The new 116-page bookazine from the makers of Doctor Who Magazine celebrates 1970, one of the most important years in the show’s history.
This issue of Chronicles examines all the stories from Season 7: Spearhead from Space, Doctor Who and the Silurians, The Ambassadors of Death and Inferno.
Highlights include new interviews, rare images and exclusive previews of the Season 7 Blu-ray box set.
Other exclusives in Chronicles 1970 include features on:
• The year’s most significant events in the Doctor Who universe (both on and off screen)
• Stars Jon Pertwee, Caroline John and Nicholas Courtney
• Writer Malcolm Hulke
• Doctor Who in the popular press
• Special effects and production techniques
• Classic Doctor Who books and comic strips
• … plus much more!
RUSSELL T DAVIES on the writers joining him for the Fifteenth Doctor’s second season.
With Jon Pertwee’s debut season coming to Blu-ray, we speak to team behind the release about the remastered episodes and the Special Features included on the set.
The Fugitive Doctor is back! JO MARTIN talks about stepping out from the shadow of the Thirteenth Doctor as she embarks on a series of her own adventures on audio.
Script to Screen – exec producer JOEL COLLINS, production designer PHIL SIMMS, visual effects supervisor SEB BARKER and others explain how they built the Time Hotel.
MICKEY LEWIS shares his experiences of playing some of the Doctor’s most terrifying adversaries.
We take a look at the history of lost First Doctor adventure The Savages – soon to be released as an animation…
Actor John Lord speaks about taking on the role of a Yeti – among his other roles.
A tribute to the Doctor Who work of designer Ken Ledsham.
Join us as we play mobile game Lost in Time – including the crossover with Star Trek: Lower Decks.
A fond look at the peculiarities of fan favourite Genesis of the Daleks.
Gary Gillatt considers how dinosaurs have had a colossal impact on Doctor Who…
Back to 1977… how script editor Robert Holmes was targeted by the tabloids!
The Fact of Fiction looks at the concluding episodes of 1968’s The Dominators.
The continuing adventures of the Doctor and Ruby in the comic strip!
Regular features
Gallifrey Guardian – our news round-up including casting on the new series.
Shelf Life – featuring reviews of the latest audio releases.
Other Worlds – the essential guide to new stories in Doctor Who’s expanded universe.
Prizes to be won including Blu-rays of Joy to the World and The Collection – Season 9!
Doctor Who Magazine Issue 613 is on sale Thursday 30 January 2025 from panini.co.uk and WH Smith priced £7.99 (UK).
Also available as a digital edition from pocketmags.com priced £6.99.
Doctor Who Charity Auction To Open For Children In Need
Doctor Who Charity Auction for BBC Children In Need
The Doctor Who charity auction, in partnership with Propstore, will open its digital doors to fans globally from 11th February until 25th February. Bidding for all lots will start at £100, giving fans from around the world the opportunity to own exclusive and affordable Doctor Who memorabilia.
Amongst the 150 lots, fans will have the chance to bid on Doctors’ and companions’ costumes and many more props featured in the series between 2005 and 2022 including…
Tenth Doctor’s (David Tennant) Tuxedo Costume and Spares; Eleventh Doctor’s (Matt Smith) ‘Closing Time’ Costume; Twelfth Doctor’s (Peter Capaldi) ‘Mummy on the Orient Express’ Costume;Thirteenth Doctor’s (Jodie Whittaker) Costume; Screen-matched ‘An Adventure in Space and Time’ TARDIS.
With over 150 lots, bundling iconic props and costumes from the rich history of the much-loved TV-show, this is expected to be the biggest Doctor Who auction to date, with the net proceeds to go to BBC Children in Need, the BBC’s UK charity, which supports children in communities across the UK helping them to overcome challenges that they face.
Registration for the auction will open from January 28, 2025, on the Propstore website. A full list of lots to be auctioned can be found on the Propstore website.
The TARDIS is getting ready to take viewers on another thrilling journey through time and space, with some new additions as the show announces the writers who have stepped on board for the upcoming series.
Writers
Juno Dawson is a #1 Sunday Times best-selling novelist, screenwriter and journalist, whose books include the global bestsellers, This Book is Gay and Her Majesty’s Royal Coven. Her debut short film was The Birth of Venus and she created the first official Doctor Who scripted podcast, Doctor Who: Redacted.
Juno says:
“I started watching Doctor Who with my grandma when I was ten-years-old in the 1990s. From writing fan-fiction for an audience of one, to scripting the best TV show of all time is truly a dream come true. I can’t wait for fans and newcomers to see the new season.”
Inua Ellams is a writer and curator, whose published books of poetry include Candy Coated Unicorns & Converse All Stars and The Actual. His first play, The 14th Tale, was awarded a Fringe First at the Edinburgh International Theatre Festival, and other plays include Barber Shop Chronicles, which played at the National Theatre, Three Sisters and The Half-God of Rainfall.
Inua says:
“For as long as I can remember television, I’ve been a Doctor Who fan. I started watching when I was 10 in Nigeria. The show invited me to dream, to live beyond my reality. Getting to write for the show felt like touching God; it was blasphemously humbling and exciting, and I can’t wait to share my story with the world.”
Pete McTighe is a writer and Executive Producer on the forthcoming spin-off The War Between The Land And The Sea. He has created, written or Exec’d dramas including The Pact (BBC), The Rising (Sky), A Discovery Of Witches (HBO), and Wentworth (Fox).
Pete says:
“The TARDIS is my home away from home, so it’s been a joy to step back inside, with Russell at the console and the incredible team at Bad Wolf hanging on for dear life. I love this show with all my heart, and am really proud of what we’ve been able to achieve with my next episode.”
Sharma Angel-Walfall originally hails from Manchester and won the inaugural Channel 4 New Writing Award that set her off on her screenwriting journey. She has been in a number of writers’ rooms, including Rapman’s Supacell (Netflix), Sally Wainwright’s The Ballad of Renegade Nell (Disney+), A Town Called Malice (Sky) and Noughts & Crosses (BBC). She was a writing consultant on Paul Abbott’s Wolfe (Sky) and wrote an episode of Sharon Hogan’s Dreamland for Sky (starring Lilly Allen and Freema Agyeman).
Sharma says:
“I am buzzing to be a part of such an iconic show! I am a massive Russell T Davies fan, so it is a dream come true to be able to work alongside him, especially on a show that I love. It’s a real privilege to be a part of the Doctor Who family. I have loved every minute!”
Russell T Davies, Showrunner says:
“Doctor Who takes its talent from a glittering galaxy of names, and these extraordinary writers span the skies. We’ve got old hands, new stars, voices from theatre, radio and literature, the whole works! It’s the most wild and exciting season of Doctor Who yet, and I can’t wait to unleash their brilliant work.”
The series is produced by Bad Wolf with BBC Studios for the BBC and Disney Branded Television, and will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK, and exclusively on Disney+ outside of the UK where available.
Russell T Davies is showrunner and executive producer. Additional executive producers are Joel Collins, Phil Collinson, Julie Gardner and Jane Tranter.
The Science of Doctor Who exhibition heads to the US
Go behind the scenes, meet a Weeping Angel and even talk like a Dalek at the San Diego Comic-Con Museum!
Tickets for the highly anticipated U.S. premiere of the Doctor Who Worlds of Wonder: Where Science Meets Fiction exhibit are on sale now, which will take up residence in San Diego’s Comic-Con Museum from March 15, 2025.
The exhibit features an extensive array of original props and sets, and a unique collection of behind-the-scenes resource materials from the show. This multi-sensory exhibit invites visitors to experience the Doctor’s adventures, come face to face with a selection of iconic characters, and explore some of the worlds visited on screen, all while learning about the real-life science behind the show’s memorable moments.
A wealth of scientific “wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey” topics like the concept of time travel, artificial intelligence, DNA manipulation, and cloning can be explored throughout the exhibit.
Doctor Who Worlds of Wonder
Highlights of the exhibit include:
A Time Vortex Corridor and TARDIS Tech Room where visitors can examine the technological capabilities of the Doctor’s gadgets and gizmos, including a collection of authentic sonic screwdrivers.
The Monster Vault that houses the Doctor’s most terrifying alien adversaries, including the Cybermen and the Weeping Angels. Plus a simulator that allows visitors to change their voice to sound like a Dalek!
Exclusive Doctor Who: Worlds of Wonder merchandise, available only at the Comic-Con Museum.
Tickets can be purchased at comic-con.org/museum or at the door and include admission to the entire Comic-Con Museum.
Doctor Who Worlds of Wonder: Where Science Meets Fiction opens March 15, 2025.
Evolution of the Toy Dalek: Collecting Through The Ages
Evolution of the Toy Dalek: Collecting Through The Ages by Alex Storer.
One of the most iconic creations to come out of the BBC’s cult television show Doctor Who is the Dalek. Its deceptively simple shape, movement and voice have beguiled fans since the very start, and it wasn’t long before the merchandisers came on board and started to produce Dalek toys in a variety of shapes and sizes, and with variable features and functions from push and go, to voice activated.
Dalek enthusiast Alex Storer takes us on a fan and collector’s journey through the multitude of Dalek toys which have been produced over the years. From the early days of Louis Marx and Selcol in the 1960s, to the modern Character Options variants, every type of toy Dalek is pictured and discussed. This is not an exhaustive catalogue or a guidebook, but an enthusiastic and appreciative love letter to the toy Dalek, explaining the challenges and elements of their construction, and how these changed as technology grew more sophisticated.
With interviews and input from many of those who were involved in the creation, design, manufacture and marketing of the toys, this book is a gloriously designed and illustrated celebration of the Dalek in miniature form.
This book will be available in NEW ZEALAND from RETROSPACE – keep an eye on their website for ordering details: https://www.retrospace.co.nz/
This book will be available in NORTH AMERICA from WHONA – keep an eye on their website for ordering details: https://www.whona.com
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
ALEX STORER is an illustrator and graphic designer with a lifelong passion for Doctor Who and science fiction. He is also the creative force behind ‘The Light Dreams,’ an instrumental music project blending electronic and ambient styles to create otherworldly soundscapes. Alex’s artwork has featured in Doctor Who Magazine and he has maintained fan site, sevenzero.net since 2002. He has previously written the digital publications Who, Where and When and Up Close as well as collaborating with John Collier on a series of free publications about the original Doctor Who exhibitions: Blackpool Remembered, Blackpool Revisited, and Longing for Longleat.
RICHARD HAYES has been an enthusiast for science fiction for as long as he can remember. It no doubt contributed to him taking a degree in astronomy in the early 1970s, but probably not to his subsequent career in accountancy and the law. Now happily retired, as a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society he continues to take a close interest in developments in astronomy and space science. He has written occasional articles on speculations in science and themes in science fiction, which have almost certainly been considerably more entertaining than his writings from time to time in accountancy journals. Over the years he has followed Doctor Who’s ups and downs, much like life in general, but remains impressed with the consistent originality and popularity of science fiction, and has accumulated a fair library in the genre. Like Alex, he has a very understanding wife.
164pp. 11×8.5 format full colour paperback. ISBN 978-1-84583-236-0 Published 1 March 2025
According to agency listings, Sharma Walfall has co-written the third episode of series 15 which has the working title Five Miles Deep. Walfall has previously worked on TV series such as Renegade Nell, Noughts & Crosses and Supacell.
According to Doctor Who Filming Locations, Nigerian playwright and poet Inua Ellams has also joined the writing team for the upcoming series, writing Episode 5 of the new series which will be directed by Makalla McPherson.
The Twitter page has also reported that episodes 1, 2 and 4 of series 15 will be titled The Robot Revolution, Lux and Lucky Day respectively.
The BBC will announce the official episode titles and transmission details in due course.
Jordan Adene is the latest cast member revealed to be in series 15.
Doctor Who returns in 2025 with series 15, which will see The Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) reunite alongside new companion played by Varada Sethu. Sethu made a surprise appearance in series 14 as part of the cast of Boom.
The teaser features a first-look at the new season starring Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor, Varada Sethu as Belinda Chandra and Millie Gibson as Ruby Sunday. The Doctor meets Belinda Chandra and begins an epic quest to get her back to Earth.
But a mysterious force is stopping their return and the time-traveling TARDIS team must face great dangers, ferocious enemies and wilder terrors than ever before. Jordan Adene is the latest cast member revealed to be in the series. Plus, Rose Ayling-Ellis MBE will be joining Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor for a thrilling and frightening adventure in the upcoming second season of Doctor Who, which will air in 2025.
Russell T Davies, Showrunner says:
“We always want guest actors on Doctor Who to have fun, but Rose takes it to a whole new level. She storms in with an astonishing performance of terror, anger and bravery in one of the most frightening episodes we’ve ever made.”
Varada joins the Whoniverse from a galaxy far, far away after starring in the Disney+ Star Wars series Andor. Now she straps in for another journey through time and space alongside Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor and Millie Gibson as Ruby Sunday.
EXTERMINATE! REGENERATE! The Story of Doctor Who by John Higgs
Bath Literature Festival presents this exclusive Bath pre-publication event with leading cultural commentator John Higgs about his first biography of the infamous Time Lord from Doctor Who.
On screen, Doctor Who is a story of monsters, imagination and mind-expanding adventure. But the off-screen story is equally extraordinary – a tale of failed monks, war heroes, 1960s polyamory and self-sabotaging broadcasting executives.
From the politics of fandom to the inner struggles of the BBC, thousands of people have given part of themselves – and sometimes, too much of themselves – to bring this unlikeliest of folk heroes to life.
This is a story of change, mystery and the importance of imaginary characters in our lives. able to evolve and adapt more radically than any other fiction, Doctor Who has acted as a mirror to more than six decades of social, technological and cultural change while always remaining a central fixture of the British imagination.
In Exterminate / Regenerate, John Higgs invites us into his TARDIS on a journey to discover how ideas emerge and survive despite the odds, why we are so addicted to fiction, and why this wonderful wandering time traveller means so much to so many.
John Higgs is the author of I Have America Surrounded, The Klf, Stranger Than We Can Imagine and Watling Street to name a few.
EXTERMINATE! REGENERATE! The Story of Doctor Who by John Higgs
Date
Wednesday 09 April 2025
Time
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Venue
Waterstones (Bath)
Price
£25 including book | £14 without book | £10 concessions without book (exc. fees)
Big Finish Productions, in association with the Whoovers and Derby QUAD, presents Big Finish Day 2025, a one-day convention bringing listeners of our audio productions together with cast and crew.
This year, the event is themed as The Big Finish Podcast: Live, with Nicholas Briggs and Benji Clifford hosting a mix of chat and audio drama exclusives. Special guests already confirmed to appear include Colin Baker, Peter Purves and Tim Treloar.
There will be opportunities to meet, greet and quiz the people behind Doctor Who and other ranges, with interview panels, autograph opportunities, and the photo studio. And, you’ll be able to pick up new releases and special offers from across all our productions at the Big Finish stall.
Big Finish Day – The Big Finish Podcast: Live takes place on Saturday, 21 June 2025 at Derby QUAD.
Tickets are strictly limited to just 350 attendees (including concessions) and may only be purchased from the official site at https://www.derbyquad.co.uk/
Big Finish Creative Director, Nicholas Briggs said:
“It’s great to be heading back to QUAD at Derby, where Stephen Hatcher and his great team of Whoovers always do us proud. Benji Clifford and I will be recreating the fun and frolics of the weekly Big Finish Podcast live on stage, and we’ve got some rather special content planned that’ll bring something new to the event!”
Stephen Hatcher, of the Whoovers, added:
“The Whoovers are delighted to be welcoming Big Finish Day back to Derby QUAD. Our thanks go to Jason Haigh-Ellery, Nicholas Briggs and all our Big Finish friends for entrusting us once again with their event. We look forward to another joyous celebration of all things Big Finish in June.”
Please keep an eye on the Big Finish website event page and social media channels for more guest announcements in due course. As always, all guest appearances are subject to professional commitments.
Please note that the social media teams for Big Finish, Whoovers and Derby QUAD do not have access to ticket bookings and will therefore be unable to offer assistance or comment on specific ticket sales.
Tickets are strictly limited to just 350 attendees (including concessions) and may only be purchased from the official site at https://www.derbyquad.co.uk/
