Ever wanted to have breakfast with The Doctor? Now you can! In fact, now you can have breakfast with 7 Doctors...all at once - and it's all in the name of Comic Relief!

The Wolseley on Piccadilly will be hosting a landmark meal where, for the first time in the show's 54 year history, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy, Paul McGann, David Tennant, Matt Smith and Peter Capaldi will meet to break bread and talk TARDIS. Here, inside its hallowed hall, the meal of meals will take place. An epic event, a world first, and a legendary opportunity to witness history in the making. To join them on this remarkable morning, bid now, the highest bidders will be invited to take their seats at the table to join the seven Doctors for what is already considered the most historic breakfast in the history of television. Can you imagine the talk?

The meet and greet will take place between September 2017 and May 2018. Comic Relief will give you as much notice as possible once the date is confirmed.

There are two ways to enter; 1) Enter a bid in the online auction, where the current bidding stands at £10,000, or 2) Enter a Prize Draw, where the tickets cost just £5.

Auction:
https://www.givergy.com/listing/red-nose-day/breakfast-with-doctor-whos-2

Prize Draw:
https://www.givergy.com/listing/red-nose-day/breakfast-with-doctor-whos

[Source: Jordan Mitchell]

There are loads of fantastic Doctor Who podcasts on the internet, but we found one in particular that deserves a big shout out; MarkWHO42 (formerly known as MarkWHO42's WHOniverse).

They are an online radio show as well as podcast and cover Doctor Who news, reviews, and interviews, and have also started to branch out into other genre topics as well... but it's Doctor Who they are in love with. The show is hosted by Mark Baumgarten (who also edits, produces, and directs the show), Christian Basel (the creator of The Legend of the Traveling TARDIS), Patty Hawkins (the founding member of Geeks of Comedy and a self proclaimed Geek Theorist as well), and Iggy Mathews (of Let's Be Reelz). The show has a website where they also have news, Big Finish audio reviews, and host their show. You can find it at www.markwho42.net.

Besides doing a show, they also appear at conventions all around the United States, hosting panels, and moderating guest Q&As. They also have regular day jobs but still manage to do a new show almost every week of the year. MarkWHO42 has been around for over 4 years now, with over 160 shows available on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, TuneIn, and many other podcast platforms... they even have a Roku channel. Big shoes to fill, but they do it!

DWO interviewed MarkWHO42 showrunner Mark Baumgarten and asked him a few questions:

Who... or what are you?

"MarkWHO42 is an online radio show and podcast as well. We started primarily as a show about Doctor Who. And it still is. But last year, we made a conscious decision to go "beyond the WHOniverse." It seems you cannot talk about Doctor WHO without its influence in other medias. You can see little things appear such as in the Simpsons, Leverage, South Park, so many other shows. And now with other actors leaving to do other shows and movies. Doctor WHO's influence stretches far beyond its roots."

Do you guys cover classic or new Who?

"We think of Doctor Who as one show spanning 53+ years on one medium or another, so we cover both. Since we review the episodes as they come out, we are new Who, I guess. But our interviews and discussions have been Classic Who-based a lot of the time. So in answer to your question: YES!"

So what's the difference between you & everybody else?

"Our chemistry. We have had several hosting teams since we began, and all of them worked, in my opinion. Some of the hosts are die-hard fans from the 70's. Some have been newbies starting with the new series and have since gone back to watch the classics. We all have different opinions and are not afraid to give them. So we are definitely well-rounded.

Also, while most Doctor Who podcasts are a bunch of fans just talking about Who, we bring celebrity interviews into the mix. We have had 4 classic Doctors (Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy, and Paul McGann) on the show as well as Doctor Who writers (Richard Dinnick, Robert Shearman, Andrew Cartmel,...) and actors (Katy Manning, Louise Jameson, Daphne Ashbrook, Yee Jee Tso, Michael Jayston, and many more). Plus by going Beyond the WHOniverse, we have had other celebs like Bruce Boxleitner, Claudia Christian, Chase Masterson, Michael Winslow, and just recently Duke Nukem himself Jon St. John to name a few. We have brought over 80 guests to our audience so far, and we are not stopping there."

What's your one big claim to fame?

"Having Katy Manning on her first ever podcast... that's right, you heard me! We were the first online show by fans that she ever agreed to and participated in.

If I got a second chance to answer that question, I would probably say that being the Doctor Who radio show on Krypton Radio airing 4 times a week would be right up there too. You can find them at www.kryptonradio.com for showtimes in your area."

Why THAT name?

"I've given a different answer to this question over the years including that it was my email address (which it was) but really it comes from my name Mark, the show title Doctor "WHO", and The Ultimate Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, The Universe, and Everything (DnA's Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is one of the funniest books ever written). So Mark + Who + 42 or as we write it: MarkWHO42!"

Don't just take our word for it, check out MarkWHO42 for yourselves. They have a Facebook page at www.facebook.com/markwho42lives , a Tumblr page: www.markwho42.tumblr.com and you can tweet them at @markwho42

Or just go to www.markwho42.net and join the WHOniverse Army... We did!

[Source: MarkWHO42]

The Sisterhood of Karn - the London-based social group for LGBT Doctor Who fans - present ‘An Evening With Adric’.

Companion actor Matthew Waterhouse, who played Adric alongside the fourth and fifth Doctors, will be joining the Sisterhood Of Karn as a special guest for the evening. Matthew will be performing live commentary on episodes that he is in, and perhaps even on one that he isn't...! He will also be signing copies of his books, which will be available to purchase at the event.

+ Tickets: £5.90 Available at http://eventbrite.com/e/an-evening-with-adric-tickets-27489952187

[Source: Richard Unwin]

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

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

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

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

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

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

[Source: UWS]

Geekinomicon, Oklahoma’s largest Comic Con, hosted at Oklahoma City’s Cox Convention Center on September 2­4th this year, is the official 20th anniversary celebration of “Doctor Who: The Movie”. Paul McGann, Sylvester McCoy, Daphne Ashbrook, Eric Roberts, Yee Jee Tso, Jeremy Radick, and Eliza Roberts will be attending the convention and providing photo­ops, autographs, and live screenings of the movie with cast commentary.

Yee Jee Tso is publishing a special edition of his book, “Time and Spaces: A Photo Journal of Doctor Who Filming”. All VIP tickets will receive this special limited edition Geekinomicon copy as well.

This is the first time since the movie was made that the cast has been reunited. Geekinomicon will also have the original screen used Tardis console as part of the VIP Photo­op.

Admission and VIP tickets can be purchased at: http://bit.ly/1S59kR3

In honor of our 20th anniversary launch we have a special 20% discount code on admission: DW20th (Expires May 30th, 2016).

+  Website:  www.geekinomicon.com

+  Facebook:  facebook.com/geekinomicon

+  Twitter:  @Geekinomicon

[Source: Geekinomicon]

Bedford’s second charity Doctor Who convention is taking place on Saturday 23rd April – and Doctor Who Online readers can claim a 10% discount on their tickets!  (See below for details.)

This year’s guests are Katy Manning, Deborah Watling, Sophie Aldred, Nicholas Briggs, Mike Tucker, John Leeson – and The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre.

Bedford Who Charity Cons are fairly new on the scene, but they’ve already established a reputation for being fun, relaxed and friendly.  Feedback from both audiences and guests have been excellent.  Sophie Aldred said the last one was a ‘truly lovely day’ with a ‘great atmosphere’; Mike Tucker said it was ‘a lovely, informal event.’  All profits will be donated to Bedford Foodbank. Each month, they provide emergency food for some 500 local children and adults who would otherwise go hungry.

It’s a good line-up.  The day will be a mixture of panel interviews, signings, and the opportunity to chat to guests and to have your photo taken with them.  Not everyone’s familiar with The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre: they’re an award winning comedy act from the Edinburgh Fringe and they’re also very, very funny. Check them out on YouTube.  They’ll be giving us their take on Doctor Who.  (They can be a little sweary but they’ve promised to be suitable for a family audience.  Their Malcolm Tucker as the new Doctor sketch won’t, alas, be part of their performance!)  Mike Tucker’s going to be doing a presentation on how classic-Who icons were adapted and updated for nu-Who; he’s also bringing along a mystery prop which we’re not allowed to say anything about yet, but it’s really exciting!  (As is usual with conventions, guests appear subject to their other work commitments.)

The basic ticket costs are £40 for adults, £20 for 14-18 year olds and full time students, and £15 for under-14s.  If you mention when you book your tickets that you heard about the day through Doctor Who Online, you’ll receive a 10% reduction on the price!  Concessions and family tickets are also available; details are on the convention’s website (see below). Special rates are offered for group bookings, too, though you’ll need to email organiser Simon Danes (see below again!) for the rates.  (This may especially appeal to university and college Doctor Who societies.)  It has to be said that the ticket rates are at the low end for Doctor Who cons, and they’re very good value. The organisers stress they’re not out to fleece you; the tickets give you access to all the events on the day.  Guests will ask a fee for autographs, though, and if you’d like photos with the actors, a charity donation is asked for.

Bedford’s a small town in the south Midlands, about 50 miles north of London (and just 35 minutes from St Pancras). Communications are good:  it’s just off the A1 and M1; good bus and coach links from Oxford and Cambridge and others; direct trains from Brighton, Nottingham, Loughborough and Leicester.

Date, Time & Location:

Saturday 23rd April 2016

10:00am-5:30pm

The King’s House,
245 Ampthill Road,
Bedford
MK42 9AZ

+  Website:  bedfordwhocharitycon.co.uk

+  Facebook:  facebook.com/bedfordwhocharitycon

+  Email:  info@bedfordwhocharitycon.co.uk

[Sources: Simon Danes]

Peter Capaldi was on hand to accept a Guinness World Record for the 'Largest Gathering Of People Dressed as Doctor Who Characters' at La Mole Comic Con in Mexico City last Saturday.

During the day a total of 492 fans donned their costumes to help scoop the record, which saw outfits varying from Doctors to Companions, Monsters and even objects like the TARDIS!

Doctor Who currently holds a world record for the Longest Running Science Fiction Series, but the 2016 edition of the 'Guinness World Records 2016 Blockbusters' book sees other Doctor Who related records for: Most Popular Doctor Who Story (The Caves Of Androzani), Most Expensive Dalek (£36,000) and Largest Collection of Doctor Who Memorabilia (2,012 items of merchandise belonging to Ian O 'Brien).

+ BUY the Guinness World Records 2016 Blockbusters from Amazon.co.uk for £9.98.

[Sources: Radio Times]

Following our recent news items that Netflix & Hulu will no longer have the rights to stream Doctor Who (as of 1st February 2016), Amazon Prime in the USA have just announced they have secured the rights to stream Series 1-8 of Doctor Who.

The confirmation, which came in the form of a tweet and included a video (link below), has since been removed, but upon further investigation, DWO can confirm the news is correct and that episodes will be available at some point in March 2016.

The original tweet, which was posted on 22nd February, read: 

"Want to know the future? Now you can! Here’s what’s coming to #PrimeVideo in March. #Bosch #DrWhohttps://t.co/r3rVSiZLC7

— Amazon Video (@AmazonVideo) February 22, 2016"

You can watch the trailer on the following link: https://t.co/r3rVSiZLC7

Unfortunately news isn't good for UK fans, as a number of our visitors have reported receiving an email from Amazon Prime, confirming they will no longer have Doctor Who episodes as of 16th March.

This now means that unless Netflix UK renew their rights to stream Doctor Who (which expires on 1st May 2016), there will be no streaming partners outside of iTunes and BBC Store in the UK.

DWO have made several attempts to contact Netflix UK via Twitter, but unlike their American partners, who responded to us quite quickly, our questions about renewing have all gone unanswered.

+  Follow @DrWhoOnline on Twitter!

[Sources: DWO; Amazon Prime]

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

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

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

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

[Source: Press Association]

 

Following on from yesterday's confirmation that Netflix will no longer have the rights to stream Doctor Who episodes from 1st February 2016, Hulu have now also confirmed to DWO that they too will no longer have the rights.

Earlier today we asked Hulu, via Twitter, if the recent rumours regarding them losing the rights were in fact true:

@jsb1980 @netflix rumours are that @Hulu are also discontinuing their #DoctorWho library - hope they are just rumours. What say you, @Hulu?

— Doctor Who Online (@DrWhoOnline) January 27, 2016

To which Hulu responded:

@DrWhoOnline We didn't drop #DoctorWho. We just no longer have the rights to stream it and are lacking a TARDIS to remedy the situation. :(

— hulu (@hulu) January 27, 2016

We then asked if there was any way around the issue, and once again got a reply:

@DrWhoOnline Unfortunately, not right now, but we're always striving to license shows our viewers (Whovian or otherwise) want to see.

— hulu (@hulu) January 27, 2016

Speculation is that the BBC are pulling streaming rights to give more focus to their own BBC Store service, but this has yet to be officially confirmed.

UPDATE - 28th January 2016
In a recent article on Decider.com, the BBC stated: “We hope to announce a new digital partner for Doctor Who shortly”. Whether this means the re-inking of a deal with Netflix or Hulu, or their own stateside streaming service, is yet to be confirmed.

+  Follow @DrWhoOnline on Twitter!

[Sources: DWO; Hulu]

Actor, writer, director and UNHCR Supporter Peter Capaldi travelled with UNHCR to meet some of the 630,000 Syrian refugees living in camps and towns and cities across Jordan.

Through writing, photography, film and a unique Virtual Reality experience, Peter will be sharing some of their extraordinary stories of escape and survival.

Check out the short film featuring Peter in the player, below:

+  Make A Donation to UNHCR!

[Source: UNHCR]

The news recently hit the headlines that Netflix were dropping their entire library of Doctor Who episodes as of 1st February 2016. Having received literally hundreds of emails from our visitors wanting to know what was happening, DWO sent Netflix the following tweet:

Hey @netflix @NetflixUK - removing #DoctorWho from your library is a bad idea. Don't just take our word for it, though. [Cue the fans] :)

— Doctor Who Online (@DrWhoOnline) January 25, 2016

Today, the Netflix team replied to us, clarifying that Doctor Who will remain on Netflix UK, but that it will be removed from 1st February in the USA only, due to "a variety of factors". Below are the tweeted replies:

@DrWhoOnline Good and bad news. Doctor Who is staying on @NetflixUK, but our dear Doctor will be departing on Feb 1 from the US. (1 of 2)

— Netflix US (@netflix) January 26, 2016

@DrWhoOnline Content comes & goes-a variety of factors are considered. It's goodbye to an old friend, but a promise to care for David & Matt

— Netflix US (@netflix) January 26, 2016

This then prompted some of our followers to enquire about Netflix' streaming service in Canada, and whether Doctor Who episodes would be pulled their, also. Fortunately Canada will not be affected either:

@Cap_XIII @DrWhoOnline @NetflixUK No change for the Doctor in Canada.

— Netflix US (@netflix) January 26, 2016

It seems all hope may not be lost, however, as Netflix further clarified their wish on working to get Doctor Who back again:

@DrWhoOnline Sometimes the licensing for our content will expire & we have to remove it. But we're always happy to work on getting it *JF

— Netflix CS (@Netflixhelps) January 26, 2016

@DrWhoOnline back. Your feedback is most helpful, thank you! *JF

— Netflix CS (@Netflixhelps) January 26, 2016

UPDATE - 27th January 2016
Hulu have also confirmed they too will lose the rights to air Doctor Who in the USA as of 1st February 2016.

UPDATE - 28th January 2016
In a recent article on Decider.com, the BBC stated: “We hope to announce a new digital partner for Doctor Who shortly”. Whether this means the re-inking of a deal with Netflix or Hulu, or their own stateside streaming service, is yet to be confirmed.

+  Follow @DrWhoOnline on Twitter!

[Sources: DWO; Netflix]

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

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

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

Day Ticket Prices:

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

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

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

Watch the promotional trailer in the player, below:

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

Thursday 9th July:

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

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

[Source: San Diego Comic Con; LEGO Dimensions]

Our friends over at Inkitt got in touch to let us know about a new Science Fiction writing contest which they recently launched and runs up until 27th July.

Beyond Time:

Submit your most imaginative and fantastic Science Fiction stories! Take your readers on a journey; ride a spaceship, explore an extraterrestrial universe, travel through time - the possibilities are endless and the universe is yours. Be spellbinding, be world altering, and let your imagination run free.

Contest guidelines:

-  Authors will retain all rights to any and all works submitted in the contest.
-  Original stories of any length are accepted.
-  Entries must be posted on the Inkitt contest page to be considered eligible.
-  The contest opens on June 22th and closes on July 27th.
-  The contest is completely free to enter.
-  The top 10% based on reader votes get the chance to be picked by the Inkitt staff for 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize.

All entrants will have the chance to show their work to a rapidly growing community of authors and readers hungry for high-quality fiction. 

+  Submit your stories here: http://inkitt.com/beyondtime.

[Source: Inkitt]