DOCTOR WHO star Peter Capaldi appears to have confirmed that the next Doctor Who companion has been cast.

Following the exit of Jenna Coleman, whose on-screen alter ego Clara Oswald departed the series late last year, it seems the replacement assistant for the Time Lord has been finalised.

“We will have a new companion, and I’m excited because obviously I know who this person is,” Peter told Brazilian website Omlette.

The former The Thick Of It actor is alleged to have added that the actress is someone he has worked with in the past – although it seems the character will know “very little about the Doctor”.

He elaborated: “Clara had prior knowledge of the Doctor. It was conceived as a human connection to your timeline, and so had access to the cosmic nature of the Doctor.

“She understood a little about how he was. And as she was already with Matt [Smith], she knew the Daleks and the TARDIS.

“Now we have someone who knows very little about the Doctor.”

It’s already been confirmed that there will be no full new series airing in 2016, with fans instead having to wait until next year for a new block of episodes.

When it returns, it seems Peter will be keen for bosses to give it a regular timeslot, after it was relentlessly shuffled about in the weekly schedules in 2015.

“The BBC is an incredible organisation, but… sometimes people there think, ‘That’s looking after itself’. And it’s not being looked after,” he told Newsweek.”I think maybe their eye was taken off the ball, or the show was seen as a thing they could just push around. It’s not. It’s a special thing.”

The programme’s ratings were up and down last year but its catch-up numbers remain strong.

The actor continued: “I have to pay attention to ratings – I’d rather not – but it’s the way the business is. I think overnight ratings are a thing of the past.

“You can’t really measure the success of the show by its overnight ratings, which is what the papers do. But there’s still a place for families to sit down and watch the show – that’s still a great, fun thing to do.”

The Doctor Who star was mobbed by fans ahead of a convention appearance.

Peter Capaldi was mobbed by sci-fi fans on his arrival at Mexico City airport this week, but it wasn’t Doctor Who they were clamouring for but Doctor Misterio…
That’s how the show is known in Spanish-speaking countries and Capaldi embraced the local tradition, holding aloft a fan-made poster, much to the crowd’s delight.

Capaldi is in Mexico to attend La Mole Comic Con convention – where attendees will be attempting to break the Guinness World Record for the most people gathered together in Doctor Who cosplay – and to meet more fans at Mexico’s British Embassy.

The star always gets a passionate welcome when he visits Mexico – here’s what happened last time he and the Doctor Who team flew over there…

The BBC have made the following annoucment regarding its online BBC Shop, so grab your Doctor Who goodies here while stocks last!

What is happening to BBC Shop.com?

From the 30th March you will no longer be able to buy DVDs, Blu-ray discs, Toys, Games or other BBC related products direct from the BBC at BBC Shop.com in the UK, but you will be able to buy, download and keep digital copies of over 8000 hours of amazing BBC programmes from BBC Store.com.

BBC Store offers new programmes, TV favourites and gems from the amazing BBC Television archives as well as exclusives to BBC Store.

BBC Shop Australia closed on 29th February 2016.

You will still be able to purchase DVDs and branded merchandise direct from the BBC via our US and Canadian Shops.

Why are you no longer selling DVDs, Blu-ray discs and branded merchandise?

The DVD market has been in decline for a number of years as consumers move to digital viewing. The market no longer supports the commercial release of many of the titles we’re able to make available on BBC Store. BBC Worldwide returns profits to the BBC’s Public Service to reinvest in programming.

Where can I buy BBC DVDs, Blu-ray discs and merchandise?

BBC Worldwide will continue to publish DVDs and Blu-ray discs which can still be bought from a wide range of retailers both online, on the high street as well as in supermarkets.

Will BBC Worldwide continue to publish DVDs and Blu-ray discs?

Yes, BBC Worldwide will continue to make popular programmes available on DVD and Blu-ray disc. The cost of releasing programmes can be significant and we have to carefully balance decisions about which programmes to release against factors such as the number of people who may be interested in owning them.

Where can I buy mugs, toys, games and other merchandise from my favourite shows?

BBC Worldwide will continue to work with external organisations to create great BBC merchandise of favourite shows such as Doctor Who Monopoly or Sherlock T shirts and you will continue to be able to buy these products from many high street and online retailers as well as supermarkets.

Are there any BBC Shops I can visit?

All BBC Shops have closed however, there is a kiosk located in the Media Café of New Broadcasting House in London which offers a range of BBC branded merchandise, t-shirts, pens, postcards and a small selection of gift items. Open hours are Monday to Saturday 9.30am to 5.30pm, Sundays 10am to 5.30pm.

The address is Portland place, London, W1A 1AA.

How do I cancel or return an item after 29th March?

Please contact our Customer Services team at bbcshop@bbc.com who will be happy to help. But rest assured you will be able to cancel or return any purchased items as long as we receive notification of your request to cancel or return by 15th April 2016.

What happens to my personal data?

From 1 May your BBC Shop account will cease to be active in the BBC Shop platform and neither you nor our customer service team will be able to access your account. After this date we will retain some information, such as your name, email address and purchase history unless you have unsubscribed from all BBC Worldwide services. This will enable us to continue to contact you, in accordance with your marketing permissions, to tailor our offers to suit your interests and to analyse and improve our offerings. We will delete all other data stored in your account (including credit card information) and held within the BBC Shop order management system (including your communications with Customer Services). We will also delete any product reviews & ratings you have submitted to BBC Shop.

Information about competitions you may have entered was only for the purpose of administering each competition. This information is kept for as long as we are legally required after which time it is deleted from our competitions database.

Our suppliers will delete all your data from their systems, except any data they are required to keep for VAT reporting and other legal purposes. For example, both BBCW and our payment processors must retain the data associated with payments you made through the BBC Shop platform.

We may retain anonymised data in our database for analytical purposes.

http://www.bbcworldwide.com/privacy

Will I still get my regular offer emails from BBC Shop?

You will continue to receive emails about special offers and promotions but they will now be branded BBC Store. You will be given the opportunity to opt-out of these emails in advance and you may unsubscribe at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of a BBC Store email.

BBC Shop Closure Terms & Conditions

bbcshop.com will cease trading in the UK from midnight on 29th March 2016.

Last order dates will vary depending on where you wish your order to be delivered.

Rest of World – 5pm 14th March 2016

Europe – 5pm 21st March 2016

UK – midnight 29th March 2016

Closing down offers are only available whilst stocks last and we can cancel them at any time.

Not all items offered for sale on BBC Shop in the UK will be included in the closing down offers, for example audio books will not be on offer.

We anticipate high volumes of traffic and orders during the closing down sale, which may impact the performance of the BBC Shop website.

We will be monitoring stock levels and removing items from sale as soon as possible, but some of the items you order may no longer be available. Unfortunately, we will be unable to fulfil any orders for these items and so we will cancel the items, send you a cancellation email and give you a refund for them.

We will process refunds as quickly as possible but high volumes could mean a short delay. We will refund you on your original payment method for the amount you paid for the item at checkout.

If you change your mind and wish to cancel your order, you can do so as long as you send us a cancellation email to bbcshop@bbc.com by 15th April 2016.

In order to get a refund, you should return your cancelled items to us by 29th April 2016.

This does not affect your rights in respect of faulty goods.

All Cancellations and Refunds are subject to the BBC Shop Cancellation and Refund Policy.

Who can I contact if I have a question?

Please contact our customer services team who will be happy to help with any queries or concerns.

Email: bbcshop@bbc.com

Phone: 01788 821107

Online: Contact Us

Open hours: Monday – Friday 8.30am – 6pm

Series Nine materialises at the Doctor Who Experience with a new range of exhibits.

To be revealed on Wednesday 2nd March 2016, the display will cover all 13 episodes from Series Nine, from ‘The Magician’s Apprentice’ through to the Christmas Special ‘The Husbands of River Song’.

The episodic collection will include Davros and his hospital room plus a line-up of the foes the Doctor has faced in his Series Nine adventures including; the Mire, the Sandmen, the Veil and Colony Sarff (pictured). The Doctor’s new costume will be on display together with outfits from Clara, Ashildr and River Song as well as screen used props including the Doctor’s new Sonic Screwdriver.

Currently in the exhibition are props and costumes from earlier seasons including Classic Who episodes, the Doctor’s TARDIS, no fewer than three TARDIS console sets and a green screen studio area.

Book your tickets today!

… ‘OR HE MIGHT HAVE HAD A HEART ATTACK’

The actor has some doctor’s advice for the showrunner.

Peter Capaldi has spoken about Steven Moffat’s decision to leave Doctor Who, jokingly saying that he had to quit or he “might have had a heart attack”.

It was previously announced that Chris Chibnall will take over Doctor Who in 2018, following Moffat’s swansong series next year. There will be no full series in 2016.

Speaking to Newsweek, Capaldi said: “He’s an astonishing talent, but he’s a human being, and I don’t think he can continue working at this rate.”

He added: “The cost of doing Doctor Who to an individual is immense. He takes the greatest weight on his shoulders, he loves the show and he’s absolutely responsible for it and feels that responsibility gravely – and with delight as well. “He loves this job so I think it’s very, very difficult for him to leave. But I think he has to, otherwise he might have a heart attack.”

Capaldi will return as the rebel Time Lord this Christmas – before starring opposite a new companion in series 10 in 2017.

It’s yet to be confirmed if Capaldi will stay on for a fourth series, or if Chibnall’s daunting first task as showrunner will be the hunt for a new Doctor.