Karen Gillan: “I have no idea about a third series”

Yesterday, Glasgow’s famous Hamley toy store held a special signing event with Karen Gillan where she signed her autograph for over 200 fans on the packaging of her Amy Pond action figure and Doctor Who Series Five posters.

When asked about Doctor Who she told the fans she was “excited” about the upcoming start of filming on Series Six and went on - when quizzed on whether she would star in a third series - to remain tight-lipped on any possible spoilers: “Who knows? I'm just taking it series by series and I'm just having fun. So, I don't know. I have no idea.”

Karen also continued to tease the event-goers about Series Six and this year’s Christmas special, saying, “We are about to start in a week and a bit on the series, which is exciting. We've finished the Christmas special so that's all in the can and it's a good one.

"It's really funny but it's also heartbreaking and you get a glimpse into Amy and Rory's honeymoon, which is an interesting one. There's a really, really scary [monster] in the Christmas special."

Karen also told fans about her usual script-learning, "When I finish work filming in the evening we are learning lines for the next day. That's what happens. I have like an hour in the evening to do what I want to do and I just watch TV and sit there. That's not very exciting is it?"

And explained what has become an average filming day for her: "When they're setting up the lights and everything I might have a coffee. The most surreal thing is that it feels really normal now. That is normal life seeing, you know, lizards drinking coffee."

> Source

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Series Six Split Transmission

Speaking at the Edinburgh International Television Festival, Steven Moffat, along with auntie Beeb, have made a mile-stone change in the scheduling of Doctor Who beginning with Series 6 in 2011. The sixth series (or Season 32 or Series Otter as dubbed by The Moff himself) will be split down the middle, into two sections, with the first broadcasting in Spring 2011 and the second in Autumn 2011.
Here's the official press release...

The BBC and Steven Moffat have announced today that the transmission of the next series of Doctor Who, in 2011, will be split into two blocks, transmitting in spring and autumn.

The split transmission is the result of a request from Steven Moffat to write a new Doctor Who story arc which involves a big plot twist in the middle of the series. By splitting the series Moffat plans to give viewers one of the most exciting Doctor Who cliff-hangers and plot twists ever, leaving them waiting, on the edge of their seats, until the autumn to find out what happens.

Steven Moffat said: "The split series is hugely exciting because viewers will be treated to two premieres, two finales and more event episodes. For the kids it will never be more than a few months to the next Doctor Who! Easter, Autumn, Christmas!!"

> BBC Press Office

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Neil Gaiman Series 6 Script Extract

Neil Gaiman has updated his online journal with a small extract of the script for his episode for Series Six of Doctor Who. His script was originally meant for Series Five, but it seems Gaiman may have been too ambitious, as the budget for the overall series would not stretch so far.

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 AMY___________________Is it something people can eat?
___________________(to Doctor)
___________________Shouldn’t you scan it with your screwdriver or something?

THE DOCTOR___________________Why would I scan food with my screwdriver?

AMY___________________See if it’s safe?

The Doctor leans over, dips his finger into his bowl, tastes it.

THE DOCTOR

___________________Some unusual trace elements, smidge too much background
___________________radiation, but, yeah, very yummy.

Amy is about to try some of his food... he stops her.

THE DOCTOR (cont’d)___________________No. Don’t put it in your mouth.

AMY___________________Not for humans?

THE DOCTOR

___________________Not for you. Tastes like Marmite on socks.

 

---

> Neil Gaiman’s journal

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3rd Adventure Games Title & Info!

The title and a few titbits of information have been revealed about the third of four Adventure Games. The “interactive episode”, being dubbed as part of the canonical line of episode in Series Five, has the official title of ‘TARDIS” and let’s players pilot and explore many corridors and rooms of the most famous time and space machine in the universe while battling deadly monsters!

Click to enlarge.

It will feature monsters, terrifying new dangers for the Doctor and Amy and offers an amazing insight into the world's most famous blue box. It's also been announced that the game will give players the opportunity to pilot the Doctor's iconic time machine.

Lead Writer and Executive Producer, Steven Moffat, confirmed, 'Since 1963, kids have wondered what it would be like to control the TARDIS. Now we're handing complete control of the most powerful ship in all of space and time to a generation of children. Everybody duck!' He also told us, 'TARDIS is a brilliant, brilliant adventure. It's funny, touching, terrifying, amazing - everything a Doctor Who episode should be.'

The official press release promised, 'the game allows players to explore the Doctor's wondrous drawing room, featuring treasures and artefacts from his many adventures - a location specially created for the game, which will go on to form part of the Doctor Who canon'.

Matt Smith and Karen Gillan return as the Doctor and Amy and once again the game is executive produced by Steven Moffat, Piers Wenger, Beth Willis and Anwen Aspden (BBC Wales Interactive), alongside Charles Cecil. Music is by Murray Gold and TARDIS is written by James Moran whose previous credits include Torchwood, Spooks and the Tenth Doctor story, The Fires of Pompeii. 

The third Adventure Game ‘TARDIS’ will be available completely free to UK residents, simultaneously on PC and Mac from the official BBC Doctor Who website on Friday 27th August. Also, a move that should satisfy all those over-seas fans, people outside the UK will be able to buy and download ‘TARDIS’ on its UK release date!

> BBC Doctor Who site

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Matt & Karen on The One Show

 

Doctor Who’s very own duo Matt Smith and Karen Gillan have stepped in at the very last minute as guests on tomorrow’s edition of BBC One’s weekday magazine programme The One Show. Friday also marks Chris Evan’s (ex husband to Billie Piper, no less) debut on the programme in his position as the weekly Friday host as he presents alongside new-girl Alex Jones on the red sofa.

According to The Sun (we all know how whole-heartedly reliable they are!) Matt and Karen were drafted in as guests on The One Show just last night (18th August)! And with none of either of their projects being broadcast any time very soon, it should be just Matt and Karen fun kookiness.

The One Show with Chris Evans, Alex Jones and guests Matt Smith and Karen Gillan begins tomorrow at 7:00PM.

> BBC - The One Show

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Doctor Who Magazine #426 Delayed

Yes, I’m afraid Doctor Who Magazine issue #426 has been delayed for the moment due to a large excess workload for the DWM team. Although this means we miss out on some new DWM action for 1 week more than we'd prefer, it does also mean that the Christmas edition of DWM will be released closer to Christmas Day, which can’t be bad! 

Please note, the most recent issue, featuring an exclusive interview with Sylvester McCoy, the Seventh Doctor, is issue #425 (see left) and will not be delayed. Doctor Who Magazine issue #425 is available across the UK from tomorrow (Thursday 19th August) for £4.20.

> Doctor Who Magazine on Facebook

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Series 5 - Original Television Soundtrack Release Date

Silva Screen, the music company who release the Doctor Who soundtracks composed by Murray Gold, have announced that the soundtrack for Series Five of our favourite time-travelling sci-fi will be released across the UK on CD on November 8th 2010, the very same day of the Series Five DVD Box Set in regular and limited edition on DVD and Blu-Ray will be released by 2|entertain.

The Doctor Who: Series Five Original Television Soundtrack follows the recent news that the five specials from ‘The Next Doctor’ to both parts of ‘The End Of Time’ are to be released just two months previous on September 20th 2010 across two discs.

However, the matter of whether the soundtrack for the thirteen episodes of Series Five will stretch to a double disc release is as yet unknown, along with the price or track listings – though some tracks are almost certainly going to include the pieces played at this year’s Doctor Who Prom.

 

 

 

 Doctor Who: Series Five Original Television Soundtrack is due for release across the UK  on November 8th 2010 for just £11.99.

 

> Silva Screen website

> Series Five OST on Amazon.co.uk

 

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Torchwood: The New World

More news of Torchwood Series 4 has emerged and Russell T Davies has confirmed, along with The Hollywood Reporter and USA Today, general plot lines on the series and the title 'The New World' for it.

 

The Hollywood Reporter:
The new story will follow a CIA agent (Rex) and analyst (Ester) who tackle an alien-related global issue.


Torchwood, having been destroyed and disbanded, is "like a legend now ... it's like something that's ceased to exist and is now spoken of only in whispers." Soon, Rex and Ester are on the run and are seeking out the help of Captain Jack and Gwen.


The two teams coming together is a big part of the story -- are they friends or enemies? There's a lot of sparks and excitement.


"We definitely have a really big story to tell," added executive producer Julie Gardner. "It's absolutely rebooted to welcome in a new audience."


The ten episodes will be very fast paced, telling a self-contained story with the miniseries 'Children of Earth' being used as a template.


Being on Starz, the show could potentially take advantage of looser standards for nudity and violence.


"I've always had loose standards and practices," Davies said. "If the story demands intimacy or savagery, we will go there absolutely ... [but] there's nothing better than a great big global thriller that stops for a sex scene -- it's probably hard to make that happen in a thriller."

USA Today:
"New" is the operative word. The team has left Wales for America, as creator Russell T. Davies has left Britain for Los Angeles. The case will tie the two remaining Torchwood members (Jack and Eve Myles's Gwen) to the CIA, and will expand into a world-wide threat. And yet, says Davies, it "will be faithful" to the BBC original.


Davies says this story, which "had been ticking away in my mind for a long while," had not been planned as a Torchwood story at all. "And suddenly I thought, there's a popular show, there's a great story, let's put them together...It felt like it definitely could move forward and become new again."


Though it will be newer and bigger, the tone won't change, says Davies. Barrowman's Jack will still be TV's only bi-sexual hero, character will still be stressed, and humor will still play a large part in the show's make-up.


"I sit there in the editing room saying 'Don't cut that joke! Cut the plot, cut the murder, cut the story, but don't cut the joke.'...It will always be a cheeky show."

> Visit the new Torchwood Fansite

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Delgado and Axon Exclusives

Forbidden Planet have unveiled their latest addition to the range of classic Doctor Who era exclusive action-figures and this time it's extra-important as it's the very first on-screen incarnation of The Master, as played by Roger Delgado, and the more grizzly nature of an Axon.

The Delgado Master and Axon exclusive twin-pack are available now to pre-order at Forbidden Planet in the UK and US for £24.99 and will be available from Saturday 14th August 2010.

Pre-order at:
> Forbidden Planet UK
> Forbidden Planet US

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2009 Specials Soundtrack - Track Listings

Music album and soundtrack company Silva Screen have officially released the track listings of the upcoming official Doctor Who: Series 4 – The Specials soundtrack previously reported here on DWF. The soundtrack covers the final episodes of the Russell T Davies era from 'The Next Doctor' to 'The End Of Time' Parts 1 and 2.

DISC 1 01. Vale The Next Doctor: 02. A Victorian Christmas 03. Not the Doctor 04. A Bit of a Drag 05. In the Sea of Memory 06. Hidden in the Closet 07. The Wonder of Balloons 08. A Forceful Intelligence 09. The Greats of Past Time 10. The March of the Cybermen 11. Goodbyes Planet of the Dead: 12. A Disturbance in the Night 13. The Cat Burglar 14. Alone in the Desert 15. A Special Sort of Bus 16. Stirring in the Sands 17. Lithuania The Waters of Mars: 18. Letter to Earth 19. By Water Borne ... 20. The Fate of Little Adelaide 21. Altering Lives	__________	DISC 2 The End of Time: 01. We Shall Fare Well 02. A Frosty Ood 03. A Dream of Catastrophe 04. All in the Balance 05. A Ruined Gaol 06. Wilf’s Wiggle 07. Minnie Hooper 08. The End Draws Near 09. Gallifrey 10. Final Days 11. The Council of the Time Lords 12. The Master Suite 13. The Ruined Childhood 14. A Chaotic Escape 15. The World Waits 16. A Longing to Leave 17. A Lot of Life Behind Us 18. Dealing with the Menace 19. Speeding to Earth 20. The Time Lords’ Last Stand 21. The Clouds Pass 22. Four Knocks 23. Song for Ten (Reprise) 24. Vale Decem 25. Vale 26. The New Doctor

The two-disc Doctor Who: Series 4 – The Specials soundtrack is due for release in the UK on September 20th 2010 for £11.99.

---

UPDATE:
The official Doctor Who: Series 5 Soundtrack is due for release in November this year. I'll bring you further details on that when they emerge!

---

> Silva Screen

> Pre-order @ Amazon.co.uk

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Torchwood Series 4 Writers

The Chicago Tribune is claiming that Torchwood's head writer and showrunner Russell T Davies has now chosen the writers who, as well as RTD himself, will be writing for Torchwood Series 4 and they are *drumroll*...

• John Shiban (X-Files, The Lone Gunmen, Smallville, Breaking Bad)
• Doris Egan (Smallville, Dark Angel, House)
• Jane Espenson (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Caprica)
• John Fay (two episodes of Torchwood 'Children of Earth' and Clocking Off, Blue Murder, Mobile)

As previously reported on DWF, John Barrowman (our very own Captain Harkness) and Eve Myles (Gwen Cooper-Williams) have been confirmed as returning for Torchwood Series 4 and is a co-production between the American network Starz Entertainment and several branches of the BBC. Filming is due to begin in January 2011 in both the US and in Cardiff for broadcast.

> Visit the new Torchwood Fansite
> DWF - "New Torchwood Members?"
> DWF - "Torchwood Series 4 Confirmed"

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2009 Specials Soundtrack - Release Date & Cover

The release of the official soundtrack for the Doctor Who 2009 Specials ('The Next Doctor', 'Planet Of The Dead', 'Waters Of Mars', and 'The End Of Time'), composed by Murray Gold and conducted by Ben Foster, has now been confirmed by Silva Screen.

Although, nothing has been heard of any track listings or even a Series 5 soundtrack, Amazon.co.uk has also revealed the probable release date of the soundtrack and the official cover of it...

Click cover to enlarge.

According to Amazon UK, Doctor Who: Series 4 The Specials Original Television Soundtrack is due for release across the UK on September 20th 2010 and they also say the soundtrack will have two discs.

> Silva Screen
> Amazon.co.uk

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Bernice Summerfield Animated

Doctor Who-authorised audio play company Big Finish has released a teaser trailer and a press release for their upcoming 10-minute animated adventure for the popular novels and audio only companion Bernice Summerfield.

For those who don't know, the archaeologist character originated in the 1992 Virgin Adventures novel 'Love and War' when she joined the Seventh Doctor aboard the TARDIS and continued to do so throughout a total of 45 novels before departing for the final time in 1997's 'The Dying Days'. Bernice then gained her own series of 22 novels later in 1997 that would then be made in full-cast audios by Big Finish the following year with Lisa Bowerman's first 'appearance' as the character, a role which she has continued to play ever since.

Lisa Bowerman is back as Benny, who is returning to her roots as an archaeologist – although it isn’t long before she’s being pursued through the ruins of an alien world by a deadly adversary.


Dead and Buried is animated by Alex Mallinson, who has been working on the project for months.


“I’ve created animated trailers for Cyberman and Dalek Empire in the past but this is a much more complicated prospect,” he says. “John Ainsworth and Eddie Robson have written a cracking yarn which is proving a joy and a challenge to animate.


"It’s taken weeks of patient construction, animation, rendering and compositing but it doesn’t truly spring to life until Matthew Cochrane’s evocative sound design is added. However it’s still proven more work than any of us imagined, which is why Benny Series 11 has been delayed a month. I hope this will make up for it!”

The Bernice Summerfield: 'Dead And Buried' animated adventure is due for release on September 1st 2010 for free on the Big Finish website and will lead into the events of the Bernice Summerfield audio Series 11 episode 1.

> Big Finish website

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