June 2024 – Page 2

BBC Books to publish four Target Doctor Who novels featuring the Fifteenth Doctor

12 June 2024 admin Comments 0 Comment

‘Space Babies’, ’73 Yards’, ‘Rogue’ and ‘The Church on Ruby Road’ will publish on 8th August in paperback and audiobook.

Space Babies

BY ALISON RUMFITT

Target - Space Babies

In space, something can hear you scream. And that something is coming.

On her first adventure in outer space, Ruby learns that the universe is bigger, more colourful, and crazier than she could ever have imagined. She also learns that even the Doctor can feel afraid – and that certain nightmares are all too real…

A new voice to Doctor Who fiction, Alison Rumfitt, presents the Target novelisation of Russell T Davies’ first space adventure for the Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby Sunday.

Alison Rumfitt is a writer and cultural critic. Her two horror novels TELL ME I’M WORTHLESS and BRAINWYRMS push the boundaries of both taste and form to the shock of readers everywhere. She has written for LITTLE WHITE LIES and DAZED, and interviewed the new Doctor Ncuti Gatwa for ROLLING STONE. She’s considered herself a fan of Doctor Who ever since her father played her the theme song to scare her when she was about five years old.

You can pre-order SPACE BABIES on paperback and audio here

73 Yards

BY SCOTT HANDCOCK

Target - 73 Yards

How long is 73 yards? Haunted by a sinister presence, Ruby must cope with losing the Doctor and the life she once knew. With her new life without her best friend becoming bleaker by the day, something terrifying is unleashed, and it’s up to Ruby to stop it.

This eerie episode from Russell T Davies is novelised by series script editor Scott Handcock. Scott is a writer, producer and director, best known for his work on a range of horror and science-fiction series from Big Finish Productions including DOCTOR WHO, TORCHWOOD and THE CONFESSIONS OF DORIAN GRAY. Since 2006, he has lived in Cardiff, most recently working for Bad Wolf on the latest series of Doctor Who and its spin-off TALES OF THE TARDIS.

You can pre-order 73 YARDS on paperback and audio here

Rogue

BY KATE HERRON & BRIONY REDMAN

Target - Rogue

Doctor Who does Bridgerton with an alien twist in a sparky novelisation from original scriptwriters Kate Herron (LOKI/SEX EDUCATION) and Briony Redman.

Earth’s Regency era – a time of culture, extravagance, sumptuous balls… and aliens? While Ruby is a popular new addition to the Duchess of Pemberton’s ball, the Doctor’s world is about to be forever rocked by a dashing visitor from space. With many party-guests facing an identity crisis like no other, it is up to the Doctor and Ruby to stop the menacing Chuldurs’ plot.

Doctor Who presents a classic tale with an alien twist in a thrilling novelisation from the episode’s scriptwriters, Kate Herron and Briony Redman.

Briony Redman is a BAFTA Rocliffe-winning writer and comedian who works across film, television, theatre and comics. Briony met writing partner, Kate Herron, while doing short films and they bonded over a love of sci-fi and weird comedy. Briony is an experienced improviser who performs with Dungeons & Dragons comedy show, QUESTING TIME. This is their first book.

Kate Herron is a writer and filmmaker from London, working across film, television and comic books. She directed and exec-produced the entire first season of LOKI (Marvel and Disney Plus), directed the first season of SEX EDUCATION (Netflix), and is about to direct on THE LAST OF US (HBO). Kate has worked with her writing partner, Briony Redman for over a decade. Most recently they created a comic for Skybound entertainment company (THE WALKING DEAD), and both wrote together on Ncuti Gatwa’s first season of Doctor Who. This is her first book.

You can pre-order ROGUE on paperback and audio here

The Church on Ruby Road

BY ESMIE JIKIEMI-PEARSON

Target - Ruby Road

Chance. Misfortune. Coincidence. These are the weapons of choice for the Doctor’s latest enemies. And those enemies are very, very hungry…

For Ruby Sunday, this Christmas Eve is a birthday she’ll never forget. It’s the day she joins the Doctor onboard a Goblin ship. The day she learns of dangers from beyond the universe. The day her life really begins… or, perhaps, the day it ends.

The Target novelisation of the first full adventure featuring the Fifteenth Doctor, played by Ncuti Gatwa, and the introduction of his new best friend, Ruby Sunday played by Millie Gibson. Russell T Davies’ original script has been novelised by up-and-coming literary talent Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson.

Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson is a science-fantasy author and co-founder of the organisation Impact of Omission, as featured in the Guardian, Huffpost, and the Channel 4 Documentary WHERE’S MY HISTORY? with footballer and anti-racism campaigner Troy Deeney. Winner of the inaugural Gollancz and Rivers of London BAME SFF Award in 2020, now known as the Future Worlds Prize, her writing is invariably about Black people dismantling space empires, travelling through time, and saving the world – often simultaneously.

You can pre-order THE CHURCH ON RUBY ROAD on paperback and audio here

SPACE BABIES, 73 YARDS, ROGUE and THE CHURCH ON RUBY ROAD will publish on 8th August in paperback and audiobook.

Ncuti Gatwa is this week’s Radio Times cover star

11 June 2024 admin Comments 0 Comment

1-SE-25-1-CoverNT

Radio Times looks ahead to the thrilling Doctor Who finale in the latest issue.

There has been a great deal written in response to the new series of Doctor Who in recent weeks, some of which you will have read in our Feedback pages. But whether you’re an avid fan or a casual viewer, how the show is received is very important to its future, and to the future of the BBC.

This latest incarnation of Doctor Who is “a canary down the coal mine”. As much as I might wish that the TV world was stuck back in the time when I was hiding behind the sofa, watching on our 19-inch black-and-white Pye TV as Patrick Troughton battled the Ice Warriors, things have moved on.

The BBC brought back Russell T Davies to take the Whoniverse to a new global audience – and also handed over the streaming rights of the show to the Walt Disney Company. This seems to be leading the way for the BBC to create and fund shows that have worldwide appeal, and that keep up with the streaming companies and their megamillion-dollar budgets. While, in the case of Doctor Who, it’s keeping the values and principles of a show that has been part of British culture since 1963.

It’s a gamble, but in terms of the viewing figures and critical response, it’s one that appears to be paying off. Russell T Davies is to be commended for once again making Who more accessible to younger viewers, the people who were always awed and inspired by it from day one.

We talk to Davies in this week’s issue of Radio Times magazine about the two-part finale to a series that has been full of energy and vigour, thanks in no small part to the new Doctor, played by the immensely talented Ncuti Gatwa.

(With thanks to Radio Times)

Bonnie Langford and Lenny Rush tease “mystery, adventure, vulnerability, emotion and heartbreak” in two-part finale

11 June 2024 admin Comments 0 Comment

The Doctor and UNIT investigate Ruby’s past. But as the Time Window reveals horrifying secrets from Christmas Eve, the mysterious Triad Technology unleash the greatest evil of all.

We caught up with The Legend of Ruby Sunday stars Bonnie Langford and Lennie Rush, to find out more…

Bonnie Langford (Melanie Bush)

9Image: Sophie Mutevelian/Bad Wolf/BBC Studios)

How is it being back in the Doctor Who world?

It’s fantastic. I’ve loved every minute of it. To revisit a character that I played so long ago with a fresh perspective, but old understanding, is very exciting. I’m very grateful to be able to bring Mel back. I was so excited when Russell sent me the scripts. It’s funny because I’ve got to work with several Doctors over the years in various ways. It’s a really wonderful thing to be a part of.

How has Mel changed since returning?

She’s definitely grown up. Mel is a lot calmer now and not quite as earnest. She’s more aware of her surroundings and she’s able to use her technical abilities to support UNIT and the Doctor in all of their endeavours.

How did you react to being asked back?

It was a huge surprise. It wasn’t something I expected. Although I had been involved with the Big Finish for quite some time, you never expect them to bring back an old character. I’m really thrilled. She’s been able to come back as a more fully formed character, which is great. She’s able to really contribute and use her skills.

How did you react when you read the scripts for the two-part finale?

I couldn’t believe it. I was very excited. I was taken aback by the fact my approach to it was very different to how it would have been thirty years before. There are things in it that I may have shied away from before. But nowadays, I’m absolutely embracing it with both arms. It’s full of so many twists and a lot of unexpected surprises. It’s written so beautifully.

Can you give us a tease on how Mel is involved?

Mel is still working for UNIT and is on a mission to find out more information about an enterprise they’re a little concerned about. Mel is trying to infiltrate and do a bit of spying. She tries to get all the intel and report back to UNIT and the Doctor. It’s very layered. I was so excited to read the scripts. We also have Ruby’s story unfolding. As we know, she is so desperate to find those missing pieces of the puzzle when it comes to her birth mother. The Doctor is trying to stay away from it because he doesn’t want to mess things up. So there’s a lot happening and a lot of twists and turns for the viewers.

You’ve worked with several Doctors over the years. How is it working with Ncuti?

Working with Ncuti is fantastic. He has this great energy. He has such presence and charisma. He’s also a very generous actor. You really do feel you’re able to invest in the characters with him. It’s interesting because having worked with various Doctors over such a long period of time, you have to remember your interacting with the same person but also not the same person. It’s quite a complex thing to think about. It’s not just a recast. It’s someone who is still intrinsically the Doctor, but has a whole different new approach. It was great to work with Ncuti on that. He’s very instinctive and a real joy to work with.

Can you sum up what fans can expect from the finale?

Let’s just say mystery, adventure, vulnerability, emotion and heartbreak.

If you could travel anywhere in time and space, where would it be?

I think we all want to know the future, but that’s probably not a good thing. I’d like to go back to the Golden Age of Hollywood when they were making all of these big movies. Not necessarily to be there, but to observe how they used technology and film, and to be in the background while they made all of those big Hollywood movies. It would fun to be around that era. Although I expect it’s not all as glamorous as it appeared. But it would be fun to see how it all really worked.

Lenny Rush (Morris)

How did you react when you found out you’d be in Doctor Who?

I was in disbelief when I was given the part! I just wanted to start filming straight away. I remember I had a couple of friends who were massive fans of Doctor Who, and I was itching to tell them I had a part in it, but I was sworn to secrecy.

Can you tell us a little bit about how you got the role?

I was originally given the voice role of Eric, the Space Baby, in the Space Babies episode. As Eric, I would have only had to voice record, so no filming was needed. In fact, I even did a full read through with the cast and crew in the studios and recorded some of my dialogue. A few days after recording some of my dialogue I was in my bedroom at home and my mum came in and said “I’ve had a message from your agent, unfortunately you’re no longer playing Eric in Doctor Who.” I was so shocked and sad. Mum decided to leave a long pause before telling me ‘because they’ve given you a bigger part!’ I was over the moon!

What can you tell us about Morris? Is he different to other characters you’ve played?

Morris is a child genius (so very different to myself *laughs*)! He is also very different to other characters I’ve played. I’ve never acted in the sci-fi genre, so for Doctor Who to be the first sci-fi show I’m in is an honour!

How is Doctor Who different from other projects you’ve worked on?

I’ve never worked on a show with so many cool effects! I think the stand out difference for me were the sets. They were amazing and are exactly how you see them on screen, it was unreal! I can’t believe how much work goes into building them.

What was it like working with Ncuti and Millie?

Ncuti and Millie were lovely and a joy to work with. They were so helpful with welcoming me into the show and making me feel at home, as were the rest of the cast and crew.

Do you have any standout moments from set?

A standout, funny moment for me is when we were filming an emotional scene, and in the scene we are having pizza. It was like an emotional dinner! So when it was my turn to say my line, I couldn’t say it and had to ruin the whole emotion of the scene, because I had a mouthful of pizza and couldn’t get my words out!

What do you think makes Doctor Who so special and iconic?

I think a big part of Doctor Who being so iconic is how long the show has been running. It’s been airing since the 1960s and is still going strong. Another part of its special feeling is because of the fan base. People are so passionate about this show, and you can tell it means so much to them. I’ve never been in a show with such an amazing fan base and I feel so lucky to be a part of it.

What was it like filming with so many special effects and stunts?

I loved filming with all the special effects and stunts. It gave me a whole different perspective as to how much work is put into this show.

How would you sum up your episodes in three words?

To describe my episodes in three words, I would say: thrilling, suspense and heart-warming.

Were you a fan of Doctor Who before?

Before being in the show, I had never seen Doctor Who, which pains me to say! However, of course I knew the premise, a few of the Doctors, the iconic police box and of course, the Daleks! Since being in the show, I have watched a few of the episodes, and I love it. I’m currently away filming another show, and when I get time off, I think I’m going to have a massive binge watch!

DOT & BUBBLE CONSOLIDATED RATINGS REVEALED

10 June 2024 admin Comments 0 Comment

Doctor Who: 'Dot And Bubble' Review – 'A truly bold final act'

In Dot And Bubble, the world of Finetime seems happy and harmonious. But an awful terror is preying on the citizens. Can the Doctor and Ruby make them see the truth before it’s too late?

Overnight, Dot And Bubble was watched by 2.12m on BBC One. Consolidated, Dot And Bubble was watched by 3,383,000, making the 24th highest rating programme of the week. This figure include those who watched on devices and pre-BBC One transmission on iPlayer.

ROGUE OVERNIGHT RATINGS REVEALED

9 June 2024 admin Comments 0 Comment

In Rogue, The Doctor and Ruby land in 1813, where guests at a duchess’s party are being murdered and a mysterious bounty hunter called Rogue is about to change the Doctor’s life forever.

Overnight, Rogue was watched by 2.11m on BBC One. This figure does not include those who watched on iPlayer before BBC One transmission.

The official consolidated value will be announced in 7 days.

William Russell: 1924 – 2024

4 June 2024 admin Comments 0 Comment

BREAKING NEWS. GNR has been informed that Doctor Who star William Russell, who played one of the show’s first companions in 1963 and recently reprised the role for a cameo in 2022, has died aged 99.

William Russell Enoch was born on 19 November 1924 in Sunderland, County Durham, to Eva Compston (née Pile) and Alfred James Enoch. He was educated at Wolverhampton Grammar School and Oxford University and became interested in acting at an early age. He was involved in organising entertainment during his national service in the Royal Air Force and then, after university, went into repertory.

In 1963, Russell was cast in Doctor Who as science teacher Ian Chesterton, the Doctor’s first male companion, appearing in all episodes of the first two seasons of the programme except the last four.

Russell was one of the four original cast members of Doctor Who, starring opposite William Hartnell as the First Doctor, Jacqueline Hill as Barbara Wright, Carole Ann Ford as Susan Foreman and later Maureen O’Brien as Vicki. His first involvement in the series took the form of the untransmitted pilot episode, which was eventually reshot and broadcast as the first episode of An Unearthly Child, the programme’s first serial. He eventually departed, alongside Hill, in “The Planet of Decision”, the final episode of The Chase, which served as the penultimate story of the second season.

Russell was intended to reprise the role of Ian in the 1983 story Mawdryn Undead alongside Peter Davison as the Fifth Doctor for the twentieth season. However, scheduling conflicts made him unavailable.

Russell has maintained his association with Doctor Who, having lent his voice as a narrator to several of the audiobook releases of the lost 1960s episodes. He appeared in The Game, one of the continuing Doctor Who audio stories produced by Big Finish Productions. He has also recorded readings for some of the CD audio adaptations of Doctor Who story novelisations originally published by Target Books.

In 1999, Russell returned to the role of Ian for the VHS release of The Crusade, of which “The Knight of Jaffa” and “The Warlords”, the second and fourth episodes, respectively, are lost. He recorded several in-character scenes to camera, which helped to bridge the gaps between the existing episodes.

Russell has also contributed to the Doctor Who DVD range, having participated in several audio commentaries and on-screen interviews since 2002.

In 2013, the BBC produced An Adventure in Space and Time, a docudrama depicting the creation and early days of Doctor Who, as part of the programme’s fiftieth anniversary celebrations. Russell appeared as a character in the drama, portrayed by actor Jamie Glover. Russell himself had a cameo role, playing a BBC Commissionaire named Harry.

The same year, Russell portrayed both Ian and the First Doctor in the Big Finish audio play The Light at the End, produced to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary; aged 88, he became the oldest ever person to portray the Doctor, a record he held until March 2023, when Tom Baker portrayed the Fourth Doctor in the Big Finish audio series The Fourth Doctor Adventures at the age of 89.

Russell made a cameo appearance as Ian in the 2022 special “The Power of the Doctor”. With this appearance, he achieved the Guinness World Record for the longest gap between TV appearances.

Russell died on 3 June 2024, at the age of 99

GNR would like to send our sincere condolences to William’s family, he’ll be sadly missed by everyone, not least the Doctor Who community, “Sleep well William”

Worlds of Wonder science exhibition heads to Wellington, New Zealand

4 June 2024 admin Comments 0 Comment

Who has arrived in New Zealand?

Famously bigger on the inside, the TARDIS arrived in Wellington for the DOCTOR WHO WORLDS OF WONDER: WHERE SCIENCE MEETS FICTION | DOCTOR WHO NGĀ AO MĪHARO: TE TŪTAKITANGA O TE PŪTAIAO KI TE PAKIMAERO exhibition opening at Tākina, Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre on June 1.

Doctor Who fans will have the opportunity to come face to face with the show’s iconic characters, share the Doctor’s adventures and explore some of the worlds visited on screen. This is the first time the exhibition has left UK shores.

To celebrate its arrival down under, a short journey through time and space ended at Wellington Airport when the TARDIS touched down on the runway at 1am earlier this month.

DOCTOR WHO WORLDS OF WONDER: WHERE SCIENCE MEETS FICTION explores the science behind the global hit series Doctor Who. Visitors experience many of the Doctor’s adventures, come face to face with a selection of iconic characters and explore some of the worlds visited on screen, all whilst learning about the real life science behind some of those memorable moments.

Part of the exhibition is the Monster Vault where visitors will come face to face with many of the Doctor’s alien adversaries and learn about their connections with real science. Created in collaboration with BBC Studios, scientific themes such as artificial intelligence, DNA manipulation and cloning – all of which have featured in Doctor Who episodes – are explored and explained.

Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau says the chance to explore such an iconic show is too good to miss.

“Tickets for this incredible, other worldly exhibition are now on sale. It’s time to get ready to travel through time and space and explore the universe of Doctor Who and the science that has played such a crucial role in the show’s history.

“I know Wellingtonians and visitors alike are going to love this exhibition and we can’t wait to welcome people to another great event at Tākina.”

WellingtonNZ Events and Experiences general manager Heidi Morton says:

“Doctor Who Worlds of Wonder offers another dimension to the packed Wellington winter calendar that includes Visa Wellington On a Plate, World of WearableArt and two All Blacks tests. With the latest series of Doctor Who screening on Disney+ from May 11, the exhibition is on at a perfect time.”

Wellington Airport Head of Operations Matthew Palliser said:

“While it was an out of the ordinary landing for our the runway, there was no disruption to aircraft using more conventional means of flight. Fortunately the TARDIS landed before our first flight of the day and didn’t require baggage handlers or refuelling.”

The exhibition is a partnership between Wellington City Council and Sarner International, delivered by WellingtonNZ. It is produced by Sarner International under license from BBC Studios.

Tickets to the exhibition can be purchased online from today here

Jonathan Groff, Indira Varma and choreographer Jack Murphy talk ballrooms, Beyoncé and the mysterious regency Rogue

4 June 2024 admin Comments 0 Comment

Doctor Who series 14 episode Rogue sees the Doctor and Ruby land in 1813 where guests at the Duchess’s party are being murdered, and a mysterious bounty hunter called Rogue is about to change the Doctor’s life forever.

We caught up with Jonathan Groff (Rogue), Indira Varma (Duchess of Pemberton) and Jack Murphy (choreographer) to find out more…

Jonathan Groff (Rogue)

(Image: James Pardon/Bad Wolf/BBC Studios)

How did the role come about?

Oh my god! I got a very exciting text message from Russell T Davies, and I’m a huge fan of his work, especially It’s A Sin – I still haven’t recovered from it! So I was very excited to hear from him. He just wrote to me and told me that there was this role that was available on the show and asked me to play it.

Can you describe your character Rogue?

Rogue is an alien bounty hunter and a man of mystery. When we meet Rogue, and he first meets the Doctor, we’re in a Regency Era. Rogue is not necessarily who he appears to be when you meet him.

Have you always known of Doctor Who or been a fan of it? Or was this your first experience with the show?

I had known of Doctor Who and how much of a big deal it was in the UK, but I had never seen an episode of it. But Russell sent me about five episodes of Doctor Who from throughout the years, including the first episode that ever aired in black and white. So, I had a very quick crash course before I started.

What was the most challenging or unexpected thing about playing Rogue and stepping into the Whoniverse?

I would say the biggest challenge would be trying to understand and fit into the tone of the show – when you’re coming in as a guest star, jumping into a world, and Doctor Who is such a specific thing! In the episodes that Russell showed me, and in the experience of playing a role in it, Doctor Who has such a fascinating tone. It’s big, and it’s larger than life, but it’s also quite real and even though it’s fantasy, there is depth to the storytelling and to the relationships. I’d say the biggest challenge was coming in and trying to digest the tone as fast as possible, and to really articulate the character in the proper way in the world of the show.

What was it like acting alongside Ncuti and Millie?

Ncuti and Millie were both so warm and welcoming! Big smiles and full of laughs and embraces, they could not have been more warm. As an outsider, coming into the Whoniverse for the first time, they were the greatest hosts! They took such good care of me and everybody, truly everybody on the set, the crew, everyone!

I spent most of my time with Ncuti and I am obsessed with him. I think he is such a star. He’s so unpredictable and thrilling to act with because you never see the same thing twice. He’s so spontaneous, and yet so deeply connected to what he’s doing. He really cares. He’s really in it fully, and he’s got this force and positivity that is completely unique to him. It’s just phenomenal. I just adore him. I think he is one of the most exciting actors working today.

Did you have any unique experiences or memories from filming?

Well, one happened off set, it actually happened to be when Beyoncé was on her Renaissance Tour. I looked up her tour dates because I’m an obsessive Beyoncé fan. And I found that she was playing Cardiff. I asked that I was off by 4pm so I could make it to the stadium. And I brought Ncuti with me. So we got to see the Renaissance Tour together and it was so much fun. Amazing.

If you could travel anywhere in time and space, where would you?

This is less of a fantasy one. But my grandfather died on my 10th birthday. March 26, 1995. And I was really into I Love Lucy at the time. And one of my gifts for my birthday was this VHS with an episode of I Love Lucy. I went into the living room and I watched my VHS instead of hanging out with my family in the kitchen where my grandfather was. So if I had to go back in time, I would go back in time and I would hang out with him so I could ask him questions before he died.

Indira Varma (The Duchess)

How did your casting come about? And what was your initial reaction when you heard you’d be joining the Whoniverse?

I got an email from Russell, via my agent, asking me if I’d like to play the Duchess and was really excited. I worked with Russell on Torchwood back in the day. That was such a laugh. My character in Torchwood, Suzie, was only meant to be in the first episode. She was set up as one of the gang, but turned out to be the rotten egg and died. But then, as you can in the Whoniverse, was brought back to life for an episode as she was the only one who knew how to use the magic glove! It is so much fun to be part of this world and I really wanted to join the gang again.

What’s brilliant about Doctor Who is that it’s so British, which makes it very special to me as a Brit. Even though I wasn’t an avid watcher as a kid, I always feel like a fan, and I really appreciate the legacy. I love the fact that the Doctor regenerates. I am also in awe of how Russell is taking the Whoniverse to a different level. I don’t know how his mind works, but I feel like he lets his imagination run, and it’s always with generosity and compassion for his characters, and for the viewers. There’s something for everyone, and it’s always done with joy.

Can you tell us a bit about your character?

The Duchess is from Regency Era England. She’s a woman of society and is throwing an enormous party. It’s all very fabulous and fashionable, her costume is amazing. We find her at the centre of it all.

Did you have to do any dance lessons to learn the choreography?

Sadly, I didn’t get to dance. But I’ve actually worked with the choreographer, Jack Murphy, before! I worked with him years ago at the National, so it was lovely to see it all – it was beautiful! Everyone looked amazing on set. The costumes are incredible. As viewers will get to see, the costumes change throughout the episode and I had such fun seeing it all unfold!

How does Doctor Who differ from other projects you’ve worked on before?

I have been part of some massive shows with a huge history, including Star Wars and Game of Thrones. But with Doctor Who, I think it stands on its own within the genre and it’s uniquely British. I think that’s really important. I feel really proud to be in a British show. I really love the way that the companion is written as one of the viewers, an ordinary person, and they get to go on all these adventures. They are the eyes and ears of the audience and I think that’s brilliant.

Also the fact that the Doctor can go anywhere in time and space – anywhere, any universe, anytime in history. It’s not just the world that becomes your oyster, it’s the universe and beyond, isn’t it? And I just think that’s amazing. It can be silly and fun, and it’s also quite profound. There’s such humanity in it, and it can be incredibly moving. It’s got it all.

What was your first reaction when you read this script?

Well, I’ve always wanted to be in Jane Austen. So I was thrilled that it was Regency. I thought it was sort of a happy irony that because when I was growing up, they were always filming the Jane Austen adaptions, and being mixed race, I could never ever be in those shows. Now, it is all changing which is fantastic, with shows like Bridgerton, and similarly Doctor Who, it can do what it wants.

We are in a different time now and I was just so thrilled that I was going to be in a period drama from that time. Get the dress and wave the fan. It was a lot of fun to play the etiquette of that time. We had such a laugh, and I got to have so much fun with the Duchess character, doing all sorts of things! She’s the polar opposite to Suzie. The Duchess has her own agenda but she’s whimsical, greedy and playful.

Jack Murphy – Choreographer (The Devil’s Chord, Rogue)

Can you explain how you came to be involved in Doctor Who?

Phil Collinson, one of our Executive Producers, said, ‘let’s see if we can get the Bridgerton choreographer!’. I’ve filmed lots of ball sequences, so I was asked if I would be interested in working on the Regency episode. I was sent two scripts, Rogue and The Devil’s Chord, and I said ‘Yes, I would love to, so long as you let me do the twist as well because I’m never allowed out of the 19th Century!’ (laughs!)

Describe what scenes you choreographed for Rogue and the style of the dance.

I choreographed the ball sequence, which is set at a lavish party organised by Indira Varma’s character, The Duchess. I gave the Regency dancing a sense of the ‘then and now’ – I do that by combining Regency configurations, with modernity and some ballroom and Latin American dance. Of course, Regency dances are very sociable as it is where you went to meet people, many people say it was how they did speed dating!

Explain your process when coming up with a dance, what inspires you?

My process for developing any dance, especially for drama, is first and foremost reading the script. I get the inspiration from the writing, and I am like a detective in the sense that I have to see a continuum of the narrative of the characters before, during, and after a dance. The music that is chosen inspires me, along with the music length and the structure, which helps inform the rhythm and tempo.

How does it compare choreographing Regency in Rogue to the twist in The Devil’s Chord?

There is a big difference. The style in Regency is elegance – everything needs to look like it is happening very gently and isn’t causing any discomfort. Whereas the twist uses the hips and arm movements, and it’s very jerky and punchy. The contrast you get is a sudden quality in the twist, and a sustained quality in the Regency.

What is it like being on set?

Being on set is a celebration of the work. You get to be with a huge crew, when normally I am just in a dance studio working with a few actors. I love the collaboration and camaraderie – we’re a group of people who are all passionate about what we do, so it feels like a family.

What other elements play a part in pulling off a dance sequence?

The most important element is having collaboration. Where a camera is positioned can have a huge impact on a dance, so I walked the locations with our amazing director Ben Chessell. I gave an example of what the dances are, and what it would look like to say, have over fifty people doing the twist!

How is it choreographing for actors who may not have had any dance experience?

I always look to see if the actor has ever done any sports before because I use a lot of analogies when I teach. There are two reasons to dance – to have or to give pleasure. They’re not in Strictly Come Dancing where they are dancing to get a score. When you are dancing in a television drama, you are dancing so that the story can continue, it’s not about how well you dance. I encourage them to enter into the dance using an actors language and because I trained as an actor, everything I use language-wise is available to them. My job is to find a way to make them feel comfortable to undertake that task.

73 YARDS CONSOLIDATED RATINGS REVEALED

3 June 2024 admin Comments 0 Comment

Overnight, 73 Yards was watched by 2.62m on BBC One. Consolidated, 73 Yards was watched by 4,058,000. This figure include those who watched on devices and pre-BBC One transmission on iPlayer. It was the twelfth most-watched programme of the week.

The figure of 4.05 million is the total consolidated audience figure for the first seven days following the episode’s release, taking into account pre-broadcast viewing and viewing on tablets, PCs and smartphones.

Doctor Who once again fell in the top 50 most-watched programmes of the week commencing 20th May, and in line with its impressive seven-day ratings, the overnight figures also signalled success for the mysterious episode of the sci-fi

DOT & BUBBLE OVERNIGHT RATINGS REVEALED

2 June 2024 admin Comments 0 Comment

Doctor Who, Dot and Bubble review: the show takes a…

Overnight, Dot And Bubble was watched by 2.12m on BBC One. This figure does not include those who watched on iPlayer before BBC One transmission.

The final and official consolidated value will be available in 7 days.