Doctor Who News, Articles, Cast and Crew Interviews

[Alan]

The Thirteenth Doctor adventures to continue with Big Finish
Saturday, 13 July 2024 - Reported by Chuck Foster

https://www.doctorwhonews.net/2024/0...ue_with_b.html

Big Finish Productions, in partnership with BBC Studios, have announced a new series of twelve, hour-long, full-cast audio adventures with Jodie Whittaker reprising her role as the Thirteenth Doctor alongsider Mandip Gill as Yasmin Khan.

Jodie Whittaker said:

I’m over the moon to be joining Big Finish for more adventures in the TARDIS. Recording the Thirteenth Doctor and Yaz is a really lovely thing to revisit. One of the things Mandip and I used to love on Doctor Who was getting in, doing a new episode and meeting a brand-new cast. I just can’t wait to step back into the boots, pull on the coat and get cracking. One thing’s for sure, it’s going to be brilliant.

Mandip Gill added:

Doctor Who has been a huge part of my career and personal life and I am looking forward to seeing how I can further enrich my character through this exhilarating series. To be able to work with Jodie again is a dream come true, we have such a special friendship, I’m sure the recordings will be filled with laughter.

Big Finish’s Chairman, Jason Haigh-Ellery said:

This year Big Finish is celebrating its 25th anniversary of producing full-cast Doctor Who audio drama – so, when we were granted the licence to create new stories set during the Thirteenth Doctor’s era, we immediately set to work.
I am delighted that the inimitable Jodie and Mandip have decided to return to their roles with us and I’m excited to welcome them to Big Finish. Alongside our two other forthcoming series for the Fugitive Doctor (played by Jo Martin) and the Master (played by Sacha Dhawan), 2025 has never looked brighter for the Thirteenth Doctor and her fam.

Big Finish’s Creative Director, Nicholas Briggs added:

Jodie and Mandip were so welcoming to me when I worked on set with them in the TV show, so I’m looking forward to repaying the compliment. They’re lovely people and they’re full of enthusiasm for this project.

The new adventures will be available to pre-order at a discounted price from the Big Finish site, either individually or as a complete set. The series is expected to be released from July 2025.

[Alan]

Ysanne Churchman 1925 - 2024
Friday, 26 July 2024 - Reported by Marcus

https://www.doctorwhonews.net/2024/0...1925_2024.html

The actress Ysanne Churchman has died at the age of 99.

Ysanne Churchman worked on 11 episodes of Doctor Who providing the voice of Alpha Centauri, the hermaphrodite hexapod who appeared alongside Jon Pertwee's third Doctor in the two Peladon stories in the early 1970s. She returned to the character in 2017 alongside the Twelfth Doctor Peter Capaldi in Empress of Mars.

Ysanne Churchman was best known as one of the earliest soap stars, playing Grace Archer in the BBC Radio series The Archers. She made history in 1955 when 20 million people tuned in as her character was killed in a fire, a spoiler to draw the audience away from the launch on the UK's second television channel, ITV.

Born in Sutton Coldfield in the English Midlands, Churchman was a performer by the age of 13 with regular appearances in BBC Radio's Children's Hour.

Radio was her main medium but she regularly appeared on British Television in series such as Z-Cars, Crossroads, The Railway Children, Sherlock Holmes and Softly Softly.

Churchman was married to BBC engineer Tony Pilgrim from 1951 until he died in 2015.

She died on the 4th July, 2024.

[Alan]

The War Between The Land And The Sea - Doctor Who Spin-off
Friday, 26 July 2024 - Reported by Marcus

https://www.doctorwhonews.net/2024/0...r_who_spi.html

The BBC have announced that Russell Tovey and Gugu Mbatha-Raw will lead Cast of a new Doctor Who Spin-Off Series The War Between The Land And The Sea

The new series, produced for the BBC and Disney+, was announced at San Diego Comic-Con

The series is created by Doctor Who Showrunner and Executive Producer Russell T Davies, who has written the series with Pete McTighe (A Discovery of Witches, The Pact, Doctor Who).

When a fearsome and ancient species emerges from the ocean, dramatically revealing themselves to humanity, an international crisis is triggered. With the entire population at risk, UNIT step into action as the land and sea wage war.

The series will see the return of UNIT alumni Jemma Redgrave (Doctor Who, Grantchester) who will reprise her role as Kate Lethbridge-Stewart and Alexander Devrient (Doctor Who, Ted Lasso) as Colonel Ibrahim.

Russell T Davies, Showrunner, Writer and Executive Producer said:

I’m so lucky to work with such a magnificent cast. And this is a huge, muscular, thrilling drama which will shake The Whoniverse to its foundations. When the Doctor’s not in town, the whole of humanity is in trouble.

Lindsay Salt, Director of Drama, BBC said

The War Between The Land and The Sea is another utterly unique and gripping drama from Russell T Davies and we’re delighted to welcome the show to The Whoniverse! Featuring a stellar cast, with Russell Tovey and Gugu Mbatha-Raw taking on leading roles, this brand new epic mini series will leave audiences on the edge of their seats as they watch UNIT take on one of their biggest battles to save humanity.

Filming begins next month and will be directed by Dylan Holmes-Williams, director of two ‘Doctor Who’ Season One episodes 73 Yards and Dot and Bubble.

[planet_tv]

I know this piece of news is from the end of July, but I just found out about it. Linking to 2 articles about it.

Star Trek and Doctor Who Unite for Game Crossover Celebrating International Friendship Day
https://www.startrek.com/news/star-t...game-crossover

SDCC: Star Trek & Doctor Who Get Game Crossover; Showrunners Say Canon Crossover Up To Fans
https://trekmovie.com/2024/07/29/sdc...er-up-to-fans/

[Alan]

Production Begins on The War Between The Land And The Sea
Friday, 23 August 2024 - Reported by Marcus

https://www.doctorwhonews.net/2024/0...and_and_t.html

The BBC has released an image showing the cast of the new Doctor Who spin-off, The War Between the Land and the Sea, which entered production today.

In the series, Ruth Madeley and Colin McFarlane reprise their roles as UNIT’s Shirley Anne Bingham and Torchwood’s General Pierce, alongside the previously announced Russell Tovey, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Jemma Redgrave, and Alexander Devrient.

The first Doctor Who spin-off series between the BBC and Disney+, is created by Doctor Who Showrunner and Executive Producer Russell T Davies, who has written the series with Executive Producer Pete McTighe (A Discovery of Witches, The Pact, Doctor Who).

When a fearsome and ancient species emerges from the ocean, dramatically revealing themselves to humanity, an international crisis is triggered. With the entire population at risk, UNIT step into action as the land and sea wage war.

The five-part series will be directed by Dylan Holmes Williams, director of two Doctor Who Season One episodes – ‘73 Yards’ and ‘Dot and Bubble’.

[Alan]

David Graham 1925-2024
Friday, 20 September 2024 - Reported by Marcus

https://www.doctorwhonews.net/2024/0...1925_2024.html

The actor David Graham, one of the original voices of the Daleks, has died at the age of 99. Graham was also the voice of Parker in Thunderbirds and Grandpa Pig in the TV series Peppa Pig.

David Graham was one of two actors who provided the distinctive staccato tones of the Daleks in their first story screened in 1963. Along with Peter Hawkins, the sound of the metal monsters was a great part of their success, easily imitated by children in playgrounds across the nation. He told the Daily Mirror

We adopted this staccato style then they fed it through a synthesiser to make it more sinister

Graham later provided the Dalek voices in The Dalek Invasion of Earth in 1964 and The Chase and The Daleks' Master Plan in 1965. In 2023 he recorded new Dalek voices for the 60th Anniversary special project The Daleks in Colour.

Producer Benjamin Cook said

At 98, his performance was as sharp and commanding as it was in those '60s stories.

As well as providing his vocal talents to Doctor Who David Graham also appeared on screen in several roles. His most noteworthy appearance was as Kerensky the mad scientist working for Count Scarlioni in 1979's City of Death. Other roles included the bartender Charlie in The Gunfighters in 1966

David Graham was born in London on 11 July 1925. After service in the Royal Air Force as a radar mechanic he trained as an actor in New York City.

His break into TV came in 1958 when he met writer and producer Gerry Anderson, who was planning his first puppet productions. His first voiceover role was as Grandpa Twink in Four Feather Falls. Many roles followed and in 1965, Graham became the voice of Gordon Tracy, Brains, Aloysius Parker and Kyrano in Thunderbirds. He reprised the role of Parker for an ITV remake of the show in 2015, called Thunderbirds Are Go! and was the only original cast member to return.

Gerry Anderson wrote:

We’re incredibly sad to confirm the passing of the legendary David Graham. The voice Parker, Gordon Tracy, Brains and so many more. David was always a wonderful friend to us here at Anderson Entertainment. We will miss you dearly, David. Our thoughts are with David’s friends and family.

Graham appeared in Callan, Timeslip, So Haunt Me, Danger Man, The Saint, Howards' Way, Softly, Softly, Armchair Thriller, Ace of Wands, Justice, The Regiment, The Bill, The Fixer, The Sentimental Agent,Timeslip and The Avengers, in the 1963 episode Man in the Mirror. In the 1984 commercial introducing the Apple Macintosh, he played the role of Big Brother.

In 2004, Graham became the voice of Grandpa Pig in Peppa Pig, introducing his voice talents to a new generation.