Doctor Who News, Articles, Cast and Crew Interviews

[Coco Pops]

Hear, hear. If only the press were bound by legislation to the same effect! Infidelity is not a crime (usually) and does not affect an actor's, sportsman's, singer's talents or performance: we shouldn't be told about it as front page news.

You'd think all the fuss the phone hacking scandal has made would bring in such changes but nope.... Things go on as they have with no change. The press should have to abide by the same rules as everyone else to an extent.

[Coco Pops]

And for those of you who are interested, heres the interview.

Yes? Where?

[dipsofjazz]

An interview with Russell T Davies can be found here.

[Blencathra]

An interview with Russell T Davies can be found here.

Interesting article. Thanks for posting

I sincerely hope his partner makes a full recovery.

It looks as though that's it for Torchwood for the time being. I'm curious to know what project RTD is doing for CBBC. I have my fingers crossed for a spin off of The Sarah Jane Adventures with Clyde Langer at the helm.

[Blencathra]

The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe Press Pack

http://www.doctorwhonews.net/2011/12...widow-and.html

Introduction by Steven Moffat

Spoiler:

The Doctor at Christmas - it always just feels so right. When I was a kid, Santa and the Doctor somehow lived in the same place in my head - two generous madmen that I loved so much. So now that the Doctor is a regular feature of Christmas the world is just that bit more right.

This time we're in England in the 1940s, and recently widowed Madge Arwell hasn't told her children, Lily and Cyril, that their father has died flying his bomber home over the channel, because she doesn't want Christmas to become the day that broke their hearts.

But when they're evacuated to a draughty old house in Dorset for the holidays, and meet a mysterious young caretaker in a bow tie, events take an unexpected turn. What could be inside that big blue parcel under the tree?

Soon the Arwells find themselves in a battle for survival in a magical new land. As ever, at this time of year, the Doctor is trying to make things right, and as always it doesn't go according to plan. But maybe he's reckoned without the power of a determined mother.

This Christmas, it might just be the lonely Time Lord who's shown the way home.

Interview with Matt Smith

Spoiler:

The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe is Matt Smith’s second Christmas outing as the Doctor and this time he doesn’t have his trusted companions, ‘The Ponds’, by his side. However, it hasn’t stopped him relishing in another Christmassy adventure and here he reveals what Doctor Who has in store for festive viewers.

Doctor Who and Christmas go hand in hand don’t they? laughs Matt Smith as he sits down to discuss the special episode of Who, penned by Steven Moffat. It’s a brilliant and touching story about a family who have experienced a tragic event and in many ways they’ve had Christmas stolen from them.

Smith reveals that Madge Arwell and her two young children, Lily and Cyril, have been evacuated during the Blitz to a ramshackled old house in the country where the Doctor has taken up residence as caretaker. The Doctor, in a very ‘Doctory’ way, tries to bring Christmas spirit and cheer back into their lives, explains Smith. “He has ‘Doctorified’ the house so to speak and there’s a magical present under the Christmas tree which is a portal to another world. Cyril enters it and discovers an enchanting landscape that encapsulates the beauty, danger and madness that is Doctor Who at Christmas.

So will viewers be cowering behind their turkey and stuffing sandwiches on Christmas Day? Well there are two scary characters that live in a huge tower and move in a very strange and menacing way, confides Smith with a conspiratorial grin. I also really enjoyed making this episode because the characters unfold in a subtle way and you never quite know what’s waiting around the corner. I also loved working with the guest cast who all seemed to have a whale of a time.

The Doctor has had many festive adventures over the years but what are Smith’s favourite Christmas memories? The best present I’ve ever had was a snooker table when I was a kid, he reveals, although my SEGA Mega Drive came close! I also used to love getting pyjamas and wearing them all day. Plus my granddad absolutely hates dressing gowns so it’s become a family tradition for us to buy him one every year and it always makes me laugh.

And Matt Smith’s recipe for the perfect Christmas?

Family; everyone happy, healthy and together with lots of food, presents and good TV. Oh and football on Boxing Day! I’m really hoping for a white Christmas but if I couldn’t have a traditional Christmas I’d spend it somewhere really warm like South America or Australia and have a barbecue on the beach.

Interview with Claire Skinner

Spoiler:

Who do you play in the Christmas Special?
I play a character called Madge Arwell who, first and foremost, is a mother. It just informs everything about her character. What I found attractive about the role is that she’s warm and a thoroughly decent woman, as well as being quite straight down the line. In the episode she gets tested and challenged and it’s interesting to see how she handles different things and adapts to various situations for the sake of her children.

What was it like working with Matt Smith?
Lovely! A really nice experience. He’s thoroughly charming, good fun and has loads of energy.

What about the other guest stars?
I’ve worked with Alexander Armstrong before, so it was great to see him again. We’ve actually been fishing together! Bill Bailey is just completely brilliant; a really nice, natural and funny bloke. And the children as well. Maurice and Holly were just delightful, completely lovely.

Are you a fan of Doctor Who?
Yes for several reasons actually. My son watches it, my husband has directed it before and my father in-law was in an episode. It’s a nice connection to have.

How did it feel being cast in such an iconic show?
I was very excited to be in it, both because it’s Doctor Who and also a great script. When I got the call I was like “Yay, at last I’m going to be in Doctor Who.”

How did you find filming on location?
We shot some scenes outside in a public space and it was an unusual experience acting in front of huge crowds of people who had come to watch. I had to drive a car down the road, which took about 500 takes, and they applauded my driving each time. It was lovely, but I hadn’t been quite ready for that.

What do you think is the scariest Doctor Who monster of all time?
It’s not exactly a monster, but the creepy people in the gas masks in series one were pretty scary. They definitely freaked both my children out at the time.

What will you be doing on Christmas day?
I will be with my family and my husband’s family; a traditional Christmas. We’ll of course be watching Doctor Who.

What other Christmas TV do you like?
I like traditional comedy; I’m such a fan of Morecambe and Wise. We’ve got the box set, so we always get that out at Christmas.

Interview with Alexander Armstrong

Spoiler:

What can you reveal about your character?
I play Reg Arwell, who is a bomber pilot in the Second World War. We witness him flying over the channel and all the navigation equipment completely stops working. It doesn’t look good for him! His wife Madge then receives a slip of paper saying that a ‘Reg’ is missing and presumed dead. Their two children hope that their Daddy is going to be back for Christmas and that’s when the Doctor gets involved to return a favour to Madge as she helps him out at the very beginning of the episode.

Did you enjoy working with your co-stars?
Amazing. Lovely to work with Claire Skinner again, I did a drama with her called Life Begins a couple of years ago. But the real treat was working with Matt, who’s just a tremendously fine fellow and an excellent person to hang out on set with. As you can imagine, there’s an awful lot of time between takes and I can think of few nicer people to spend time with than Matt.

Doctor Who will soon be celebrating its 50th anniversary. Are you a fan?
It’s something I’ve always wanted to be in and there really isn’t another show like Doctor Who. The heritage of it is amazing and when the BBC got it going again it suddenly took on a whole new life. It has all the charm and ingenuity of the first incarnation but it also has Russell and now Steven’s really current TV brains behind it, people who are so literate in really good television that gets you thinking. With Christopher, David and now Matt, this Doctor Who has kind of gone nuts. I mean my Doctor Who when I was young was Tom Baker, I loved Tom Baker, everyone did, but the Doctor these days has taken on a sort of rock star status.

Did you enjoy filming in Cardiff?
Brilliant, it was lovely. It was a fantastic journey out of Cardiff down to the studio – a really beautiful part of Wales. We filmed in an amazing Victorian castle looking right out on the Gower peninsular. It was absolutely stunning.

What will you be doing on Christmas day?
Entertaining children, trying to keep a lid on sugary treats and desperately rationing presents because our children got high on them last year. Also, we will of course be watching Doctor Who. I really hope it’s another cold Christmas; I loved the cold winter last year. A bit of snow and a bit of sledging – it’ll be great.

[Alan]

Interesting article. Thanks for posting

I sincerely hope his partner makes a full recovery.

It looks as though that's it for Torchwood for the time being. I'm curious to know what project RTD is doing for CBBC. I have my fingers crossed for a spin off of The Sarah Jane Adventures with Clyde Langer at the helm.

I'd love for that to happen too. With Rani Chandra being there too of course.

Sounds like TPTB (BBC and Starz) have finally admitted that S4 of Torchwood didn't do as well as they hoped. I think the hope for S5 is hanging tenuously from a thread.

[Teddybrown]

Yes? Where?

Oops, forgot to post the link lol, sorry.
Here it is
http://doctorwhotv.co.uk/bennet-on-c...tial-28786.htm

[Blencathra]

The BBC have released a prequel for The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe!!!

So excited!!!


http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/dw/videos/p00m7qjb



and Matt Smith on Xmas, Series 7 (only a tinsy bit) and Confidential

http://doctorwhotv.co.uk/smith-on-xm...tial-28845.htm

What’s on TV has a new interview with Matt Smith and he drops some more hints on the plot of The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe. There’s also a little bit on Series 7 and his thoughts on the Doctor Who Confidential cancellation.

Some highlights:

Spoiler:

Can you set the scene when widow Madge Arwell and her children turn up at this draughty manor house and meet the Doctor?
“He’s very excited to see Madge and her children and make Christmas wonderful for this family who’ve been through so much. It’s very cosy and Christmassy in this house. It’s quite nice to see children as the central characters in a Christmas special.”

Why does he call himself The Caretaker?
“He just wants to give himself a new name for a while. But he’s ridiculous and they’re like, this isn’t how caretakers behave! He just wants to take care of things but of course The Doctor taking care of things is making the house twirl about in ridiculous ways. It’s the Doctor landing in a normal situation and changing it in a way only he can.”


What happens to the Doctor and the family at Christmas?
“There’s a sort of slow-burning magic to the story and it has a Narnia-esque feel to it – they all get to crawl through this mysterious blue present and into an enchanted forest that looked amazing. They covered this forest in snow. It looks incredible. We covered whole forests in snow. The scale of it is vast and it feels magical. We never see that in this country. It’s never THAT snowy.”

Is there a monster in the forest?
“There is a monster. There is a threat in this magical world, a definite threat. I’ll keep the monster as a surprise. It’s one of our best. The design of it is classic. There are others in the forest, too, who are like forestry workers in these great armoured suits. Their leader is played by comedian Bill Bailey!”

How does he get on with Madge?
“Madge is a plucky feisty mum who is quite clumsy, too, but takes care of things. The Doctor finds out something tragic about her life – and subsequently tries to give her and her children the best Christmas ever – which turns out to be the best Christmas ever in a really dangerous forest! Claire Skinner, who plays her, is great. I’m a big fan of her in Outnumbered.”

What can you reveal about the black space suit he wears at one point?
“At the beginning of the episode the Doctor finds himself in this space suit and he crashes to Earth in it. His helmet’s on backwards and he can’t see to navigate – which is funny, hopefully.”

Do you get a lot of stunts in this episode?
“Oh yes. It’s quite action-adventurey which I like. I’ve done all my own stunts this year – well I’ve done two. There have only been two! There’s a big explosion and I do the jump. And another one involves leaping over something which hopefully will be very funny as I land awkwardly. I really enjoy that. Maybe we’ll see more of an action hero Doctor next season.”

On Series 7 and the Confidential axe:

Can you tell us anything about next year’s series?
“I think we’ll be filming from February. It’ll be a busy year. I’ve just heard the pitch from Steven Moffat. Amazing. Very exciting. I can’t give anything away though.”

Were you sad when you heard Doctor Who Confidential has been axed by BBC3?
“Yeah, really sorry. It’s a pity as I think it’s a show which can reinvent itself year on year and it’s one of the biggest shows on BBC3. But I guess people come in and have new ideas and want to have their own fresh take on it but, hey, some you win, some you lose…”

[Teddybrown]

The BBC have released a prequel for The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe!!!

So excited!!!


http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/dw/videos/p00m7qjb



and Matt Smith on Xmas, Series 7 (only a tinsy bit) and Confidential

http://doctorwhotv.co.uk/smith-on-xm...tial-28845.htm

What’s on TV has a new interview with Matt Smith and he drops some more hints on the plot of The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe. There’s also a little bit on Series 7 and his thoughts on the Doctor Who Confidential cancellation.

Some highlights:

Spoiler:

Can you set the scene when widow Madge Arwell and her children turn up at this draughty manor house and meet the Doctor?
“He’s very excited to see Madge and her children and make Christmas wonderful for this family who’ve been through so much. It’s very cosy and Christmassy in this house. It’s quite nice to see children as the central characters in a Christmas special.”

Why does he call himself The Caretaker?
“He just wants to give himself a new name for a while. But he’s ridiculous and they’re like, this isn’t how caretakers behave! He just wants to take care of things but of course The Doctor taking care of things is making the house twirl about in ridiculous ways. It’s the Doctor landing in a normal situation and changing it in a way only he can.”


What happens to the Doctor and the family at Christmas?
“There’s a sort of slow-burning magic to the story and it has a Narnia-esque feel to it – they all get to crawl through this mysterious blue present and into an enchanted forest that looked amazing. They covered this forest in snow. It looks incredible. We covered whole forests in snow. The scale of it is vast and it feels magical. We never see that in this country. It’s never THAT snowy.”

Is there a monster in the forest?
“There is a monster. There is a threat in this magical world, a definite threat. I’ll keep the monster as a surprise. It’s one of our best. The design of it is classic. There are others in the forest, too, who are like forestry workers in these great armoured suits. Their leader is played by comedian Bill Bailey!”

How does he get on with Madge?
“Madge is a plucky feisty mum who is quite clumsy, too, but takes care of things. The Doctor finds out something tragic about her life – and subsequently tries to give her and her children the best Christmas ever – which turns out to be the best Christmas ever in a really dangerous forest! Claire Skinner, who plays her, is great. I’m a big fan of her in Outnumbered.”

What can you reveal about the black space suit he wears at one point?
“At the beginning of the episode the Doctor finds himself in this space suit and he crashes to Earth in it. His helmet’s on backwards and he can’t see to navigate – which is funny, hopefully.”

Do you get a lot of stunts in this episode?
“Oh yes. It’s quite action-adventurey which I like. I’ve done all my own stunts this year – well I’ve done two. There have only been two! There’s a big explosion and I do the jump. And another one involves leaping over something which hopefully will be very funny as I land awkwardly. I really enjoy that. Maybe we’ll see more of an action hero Doctor next season.”

On Series 7 and the Confidential axe:

Can you tell us anything about next year’s series?
“I think we’ll be filming from February. It’ll be a busy year. I’ve just heard the pitch from Steven Moffat. Amazing. Very exciting. I can’t give anything away though.”

Were you sad when you heard Doctor Who Confidential has been axed by BBC3?
“Yeah, really sorry. It’s a pity as I think it’s a show which can reinvent itself year on year and it’s one of the biggest shows on BBC3. But I guess people come in and have new ideas and want to have their own fresh take on it but, hey, some you win, some you lose…”

Beat me to it.
Nice Doctor Who fix though, will keep me going till Christmas now.

[BruTak]

I'm curious to know what project RTD is doing for CBBC. I have my fingers crossed for a spin off of The Sarah Jane Adventures with Clyde Langer at the helm.

Perhaps the remaining three stories could be rewritten so Sarah-Jane is "off stage" for most of the action, trapped in the attic or something, and only communicating with Clyde, Rani. Luke and Sky via text messages?

[Teddybrown]

http://doctorwhotv.co.uk/two-christm...lips-28872.htm
Two new clips from the Christmas Special.

[Teddybrown]

http://doctorwhotv.co.uk/doctor-who-...lock-28890.htm
Could we possibly be seeing Doctor Who on Gaming stations like PS3?
Seems the BBC have since taken down the video...

http://doctorwhotv.co.uk/series-6-so...ence-28883.htm
Another sample soundtrack.

[Alan]

Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock
Friday, December 09, 2011 - Posted by Chuck Foster

BBC Worldwide have announced the first in a new range of console games:

Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock will immerse gamers in the universe of Doctor Who, allowing them to take on the role of the Doctor and River Song as they travel across time and space to save the Earth. Gamers must learn to master the complexities of time travel with exceptional time based game play, changes made in one time will impact another creating multiple possibilities and challenging players to solve puzzles across the centuries.

The game will be released early next year, initially for Sony's Playstation 3 and Vita platforms and a PC version, and is being developed by Supermassive Games for BBC Worldwide Digital Entertainment and Games, and is written in collaboration with BBC Wales.

Both Matt Smith and Alex Kingston have reprised their roles of the Doctor and River Song respectively for the brand new storyline, which is to be presented in high definition, using photo-real graphics, television quality scenes and motion capture to create in-game characters.

Robert Nashak, EVP of Digital Entertainment at BBC Worldwide said:

We're creating these new games for Playstation 3 and Vita with adaptations that will bring the wonder, adventure and madness of Doctor Who to each platform. Working with a top-tier UK development partner like Supermassive Games demonstrates BBC Worldwide's commitment to create world-class Doctor Who games for fans of the show and gamers alike.

There is also a dedicated Twitter feed, @DoctorWhoTEC, where more information will be announced as the release date approaches.

Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock teaser trailer, BBC Worldwide, via YouTube

Link to original article here: http://www.doctorwhonews.net/2011/12...-eternity.html

[Blencathra]

Doctor Who tops American’s iTunes downloads

http://www.atvtoday.co.uk/index.php?...ci-fi&Itemid=5

Series 6 of the world’s longest running science fiction TV series Doctor Who has become 2011’s most downloaded show on iTunes in America.

The British science fiction classic has pipped US home-grown favourites such as Dexter, The Walking Dead and Glee to become 2011’s most downloaded show this season on iTunes in America. The BBC Wales-produced series, lead written by Steven Moffat and starring Matt Smith, Karen Gillan, Arthur Darvill and Alex Kingston, saw the season’s two-part opener feature a storyline set in various US locations including Utah and The White House’s Oval Office. It was also the first Doctor Who episode ever to be filmed in the country.

Steven Moffat, the series’ Lead Writer and Executive Producer commented: “This is incredibly exciting news. It's an honour to be on the same list as all those shows, let alone at the very top. And for a British show to have achieved this in the US is absolutely remarkable. Next, the universe!"

Doctor Who is one of BBC Worldwide’s flagship brands; sold to over 185 territories worldwide and with over 65 awards to its name. The show premieres on BBC America the commercial broadcaster from BBC Worldwide.

Another one of the BBC's productions also hit the top ten list with Top Gear at number 6 in the list.

[Teddybrown]

Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock
Friday, December 09, 2011 - Posted by Chuck Foster

BBC Worldwide have announced the first in a new range of console games:

Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock will immerse gamers in the universe of Doctor Who, allowing them to take on the role of the Doctor and River Song as they travel across time and space to save the Earth. Gamers must learn to master the complexities of time travel with exceptional time based game play, changes made in one time will impact another creating multiple possibilities and challenging players to solve puzzles across the centuries.

The game will be released early next year, initially for Sony's Playstation 3 and Vita platforms and a PC version, and is being developed by Supermassive Games for BBC Worldwide Digital Entertainment and Games, and is written in collaboration with BBC Wales.

Both Matt Smith and Alex Kingston have reprised their roles of the Doctor and River Song respectively for the brand new storyline, which is to be presented in high definition, using photo-real graphics, television quality scenes and motion capture to create in-game characters.

Robert Nashak, EVP of Digital Entertainment at BBC Worldwide said:

We're creating these new games for Playstation 3 and Vita with adaptations that will bring the wonder, adventure and madness of Doctor Who to each platform. Working with a top-tier UK development partner like Supermassive Games demonstrates BBC Worldwide's commitment to create world-class Doctor Who games for fans of the show and gamers alike.

There is also a dedicated Twitter feed, @DoctorWhoTEC, where more information will be announced as the release date approaches.

Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock teaser trailer, BBC Worldwide, via YouTube

Link to original article here: http://www.doctorwhonews.net/2011/12...-eternity.html

Look one post above
Beat ya to it.
Also, Merry Christmas from the Doctor Who cast
http://doctorwhotv.co.uk/merry-chris...-who-28904.htm

http://doctorwhotv.co.uk/copy-dwm-44...tmas-28911.htm
And the Christmas edition of the Doctor Who magazine.