Doctor Who News, Articles, Cast and Crew Interviews

[Blencathra]

Actually I rather like the anticipation. It's like waiting for Christmas. It's all part of the fun.

[Alan]

Actually I rather like the anticipation. It's like waiting for Christmas. It's all part of the fun.

It does feel like that pre-Christmas excitement. The presents are all wrapped under the tree. What's inside? We'll know after midnight.

[Blencathra]

Indeed.

Just tweeted by the Telegraph 5 minutes ago @Telegraph_TV

So we're back from the Doctor Who #missingepisodes press conference. Obviously we're sworn to secrecy but be sure to be online at midnight.

[Alan]

Indeed.

Just tweeted by the Telegraph 5 minutes ago @Telegraph_TV

Damn straight!

[Blencathra]

Tantalising...

Missing Episodes: We're coming in to land...

http://www.outpostskaro.com/v2_5/ind...ing-in-to-land

Well, that was quite monumentally exciting. A little piece of Who history, in multiple ways.

There is, I’m afraid, an embargo on any information till 00.01 BST tomorrow morning – so you’ll have to come back then for the actual facts. But there are, of course, some things I can say.

First off, in case there were any doubters, what we have back really has been worth the wait. Having seen… well, I’ll tell you what I actually did see later… some of what is available, I can tell you that the quality is surprisingly good – and possibly better than actually would have been had at the time of broadcast, for the majority of people viewing at home considering the quality of receiver available.

Secondly, the scripts hold up remarkably well. There is a naivity to them compared with modern TV drama – but to be honest, that is probably in the eye of the beholder more than anything else. Ways of writing, of making drama, change with the audience rather than in spite of it, which means our modern sensibilities suit the modern show more (Tony notwithstanding of course) – so it’s fair to say that the naivity I saw was more my problem than the show’s. However, despite that, the ride is a thrilling one.

Thirdly, the panel members were delightful, even allowing me to photo their feet. Their indulgence of that sort of fetish should not go uncommented.

But there is one important thing to say: it was confirmed to me that the rampant speculation and personal attackes that has been going on in some quarters of fandom has made the acquisition more difficult. (OS was not mentioned as an offender, I am pleased to say, even after I told them who I was; although it would be disingenuous to pretend we weren't part of the speculation rollercoaster.) I asked how, and was told even discussing that would create difficulties. The story can be told, but not yet.

Some will undoubtedly say that this is prissy smugness and a desire to hold onto power from big fish in small ponds: on balance, I genuinely don’t believe that’s the case. I think we need to take that request at face value, back off a little, and enjoy and celbrate what we get. Cos it is bloody marvellous.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have landed. But for the moment, please remain seated until the captain has switched of the 'fasten seatbelts' sign...

[BruTak]

Dunno if I can be bothered staying up until midnight. I'm an old man, I needs me sleep.

[Blencathra]

I may go off & have a quick nap.


Another tweet from @Telegraph_TV

OK here's a small Doctor Who nugget. The restoration work the BBC have done is great. You couldn't tell it different from any other early ep

[Blencathra]

It looks like one newspaper has broken the embargo.

But it's so poorly written and contradictory people might want to wait until something more reliable turns up before believing it. Anyway here it is...

"Lost" Dr Who serial found gathering dust abroad

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/new...g_dust_abroad/

FOUR decades ago, Dr Who's encounter with the mythical Yeti left a generation of children terrified and enthralled.

The six part serial Web of Fear became one of the best-loved serials of the Patrick Troughton era.

Sadly, in the 1970s the well-travelled time lord faced an enemy far deadlier than the Daleks - BBC beancounters.

In an effort to save money, tapes of classic shows were wiped and recorded over.

In a matter of months some of the Doctor's greatest adventures were lost... seemingly forever.

The Web of Fear is one of the most missed serials, along with another Troughton era adventure, The Power of the Daleks.

But now all six missing episodes have been found - in a dusty storeroom in Nigeria.

The previously lost nine shows were among 11 traced to a television relay station and the find brings back to life an entire six-episode story, while another is almost complete.

The newly found programmes - which introduce the character of Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart, better known to audiences as The Brigadier - will be available on iTunes from today and will later come out on DVD.

Phillip Morris, the director of Television International Enterprises Archive, unearthed the programmes by looking up the records of overseas shipments of tapes made by the BBC.

The stories, The Enemy Of The World (1967) and The Web Of Fear (1968) and both starring Patrick Troughton as the second Doctor, have now been remastered by BBC Worldwide, the corporation’s commercial arm.

Mr Morris said: ‘‘I remember wiping the dust off the masking tape on the canisters and my heart missed a beat as I saw the words Doctor Who. When I read the story code, I realised I’d found something pretty special.’’ Only one episode of The Enemy Of The World - which featured Deborah Watling as companion Victoria and Frazer Hines, later to find fame in Emmerdale as Jamie - had remained in the archives, so the addition of programmes one, two, four, five and six have completed the story.

Fiona Eastwood, director of consumer products, BBC Worldwide, said: ‘‘We are thrilled with the recent discovery of The Web Of Fear and The Enemy Of The World and we’re very happy to be launching re-mastered versions of these treasured episodes to fans as we celebrate the 50th year of Doctor Who.’’ The BBC still had the first edition in the Web Of Fear story, and the new finds mean only number three is missing. The tale introduced Nicholas Courtney as Lethbridge-Stewart, who began with the rank of Colonel but later became Brigadier.

The missing episode has been recreated using 37 still images which were available and the original audio which survived.

Many programmes from the era, along with many classic shows, disappeared as a result of efforts to save space. There are still 27 Doctor Who stories which have not been recovered or for which episodes are missing.

The show celebrates its half-century on November 23.


______

Doctor Who Online say they have some exclusive stuff at midnight.

https://twitter.com/DrWhoOnline

[Alan]

Promising. But I'm waiting for midnight for the official BBC announcement.

[Blencathra]

Yeah, it's not very clear at all.

Not long to wait for the real thing.

Edit - And now The Northern Echo have taken the article down. Rough draft perhaps?

[Quizziard]

If it's a true representation, whilst good news it's not the massive windfall that was being heralded in some quarters. Maybe the real announcement will have news of others confirmed to follow...

[Alan]

Yeah, it's not very clear at all.

Not long to wait for the real thing.

Edit - And now The Northern Echo have taken the article down. Rough draft perhaps?

LOL Obviously to be a newspaper article writer you don't need to have a good grasp of English words such as "embargo" and "midnight". I mean what a grace-A div! Obviously the next thing that person needs to write is a resignation letter.

If it's a true representation, whilst good news it's not the massive windfall that was being heralded in some quarters. Maybe the real announcement will have news of others confirmed to follow...

I heard that there was more to follow but I cannot remember where I saw that or who it was that said it.

[Blencathra]

LOL Obviously to be a newspaper article writer you don't need to have a good grasp of English words such as "embargo" and "midnight". I mean what a grace-A div! Obviously the next thing that person needs to write is a resignation letter.



I heard that there was more to follow but I cannot remember where I saw that or who it was that said it.

From Ian Levine? https://twitter.com/IanLevine

This time I am NOT going to say "There will always be 97 episodes of Doctor Who missing" because I firmly believe there's a lot more to come

But however many more episodes I think he is holding,I want to praise Phillip Morris, thank him from the bottom of my heart for finding them

And I've seen it said a few times by various people on Gallifrey Base Missing Episodes thread.

[Blencathra]

From the Northern Echo

Dr Who - an apology

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/new...___an_apology/

WHO'S sorry now... within the last hour we have inadvertently upset Dr Who fans across the universe by breaking an embargo about the identity of some long lost episodes.

We would like to make it clear that this was a genuine mistake and we did not mean to cause consternation amongst followers of the Time Lord by leaping into the future.

Following a twitter storm, and a phone call from BBC Worldwide, our website has been "doctored" to remove the offending details.

Within eight minutes the story has become the most read on our website. Sadly, we are unable to go back in time and undo our abominable mistake so we can only sincerely apologise.

For those who missed it, all will be revealed on northernecho.co.uk at midnight.

The man responsible has been exterminated by popular demand.

[Alan]

From Ian Levine? https://twitter.com/IanLevine





And I've seen it said a few times by various people on Gallifrey Base Missing Episodes thread.

It wasn't Ian Levine, but I think your right about it possibly being someone on the Gallifrey Base Missing Episodes thread.