes will they choose? And whose selection do you agree with?  Find out, in A BATTLE OF WITS!

WOTCHA
The mysterious Watcher marvels at the TARDIS’ food machine, challenges readers with his Six Faces of Delusion, and champions another Supporting Artist of the Month in WOTCHA!

PLUS! All the latest official news, TV and merchandise reviews, previews, competitions, a prize-winning crossword and much, much more…

AND! A giant-sized, double-sided poster featuring the Ninth, Tenth and Eleventh Doctors, and ‘every Dalek ever’!

+  Doctor Who Magazine Issue #450 is Out Now, priced £4.99.

+  Subscribe to Doctor Who Magazine from as little as £16.99 at Unique Magazines!

+  Check Out DWO's Guide to every issue of Doctor Who Magazine!

[Source: Doctor Who Magazine]

Obituary: Mary Tamm (1950-2012)

It is with deepest regret that DWO announces the passing of Classic Series Doctor Who Actress, Mary Tamm.

Mary was best known to Doctor Who fans for playing The 4th Doctor's companion; Romana I. Mary appeared as Romana in a total of 6 televised stories which formed the Key to Time series of adventures:

The Ribos Operation
The Pirate Planet
The Stones of Blood
The Androids of Tara
The Power of Kroll
The Armageddon Factor

The actress, who was born in Bradford, West Yorkshire, fought a long battle with cancer and died in hospital in London.

Agent Barry Langford, who confirmed the news, said she had a "zest for life".

Tamm's stage and screen career also included films The Odessa File and The Likely Lads, as well as recurring roles in EastEnders and Brookside.

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

On announcing the news to the @DrWhoOnline Twitter followers, we asked for some of your comments to include in our obituary, of which we have added a small selection below:

@yeles - @DrWhoOnline really sad news. All my thoughts to family and friends.

@UKVampire - @DrWhoOnline #RIPMaryTamm will forever live on in our hearts as Romana - Thoughts go out to friends and family during this difficult time.

@Blackadder345 - @DrWhoOnline A wonderful actress and companion, will be sadly missed. Shall never be able to watch the Key to Time again without a tear.

@TheGazulator - DrWhoOnline Great chunks of our past, detaching themselves like melting icebergs. :( RIP, Mary Tamm. Thoughts and prayers with her family.

@TheOldLondoner - @DrWhoOnline How awful that the wonderful Mary Tamm has passed away. She was the very best of actresses & my favourite Dr Who assistant

@Deensey - @DrWhoOnline Romana was the first thing I loved about Doctor Who. I was about 6 and watched with my big brother

+  You can leave messages of condolence in the DWO Forums thread, here.

[Source: BBC]

Doctor Who to feature on the cover of Entertainment Weekly

Doctor Who becomes first ever British TV show to appear on cover of America’s iconic Entertainment Weekly.

Doctor Who will once again make history on Friday 27th July when the world’s longest running sci-fi television show features on the cover of influential US entertainment magazine, Entertainment Weekly. Incredibly, it will be the first British television show to command a spot on the cover, further highlighting Doctor Who’s growing U.S. fan-base.

Entertainment Weekly was granted behind the scenes access to the cast of the upcoming series, and the cover story features interviews with Matt Smith, Karen Gillan, Arthur Darvill and Executive Producer Steven Moffat. This fantastic coup for the brand follows on from other notable shout-outs on The Late Late Show, Greys Anatomy and Criminal Minds

Doctor Who Series 6 was the most watched series ever on BBC America, while the same series was also the most downloaded show on U.S. iTunes last year, eclipsing celebrated shows such as Mad Men and Glee

[Source: BBC Worldwide]

Matt Smith 'selective' about roles

Speaking to reporters at the screening of his latest BBC One Drama; Bert and Dickie, Matt Smith admitted he is 'selective' about the roles he chooses.

"Because we shoot [Doctor Who] for nine, ten months, all in all, you get about a month to do something else. Of course, you have to be selective, but I responded to the [Bert and Dickie] script. It's made by people I know at the BBC and people that are of great repute. And that's important. There was a good director attached and I always thought it would get a good, strong cast. But it just has to start with a script and I guess I just responded to that."

+  Bert and Dickie airs on Tonight (25th July) at 8.30pm on BBC One.

[Source: Gabriel Torrens]

Matt Smith distances himself from Doctor Who Movie role

Speaking to Collider, Matt Smith seemingly ruled out his involvement with the rumoured Doctor Who movie.

When asked "Will you ever do a big screen Doctor Who movie?" Smith replied:

"I don’t know. There’s talk of it. I think David Yates was attached to do something. For my money, whoever is playing The Doctor should be in the movie. I don’t think there should be two Doctors. I think it would take four or five years to get something like that off the ground, and I don’t anticipate that I’ll be playing the Doctor then. My skin and the aging process couldn’t take it. But, I don’t see any reason why it couldn’t work. I think they should get Steven to write it because he’s the best."

[Source: Collider]

Obituary: Colin Lavers

It is with deepest regret that DWO announces the passing of Classic Series Doctor Who Costume Designer, Colin Lavers.

Colin was the credited costumer for four Doctor Who serials, most in the Peter Davison era. As the designer of costumes for Four to Doomsday — the first adventure that Davison recorded — he was responsible for helping to realise The Fifth Doctor's iconic "look".

One part of The Fifth Doctor's costume that was not his idea was the retention of the question mark-lapeled shirt from Tom Baker's season 18 look. He was specifically asked to keep them in, via a 10 February 1981 memo from John Nathan-Turner to Lavers. "I do feel that the Doctor Who shirt with the '?' mark on the lapels is worth hanging on to," wrote Nathan-Turner.

A couple of years later, Lavers' duties on The Five Doctors gave him the opportunity to clothe a wide range of Doctors and companions, some of whom had never been seen on colour television before. Combined with his turns on his other two serials, The Power of Kroll and The King's Demons, he provided outfits for more recurring characters in "classic" Doctor Who than any other costumer.

He provided new or significantly modified outfits for the Fifth Doctor, The Master, Susan, Sarah Jane, Liz, Zoe, Jamie, the Brigadier, Romana I and Tegan. He recreated costumes for Mike Yates and The First, Second and Third Doctors. Although he didn't actually design this last group's costumes, their Five Doctors costumes were at least subtly different from those they had worn in any other serial. In his stories, Lavers failed to provide costumes for only two main characters: Turlough and the Fourth Doctor

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

[Sources: Richard Kewing; TARDIS Index File]

Review: [161] The Butcher of Brisbane - CD

Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Written By: Marc Platt

RRP: £14.99 (CD) / £12.99 (Download)

Release Date: 30th June 2012

Reviewed by: Matthew Davis for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 21st July 2012

The TARDIS is hit by an errant stream of zygma energy, putting the time ship into peril and sending Nyssa and Turlough into the time stream. They arrive on a desolate snow-bound wasteland where the bodies of aged and withered people are falling out of the air, littering the landscape in a sea of corpses. Amongst this graveyard there is one survivor who is barely alive. This man claims to know who Nyssa and Turlough are and that they will both play an important part in future events.

The Doctor and Tegan, meanwhile, in a desperate search to find their missing friends trace the zygma energy to the ruined countryside of Brisbane in the 51st Century. The Doctor is anxious to find his friends and get away as soon as possible, as this war torn century holds far too many horrors. Through sinister events The Doctor is captured by the cold and ruthless alien scientist Findeker and Tegan comes under the protection of the Earth Free Media, made up of journalists investigating and reporting on the wrong-doings of Earth’s Supreme Alliance.

One of the most important events in the Alliance’s history is about to take place. The Icelandic Alliance has sent a delegation to establish a new trade accord and the Supreme Alliance representative chosen to oversee this affair is the Minister of Justice, Magnus Greel. 

As Tegan and The Doctor will discover to their horror, this historic chain of events could not have come into fruition without the help of Greel’s bride to be; Nyssa of Traken.

The Butcher of Brisbane is quite simply brilliant, which makes it incredibly difficult to review...To spoil one moment of this play is to rob the listener of one of the best Fifth Doctor Big Finish stories ever made. 

Marc Platt has pulled together the tantalising nuggets of information that were littered by Robert Holmes in The Talons of Weng-Chiang and created a more than worthy prequel to that story. How Platt makes each reference work within the confines of this play is extraordinary and Big Finish must be applauded for handing this story to him. 

Bold in its execution and unafraid to address the complex, dark and even sympathetic elements of Magnus Greel - the man, this play works not only as a brilliant time travel thriller but an excellent character study.

The main cast are the best they have ever been with everyone getting an equal amount of time to take centre stage. No one in this story feels like they have no strong contribution to make including the most minor of supporting characters. Sarah Sutton must be singled out from the main cast as she delivers an incredible performance, as Nyssa shows how even a monster can induce some sympathy in others.

Angus Wright as Greel is sensational. To take over from the late and great Michael Spice is no easy feat and Wright makes the character his own by delivering a complex yet quite clearly damaged individual. He plays Greel, like all psychopaths, as a man able to exude charm whilst hiding and sometimes unleashing a dangerous and deluded edge. The Greel in the Butcher of Brisbane is a much more human monster than the ruined creature he is destined to become. Here is a bureaucrat, abusing his position with dirty tricks and slowly giving in to his own paranoia. 

Rupert Frazer is quite brilliant as the cold Sa Yy Findecker, a scientist damaged so much by his own discovery that he becomes a grim foreshadowing of the events of Weng-Chiang . 

With so much reference to the past it was inevitable that the Peking Homunculus Mr Sin would make an appearance. Lacking the visual element of the murderous doll, Big Finish has rendered Mr Sin on audio in a simple yet effective way. By focusing on the porcine component of Sin’s cyborg brain, they bring him to life through the use of a series of grunts and pig like snorts which make the character incredibly creepy and grotesque.

The story is bold in using a cyclical storyline to satisfying yet tragic effect. There is a real sense of doom and foreboding running throughout the play, made more effective given the benefit of hindsight with the familiarity of having see Talons.

For anyone worried how a future version of The Doctor would work when up against a past version of a villain who hasn’t met him yet, I’m happy to say that Marc Platt solves this in a very simple way which does not damage the story's credibility.

Technically the play is superb, as Fool Circle Productions contribute a brilliant sound design and musical score with the play's direction being expertly handled by the great Ken Bentley.

It is difficult to find anything wrong with this release except a personal disappointment towards an only fleeting mention of the infamous Filipino army at Reykjavik, but such a criticism is only a minor thing when there is so much to enjoy here.

The Butcher of Brisbane is a superb closing to this Fifth Doctor season and one of the best Big Finish audios of the year. An essential listen.

How a Doctor Who Action Figure is made! - DWO YouTube Spotlight

Every Thursday DWO spotlight a Doctor Who related YouTube video. This week we look at Designworks' "Winston Churchill Action Figure Creation", which is a truly awesome video looking at the entire process of making a Doctor Who action figure.

Check out the video below:

[youtube:5QE9GnKDVXw]

[Source: Designworks]

SDCC 2012 Victory of the Daleks Set - Toy Exclusive

Forbidden Planet have teamed up with Character Options for another Exclusive Doctor Who Toy, released in conjunction with the 2012 San Diego Comic Con.

The Victory of the Daleks Set features Winston Churchill, an Ironside Dalek and extra accessories from the War Room setting.

The Doctor has been summoned by his old friend Winston Churchill but in the Cabinet War Rooms, far below the streets of blitz-torn London, he finds his oldest enemy waiting for him... The Daleks are back! And can Churchill really be in league with them?

The Ironsides were designed to be the perfect warrior, after the concept was dreamt up by Professor Bracewell, seemingly from nowhere. In actual fact, these new weapons which Winston Churchill wanted to use to win the war were in fact Daleks, who had fallen back through time and needed the Doctor to be able to create the new Dalek race. Professor Bracewell was in fact an android built by the Daleks, part of a complex trap to lure the Doctor back to where they were hiding, so he would unwittingly allow the Dalek race to be reborn thanks to his testimony. The new Daleks appeared, and exterminated the Ironsides.

Contents:

1 x Winston Churchill action figure
1 x Ironside Dalek action figure (with Tea Tray!)
Plus extra accessories from the War Room setting!

+  The SDCC 2012 Victory of the Daleks Set is Out Now, priced £26.99.

+  Order this product from Forbidden Planet!

[Source: Forbidden Planet]

<mce:script

Win an invite to the Sonic Screwdriver Remote Press Launch!

DWO and Firebox have teamed up to offer our Twitter followers a chance to win an invite to the Sonic Screwdriver Remote Press Launch!

3 x lucky winners will win an invite to the press launch next Wednesday in London, as well as taking away with them one of the new Sonic Screwdriver Remote's (pictured).

To enter, all you have to do is Tweet '#DWO @Firebox' to us via the @DrWhoOnline Twitter page.

Please note that in order to be eligible, you must be free next Wednesday (25th July) at 3:30pm, and must be able to make your own travel arrangements.

+ Check Out the Sonic Screwdriver Remote at Firebox!

[Source: Doctor Who Online]

Series 7 Episode Guide - Updated

Details of Series 7 of Doctor Who have been trickling out of last weekend's San Diego Comic Con, and with them, some more episode titles for the upcoming season.

Below is our updated guide to the episodes in Series 7 with the most recently updated marked in red:

W = Written By / D = Directed By

7.1: Asylum of the Daleks - [W: Steven Moffat / D: Nick Hurran]
7.2: Dinosaurs on a Spaceship - [W: Chris Chibnall / D: Saul Metzstein]
7.3: A Town Called Mercy - [W: Toby Whithouse / D: Saul Metzstein]
7.4: Cubed - [W: Chris Chibnall / D: Douglas Mackinnon]
7.5: Untitled - [W: Steven Moffat / D: Nick Hurran]
7.6: Untitled - [W: Steven Moffat / D: Saul Metzstein] - (2012 Doctor Who Christmas Special)
7.7: Untitled - [W: TBC / D: TBC]
7.8: Untitled - [W: Mark Gatiss / D: Douglas Mackinnon]
7.9: Untitled - [W: TBC / D: TBC]
7.10: The Crimson Horror - [W: Mark Gatiss / D: Saul Metzstein]
7.11: Phantoms of the Hex - [W: Neil Cross / D: Jamie Payne]
7.12: Untitled - [W: TBC / D: TBC]
7.13: Untitled - [W: TBC / D: TBC]
7.14: Untitled - [W: TBC / D: TBC]

Series 7 is rumoured to begin on either Saturday 25th August or Saturday 1st September 2012.

[Sources: San Diego Comic Con; Doctor Who Magazine; Aaron Richardson]

Electronic Sound FX Daleks - Image & Details

Character Options have sent DWO the details for their upcoming Electronic Sound FX Daleks.

The Daleks were created by the Kaled scientist, Davros as travel machines. He had deduced that the years of radiation and chemical poisoning from an ongoing war would lead his race to mutate into immobile organisms. The Dalek travel machines would house these creatures and allow the Kaleds to survive. However, in the course of his experiments, Davros deliberately removed what he considered to be debilitating emotions from the mutants and a force of evil was spawned!

The Daleks were born without any ability to feel compassion or pity and were motivated only by hate, fear and an implacable belief that they were the superior creatures in the Universe.

Recreate scenes from Doctor Who with these highly detailed 5" poseable Dalek action figures.

Featuring the following six Daleks, modelled accurately on some of the famous Daleks from past episodes. Bronze Dalek (2005), The Dalek Invasion of Earth (1964), Power of the Daleks (1966), Revelation of the Daleks (1985), Planet of the Daleks (1973) and Death to the Daleks (1974). Each Dalek includes sound FX and speech by era! Collect them all!. Six to Collect.

+  The Electronic Sound FX Daleks is released on 22nd August 2012, priced £14.99 each.

+  PREORDER all six Daleks from Forbidden Planet! for just £79.99 (RRP: £89.94).

[Source: Character Options]

<mce:script

Matt Smith announced as patron of the National Youth Theatre

Doctor Who star, Matt Smith, is to become a patron of the National Youth Theatre.

The actor trained with the National Youth Theatre as a teenager and this week visited rehearsals to surprise the 140-strong NYT cast as they put the final touches to their Olympic and Paralympic Team Welcome Ceremonies.

National Youth Theatre’s Artistic Director and CEO Paul Roseby, who knew Smith when he was training as a teenager said:

“We’re all thrilled at the National Youth Theatre to announce that Matt Smith is the latest recruit to our illustrious list of Patrons, as we get ready for our Olympic and Paralympic performances. Matt is a perfect role model for the latest generation of brave new talent."

Smith joined the National Youth Theatre in 2002 and won critical acclaim for his performances as Thomas Beckett in their production of Murder in the Cathedral at London’s Southwark Cathedral and Basoon in The Master and Margarita at the Lyric Hammersmith.

On becoming a Patron, Smith said:

“I think from my experience the thing about the NYT is that you learn through practice. You’re out there on a stage, you’re doing a play, you’re being directed, you’re turning up for rehearsals every day and working as you would work in a professional rehearsal room. It completely transformed my life. No understatement. I’m proud to be part of it still and proud to be the organisation’s newest Patron, as I care very deeply about it.”

[Source: The Telegraph]

Doctor Who Fan Talks to his 12-Year-Old Self

DWO get sent countless awesome videos from our visitors, and we don't always get a chance to share them all on our news page, but this latest one from Jeremiah McDonald is simply amazing...

The video, titled 'A Conversation With My 12 Year Old Self' sees Doctor Who fan Jeremiah (aged 32) interacting with a video recorded by his younger self (aged 12), in an incredibly timey-wimey way.

Check out the video below:

[youtube:XFGAQrEUaeU]

** Please note - this video contains some swearing.

[Source: James Foster]

The DWO Awards 2012 - NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN

The 2012 DWO Awards are now open for nominations in 13 different Doctor Who related categories.

We all like a good poll, right? Especially if it is connected to our favourite show; Doctor Who. That's why DWO have decided to launch our own annual awards covering all aspects of Doctor Who; incorporating Merchandise, TV Episodes and Fandom.

We are particularly keen on the addition of the Fandom category as it is often overlooked by many of the more 'official' polls, and it is our belief that fandom can provide some of the most creative offerings out there.

The awards are run in conjunction with the DWO Forum Community, which anyone can join for FREE, and will begin with nominations from fans in the categories. The top 10 selections in each category will then make a shortlist in which fans can vote online for their favourites.

The following 13 categories are now open for nominations via the DWO Forums:

+ Best Doctor Who DVD of 2011

+ Best Doctor Who DVD Special Feature of 2011

+ Best Doctor Who Book of 2011

+ Best Doctor Who Audio of 2011

+ Best Doctor Who Toy of 2011

+ Best Doctor Who Magazine Issue of 2011

+ Best Doctor Who Series 6 Story of 2011

+ Best Doctor Who Convention / Event of 2011

+ Best Doctor Who Podcast of 2011

+ Best Doctor Who Website of 2011

+ Best Doctor Who Fanzine of 2011

+ Best DWO (Member) Fan Fiction of 2011

+ Best DWO (Member) Blog of 2011

** Please Note - Nominations will close on 1st September 2012, and voting will commence for the shortlist on 2nd September 2012 through to December 31st 2012. Winners will be announced on 1st January 2013.

+  Membership to the DWO Forums is FREE and fast to join. Register Here!

[Source: Doctor Who Online]

The Ambassadors of Death - DVD Cover & Details

BBC Consumer Products have sent DWO the cover and details for the Doctor Who DVD release of The Ambassadors of Death.

The Ambassadors of Death
Featuring: The 3rd Doctor

When all communication is lost from Mars Probe 7 shortly after jt leaves. Mars and begins its trip back to Earth, a second craft is launched to investigate. As’ Recovery 7 docks in space, it ,too. loses all communication The Doctor and UNIT are given the task of investigating the mystery, as Recovery 7 returns to Earth.

It appears that no one can be trusted, as the space capsule is hijacked from its UNIT convoy With, military precision. What has happened to the missing astronauts? Could this be a secret-invasion from Mars, -or is the enemy much closer to home?

As the Doctor plans a daring space mission of his own, his assistant Liz Shaw goes missing. Who is working against UNIT in order to bring mankind into conflict with an alien race…?

Cleared Special Features:

•  00:01:27:01 - (DOCTOR WHO - THE AMBASSADORS OF DEATH) (TRAILER)
•  00:13:05:07 - TOMORROW'S TIMES - THE THIRD DOCTOR
•  00:04:24:15 - THE AMBASSADORS OF DEATH - PHOTO GALLERY
•  00:25:49:16 - MARS PROBE 7: MAKING THE AMBASSADORS OF DEATH

+  The Ambassadors of Death is released on 1st October 2012, priced £20.42.

+  Compare Prices for this product on CompareTheDalek.com.

[Source: BBC Consumer Products]