ASK THE EXECS: EXPERT ADVICE ON WRITING AND WORKING IN TV.
Doctor Who’s execs offer expert advice on effective writing and working in TV.
ASK THE EXECS: MAISIE WILLIAMS IS IN THE NEW SERIES – TELL US MORE!
Doctor Who execs spill the beans on Game of Thrones’ Maisie Williams guesting in S9!
ASK THE EXECS: MISSY – THE NEXT COMPANION?
Steven Moffat and Brian Minchin on Missy as the next companion… and Michelle Gomez!
DOCTOR WHO: THE CHURCHILL YEARS
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Ian McNeice has finished recording his return as Winston Churchill in four brand new Doctor Who audio adventures. Doctor Who: The Churchill Years is a box set of four stories starring Ian McNeice as the legendary war-time Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Ian first took on the role in the Eleventh Doctor story Victory of the Daleks, and the new set details his further adventures with the Ninth, Tenth and Eleventh Doctors. Each story is narrated from Churchill’s viewpoint and is ably supported by a full guest cast of actors. ‘As I write this I’m sitting in the studio control room, listening to Ian being marvellous as Winston Churchill,’ says producer David Richardson. ‘I’m really excited by this box set – the scripts are terrific, and have been met by a rapturous response by everyone who has read them. And it’s our first venture into the lives of three of the 21st Century Doctors. Just wait until you hear Churchill’s memories of the Ninth Doctor during World War II…’ Opening story The Oncoming Storm by Phil Mulryne finds Churchill in the first weeks of the War, desperate for any advantage against the enemy. When a mysterious stone is found in a bomb site, it could prove the key to an Allied victory, but can the Ninth Doctor stop it from falling into the wrong hands? In Hounded by Alan Barnes Churchill is plagued by a creature from his own psyche, which he calls ‘the Black Dog’. The Tenth Doctor may be the Prime Minister’s only hope – but the Time Lord finds himself imprisoned by a conspiring government agency. Living History by Justin Richards reintroduces A Christmas Carol companion Kazran Sardick (Danny Horn) for a trip back in time to Roman Britain. Churchill finds himself caught between the armies of Julius Caesar (Alistair Petrie) and the Ancient Britons – but a far mightier enemy is planning a war of its own. The Bronze God (Nicholas Briggs) is about to leave his temple… Finally, Ken Bentley’s The Chartwell Metamorphosis finds Churchill battling alien creatures during his retirement. It’ll take everything he knows to survive – but can an old ally of the Doctor’s offer her assistance? Doctor Who: The Churchill Years is a five disc set and will be released in 2016. You can pre-order your copy today, alongside sister titles Doctor Who: The Diary of River Song and Doctor Who: Classic Doctors, New Monsters as part of a special bundle. You can also hear Ian in the Fourth Doctor Adventures story Doctor Who: The Renaissance Man. News Source: Big Finish |
COMING IN SEPTEMBER – DOCTOR WHO: THE YES MEN
The Second Series of the Early Adventures begins, with a new story for the Second Doctor, Polly, Ben and Jamie…
Authentically recreating the mood and style of Sixties Doctor Who, The Early Adventures blends full-cast drama and narration to bring the world of the First and Second Doctors to life.
Beginning the second series of four releases, Doctor Who: The Yes Men finds the Doctor, Ben, Polly and Jamie at an early stage in their travels together, visiting an Earth colony in the far future. Reprising their television roles are both Anneke Wills as Polly Wright and Frazer Hines as Jamie McCrimmon: who also performs as the Second Doctor throughout the release (originally played by the legendary Patrick Troughton).
Taking on the role of Ben Jackson from the much-missed Michael Craze is Elliot Chapman.
The Doctor, Jamie, Polly and Ben arrive on New Houston, an Earth colony in the Fourth Sector, which the Doctor previously saved from an alien invasion. He wishes to pay his respects to his late friend Meg Carvossa, but something is not quite right with New Houston’s subservient robots…
Released in September, Doctor Who: The Yes Men is a brand new story from Simon Guerrier, and stars Anneke Wills, Frazer Hines, Elliot Chapman, Lizzie McInnerny, Stephen Critchlow, Timothy Speyer and Jane Slavin.
You can pre-order your copy here today, with subscriptions to the whole second series also available, allowing for considerable savings.
Last year’s series of adventures with the First Doctor are also available, while Series Three through Five can be pre-ordered now.
News Source: Big Finish
COMING IN SEPTEMBER – DOCTOR WHO: CRISS-CROSS
Released as part of a special month of audios for Colin Baker’s Sixth Doctor, this upcoming story introduces us to new companion Mrs. Constance Clarke…
Portrayed by Miranda Raison (24: Live Another Day, Spooks, Doctor Who: Daleks in Manhattan), Constance is the no-nosense Chief Wren at Bletchley Park at height of World War II. Able to give the Doctor more than a run for his money, the pair join forces to discover the secrets hidden in encrypted enemy ciphers. But Constance has a few secrets of her own; and it may just take a time-traveller to discover the answers she seeks…
Released as one of several fantastic September releases celebrating Ol’ Sixie, Doctor Who: Criss-Cross is the perfect title for listeners new to Big Finish’s Sixth Doctor adventuresalong with plenty of surprises for long-term fans!
Bletchley Park. Britain’s most secret weapon in the Second World War. Inside draughty huts, the earliest computers clatter day and night, decoding enemy transmissions and revealing intelligence crucial to the country’s defence. Leading WREN Mrs Constance Clarke directs her charges to provide vital assistance to the boffins stationed in the Manor House. But a recent arrival among the code-breakers, the mysterious Dr Smith, has attracted the attention of MI5’s spycatchers…
Over in mainland Europe, Nazi agents are briefed, covert operations planned, and a German submarine embarks on a very secret mission.
As encrypted radio waves criss-cross the planet, unearthly forces stir. And when certain ciphers are cracked, something will emerge to threaten all humanity, regardless of allegiance…
Released in September, Doctor Who: Criss-Cross is a new story by Matt Fitton, and stars Colin Baker, Miranda Raison, Hugh Fraser, Alistair Petrie, Paul Thornley, Charlotte Salt and Robbie Stevens. Pre-order your copy here.
Before her chronological debut, Constance will also appear in Doctor Who: The Sixth Doctor – The Last Adventure – a special four story adventure revealing the secrets of the Doctor’s regeneration glimpsed in Time and the Rani. Featuring classic adversary the Valeyard, Jago & Litefoot and three other Sixth Doctor companions, this special set is not to be missed! Click here for more details.
News Source: Big Finish
DOCTOR WHO: MEET RIVER SONG’S HUSBAND!
We’re delighted to reveal details of the eagerly-awaited Doctor Who: The Diary of River Song box set.
Launching in January 2016, Doctor Who: The Diary of River Song continues the adventures of the Doctor’s wife and Time Lady adventuress; once again portrayed byAlex Kingston. Already announced is Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor; but today we’re pleased to reveal other key names.
Opening the adventures will be Alexander Vlahos (Merlin, The Confessions of Dorian Gray) as Bertie, who will join River at an archeological dig in opening storyThe Boundless Sea, written by popular novelist Jenny T Colgan.
‘Jenny has been on my writing wish-list for a while,’ says script editor Matt Fitton, ‘and she’s created a funny, thrilling and scary adventure to kick start River’s journey’.
From there, River heads to the most exclusive gathering in the middle of Hyperspace in Justin Richards’ I Went to a Marvellous Party. There she meets Gifford (Alexander Siddig – Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Game of Thrones) and Isabella (Imogen Stubbs – Twelfth Night, Sense and Sensibility), a pair of socialites with connections to the mysterious Rulers of the Universe.
Next James Goss puts River on the trail of mysterious, planet-killing Spore Ships in Signs, where we are also introduced to a handsome time-travelling stranger – her future husband Mr Song, played by Samuel West (Howard’s End, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norell, Doctor Who – Dimensions in Time).
The series concludes with the Eighth Doctor’s arrival in The Rulers of the Universe by Matt Fitton. River must contend with a secret society, and a face off with an ancient alien force; with her future husband caught in the middle!
Doctor Who: The Diary of River Song is due for release in January 2016. Pre-order your copy today!
River Song will return in March 2016 in Doctor Who: Doom Coalition 2.
News Source: Big Finish
DOCTOR WHO: MORE SHORT TRIPS
Big Finish are delighted to confirm that two more years of the downloadable Doctor Who – Monthly Short Trips readings have been greenlit and will be available from January 2016.
In the producer’s chair for the next run is Ian Atkins, writer of the Fifth Doctor Short Trip Doctor Who: The King of the Dead, and producer of our Doctor Who Main Range Subscriber Short Trips since last year.
‘I’m delighted to be taking over from Michael Stevens on this intelligent, often thought-provoking range,’ said Ian, ‘It’s an honour to get that vote of confidence fromDavid Richardson, Nicholas Briggs and Jason Haigh-Ellery and quite daunting to now have so many stories and times and places to think about in one go!
‘Director Lisa Bowerman and I have had some long planning lunches (one of the best things about a producer’s role) and we have a very long wishlist we’re now pursuing. I’m also delighted with the response I’ve had from the writers I’ve approached so far, both familiar with and new to Big Finish’s Doctor Who ranges. It’s too early to be sure or make any firm announcements, but I’m certainly planning a couple of proper Christmas stories and to explore some periods and characters in Doctor Who which may have been forgotten about – and not just with companions either…’
The 2016 and 2017 runs of Doctor Who: Short Trips can be pre-ordered from today. Titles are available for just £2.99 each, or each year can be bought as asubscription for just £30.
Keep an eye on the Big Finish website for more updates, where Ian’s plans will be revealed across the year:
‘I’ve worked with Doctor Who short stories since editing a fanzine called Land of Fiction in the mid-80s, and have always enjoyed the medium and how it can be used to recreate many different eras of a show we all love. It’s brilliant to have a chance to share that with a much wider audience. Mind you, my circulation was about 50. So that won’t be too hard.’
News Source: Big Finish
INSIDER’S GUIDE TO THE DOCTOR WHO EXPERIENCE: HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF THE CARDIFF BAY ATTRACTION
No self-respecting Time Lord fan should miss out on the Doctor Who Experience. David Prince, who’s been there THIRTY ONE TIMES, shares what he knows so you can make the most of your visit.
When is the attraction open?
The Doctor Who Experience at Discovery Quay, Porth Teigr, Cardiff Bay is open seven days a week during the summer holiday until Monday, September 7 from 10am to 5pm (last admission is 3.30pm).
Where can I park? And how much is it?
The nearest car park is the NCP on Pierhead Street, which is behind the Wales Millennium Centre. The car park is a 10-minute walk away from the attraction and it costs:
Up to 1 hour: £2
Up to 2 hours: £3
Up to 3 hours: £5
Up to 4 hours: £6
Up to 6 hours: £8
Up to 24 hours: £10
There are a few parking places outside Roath Lock Studios but get there early if you wish to nab one of those.
What do we get as part of the Experience?
For your ticket price, there’s entry to the Interactive Element and the exhibition. There is also the chance to add a walking tour of the film locations. More details follow.
How much does it cost and how do I book tickets?
You can book tickets in advance by clicking here or you can get them on the day.
Prices are:
Adult: £14* (£16 on the door) and with a merchandise pack: £32.50* (£37.50 on the door)
Child (5-16 yrs): £9.75* (£11.75 on the door) and with a merchandise pack: £28.25* (£33.25 on the door)
Family £41* (£49 on the door) and with a merchandise pack: £70* (£82 on the door)
Under 5s: Free but ticket needed.
* Booking fees vary but will typically be from £1.25 per ticket for children to £1.60 per ticket for adults £3.76 for a family ticket. Transaction fees may vary and will be typically from £0.00 to £1.75 per transaction.
With the merchandise package you get an exclusive T-shirt and certificate that shows you have flown the TARDIS.
Is it suitable for young children?
The Experience is suitable for all ages, but like the TV series, it includes monsters and scenes that young children may find frightening. So parental guidance is recommended.
So what can we expect?
There are two main parts to the visit. The Doctor Who Museum is a sight to behold.
From its beginnings in 1963 to the present day, there are sets and costumes spread across two floors to keep every fan happy.
One of the goosebump-inducing sets is the first Doctor’s console from the recent 50th anniversary drama An Adventure in Space and Time.
Along with the 9th/10th Doctor’s Tardis set and so much more, you can easily spend more than two hours in there marvelling at everything.
We hear you get to go on an adventure with the Doctor – is this true?
Yes you do. Without giving any spoilers, the majestic journey takes 30 minutes. Make sure you listen fully to the guide so that you can appreciate all the thrills and spills. During this section of the tour, no photography is allowed or prams and pushchairs due to health and safety.
Also be aware that there are strobes and lasers (which are designed not to affect people with epilepsy or other health issues) as well as smoke and loud noises throughout this part of the experience.
Can I buy any memorabilia?
Absolutely – but make sure you take your purse! The shop is like a treasure trove for Doctor Who fans, selling everything you can think of – from prints and DVDs to T-shirts and mini Daleks.
Again, the shop is somewhat pricey but they do sell some exclusive merchandise.
The one thing I really like about the shop is that you can visit it without having to buy a ticket to the Doctor Who Experience.
What is the official filming locations tour?
This tour is great fun and adds an extra special dimension to your visit.
During the summer, walking tours will run every Wednesday to Sunday, until August 30.
You have to book tickets along with your general admission tickets to the Doctor Who Experience. It will add an extra £5 to the price (or £6 if you pay on the door).
You will take in the actual locations used in the show, which include Torchwood Tower, various parts of the Wales Millennium Centre and many more. The tours last around 75 minutes. Just make sure you keep up with the tour guide as it is easy to fall behind and marvel in the wonderful beauty that Cardiff Bay has to offer.
What if I’m hungry or thirsty?
The Blue Box Cafe is based in the foyer of the Doctor Who Experience and you can buy snacks like toasties, which I can’t get enough of.
It can be a tad expensive but it more than fills a gap. And if you find that the prices are too high then there are plenty of shops and restaurants nearby.
News Source: Wales Online
DOCTOR WHO DALEK GOES UP FOR AUCTION
Got a spare few grand knocking about? Then you could be in luck – and if not you can visit an exhibition of all the TV and movie memorabilia for free…
Are you a Star Trek fan with a spare £70,000 or so burning a hole in your pocket? Then you’re in luck (and not just because you’re incredibly rich). A piece of TV history is up for grabs as Mr Spock’s uniform – as worn by the late, great Leonard Nimoy – goes under the hammer with an estimated value of £50-70K.
Maybe you’re a Superman fan on a tighter budget? Not a problem, Christopher Reeve’s tunic (everything but the tights and cape) is expected to go for just £30K.
Doctor Who aficionados have really got it good – for the modest price of £4-6,000 they can nab themselves a Dalek, complete with a shooting script for An Adventure In Space and Time, the drama about the making of the sci-fi series.
There’s even good news for those of us who have precisely zero thousands of pounds going spare – you can go along and get a look at all the items in the Prop Store auction completely free from 9th September at London BFI IMAX. Now that really is a bargain!
News Source: Radio Times