July 2024 – Page 2

First Look At Doctor Who Magazine 606

17 July 2024 admin Comments 0 Comment

DWM 606 includes:

Behind the scenes on this year’s season finale with NCUTI GATWA, BONNIE LANGFORD, JEMMA REDGRAVE, YASMIN FINNEY, RUSSELL T DAVIES and many more!
Join GABRIEL WOOLF as he records the voice of Sutekh for The Legend of Ruby Sunday and Empire of Death and remembers his role in 1975’s Pyramids of Mars. Plus! We talk to James Burge – the hand of Sutekh…
Script to Screen: creating the bird-like alien Chuldur for Regency episode Rogue.
We discuss the more unsettling aspects of Finetime with CALLIE COOKE and TOM RHYS HARRIES – alias Dot and Bubble’s Lindy and Ricky.
Russell T Davies runs into Louis Theroux at the BBC and the conversation quickly turns to Doctor Who.
What If…? We journey down the roads never taken during the Fourth Doctor’s era…
The Time and Space Visualiser takes us back to 1982 to look at a formative Doctor Who publication…
A tribute to WILLIAM RUSSELL. We reflect on the important role his character, Ian Chesterton, played in the series; take a look at his wider career; and share the memories of those who worked with him including CAROLE ANN FORD, MAUREEN O’BRIEN and PETER PURVES.
Loose Ends drops in on Graham O’Brien’s companion support group, where they’re bidding a touching farewell to their most senior member…
The Fact of Fiction – a detailed analysis of 1965’s The Space Museum.

PLUS!

Gallifrey Guardian – all the latest news, including details of the Eighth Doctor live on stage!
Reviewed: audio dramas, books, games and models!
Other Worlds – the essential guide to new stories in Doctor Who’s expanded universe.
Win Blu-rays, books and audio releases!

Doctor Who Magazine Issue 606 is on sale Thursday 18 July from panini.co.uk and WH Smith priced £7.99 (UK).

Also available as a digital edition from pocketmags.com priced £6.99.

Star Trek and Doctor Who come together for Inaugural Intergalactic Friendship Day on July 30

13 July 2024 admin Comments 0 Comment

Two of the universe’s biggest franchises collide, when Doctor Who and Star Trek come together to celebrate the Inaugural Intergalactic Friendship Day on July 30 2024.

Russell T Davies and Alex Kurtzman will kick off the celebration with an exclusive conversation at San Diego Comic-Con; plus, a FRIENDSHIP IS UNIVERSAL gallery experience featuring Star Trek and Doctor Who costumes and props in the Gaslamp Quarter!

Through fifteen doctors and over a dozen brave captains, sci-fi fans have traveled on journeys spanning the cosmos, and on July 30th, fans will rejoice as the Doctor Who and Star Trek franchises come together to celebrate the creation of the inaugural Intergalactic Friendship Day.

The celebration aligns with International Friendship Day, which aligns with International Friendship Day which was proclaimed in 2011 by the UN General Assembly with the idea that friendship between peoples, countries, cultures and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities. Throughout both franchises’ long histories, there have been numerous on-screen nods to each other that delight fans, and now the two pop culture titans Doctor Who and Star Trek are joining forces to spotlight shared values of friendship, hope, and fandom with fan celebrations, digital activations, and special giveaways.

Intergalactic Friendship Panel: Star Trek x Doctor Who

SATURDAY, JULY 27, 5:30 – 6:30 PM, ROOM 6A

The collaboration will kick off at San Diego Comic-Con, where Alex Kurtzman, showrunner and executive producer at the helm of the Star Trek franchise, and Russell T Davies, showrunner and executive producer spearheading the Doctor Who Whoniverse, come together for an exclusive creator-to-creator conversation about the art of storytelling in alternative universes and to celebrate the power of friendship. The SDCC Intergalactic Friendship Panel: Star Trek x Doctor Who will be on Saturday, July 27, from 5:30-6:30 PM, in Room: 6A, and will be moderated by Keisha Hatchett, staff editor of TVLine. Attendees to the creator conversation will each receive a special Doctor Who X Star Trek poster designed by artist Dusty Abell.

“Friendship is Universal” Gallery Experience

THURSDAY, JULY 26 – SUNDAY, JULY 28, 226 AND 230 5TH AVENUE IN GASLAMP QUARTER

Under the banner of “Friendship is Universal,” Star Trek and Doctor Who will operate a special celebratory gallery experience at 226 and 230 5th Avenue in the Gaslamp Quarter of San Diego. The gallery experience will feature original costumes and props from across the storied histories of both, highlighting themes of friendship and shared values between the two universes. There will also be photo opportunities for fans as well as special friendship bracelet giveaways. “Friendship is Universal” activation hours of operation are Thursday, July 25 through Saturday, July 27 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM, and Sunday July 28 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Admission is free. No SDCC badge is required.

Get ready and mark your dates in your Captain’s logs and 500 year diaries! Star Trek and Doctor Who come together for Inaugural Intergalactic Friendship Day on July 30th 2024

Jodie Whittaker and Mandip Gill return to Doctor Who in new Thirteenth Doctor adventures.

13 July 2024 admin Comments 0 Comment

Jodie Whittaker and Mandip Gill

The Doctor and Yaz are off to see more of the universe in a new series of audio dramas from Big Finish.

Big Finish Productions, in partnership with BBC Studios, today announces a full series of Thirteenth Doctor audio dramas as Jodie Whittaker returns to the Whoniverse alongside Mandip Gill as Yasmin Khan.

First seen on screen in 2017, Jodie Whittaker made TV history as the first female incarnation of the beloved Time Lord in Doctor Who.

Now she’s back in a brand-new series of twelve, hour-long, full-cast audio adventures in time and space, due to be released from July 2025. By her side in the TARDIS, as ever, will be her best friend Yaz, once again played by Mandip Gill.

Jodie Whittaker said:

“I’m over the moon to be joining Big Finish for more adventures in the TARDIS. Recording the Thirteenth Doctor and Yaz is a really lovely thing to revisit. One of the things Mandip and I used to love on Doctor Who was getting in, doing a new episode and meeting a brand-new cast. I just can’t wait to step back into the boots, pull on the coat and get cracking. One thing’s for sure, it’s going to be brilliant.”

Mandip Gill added:

“Doctor Who has been a huge part of my career and personal life and I am looking forward to seeing how I can further enrich my character through this exhilarating series. To be able to work with Jodie again is a dream come true, we have such a special friendship, I’m sure the recordings will be filled with laughter.”

Big Finish’s Chairman, Jason Haigh-Ellery said:

“This year Big Finish is celebrating its 25th anniversary of producing full-cast Doctor Who audio drama – so, when we were granted the licence to create new stories set during the Thirteenth Doctor’s era, we immediately set to work.

“I am delighted that the inimitable Jodie and Mandip have decided to return to their roles with us and I’m excited to welcome them to Big Finish. Alongside our two other forthcoming series for the Fugitive Doctor (played by Jo Martin) and the Master (played by Sacha Dhawan), 2025 has never looked brighter for the Thirteenth Doctor and her fam.”

Big Finish’s Creative Director, Nicholas Briggs added:

“Jodie and Mandip were so welcoming to me when I worked on set with them in the TV show, so I’m looking forward to repaying the compliment. They’re lovely people and they’re full of enthusiasm for this project.”

Doctor Who fans can now pre-order The Thirteenth Doctor Adventures at bigfinish.com.

THE LUCY WILSON MYSTERIES: THE PENNYWORTH RECURSION

11 July 2024 admin Comments 0 Comment

Candy Jar Books is thrilled to announce an exciting new addition to The Lucy Wilson Mysteries series: The Pennyworth Recursion.

Penned by veteran Lucy Wilson author Chris Lynch, this captivating short story continues the adventures of Lucy and Hobo.

Publishing Co-ordinator, Keren Williams, shares her enthusiasm:

“Chris has been with us since the inception of this series and has a remarkable grasp of the characters, especially Hobo. Whenever I get a Chris story for proofing, I know that I’m going to have a fantastic couple of days!”

The Pennyworth Recursion reintroduces the character of Pennyworth, originally seen in the Lethbridge-Stewart novel, The George Kostinen Mystery. Pennyworth, a robot Yeti created by Hobo, aids him in navigating his bleak, dystopian life. This story brims with humour and adventure, featuring multiple versions of Pennyworth from alternate dimensions!

Head of Publishing, Shaun Russell, adds:

“Chris has been a cornerstone of the Lucy Wilson series, particularly with his annual Christmas stories. While this story takes on a slightly darker tone, akin to The Terminator franchise, Chris’ signature outlandish ideas make it truly exceptional.”

Renowned Beano artist, Steve Beckett, once again delivers a fantastic cover, which showcases various Yetis, including Pirate Yeti, Cowboy Yeti, and Football Yeti.

Blurb for The Pennyworth Recursion:

Lucy and Hobo embark on an olde-worlde coach trip to Bledoe. It’s clearly a trap, but with tickets priced at just 1p, how can they resist? Or more accurately, how can Hobo resist? Lucy isn’t convinced the price is worth the ride…

On a musty old coach packed with OAPs, they find solace in Pennyworth, a virtual, portable assistant created by Hobo. However, their luck takes a turn when Pennyworth calculates their chances of reaching Bledoe are… zero.

Robotic Yetis appear from nowhere – one in a cowboy hat, another wearing a football kit, and one half the size of the others! Despite their differences, they all share one name: Pennyworth.

The Lucy Wilson Mysteries is a Lethbridge-Stewart spin-off adventure and features licensed characters created for Doctor Who by Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln.

How to live like a Time Lord with ‘The Time-Travelling Almanac’

11 July 2024 admin Comments 0 Comment

Experience a year from the Doctor’s perspective with an exciting new release from BBC Books.

“The ground beneath our feet is spinning at a thousand miles an hour and the entire planet is hurtling round the sun at 67,000 miles an hour, and I can feel it.”
– The Doctor

Doctor Who: The Time-Travelling Almanac is your essential companion to a Time Lord’s ‘Year’. You’ll learn how to feel the turn of the Earth under your feet (hurtling round the sun at 67,000 miles an hour), the times each day that Sea Devil attacks are most likely (depending on the tides), how to avoid disturbing dangerous faeries (distances measured in yards), and why, despite all the invasions and Goblins, Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year.

Releasing later this year, The Time-Travelling Almanac is a must-have guide with useful tips and information provided by the Doctor and friends – and occasionally his enemies.

Doctor Who: The Time-Travelling Almanac is out in hardback on October 3rd 2024. You can pre-order here.

Paul McGann to star in special live recording of Big Finish’s Eighth Doctor Adventures – UPDATED!

4 July 2024 admin Comments 0 Comment

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Celebrate 25 years of Big Finish’s Doctor Who audio dramas with a live recording of new Eighth Doctor adventure ‘The Stuff of Legend’.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of licensed Doctor Who audio dramas, Big Finish Theatre, in partnership with BBC Studios, Fourth Wall Live and AEG, is proud to announce a unique full-cast live recording event, taking place at Cadogan Hall, London on Saturday 14 September 2024.

For the very first time, Doctor Who fans will be able to watch an all-star cast take to the stage to perform a brand-new audio play, THE STUFF OF LEGEND, by Robert Valentine.

Leading the cast is Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor and India Fisher as his indomitable companion Charley Pollard. They’ll be joined onstage by Alex Macqueen as the Master alongside Nicholas Briggs, who voices the Doctor’s unstoppable arch-enemy, the Daleks.

Something is afoot in the lonely Cornish village of Merrymaid Bay. Rumours of dead men working in the tin mines have sent a chill through the community, and it’s up to the Doctor and Charley to get to the bottom of the mystery.

Can the legends of the Bucca that haunts the mines be true? And just what awesome power do the Doctor’s greatest enemies – the Daleks! – threaten to unleash upon the universe?

Big Finish executive producer Jason Haigh-Ellery said:

“25 years? It feels like 25 seconds! Producing the audio adventures of Doctor Who has been such a joy that two and a half decades has flown by – almost as if we have all been in the time vortex with the Doctor.

“We’ve enjoyed ourselves so much producing thousands of hours of audio drama adventures – and now we have the chance to show fans of the series how the audio productions are made, with a new live performance – the first time Doctor Who has been performed live on stage since 1989.”

Dominic Walker, Global Business Director at BBC Studios, added:

“After 25 years of working with Big Finish on the Doctor Who audio adventures, BBC Studios is excited to now be bringing a live version to the stage. THE STUFF OF LEGEND is a fitting celebration and I am delighted that fans will be able to witness the recording of such a momentous anniversary story up close and personal.”

Cadogan Hall has limited capacity so fans are advised to book quickly to avoid disappointment.

Alongside the live stage show recording, a full-cast studio production of DOCTOR WHO: THE STUFF OF LEGEND will be released at bigfinish.com on 14 September 2024. This will also be available to purchase as a collector’s edition CD at the event.

Tickets are available to order from Friday 5th July at doctorwhoaudiolive.com.

Kebijakan Stop Press

Additional performances of the full-cast live recording event have been added at 2:30pm and 6:30pm on Sunday 15th September 2024, with fans urged to book quickly to avoid disappointment.

The event – which is being held at London’s Cadogan Hall – will see an all-star cast led by McGann as the Eighth Doctor take to the stage to perform the audio drama live.

That cast also includes India Fisher as companion Charley Pollard, Alex Macqueen as the Master and Nicholas Briggs as the Daleks, and the official synopsis teases: “Something is afoot in the lonely Cornish village of Merrymaid Bay.

“Rumours of dead men working in the tin mines have sent a chill through the community, and it’s up to the Doctor and Charley to get to the bottom of the mystery.”

It continues:

“Can the legends of the Bucca that haunts the mines be true? And just what awesome power do the Doctor’s greatest enemies – the Daleks! – threaten to unleash upon the universe?”

If you’re looking to get your hands on some tickets, they’re available to order on the Doctor Who Audio Adventures Live website from 10am on Wednesday 31st July, with prices beginning at £18.

“Taking a Big Finish Doctor Who audio drama to the stage is something we’ve always wanted to do, and now it’s finally happening,” McGann said of the event.

“Raise the curtain, lower the house lights, and start playing the theme. It’s time to step on board the TARDIS and set off on a brand new adventure.”

Fisher added: “I love playing Charley, and she’s been part of my life for over two decades. Paul and I have shared so many amazing adventures, but always from a sound booth.

“I’m really excited to be performing in front of a live audience. It’s going to take it to a whole new level. It’ll be electric, I can’t wait.”

Meanwhile, Doctor Who brand director Vanessa Hamilton said that she was “delighted that the response to Doctor Who Audio Live has been so positive, and that we are able to provide additional opportunities to fans to watch an all-star cast take to the stage”.

The full studio production of Doctor Who: The Stuff of Legend will be released on 14th September 2024. Big Finish listeners can pre-order this adventure now for just £15.99 (collector’s edition double CD + download) or £12.99 (download only) at bigfinish.com. The collector’s edition CD will also be available to purchase at the event.

Season 25 announced as the next instalment in The Collection Blu-ray range

4 July 2024 admin Comments 0 Comment

The Collection - Season 25

Sylvester McCoy’s penultimate season as the Seventh Doctor will be the next release to join the Blu-ray collection. Doctor Who fans can continue to build their own home archive on Blu-ray with an EIGHT-DISC box set of the 25th season from 1988, starring Sylvester McCoy as the Seventh Doctor. Containing four classic stories, this limited-edition set is packed with hours of new and exclusive material, and will be released on 21st October 2024.

The stories also feature Sophie Aldred who plays iconic 80s companion, Ace, who joins the Doctor to battle Daleks, Cybermen, the murderous Happiness Patrol and the evil forces of the Psychic Circus.

PLUS, fans can experience this season like never before, with brand new extended special editions of all four adventures, exclusive to this Blu-ray set.

The four Special Editions feature unseen footage, updated special effects, immersive surround sound, and surprises. All episodes have been newly remastered from available sources meaning these classic adventures have never looked or sounded so good on home media.

The Collection: Season 25 is also jam-packed with hours of new and exclusive material including:

UPDATED SPECIAL EFFECTS
Exclusive to Blu-ray, on the original broadcast versions of REMEMBRANCE OF THE DALEKS, SILVER NEMESIS and THE GREATEST SHOW IN THE GALAXY.

BEHIND THE SOFA
New episodes with Sylvester McCoy (The Doctor), Sophie Aldred (Ace), Bonnie Langford (Mel), Nicola Bryant (Peri), Wendy Padbury (Zoe), Janet Fielding (Tegan), Sarah Sutton (Nyssa), Dame Sheila Hancock (Helen A), Jessica Martin (Mags), Karen Gledhill (Allison) and Mark Hardy (Cyber-Lieutenant).

IN CONVERSATION
Three new episodes, with Sophie Aldred, script editor Andrew Cartmel and director Chris Clough.

LOOKING FOR DURSLEY
A documentary looking back at the life and career of Dursley McLinden (Mike).

THE MAKING OF DOCTOR WHO
A rare vintage documentary from 1988, previously only available on VHS.

SILVER NEMESIS – VHS EXTENDED VERSION
A version of the story originally released on VHS with extra footage.

SILVER NEMESIS – SPECIAL EDITION OMNIBUS
A special cut-down feature-length version of this adventure, in the tradition of the 1970s Christmas repeats.

THE COLLECTORS – THE 1980s
Host Emily Cook chats to Doctor Who collectors about their 1980s treasures.

THE DOCTOR WHO ESCAPE ROOM – TEAM SEVENTH DOCTOR
Sylvester McCoy, Sophie Aldred and Bonnie Langford attempt to escape the room of doom.

WHEN SOPHIE MET LESLEY
Sophie Aldred chats to Lesley Dunlop, her co-star from THE HAPPINESS PATROL who also appeared in the Fifth Doctor story FRONTIOS (1984).

STEPHEN MANSFIELD INTERVIEW
The practical effects genius looks back on his Season 25 work.

STUDIO & LOCATION FOOTAGE
Hours of raw footage and outtakes captured during the making of all four stories.

PLUS:

5.1 SURROUND SOUND
RARE ARCHIVAL MATERIAL FROM THE BBC VAULTS
EXCLUSIVE CONVENTION FOOTAGE
HD PHOTO GALLERIES
INFO TEXT
PDF ARCHIVE
PLUS LOTS MORE!

This eight-disc box set also includes hours of special features previously released on DVD including documentaries, featurettes, audio commentaries and more.

A special trailer containing archive footage from Season 25 and special features from the release has also been created to mark the announcement.

Doctor Who – The Collection: Season 25 includes the following stories from 1988-89:

REMEMBRANCE OF THE DALEKS

THE HAPPINESS PATROL

SILVER NEMESIS

THE GREATEST SHOW IN THE GALAXY

Pre-order Doctor Who: The Collection – Season 25 now HERE.

EMPIRE OF DEATH CONSOLIDATED RATINGS REVEALED

1 July 2024 admin Comments 0 Comment

Overnight, Empire Of Death was watched by 2.25m on BBC One. Consolidated, the episode was watched by 3.69m, making the 18th highest rating programme of the week. This figure includes those who watched on devices and pre-BBC One transmission on iPlayer.

This was the final 7 day rating for series 14, the full list can be seen below.

Story	Overnight	7 Day
Space Babies	2.6m	4.01m
The Devil's Chord	2.4m	3.91m
Boom	2.04m	3.58m
73 Yards	2.62m	4.05m
Dot And Bubble	2.12m	3.38m
Rogue	2.11m	3.52m
The Legend Of Ruby Sunday	2.02m	3.49m
Empire Of Death	2.25m	3.69m

Intergalactic Friendship Panel: Star Trek x Doctor Who

“Friendship is Universal” Gallery Experience

Doctor Who: The Time-Travelling Almanac is out in hardback on October 3rd 2024. You can pre-order here.

Doctor Who fans hoping to get tickets for the upcoming live recording of The Stuff of Legend with Paul McGann are in luck – as two new dates have just been announced by Big Finish.