Doctor Who News, Articles, Cast and Crew Interviews

[DigiFluid]

Doctor Who: two long-lost episodes uncovered

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DigiFluid]

Some guy hand-colouring stills from old B&W episodes. Kinda neat, actually.

[Blencathra]

They are, aren't they.

Marco Polo is something I'd love to have seen in colour. I bet it looked fabulous.

[Alan]

60s Companion Talks Doctor Who Episode Return
Nick Setchfield at 04:30pm December 12 2011

Anneke Wills thrilled as The Underwater Menace Episode 2 returns to the archives

Sixties Doctor Who star Anneke Wills has spoken exclusively to SFX about the surprise recovery of a long-lost episode from 1967.

Wills, who played Polly alongside the Hartnell and Troughton incarnations of the Time Lord, learned of the news on Saturday, the day before episode two of The Underwater Menace was shown at the BFI’s Missing Believed Wiped event.

Also shown at that event was episode three of 1965 tale Galaxy Four, also believed lost for decades.

“I have to admit that I was whispered it,” says Wills, who was invited to attend the screening in London. “I said ‘I’d love to come up but I’m old and I’m in the middle of decorating my bathroom!’ And then this morning, on BBC Breakfast, they say another two episodes of Doctor Who have been found, and I’m just leaping around my little cottage with joy. Fantastic!”

Wills is delighted by the worldwide media interest in the episode’s recovery. “Isn’t that just wonderful? It’s wonderful to be a part of it. And the most exciting thing is that this is the earliest of Pat that we’ve got.

“It means we have two episodes of The Underwater Menace now, so it might be brought out on DVD, which would be wonderful. What I’m very happy about is that it includes the bit which I’ve always wanted to see, where I say ‘You’re not turning me into a fish!’ [laughs]”

The missing episodes belonged to former TV engineer Terry Burnett, who bought them at a school fete in Hampshire in the 1980s.

“It’s all about people’s private collections now,” says Wills. “I believe there are people – though I don’t know any! – who don’t realise how big Doctor Who is, so they just pop it in a fete box and don’t realise that the world is waiting… These are treasures when they’re found.”

While Wills is thrilled that the episode has been found, her memories of making the story are less than fond.

“What I remember is Patrick Troughton snarling and growling about [director] Julia Smith, because he didn’t like her! It was actually our least favourite story, I have to say… We didn’t like it. We didn’t think that it was going to work very well. And we thought the costumes of the Fish People were rather hokey.

“We had to pretend that it was a massively big space, and in fact it was a very small, cramped space, so that got us irritable – we were running down corridors that were only five foot long! It was that kind of frustration. And our wonderful wardrobe people had made these outfits full of ashtrays – they sewed them all together on a leotard and it was so uncomfortable to wear, because every time I moved I’d get crunched!”

Wills still smiles at the memory of co-star Joseph Furst, who delivered a gloriously ripe turn as demented scientist Professor Zaroff.

“He gave us the laugh. There was always one person who would keep us all together with the laughter – not that he knew, because he was terribly serious about himself, which made him even funnier!

“And his wonderful line, which I’ve never forgotten from that day to this, where he says ‘Nothing in ze world can stop me now!’ And that became a catchphrase for Pat and Mike [Craze] and me for weeks afterwards! Any time we wanted to change something in the script we’d say ‘Nothing in ze world can stop me now!’”

Wills is delighted that a new generation will now have a chance to see Patrick Troughton in action once more.

“I recently read a very lovely quote from Matt Smith – ‘What makes a good Doctor? Patrick Troughton.’ And I thought that was lovely.”

Link to original article here: http://www.sfx.co.uk/2011/12/12/60s-...pisode-return/

[Teddybrown]

http://doctorwhotv.co.uk/blackburn-o...xmas-28999.htm
An interview with the director of the Christmas Special.

http://doctorwhotv.co.uk/wilson-teas...tmas-28931.htm
Doctor Who teasers.

[Blencathra]

Pupils Fight Off Dalek Invader at Christmas Fair

http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2...hristmas-fair/


Brave pupils had a busy week exterminating one of Dr Who’s deadliest enemies which gatecrashed their recent Christmas Fair.

Pupils at Coalbrookdale and Ironbridge CE Primary School had a ‘fright’ when an unwelcome Dalek invaded the event.

Youngsters at the school in Dale End were confronted by a life-size Dalek as the fair got under way, which has caused havoc at the school during the past week.

Pupils have been encouraged to help track down the alien and finally sent it packing at a special assembly today. Headteacher Susan Blackburn said they decided to introduce the Dr Who-themed event as part of a literacy project, aimed especially at boys to inspire them in their written work.

Mrs Blackburn said: “It’s been a really exciting week and I am delighted with the quality of written work that the children have produced and our sincere thanks go to Doug Williams.”

She said: “The Dalek came into school and was fully functioning. It was very life-like. The children were asked to disarm it but it then escaped.

“The children have been so enthusiastic and the parents have been very supportive. A letter also went home in case children were anxious or distressed about the Dalek and all the children were told that it could not hurt them. But the week has been amazing and very dramatic.”

A fictional character from UNIT, a made-up military division which has featured in Dr Who since the 1960s, also visited the school to talk to the children.

[Alan]

Pupils Fight Off Dalek Invader at Christmas Fair

http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2...hristmas-fair/

Awwww. Wonderful.

[Alan]

Consider Yourself ... with Doctor Who!
Tuesday, December 13, 2011 - Posted by Chuck Foster

Steven Moffat has reported that the trailer for the Doctor Who Christmas Special, The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe is to be broadcast on BBC1 at 8:00pm tonight! This will be first appearance of a full trailer for the episode in this year's "Consider Yourself" Christmas theme, and will be shown between Eastenders and Holby City.

The trailer is also now available to watch online, and is a different version to the one seen during last month's Children in Need:

Spoiler:

The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe, BBC, via YouTube

[Teddybrown]

Consider Yourself ... with Doctor Who!
Tuesday, December 13, 2011 - Posted by Chuck Foster

Steven Moffat has reported that the trailer for the Doctor Who Christmas Special, The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe is to be broadcast on BBC1 at 8:00pm tonight! This will be first appearance of a full trailer for the episode in this year's "Consider Yourself" Christmas theme, and will be shown between Eastenders and Holby City.

The trailer is also now available to watch online, and is a different version to the one seen during last month's Children in Need:

Spoiler:

The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe, BBC, via YouTube

Beat me to it!

[Billz]

Pupils Fight Off Dalek Invader at Christmas Fair

http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2...hristmas-fair/

I know the guy who owns it.

[Coco Pops]

I know the guy who owns it.

Lucky buggers. I wish I was a kid in the UK now haha

[Teddybrown]

Pupils Fight Off Dalek Invader at Christmas Fair

http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2...hristmas-fair/


Brave pupils had a busy week exterminating one of Dr Who’s deadliest enemies which gatecrashed their recent Christmas Fair.

Pupils at Coalbrookdale and Ironbridge CE Primary School had a ‘fright’ when an unwelcome Dalek invaded the event.

Youngsters at the school in Dale End were confronted by a life-size Dalek as the fair got under way, which has caused havoc at the school during the past week.

Pupils have been encouraged to help track down the alien and finally sent it packing at a special assembly today. Headteacher Susan Blackburn said they decided to introduce the Dr Who-themed event as part of a literacy project, aimed especially at boys to inspire them in their written work.

Mrs Blackburn said: “It’s been a really exciting week and I am delighted with the quality of written work that the children have produced and our sincere thanks go to Doug Williams.”

She said: “The Dalek came into school and was fully functioning. It was very life-like. The children were asked to disarm it but it then escaped.

“The children have been so enthusiastic and the parents have been very supportive. A letter also went home in case children were anxious or distressed about the Dalek and all the children were told that it could not hurt them. But the week has been amazing and very dramatic.”

A fictional character from UNIT, a made-up military division which has featured in Dr Who since the 1960s, also visited the school to talk to the children.

I want to go to that school! Lol.

[Alan]

Not exactly Doctor Who-related except for the fact that John Barrowman is the guest presenter on this episode of Never Mind the Buzzcocks. Check out this clip full of hilarity:

[BruTak]

A fictional character from UNIT, a made-up military division which has featured in Dr Who since the 1960s, also visited the school to talk to the children.

Fictional?????? Made up??????? That grinding noise you may be hearing is Nick Courtney turning in his grave.

[Teddybrown]

Ooo, alots been spoken about today...

http://doctorwhotv.co.uk/no-two-part...es-7-29062.htm
No 2 parters in Season 7...

http://doctorwhotv.co.uk/moffat-expl...king-29104.htm
Moffat on the Wooden King

http://doctorwhotv.co.uk/smith-hints...ture-28459.htm
Smith on the future

http://doctorwhotv.co.uk/christmas-p...lips-29077.htm
3 Christmas preview clips

http://doctorwhotv.co.uk/christmas-t...down-29029.htm
And finally a Christmas trailer breakdown.