Doctor Who News, Articles, Cast and Crew Interviews

[cosmichobo]

Classic WHO - next bluray "Collection" is Pertwee; Season 8!

Lovely trailer with Jo...

[Alan]

Classic WHO - next bluray "Collection" is Pertwee; Season 8!

Lovely trailer with Jo...

Further to the above...

The Collection: Season 8
Wednesday, 25 November 2020 - Reported by Marcus

https://www.doctorwhonews.net/2020/1..._season_8.html

BBC Studios have announced the next instalment in the Doctor Who: The Collection range will be the Third Doctor's second season, Season 8.

Starring Jon Pertwee and Katy Manning, this hotly anticipated instalment can be pre-ordered now and will be available from 23rd February 2021.

TERROR OF THE AUTONS
THE MIND OF EVIL
THE CLAWS OF AXOS
COLONY IN SPACE
THE DAEMONS

Stranded on 20th Century Earth, the Third Doctor teams up with UNIT and new companion Jo Grant to thwart alien invasions! And that’s not all, he must also contend with the arrival of his deadliest foe – arch-nemesis the Master.
Battling Autons, Axons, an alien mind parasite and a mighty Daemon, the Doctor, Jo and UNIT must defend the Earth – and its future pioneers - in five action-packed adventures.

With all episodes newly remastered, this Blu-ray box set also contains extensive and exclusive special features including:

• Behind the Sofa - New episodes with Katy Manning, Stewart Bevan, Janet Fielding, Sarah Sutton, Sacha Dhawan and Anjli Mohindra.
• In Conversation - Matthew Sweet chats to companion Katy Manning.
• A Devils Weekend - Actors Katy Manning and John Levene take a personal trip back to the picturesque village of Aldbourne, 50 years after they recorded the Doctor Who story The Daemons there.
• The Direct Route - Doctor Who directors Michael Briant, Graeme Harper and Tim Combe take an epic road trip to all the filming locations from Season 8 as they discuss directing the show in the early 1970s.
• Terrance and Me - Lifelong Doctor Who fan, Frank Skinner sets out to meet the family, friends and colleagues of the late, much-loved writer, Terrance Dicks.
• Blu-Ray trailer - A specially shot mini-episode
• Extended Episode 1 of The Claws of Axos
• 90-minute omnibus edition of The Daemons
• Immersive 5.1 surround sound on Terror of the Autons and The Daemons
• Optional updated special effects and CSO clean-up on Terror of the Autons
• Unseen studio footage
• Rare archive treats
• Convention footage
• HD photo galleries
• Scripts, costume designs, rare BBC production files

The eight-disc box set also includes hours of special features previously released on DVD.

Doctor Who – The Collection: Season 8 can be pre-ordered now from Amazon

Jo Grant vs the Autons... Again?

[cosmichobo]

Just had to get in first with that news.

[cosmichobo]

Holy sonic, Batman - how'd we all miss this?!



The - currently - missing episode #3 of Web of Fear is being animated for release next year!!*

HOPEFULLY they'll track down the bastard that stole it... but in the meantime - at least we'll have something better than the not terribly amazing recon.

Also fills in another blank for Season 5's BluRay... I presume Wheel in Space will also have a release maybe next year as as a full animation... then we'll just need the Yeti's first appearance to be animated for all of S5...

*Thinking about it... the recovery of this story was SEVEN years ago... so, maybe the trail has gone cold... but SOMEONE has it... may they rot in hell.

[Alan]

Doctor Who Back on New Year's Day
Sunday, 29 November 2020 - Reported by Marcus

https://www.doctorwhonews.net/2020/1...years_day.html

The Festive Special of Doctor Who, ‘Revolution of the Daleks’, will air on New Year’s Day.

The Festive Special episode will see a host of exciting guest artists including previously announced John Barrowman MBE who will be reprising his role as Captain Jack Harkness alongside Chris Noth who will be back as the disgraced Jack Robertson. Chris Noth previously appeared in the series 11 episode ‘Arachnids in the UK’ and it’s safe to say the Doctor and all those involved were less than impressed by his questionable actions. However, viewers will have to wait and see just what brings him back this time…

Star of the stage and screen Dame Harriet Walter will also be making her Doctor Who debut for the Festive Special alongside television star Nathan Stewart-Jarrett who has recently appeared in The Trial of Christine Keeler.

Viewers last saw the Thirteenth Doctor at the end of series 12 where her fate was left hanging in the balance as she was locked away in a high-security alien prison with no hope of escape. In the upcoming Festive Special, Yaz, Ryan and Graham are far away on Earth and having to carry on with their lives without her. However, they soon discover a disturbing plan forming. A plan which involves a Dalek. How can you fight a Dalek without the Doctor? Even with Captain Jack’s help, the gang are set to face one of their biggest and most frightening challenges yet…

Chris Chibnall, the Executive Producer, said:

We’ve crammed this year's Doctor Who Festive Special with an explosion of extraordinary acting talent. Where else would you get British acting royalty, a globally renowned US screen star, an (inter)national treasure of stage and screen and one of Britain's hottest young actors — just in the guest cast! Put those together with Jodie Whittaker, Bradley Walsh, Mandip Gill and Tosin Cole (and Daleks! Did I mention Daleks!) — and you get a cast to be exterminated for. And things will explode. Promise.

‘Revolution of the Daleks’ will air on New Year’s Day on BBC One.

Doctor Who is a BBC Studios Production.

Revolution of the Daleks: Release Date Trailer

[Teddybrown]

Missed the news on Captain Jack so was a nice surprise to see him in the trailer on TV today! Thoughts on the new look Daleks?

[BruTak]

"People" (you know, "them") are complaining that they don't look Dalek-y enough.

Eyestalk, dome lights, gunstick, plunger thingy... *shrugs* They look like Daleks to me.

[Alan]

They have all the elements of a Dalek therefore they are Daleks. I like them. But Chris Chibnall has already said that they are in no way intended to replace the design that's been in place since 2005.

The last Dalek we saw in Resolution was described as a reconaissance scout and the ones that feature in the new trailer seem to resemble it. There are lots of variants such as Spider Daleks and Marine Daleks and Special Weapons Daleks, so I have no problem with this lot being of a reconaissance class.

[Teddybrown]

I was slightly bugged by the red lasers but I'm sure Ill get over it when I see the whole episode. Aren't they traditionally blue?

[Alan]

They are usually blue, but Davros' Imperial Daleks had yellow lasers so there is a precedent for them changing.

[Alan]

Doctor Who: LOCKDOWN! | Doctor Who's 57th Anniversary Opening Titles & Credits


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMgVslbM3Qg

[planet_tv]

‘Doctor Who’ Stars Bradley Walsh, Tosin Cole to Exit After Holiday Special

[Alan]

Masterful social media-only exclusive scene
•1 Dec 2020

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lo57Zo08vgs

bigfinishprod

FIND OUT MORE AT THE BIG FINISH WEBSITE: http://bgfn.sh/2a

This social media-exclusive scene stars Mark Gatiss and Jon Culshaw.

Further details of Masterful, the special audio adventure commemorating half a century of the evil Time Lord, have been revealed, plus an exclusive scene is now available on social media.

Due for release on 2 January 2021, exactly 50 years to the day since Roger Delgado made his debut in Doctor Who: Terror of the Autons, Masterful is a celebration of the mischief and madness of the Master (and Missy).

Script Editor Matt Fitton said: “Because we’re also celebrating the first appearance of Roger Delgado’s Master, we wondered how we could represent that era and Jo Grant sprang to mind – she also first appeared in Terror of the Autons. So we asked Katy Manning if she’d like to be involved as well and she said yes, which is great.

“We also thought about other tools the Master has used over the years and it made sense to include Kamelion. We were delighted that Jon Culshaw agreed to play that role and, through him, we were able to channel the Anthony Ainley Master – among other surprise guests!

“It’s always fun to have an anniversary celebration. The Doctors have a get together every so often, so it’s perfect for the Masters to have one too!”

Masterful stars Geoffrey Beevers, Mark Gatiss, Michelle Gomez, Derek Jacobi, Alex MacQueen, Milo Parker, Eric Roberts and John Simm, featuring guest appearances from Jon Culshaw as Kamelion, Katy Manning as Jo Grant, with Abigail McKern, Aurora Burghart and Zaqi Ismail.

Masterful is now available to pre-order as a limited edition 8-CD box set (priced at £44.99), or on download (at £39.99), exclusively at the Big Finish website. This edition contains:

Discs 1-3: Masterful by James Goss

Disc 4: Masterful - Behind the Scenes

Disc 5: Doctor Who - Short Trips: I Am The Master by Geoffrey Beevers and Short Trips: The Switching by Simon Guerrier (both previously available on download only)

Discs 6-8: Doctor Who: Terror of the Master by Trevor Baxendale, a brand new, narrated audiobook featuring the Third Doctor, the Master and UNIT.

Writer Trevor Baxendale said: “I approached Terror of the Master as a Target novelisation – it’s about the same length – of a six-part TV story we never saw. But then it’s also satisfyng to up the ante just a little – I gave the Doctor and the Brigadier an exciting car chase through London, with hitmen on motorbikes and bullets flying, which wouldn’t have been achievable for the programme on TV.

“Similarly, it’s nice to give them a few quieter moments together, to show just how fond of each other they are by this stage – even though neither of them would admit it.”

Please note the box set edition is limited to 3,000 copies only.

The standard edition of Masterful (featuring only the content of discs 1-3 above) is also available to pre-order, priced at £24.99 (on CD) or £19.99 (as a download).

[Teddybrown]

‘Doctor Who’ Stars Bradley Walsh, Tosin Cole to Exit After Holiday Special

I thought Bradley Walsh had been announce a while ago but surprised we're losing two. Captain Jack permanent companion next season? *fingers crossed*

[cosmichobo]

I thought Bradley Walsh had been announce a while ago but surprised we're losing two. Captain Jack permanent companion next season? *fingers crossed*

I'd read that we were losing both, so no surprise, but wish they would just scrap all 3, and get a new companion. As for it being Capt Jack - I'd watch that

[Alan]

Doctor Who Magazine: Issue 559
Wednesday, 9 December 2020 - Reported by Marcus

https://www.doctorwhonews.net/2020/1...issue_559.html

Doctor Who Magazine Issue 559 talks to Jodie Whittaker, John Barrowman and Chris Chibnal as the preview the New Year episode of Doctor Who, Revolution of the Daleks.

Highlights of the new issue include:

• An exclusive preview of the New Year’s Day Special, featuring contributions from Jodie Whittaker, John Barrowman, Chris Noth, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Chris Chibnall, director Lee Haven Jones and costume designer Ray Holman.
• The latest from showrunner Chris Chibnall in his Production Notes.
• A behind-the-scenes look at the trailer for the Season 8 Blu-ray box set, with writer and director Pete McTighe, Katy Manning and Stewart Bevan.
• Christmas with the Doctor – a fresh look at stories that were broadcast during the festive period between 1963 and 1989.
• What did missing 1965 episode The Feast of Steven actually look like? DWM’s CGI recreation offers some clues.
• The strange story of the 1964 record I’m Gonna Spend My Christmas with a Dalek.
• Interviews with the team behind theimmersive theatre experience Time Fracture.
• The final instalment of a two-part article exploring David Whitaker’s influence on the Daleks.
• The Fact of Fiction analyses the 2014 Festive Special Last Christmas.
• Apocrypha rediscovers the bizarre 1965 comic strip A Christmas Story.
• The DWM Christmas Quiz!
• The first part of The White Dragon, a new comic-strip adventure for the Thirteenth Doctor.
• Previews and reviews, news, prize-winning competitions, Time and Space Visualiser, The Blogs of Doom and more.
• PLUS a giant, double-sided poster!

Doctor Who Magazine Issue 559 is on sale from Thursday 10 December
£6.99 (UK)

[Alan]

Revolution of the Daleks | TV Spot | Doctor Who
16 Dec 2020

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfeFP-upPrI

Doctor Who

Even with Captain Jack’s help, the gang are set to face one of their biggest and most frightening challenges yet…

Doctor Who: Revolution of the Daleks. New Year’s Day 2021.

[Alan]

In Memoriam - 2020
Friday, 1 January 2021 - Reported by Marcus

https://www.doctorwhonews.net/2021/0...riam_2020.html

As 2020 draws to a close, Toby Hadoke has released his annual look back at those from the Doctor Who universe who we lost over the past twelve months.

In Memoriam - 2020

[Alan]

New Year Special to be offered in 4K HDR
Friday, 1 January 2021 - Reported by Marcus

https://www.doctorwhonews.net/2021/0...in_4k_hdr.html

With this year's New Year special making its debut later today, viewers in the UK will be able to watch the programme in 4K resolution and high dynamic range (HDR) colour via iPlayer.


When Revolution of the Daleks is broadcast, viewers will be prompted to switch to the higher quality streamed version by pressing the red button.

To take advantage of the facility, households will need a compatible TV and a relatively fast internet connection. The BBC recommends a minimum of 24 megabits per second (Mbps) connection.

By contrast, regular 1080p high definition (HD) programmes require a 6.3Mbps connection and standard definition (SD) content 1.1Mbps.

Ultra-High Definition (UHD) - the other name given to 4K on TVs - delivers four times as many pixels as HD video. The benefits are that images can appear sharper and more detailed, although this is not always apparent if the screen is not large enough or viewers are sitting too far away.

HDR produces pictures that typically appear to be more vivid and colourful. It takes advantage of the fact screens can go brighter and/or darker than they used to be able to, providing a greater dynamic range.

As a result, the shadows of an image can be made less murky while the highlights - including sparks from special effects - can have more impact.

The BBC first publicly tested 4K HDR on iPlayer in 2016 when it offered four minutes from its Planet Earth II series. It has subsequently offered a limited range of full-length programmes including Dynasties; His Dark Materials; and Dracula, as well as sport including Wimbledon and Fifa World Cup 2018 matches.

Doctor Who has been broadcast in many different formats during its 57-year history. The first episode being broadcast in the 405-line monochrome analogue format. The definition improved in 1967 when the 625 line format was used to record The Enemy of the World. Colour arrived in 1970 with Spearhead from Space.

By the time the series returned in 2005 the series was recorded digitally rather than on analogue tape. The programme was first made available on iPlayer in 2007 with the Christmas special Voyage of the Damned. The first episode available in HD was Planet of the Dead, the 2009 Easter special.

Previous episodes have been made available in 4K on Blu--ray but Revolution of the Daleks is the first to be made available in this format on the iPlayer on the day of transmission.

[Teddybrown]

John Bishop joining Doctor Who, guessing he'll be the new comedy companion...

EDIT: Just Googled, turns out he's in an episode next season but my guess is he'll become a companion