The Harry Potter actor also revealed that neither he nor any of the original films’ cast will be returning for spin-off Fantastic Beasts.

Michael Gambon’s guest turn in Doctor Who special A Christmas Carol has lingered long in many fans’ memories – but it turns out the veteran actor of stage and screen was less than impressed by the finished product.

“I wasn’t very good,” Gambon said at London Film and Comic Con yesterday, to cries of disapprobation from the crowd. “No, I wasn’t very good!”

“I tried hard, but I couldn’t quite get it,” he went on, though said the experience was still “good fun”.

Gambon guest-starred in the 2010 episode as the miserly Kazran Sardick, who refused to help a crashing spaceship land safely on an alien world. Determined to change Kazran’s mind, the Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith) went back in time to alter his childhood for the better as a self-styled “Ghost of Christmas past” – hence the title. The episode later came third in a RadioTimes.com poll for the best Doctor Who Christmas story.

“Oh [Matt Smith]’s a great bloke, isn’t he?” Gambon said. “I loved him. And who was that beautiful girl in it? Katherine Jenkins.”

“Ooooh, Katherine Jenkins – I tried it on with her,” the actor joked. “No, too old. No hair.”

Gambon went on to discuss one of his other high-profile roles as Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter films, a part he took over from the late Richard Harris from 2004 onwards. But it turns out his time at Hogwarts started out with a bit of a fib – because Gambon had never seen or read any Harry Potter.

“I told them I’d seen the first two,” Gambon recounted. “They asked me what I thought of Harry Potter and JK Rowling and all that, and I said ‘Oh, it’s just breathtaking. The first two episodes I saw were just fantastic – I can’t believe I’m going to be in this.’ Liar!”

The actor also revealed that he will not be appearing in any Harry Potter spin-off projects, whether it be stage play The Cursed Child or spin-off/prequel Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them – and he was pretty sure Harry himself wouldn’t be either.

“No, none of us have been invited into the new Harry Potter,” he said. “I’d like the money!”

“But I don’t think they’d like me in it, anyway. They haven’t asked me back. Or Daniel [Radcliffe].

News Source: Radio Times

On Saturday July 19th 2015 The Gallifreyan Newsroom took a very enjoyable trip to Cardiff, South Wales, to visit The Doctor Who Experience.  This was our first visit since the regeneration and re-branding of the exhibition to reflect the Peter Capaldi Doctor.

We all queued up and were given identity devices which hung around our necks and lit up and vibrated at various points in order to locate various TARDIS crystals, which the younger members of our party were encouraged to seek out and find.  As per the previous incarnation of the experience the Doctor appears (in character) on video screen throughout the initial theatrical walk through, giving out orders and generally giving and advice and encouragement.  There is also a very impressive on screen 3D element which, with the aid of glasses, gives an extra dimension to proceeding.  The theatrical walk through is very entertaining, using copious amounts of smoke, flashing lights, lots of monsters and of course the chance to pilot and land the TARDIS.  The voice of Romana (Lalla Ward) can be heard giving an ominous speech about the end of time and the final days of Gallifrey.

Once through the theatrical part of the tour we were able to explore the vast array of props and costumes in the “Gallifrey Museum” which really does touch on all eras of the series, not just 21st century WHO. The exhibition is really well laid out. It’s spread over two levels so there is plenty of room to stand, admire and take as many photos as you like.  Here follows just a selection of photographs I took, which I hope you will find interesting.  I would urge everyone to who is able, to attend The Doctor Who Experience, it’s well worth the £16.00 (adults) £11.75 (Children)

I was advised that props from the new series (9) will be added to the experience following their on screen appearances staring this September 2015.

BBCtv Lime Grove Sign

1963 Dalek set

TARDIS Mark 1 Dalek Invasion Of Earth Set

1980’s TARDIS Set with K9

Dalek Empire (Parting of the Ways)

Dalek Group

Costumes Group

Deep Breath Set

Model Shot

Classic Monsters Group

Cyberman Group

William Hartnell Console Room

Night Terrors Set

The BBC Radiophonic Workshop Set

 

Olaf Pooley as Professor Stahlman in Doctor Who: Inferno (1970)

Olaf Pooley was Doctor Who’s oldest surviving actor until he passed away yesterday at the grand old age of 101. As ever with people who have crossed paths with the famous Time Lord, there was much more to him than his 7 weeks as the obstinate Professor Stahlman in the Jon Pertwee classic Inferno (1970). That said, it’s a terrific turn – a plausible villain whose motivation is utterly believable and who never strays into caractature. Pooley was reluctant to don the make-up required to transform him into one of the monsters of the piece – a Primord (basically Lemmy from Moorhead after being bitten by a werewolf member of ZZ Top) – but this didn’t stop him from delivering an entirely committed and serious performance as the testy and driven scientist impatient to crack the Earth’s core. When the Doctor is transported to a parallel world Stahlman’s alternative counterpart is crueller and more powerful, not afraid to have pesky, interfering time traveller erased by the military regime in charge of the totalitarian state. Inferno is indisputably one of the show’s true classics and Pooley is an essential part of it’s dark, gritty and tense DNA. Born in Dorset during the First World War he spent much of the Second in Rep at the Liverpool Playhouse and Theatre Royal, Bristol and also appeared in the very first UK production of Twelve Angry Men at the Queen’s Theatre, London. He had, though, originally studied architecture and painting and enjoyed much success as an artist, exhibiting all over the world and spending his final days, still wielding his brush, in Santa Monica. He is one of a small but illustrious bevy of actors to have appeared in both Doctor Who and Star Trek (the Voyager episode Blink Of An Eye). He had emigrated to the USA in the 1980s and so much of his CV is taken up with the likes of MacGyver (1985), Hill Street Blues (1986), LA Law (1992) and Dr Quinn: Medicine Woman (1996). His TV work in the UK began in the late 1940s and included HG Wells’ The Invisible Man (1959), Maigret (1961), The Plane Makers (1964), sherlock holmes (1965), the expert (1968), Doomwatch (1971), Jason King (1971), The Zoo Gang (1974) and The Sandbaggers (1978) amongst many others. He wrote the screenplay to the film Crucible Of Horror starring his good friend Michael Gough – with whom Pooley lived for a time, gaining the affection and admiration of Gough’s then wife Anneke Wills, aka Polly for Doctor Who, who remembered him very fondly and told me : “My dear old Ola. 101 – up in the clouds, having a drink with Mick Gough – chuckling that he made seven years more than him: both of them completely compos mentis right to the end. So it’ not sad, it’s a triumph. May we all live to to 101 and keep our marbles”. Ben Jolly, a UK based Doctor Who fan who visited Pooley at home in April, remembers, “He was a great guy to chat to – the conversation just flowed. His son-in-law Brian said after the visit that it had been a great tonic for Olaf who couldn’t believe that three chaps from London would have an interest in him. Apparently it gave him a real lift after a period of not being terribly well.” News Source: Toby Hadoke

Doctor Who has not been axed by the BBC, The Gallifreyan Newsroom can sensationally confirm.

Here’s some breaking news: Doctor Who has not been cancelled by the BBC. Quite the opposite, actually: it’s been re-commissioned for another series.
A spokesman for the BBC has confirmed the news to RadioTimes.com, which was previously hidden away on page 32 of the BBC Worldwide Annual Review, published today. (In less exciting news, it also confirms series three of The Musketeers.)

On page 32 of the report, detailing corporate governance, the text reads: “During the year matters under review included plans to launch the global genre brands BBC First in Australia and New Zealand on Foxtel and BBC Brit and BBC Earth in Poland; and investments in The Musketeers S3 and Doctor Who S10. Additionally, during the year WEx reviewed people policies and development opportunities across the company.”

Showrunner Steven Moffat’s contract covers series 10. Whether current Doctor Peter Capaldi or companion co-star Jenna Coleman will still be on board for that series, however, is a whole other matter. But we have to get series nine – airing September 19th – out of the way before dwelling on that.

News Source: Radio Times.

The Gallifreyan Newsroom has today been sent the latest update for the Doctor Who Festival this November 2015.

Have your photo taken with one of the stars from the show!

You can now purchase a photo opportunity with a member of the cast and also a photo on set.

Make sure you get yours today as these photo opportunities will go fast!

    

For details for how to book photograph opportunities for existing ticket holders, please click here.
You must have a valid Doctor Who Festival ticket to be eligible for the photo opportunities. *Due to limited availability, a maximum of two photo opportunities with the cast can be booked per visitor.

Find out more information here

News Source: BBC