The late, great John Hurt will make one final appearance as the War Doctor in a new series of Doctor Who audio dramas.
The actor recorded one last series of Doctor Who stories before he passed away in January this year aged 77.
Now Big Finish, who produce the audio dramas, has released a new trailer featuring Hurt’s final performance as the War Doctor.
Casualties of War, the new three-part series of Doctor Who audio dramas, features Hurt as the War Doctor alongside actress Louise Jameson, who played the fourth Doctor’s companion Leela in the 1970s.
Jameson reprises her role Leela for the new stories, which sees the warrior Leela meet Hurt’s War Doctor to confront the Daleks.
The series is currently available via the Big Finish website, and will be available on general release from 30th April 2017.
Hurt first appeared in Doctor Who as the War Doctor for the show’s 50th anniversary special, but continued to play the character in the spin-off audio drama series.
This isn’t the only role the actor completed before his death: he is set to star as a terminally ill screenwriter in upcoming film That Good Night.
Incoming Doctor Who Executive Producer: Chris Chibnall
Ever since Peter Capaldi announced that he was stepping down from the lead role in Doctor Who, speculation has been rife as to who could replace him at the TARDIS controls, with many suggesting that it could be time for the Doctor to regenerate into a woman.
However, new Doctor Who boss Chris Chibnall seems to have stepped back from the idea, saying in an interview that he wants to avoid “gimmick” casting when he finally does take over the series from outgoing showrunner Steven Moffat.
“I can honestly say that nothing has yet been decided,” Chibnall told the East Anglian Daily Times when asked if the next Doctor could be played by a woman.
“I haven’t got my feet under the table yet. I have been working on the play (new comedy Worst Wedding Ever) and I am still finishing the latest series of Broadchurch.
“Nothing is ruled out but I don’t want the casting to be a gimmick and that’s all I can say.”
Whether this means the new Whopremo will be avoiding a gender-switch casting altogether or just looking for the right actor regardless of their sex is a little unclear – but as usual with Doctor Who, only time will reveal the answers.
As in, if we wait a few months we’ll actually find out…
Doctor Who actor Neil Fingleton has died at the age of 36, it has been reported. Neil Fingleton played the Fisher King in the 2015 Doctor Who stories Under the Lake and Before The Flood.
The Fisher King
Once named as Britain’s tallest man, the 7ft 7in star played Mag the Mighty in “Game of Thrones” and also took on roles in X-Men: First Class and Jupiter Ascending.
According to reports, he passed away following heart failure on Saturday.
A statement posted on the Tall Persons Club group Facebook page on Sunday read: “Sadly it has come to our attention that Neil Fingleton, Britain’s Tallest Man, passed away on Saturday.
“Neil started off in basketball in the USA before becoming an actor and starring in the X-men first class and also recently in the Game of Thrones. Our thoughts and condolences go out to his family.”
Tributes have started appearing on social media.
Game of Thrones fan Gary Windle tweeted a picture of himself with the actor and wrote: “Rip to the giant that is Neil Fingleton, Mag the Mighty, Game of Thrones, rest in peace mate, gutted.”
Rip to the giant that is Neil fingleton mag the mighty game of thrones rest in peace mate gutted pic.twitter.com/Wz2GeQRG4G
Wow! An explosive teaser for the new series of Doctor Who has landed and gives us a fresh look at what’s coming up for the Twelfth Doctor, Bill and Nardole in 2017.
Series 10, which airs around the world from April 15, features Peter Capaldi in his last series as the Doctor, the return of Matt Lucas as Nardole, and the introduction of Pearl Mackie as new companion, Bill.
You’ve probably watched this new teaser a dozen times already, but here’s what we noticed in the thirty exhilarating seconds…
A Bow for Bill
Sporting a different look to the one we saw her in last year, Bill has ditched the denim and gone for an internally themed jacket (Okinawa can be seen on the reverse) and coloured top. AND she’s got a cute bow in her hair too! We look forward to Bill’s weekly fashion choices.
What DO those books say?
Eagle-eyed fans will have perhaps taken a closer look at the books on the shelves and noticed that some of the titles on the spines are more evident than others.
And you might want to take a peek at what’s written on those pages flying around too…
Also, is this some kind of library they’re striding down?
Hoodie Doctor and Classic Nardole
Described by Bill as the “most dangerous man in the universe,” the Twelfth Doctor is keeping his hair on the longish side and strides beside her with his casual hoodie and starry top.
Nardole has already established his classic duffel coat chic style.
That’s a LOT of monsters!
At the end of the teaser, the trio are faced with a shimmering wall full of familiar and not so familiar monsters. We spotted a Cyberman, a Dalek and an Ice Warrior.
There’s also some creepy calcified-looking faces in there along with an Emojibot from Episode 2 (which features scenes filmed in Spain).
And did we see a new kind of Ice Warrior at the very end? Perhaps the one writer Mark Gatiss alluded to in Doctor Who Magazine recently?
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world. Even if it kills me.”
Bill’s last words here are slightly eerie, and let’s hope not prescient. Curiously, she also speaks of meeting the Doctor not once, but three times. What could it all mean???
Doctor Who Series 10 airs from April 15, 2017
Class: No decision made as yet on its future say BBC
Katherine Kelly as Miss Quill in Doctor Who spin off Class (Photo: BBC)
The eight-parter, starring ex-Coronation Street favourite Katherine Kelly as alien teacher Miss Quill, was the BBC’s most high-profile attempt at a teen show in years.
But ratings were so low, both online and for the BBC1 repeat, could it be that school’s out forever?
Class launched on BBC iPlayer in October, but despite Peter Capaldi appearing as the Time Lord in the first episode, got just 660,000 views.
Not one of the eight episodes made it into the top 50 weekly shows viewed on-demand. The series also fared badly in the late-night BBC1 repeats, where it was aired in four double bills.
The first episode got one million viewers, but by the end, that had dropped to 300,000 – way down on the slot average of 800,000.
Class is the fourth TV spin-off from Doctor Who, following K9 and Company in 1981, and more recently Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures.
Class was created by youth novelist Patrick Ness and featured a group of teens at Coal Hill School, where Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman) was a teacher.
But it failed to grip its target audience, who gave it a low appreciation rate of 70, compared to 82 for the Doctor Who Christmas Special.
One reviewer said: “Class is a bit like a hormonal teen – all over the place.”
Another moaned: “It’s just too bad it doesn’t live up to the hype.”
A show source said: “Class hasn’t been the success the BBC were hoping for.”
The BBC said no decision on a recommission had been made.
The UK Government reject petition to hire Danny Dyer as the new Doctor
Rejected petitionThe BBC must replace Peter Capaldi with Danny Dyer as the next Doctor Who
Peter Capaldi has recently announced that he will no longer continue in the role of the Time Lord. My understanding is that Danny Dyer has a contract in Eastenders until October this year. Mr Dyer should then move into the position of the new Doctor.
This petition was rejected
Why was this petition rejected?
It’s about something that the UK Government or Parliament is not responsible for.
The BBC is an independent body governed by a Royal Charter. Under the terms of that Charter, the BBC is operationally and editorially independent of government and there is no provision for the government to intervene in the BBC’s day-to-day operations.
You might like to write to the BBC to make this suggestion.
This is the definitive set of interviews with the team of actors who brought the Jon Pertwee era of DOCTOR WHO to life!
Forget the bonus features on previous BBC releases! These six hour-long documentaries are the best in-depth interviews with JON PERTWEE (the Third Doctor), KATY MANNING (Jo Grant), CAROLINE JOHN (Liz Shaw), NICHOLAS COURTNEY (The Brigadier), RICHARD FRANKLIN (Captain Yates) and JOHN LEVENE (Sergeant Benton) ever undertaken.
Presented by voice of the Daleks NICHOLAS BRIGGS.
SPECIAL FEATURE: Introduction by NICHOLAS BRIGGS & Producer KEITH BARNFATHER The Doctors – The Jon Pertwee Years…
Doctor Who legend confirmed for Liverpool Comic Con line-up
A former TARDIS occupant is materialising at Liverpool Comic Con (Photo: Yui Mok/PA Wire)
Everything’s looking rosy for Liverpool Comic Con with today’s announcement of a Doctor Who legend joining the line-up next month.
Billie Piper, the actress who helped make the revival of the BBC time-travelling series a smash hit with viewers, will be joining the already impressive assembly of TV and film legends at the city’s Exhibition Centre on the weekend of March 11 and 12.
Her role as Rose Tyler, companion to Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant ’s Doctors, redefined the portrayal of the Time Lord’s travelling pal as she proved far feistier and independent than the majority of her ‘60s and ‘70s equivalents – even openly falling in love with him.
Billie will meet fans and sign autographs at the event which also includes Red Dwarf’s Chris Barrie, the original stars of Starksy & Hutch and Flash Gordon actor Sam J Jones as guests.
Billie Piper as Rose Tyler with the much-missed Liverpool actress Elisabeth Sladen – who played Sarah Jane Smith in Doctor Who and two of its spin-offs
Prior to her stint as Rose (which – believe it or not – first hit our screens TWELVE years ago), Billie also enjoyed a successful pop career, going straight to number one in 1998 with her debut single Because We Want To.
Since her character was forcibly separated from the Time Lord she adored in heart-wrenching scenes first aired in 2006, Billie has gone on to appear in shows such as Secret Diary of a Call Girl, The Ruby in the Smoke and stage successes including her award-winning portrayal in the title role of Yemma with the Young Vic last year.
Nearly 10,000 fans have signed a petition calling for Cardiff’s Doctor Who Experience to remain open, following news a few months ago that the popular attraction would shut its doors in summer 2017.
The closure of the interactive props and costume museum is due to the expiration of a five-year lease on the land in Cardiff Bay, which is leased by the Welsh Government to Cardiff council and then sublet by BBC Worldwide.
The deal was always due to run out this summer, but fans are hoping that the petition can show both BBC Worldwide and the council the local desire for such an attraction, even if it’s in a different location.
“I know the land was only leased for five years but surely anyone can see that… to knock this on the head, when we have got Doctor Who being filmed here and the studios here, seems like a really stupid thing to do,” petition organiser Bex Ferriday said (via WalesOnline).
“I think the way it’s been done suggests they know this was going to cause a great deal of upset . I think the deal has been done, but my message to people who have signed the petition is that we want to have something, a smaller version, somewhere in Cardiff.”
The petition (which has 9,800 signatures at the time of writing) is due to be presented at the Experience at 12pm on Saturday 4th March – though there are of course no guarantees that any of the parties involved will change their minds upon receiving it.
The Doctor Who Experience, taken in 2014
“The Doctor Who Experience has enjoyed a fantastic five-year run in Cardiff Bay but, sadly, our five-year sub-lease from the City of Cardiff Council will come to an end in Summer 2017,” a BBC Worldwide spokesperson told RadioTimes.com when the news was announced last November.
When asked if this meant the props and costumes would be moved to a new location, they added: “We are not sure yet. BBC Worldwide is always looking at new and exciting ways to increase fans’ enjoyment of Doctor Who.”
However, they did hint that plans to display the costumes and props elsewhere were afoot, saying “we are exploring ways in which we can use the artefacts in possible new events.”
A spokesman for Cardiff council said: “The land currently occupied by the Doctor Who Experience is owned by the Welsh Government and their development partner, Igloo Regeneration.
“It was leased to the city council for five years to enable the relocation of the Doctor Who Experience from Olympia to Cardiff on a temporary basis.”
“It has always been the intention for the site to be developed as part of the ongoing Porth Teigr regeneration project. The agreement was always intended to be for five years only, reflecting the nature of the attraction.
“The decision to close the Experience at the end of the lease next summer has been mutually agreed by all parties involved, including the operators BBC Worldwide.”
Originally opening in London in 2011, the exhibition moved to the purpose-built construction in Cardiff in 2012, and featured an interactive adventure segment starring Matt Smith as well as a large array of props, sets and costumes from the series.
In 2014, it was revamped featuring a new story that starred Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor and included other new exhibits. You can read our review of that revamp here.
Doctor Who returns to BBC1 on Saturday 15th April
Vote to give Delia Derbyshire’s childhood home a blue plaque
Delia Derbyshire is one of the earliest and most influential pioneers of electronic sound.
Working in a time before synthesisers, samplers and multi-track tape recorders, the musician, assisted by her engineer Dick Mills, created not only the original Dr Who theme but countless other experimental and ground-breaking recordings.
She was born in Coventry, but was evacuated to Preston, Lancashire, during World War Two. A blue plaque at either of her childhood homes would be a fitting memorial.
To make your suggestion for a musical blue plaque, you can contact your BBC local radio station via email, Twitter or Facebook; or email localmusiclegends@bbc.co.uk. You can also share suggestions on social media using #localmusiclegends.
The British Plaque Trust criteria is to commemorate innovative, influential and successful people who have died – but any genre of music is permissible, and significant locations which have played a part in our musical heritage are also eligible.
The initiative is not a vote – so the final decision on who or what the plaques commemorate, and where they are located, will not be based on the number of suggestions received.
Nominations close at midnight on Sunday, 26 February.
