The Time Lord star says the finished show’s special effects make it look a lot more hi-tech than the flimsy props the actors have to work with.

Doctor Who’s special effects might look out of this world but the set is out of Ikea, star Peter Capaldi says.

The BBC’s low budget means props are cobbled together from cardboard and whatever else is to hand, the actor claimed.

Doctor Who’s special effects might look out of this world but the set is out of Ikea, star Peter Capaldi says.

The BBC’s low budget means props are cobbled together from cardboard and whatever else is to hand, the actor claimed.

He said the cast are banned from touching the flimsy props for fear they will get broken.
“You can’t handle things too much because they’ll fall to pieces,” he said.

“Some things are really very basic – the Dalek’s battery was a piece of cardboard. But on screen, lit and with the effects it looked fabulous.”
Lack of funds meant Capaldi, 57, did not even get a new Tardis when he took over the Time Lord role from previous Doctor Matt Smith two years ago.

“The BBC is funded by licence payer’s money and the Tardis we have at the moment was built for Matt,” he said at the Doctor Who festival.
“He only used it for six episodes so it wouldn’t be good use of money to build a new one just for me.”

However, he said he is always impressed with the quality of the finished shows once post-production processes are finished and the cheap props have been altered digitally.
But should any of them break at least he’s got his sonic screwdriver handy…

Billie Piper has pulled out of the Doctor Who Festival just four days before she was due to appear in Sydney.

Doctor Who fans are used the eternally regenerating body of their time-travelling hero as a long succession of actors has manned Tardis over the show’s 50-year history.
But a last-minute change to the line-up of the Doctor Who Festival will see one of the doctor’s most-loved companions replaced by a minor character.

BBC has confirmed that Piper would no longer join current doctor Peter Capaldi at the festival due to open at the Hordern Pavilion in Moore Park on Saturday.
“Unfortunately Billie Piper has had to pull out of the Doctor Who Festival due to filming commitments,” a spokeswoman for the BBC told Fairfax Media.

Ticket holders were notified of Piper’s absence by email on Tuesday.
Piper played Rose Tyler, the doctor’s primary travelling companion in series one and series two of the Show’s revival in 2005 and 2006, as well as guest appearances in subsequent series

She was billed as a “fan favourite” by festival organisers and was scheduled to take part in ‘meet the cast’ Q&A sessions, as well as photograph and autograph opportunities for fans.
“Would never have paid $200 for a ticket for my daughter to go if Billie Piper had not been advertised. It’s only with a star of that power that you can charge $200!” one ticket holder told Fairfax Media.
Fans dress up at the Doctor Who Festival in London.

Fans dress up at the Doctor Who Festival in London. Photo: Facebook
Tickets for the festival, which is open on Saturday and Sunday, range between $195 and $395 for an adult and $99 to $265 for children aged 16 years and under.
“Although we understand visitors to the festival may be disappointed not to see Billie, we have always been clear her appearance was subject to filming commitments,” the BBC spokeswoman said in a statement.
A note at the bottom of the official Doctor Who website advises that the information relating to the Doctor Who Festival, including the cast and activities, is subject to change.

Piper is still listed as a festival cast member on the website, but the spokeswoman said the details would be updated overnight to reflect her absence.
“Our first priority was to notify ticket holders by email,” the spokeswoman said.
Piper will be replaced by actress Ingrid Oliver, who played Osgood, a character that appeared in four episodes of the BBC series between 2013 and 2015, according to IMDB.

Oliver most recently appeared in The Zygon Inversion, a two-part storyline, which aired on the ABC on November 7 and 14.We are pleased to announce that Ingrid Oliver will now be attending the Doctor Who Festival in Sydney,” the spokeswoman said in a statement.
“This a great addition to a stellar line up, including current Doctor Peter Capaldi, Steven Moffat, Sylvester McCoy, Mark Gatiss, Strax actor Dan Starkey and a host of behind-the scenes workshops and activities to ensure a brilliant day out,” the statement read.

The festival also features special effects displays and interactives, cosplay (fans playing characters), and a ‘meet the monsters’ experience.

The Sherlock writer argues that culture can help us cope with terror.

The crowd at the Doctor Who Festival in London last Saturday was somewhat muted, for obvious reasons. Doctor Who is a scary show, but it pales in comparison to the news. Children and adults are now terrified of the same thing, and it doesn’t come from a distant planet – it’s all too close to home. RadioTimes.com asked writer Mark Gatiss what is the point of the show, when the real monsters are outside?

“I would say surely the point of shows like Doctor Who is not to let the monsters in. I’m not a parent, but children pick up on things. They’re much more aware of news and stuff than I was at that age, it’s more pervasive on every platform. If they’re just on Twitter looking for pictures of cats, they’re going to find out what happened last night in Paris.

“But the point of Doctor Who is what it’s always been. It’s a healthy scare. It’s not about traumatising children, it’s a fun thing, a safe environment. Fundamentally this show is incredibly optimistic, and in incredibly dark times it shines a beacon.

“Think of the Zygon story in the last two weeks. It’s a wonderful example of the old ‘inform, educate and entertain’. It’s a great big story with what [showrunner] Steven [Moffat] calls ‘red calamari’, body snatching and shape shifting, but contained within it is a fantastic metaphor for the refugee crisis and ISIS.

“And that’s what we should be doing. It’s lovely, and moving. I was thinking about this a lot this morning, coming here. And it’s like that great film Sullivan’s Travels, the Preston Sturges film, which I was watching again recently. It really reinforced my belief that there’s nothing wrong with creating great, fun things.”

“The world is in a terrible state. It’s always in a terrible state, but it’s in a particularly terrible state at the moment. If you let it all into your head, you would go crazy. You are actually benefitting everybody by trying to create something that will entertain them, distract them for a bit, take them out of themselves, and also to broaden their minds.

“It’s a way for people to cope. It’s lovely to see everybody here today, in such a mood of optimism, and that’s what the show has always done. They win if they terrorise us into stopping. They win if we cower.

“We have to, as Churchill said, keep buggering on.”

In 2016, Latin American followers of the iconic Time Lord will enjoy the newest seasons of the BBC show exclusively on Syfy.

BBC Worldwide and NBCUniversal International Networks today announced a deal that will enable viewers throughout Latin America to enjoy Doctor Who on Syfy, the destination for imagination-based entertainment. The globally acclaimed series, previously available on BBC’s owned networks in the region, begins airing on Syfy in 2016 with a re-run of season eight, followed by the exclusive regional premiere of season nine. Seasons five through seven have also been confirmed to be part of the programming offer of the network later in the year.

Premiered 52 years ago, Doctor Who is the longest running sci-fi series in the history of television, and is a significant part of British popular culture. The story follows the adventures of The Doctor, a Time Lord who travels the universe with a succession of companions in a time-traveling spaceship in the shape of an old British police box. The Doctor combats a variety of foes while working to save civilizations and help people in need.

“More than 50 years and eight seasons on BBC’s own networks in Latin America helped Doctor Who develop a loyal following within the region, where the series has an exceptional number of fervent fans,” said Anna Gordon, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of BBC Worldwide Latin America/ US Hispanic. “Our partnership with Syfy reintroduces one of our company’s most acclaimed shows to Latin America and brings it closer to dedicated science fiction and fantasy fans.”

“Syfy is known for pushing the limits of imagination, and it is undoubtedly the perfect home for the iconic Doctor Who,” said Klaudia Bermudez-Key, Senior Vice-president and General Manager, NBCUniversal Networks International, Latin America. “The series is a perfect addition to the rich content found in Syfy, which appeals to general audiences across the region. Our viewers continuously expect a high-quality standard for all programming content, and we are delivering accordingly”.

The premiere of the new season will find the Doctor and Clara having the time of their lives, embarking on reckless adventures in all of space and time. Season nine will count with talented guest stars like Michelle Gomez and Maisie Williams; it also promises appearances of new and old monsters and villains, along with a journey to the very end of time itself.

“We are delighted that Doctor Who is returning to Latin America through Syfy,” said Brian Minchin, Executive Producer of Doctor Who. “We’re hugely proud of the show and The Doctor’s adventures in time and space. Hold on tight – there are thrills and wonders ahead!”

News Source: BBC

Steven Moffat has revealed that Doctor Who‘s next companion doesn’t even have a name yet but the new character will fundamentally change the series.

Moffat explained that the character is in “quite early stages” – but that he has already pitched the companion and the arc of series 10 to the BBC.
In our video interview – recorded at the official Doctor Who Festival this past weekend – Moffat and series lead Peter Capaldi also reflect on the departure of Jenna Coleman as Clara.

“It’s going to be pretty bad this time,” Moffat warned. “It’s gonna knock the Doctor for six.”For more scoop – including an update on production of series 10 – hit play on the clip above.
Doctor Who continues this Saturday (November 21) at 8.10pm on BBC One, with ‘Face the Raven’.

Doctor Who – Series 9, Part 1 is available now on DVD and Blu-ray. New episodes are also available to purchase via the new BBC Store.