Ace-Themed DVD Box Set

The company 2|Entertain – the bods behind the Doctor Who DVD releases - have announced a new classic-series DVD box set through their Classic Dr Who DVD-centric Twitter feed focussing on Sylvester McCoy’s Seventh Doctor’s companion Dorothy “Ace” McShane…

“The Ace Box commissioned and in production.”

They later then said…

“Ace Box = two Classic stories featuring the feisty companion. Titles to be released at a later date.”

While we have no details other than this at the moment, it is likely that the box set will consist of Ace’s most popular serials and the stories most to do with her story-arc during her time on the series. Likely serials to be included in the box set are Ace’s debut story ’Dragonfire’, ‘The Greatest Show In The Galaxy’, ‘Ghostlight’ or ‘Curse Of Fenric’.

> @ClassicDW on Twitter

What do you think? Are you looking forward to this set? Are you going to buy it?
Please comment.

James Corden Returns for Series Six

The BBC have now officially confirmed that James Corden will return to Doctor Who in Series Six and will be filming his part, of the story he features in, in the second week of March.
The BBC Doctor Who site has said:

James will reprise his role of Craig Owens, first seen in last series' adventure The Lodger. Back in 2010 James told us, 'There's been no talk of my return. I'd love another adventure - it would be great! I'm sort of disappointed I didn't get to go in the TARDIS...' Who knows if he'll find his way into the Doctor's time machine this time around?
The character of Craig Owens proved popular last year. James described him as 'an ordinary bloke' but part of the character's appeal was his quiet bravery and charm. He became firm friends with the Doctor and we're now looking forward to seeing that friendship renewed!
James said working on The Lodger had been 'fantastic' and you can still see the Set Tour he conducted whilst working on the episode, or watch the exclusive interview he gave us about life with the Doctor. Finally, you can remind yourself of Craig's sporting prowess by watching the famous scene where he plays footie with a number 11 who's out of this world...

His return is, most likely, tied in in some way with the glimpse of the makeshift TARDIS from ‘The Lodger’ (in which Corden starred) in the Series Six Coming Soon trailer shown at the end of ‘A Christmas Carol’ (see below).



> BBC Doctor Who site

What are your thoughts on this? Do you want Corden to return? What are your theories on Craig’s return?
Please comment.

Series Six Possible Start Date

Doctor Who Spoilers have reported that the BBC might be scheduling a Doctor Who weekend as there are numerous sources that indicate that the first two episodes – the two-part story filmed in the Utah dessert -  will be broadcast in the UK on BBC One on consecutive days, with episode one on the Easter weekend Saturday 23rd April and the second episode on the Sunday.

According to a few sources including a couple of posters the Sixth Series will begin over Easter weekend with Episode One airing on Saturday 23rd of April and the concluding episode of the opening two-parter being screened the following day.
Assuming that there’s no break in the series when the Eurovision final airs on the 14th May (which considering there’s no “Andrew Lloyd-Webber looks at young girls” show this year, is a reasonable assumption) the mid-series finale will be transmitted on 28th May, the night of the Champions League final. The Champion’s league final kicks off at 7:45pm on ITV, so assuming a 30 minute build-up show that could see the mid-series finale airing at 6:30pm (or 6:15pm if it’s a 60-minute episode).

> Doctor Who Spoilers

What do you think? Do you think it’s a good idea or not?
Please comment.

Doctor Who Online Game – Worlds in Time

Only today, the BBC Press Office made an announcement that the BBC are forming a partnership with San-Francisco-based gaming company Three Rings to produce an online Doctor Who game – entitled Doctor Who: Worlds of Time - along a similar format as Lord Of The Rings Online and Pirates Of The Caribbean Online, where players are given the chance to play alongside other online players.
The official press release says:

For the first time ever, players from around the world will be able to follow in the footsteps of the eccentric and brilliant Doctor by travelling through time and space, exploring new worlds and encountering many alien races, both friend and foe. Titled Doctor Who: Worlds in Time, the game allows players to enter the TARDIS and be set a challenge by the mysterious Time Lord to help him defend civilized culture against infamous Doctor Who enemies.


Robert Nashak, EVP Digital Entertainment at BBC Worldwide says, "Doctor Who: Worlds in Time will be a free-to-play multiplayer online game that invites players to save the universe by using their wits to solve time-bending puzzles and pulse-pounding challenges. Three Rings is the ideal team for this ground-breaking creative partnership. Not only are they visionaries in the online gaming space, they are lifelong Doctor Who fans with a passion for delivering the level of quality that our players will expect and deserve."


Daniel James, CEO Three Rings says, "Three Rings is delighted and honoured to have the opportunity to create an online game based on Doctor Who. Our goal with 'Words in Time' is to capture the imaginative spirit and depth of the series, whilst being fun and easy to play for all ages."


Doctor Who: Worlds in Time is developed to be both highly engaging and fun, allowing players to socialize and foster genuine cooperation, building a global community where fans worldwide will now be able to experience first hand the exciting action and adventure synonymous with Doctor Who. Development is well underway and is expected to launch later this year.

Obviously, this early on in the development process (the first conference between the BBC and Three Rings takes place next week) there is no clue as to when Doctor Who: Worlds In Time will be launched online, but there are already reasoned speculations abound that it may be being prepared for a launch in time for or alongside the Spring 2012 series of Doctor Who.


> BBC Press Office


What do you think? Are you looking forward to it?
Please comment.

Alex Kingston: “I fell in love with River”

Alex Kingston has said she didn’t realise how popular Doctor Who was when she was offered the part of the the mysterious character of River Song. The 47-year-old told Reader’s Digest, "I'm not allowed to breathe a word about the new storylines... otherwise, they take away my sonic screwdriver.”

She added: "When I was first offered the part, I had no idea how successful the new Doctor Who was because I was in the US. But as soon as I read the script, I fell in love with River. She provides a very complex link to the Doctor's life and ever since I saw Alien, a little bit of me has wanted to run around a spaceship shooting intergalactic monsters."

According to Steven “The Moff” Moffat, the truth behind the mystery of who River Song truly is will once and for all be revealed in Series 6, which Kingston was reportedly told long before even Matt Smith or the other main cast members were. It all adds to the excitement of the mystery!

Do you like River? Who do you think she’ll turn out to be?
Please comment.

In memory of Elisabeth Sladen

As I’m sure you all know by now, but it is with deep regret that inform you of the passing of Elisabeth Sladen.

Elisabeth was, to put it quite simply, a Doctor Who legend. She was a kind, generous, warm-hearted lady who stole the scene every time she walked into frame. I was – as I know many, if not all, of you were – utterly shocked and saddened by the news of her death last night. Again, as with Lis’s good friends Barry Letts (prolific Doctor Who producer 1969-74) and Nicholas Courtney (The Brigadier), it was cancer that did it. Apparently she had been ill for quite some time.
My apologies for the long delay of this post, but I had no idea how I could possibly write something that would do this wonderful lady enough justice. I cannot express the tremendous feeling of disbelief and shock that I felt when I heard the news of Elisabeth’s death - I expect many of you experienced something very similar.



Though I have known Doctor Who well my whole life, I am somebody who came to the show properly in 2003, after the announcement of the show’s imminent return and during the surge of classic series story repeats. I was first introduced to the character of Sarah Jane Smith in a repeat of the story ‘Pyramids Of Mars’ on UK Gold, which for me could not have been a better introduction to Miss Smith. I distinctly remember being struck during that story by how original Sarah Jane was as a companion to what I had seen before and by this actress’s brilliant performance and portrayal.

As a discovered a few years later, this was the performance of Elisabeth Sladen who, if I hadn’t taken to her instantly before, had stolen my heart as Sarah Jane once more in ‘School Reunion’ in 2006 – despite all the years off-screen, Elisabeth proved she hadn’t lost any of her talent for acting. So I was delighted when The Sarah Jane Adventures came along and turned out to be real TV gold, giving another generation the chance to fall in love with her and Sarah Jane Smith once more, and she did just that. Her energy and vibrant radiance never faltered, as with her performances.

All my sympathies go out to Elisabeth’s family and friends. She will be sadly missed by them and her many fans, and will definitely be remembered with great, great fondness. Goodbye Elisabeth Sladen, you will never be forgotten.

Elisabeth Sladen (1948-2011)

• he BBC's obituary for Elisabeth.
• The Guardian obituary – by Toby Hadoke

Brand New Fan Fiction - Power of the Heart

A new fan fiction series is on the horizon, and it’s been a while coming. The series is being produced by me, James Gray, and Emma Lousie (Tardis Console News), and Adam Holmes as part of our new project called The Doctor Who F.A.N. Project (“F.A.N.” being for fiction, art and novelisations) and is written by me and Emma.

The series goes by the title of Doctor Who: Power Of The Heart and features the Tenth Doctor and our original companion Maddy Ramos.

Maddy is a 19-year-old Spanish-American girl who lives in the sleepy town of Summervale set in the US state of New Jersey. She was left with just her father and three brothers at the age of 2 years when her mother disappeared, seemly from the face of the Earth, and left just a small, green-jewelled necklace for Maddy. It’s only until the day of her nineteenth birthday that she discovered exactly why –the day she bumps into a man in a brown suit who changes her life forever.

And, here’s the opening titles for the series, with a slight (ok pretty obvious) clue to the title of the first episode…

Doctor Who: Power Of The Heart is due to begin in March 2011 in a 12-part series of 4 stories.

Will you read Power Of The Heart? What do you think? Please comment.