Tennant describes 'sad' farewell

The BBC News website has an interview with David Tennant in which David describes the emotional turmoil involved in filming his final scenes in Doctor Who. The article also contains a 3 minute video with David and Russell T. Davies on the final adventure.

It also confirms that The Waters of Mars due to be broadcast on 15th November will be dedicated to Barry Letts, who died earlier this month.

If you want to read the full spoiler free interview on the BBC News website, click here.

Waters of Mars date confirmed

It has been confirmed by David Tennant this morning that the Waters of Mars will air on Sunday 15th November.

Not long now folks.......

This is brilliant......

Trailer for episode 2 of Dr Who 2009 (Fan film)

Ooooh, this looks interesting....... if you're into this kind of thing!!

Russell & Liz this morning

Hi all, here is a great clip from YouTube taken from an interview on BBC1 with Russell & Liz to promote today's episode of SJA. Liz looks amazing and Russell is his usual warm self. Enjoy.

Alternative 1996 Movie Opening titles

This is really (well it depends what you're into I suppose) interesting..... It is apparently a version of the opening titles with the voiceover provided by the master rather than Paul McGann. If you look close enough we get a brief glimpse of Skaro's finest.......

Baby News!!

Just a quick not to say that one of our regulars Craig and his wife Katherine have had a baby girl called Freya Martha Rose Lightowler weighing in at 7lb 10oz. All are doing well and congratulations.

Tardis Spotted on East Coast

Hi all,

we have just spend a nice long weekend on the East Coast and whilst we were passing a place called Reighton the kids started shouting "Tardis, Tardis" so I had to pull over for a closer look. There was indeed a full sized Tardis attached to the side of an out building in the car park of pub. The pub was shut and we passed it 3 times more and it was still shut which is a shame as I would loved to have found out why there was a police box in the car park. Here are a few of the pictures I took and if any of you are passing Rieghton village then make sure you have a look........

Hammiest Villains... Ever!

Digital Spy have compiled a list of Doctor Who's Hammiest Villains.

Love them or hate them, Digital Spy have planted their tongue firmly in their cheek to give us their rundown on our pork-packed menaces from all across the universe.

The article also contains some video clips, so not only can you read along with the embarrassment, you can relive it too!

To have a giggle or groan at these pure Who gems, click here.

Dr Who Christmas Special Preview on Childen in Need

The BBC has confirmed that there will be a preview of the 2009 Doctor Who Christmas Special on this years Children in Need on Friday 20th November.

November is looking like a bumper month for Who fans with the next Doctor Who special The Waters of Mars to air in the same month.

New Tardis interior and Monster (Spoilers)

Evening all. Please look away now if you don't want to be spoiled but I suspect most of you wont. Here are some great pictures of whats inside the new Tardis design and a new creature taken from filming of the new series. Enjoy....

And....... some actual footage of the filming itself. Let the debate start as to what is possibly going on.......!!

In Pictures: Tennant joins 'Sarah Jane'

Digital Spy have some pictures from the upcoming episode of The Sarah Jane Adventures called 'The Wedding Of Sarah Jane Smith' guest staring David Tennant.

Please be warned, these pictures do contain some spoilers as to the content of the episode (aside from the fact that David Tennant is in it), so if you do not want to be spoiled then don't click here.

The 10 Doctors

Now this is a bit weird but quite interesting...... what if.....?

The Guardian of the Solar System trailer

Here is a teaser trailer for the next instalment in the fan made Doctor Who 2009 series. It follows on from the excellent Fire and Ice which featured the Ice Warriors.

RSC's Hamlet to Air on Christmas Day

The Royal Shakespeare Company's televised production of Hamlet staring David Tennant and Patrick Stewart is to air on Christmas Day according to a report in the Oxford Times.

Although no broadcast time has yet been announced, it will no doubt be a bumper Christmas for all fans with the first part of David's swan-song as The Doctor also airing on the same day.

The full article can be read by clicking here, which also gives a few details about Richard Wilson's debut with the RSC as Malvolio in Twelfth Night.

More details of the RSC’s forthcoming season can be found by visiting www.rsc.org.uk

Dr Who Writers Event

I have just spent an entertaining and enlightening couple of hours in the company of 4 prolific Doctor Who writers at the Morley Literature festival. Between them Mark Morris, Robert Shearman, Simon Guerrier and Mark Michalowski have written for comics, Big Finish audios, BBC books ant in the case of Rob Shearman the TV show itself with the critically acclaimed Dalek.

The evenings compare started off with a slight introduction and a quick quiz before bringing the writers onto the stage. What followed was a panel style interview whereby they were all asked questions about their writing experiences and their own thoughts on Dr Who past and present. What came out was that each of them are really big fans of the show and this was made more evident by their extensive knowledge of the history of Dr Who.

After 20 minutes the 60 or so strong audience were invited to ask the panel any question they liked. What was nice about this is that there were a lot of children who put their hands in the air and surprisingly asked more questions about the original run of the series as opposed to the Eccleston / Tennant era. I asked one of the best questions of the night but if you want to know what it was and what the answer was then you will have to ask me...........

All of the 4 guys on stage were genuinely nice people and answered even some of the more mundane questions with great enthusiasm. At the end of the show there was the usual book signing session and I managed to get 5 minutes at the end with them when everyone had gone...... and we didn't talk about Dr Who....... Like the title of this blog says - its "not just Dr Who"

The Dark Dimension

Doctor Who left our screens in 1989. I know because I was there..... every year, month, day, hour was a countdown for news of a return and then in 1993 there was a rumour that we would be getting a 30th anniversary special entitled "The Dark Dimension" which would feature ALL of the surviving Doctors......... Sadly it was never made but you can read all about what could have been here.

I for one am fascinated by what could have been however if it had been made then the time lines would have altered and who knows what the world would be like now........????

Dr Who - Fire And Ice

Doctor Who 2009 is an American based group who make amateur Dr Who films which are outstanding in quality. The production values and special effects eclipse the original run of the series up until 1989. Their first release, Fire and Ice featuring the Ice Warriors is available to download for free or watch on YouTube. They are currently making part 2 of a 13 episode run.

You can enjoy the episode below. Let me know what you think.....

Blackpool Doctor Who Museum to Close

It has been reported in the national press that the Blackpool Doctor Who Museum is to close on 8th November for the last time with the collection redistributed to other Doctor Who Exhibitions around the UK.

This is truly sad news, and (at first) I thought it was a wind-up, but after some meticulous research I have confirmed it is indeed correct.

More details can be found on the official Doctor Who Exhibitions & Museums page by clicking here.

New Sarah Jane trailer

Ok, so whilst not strictly Dr Who he is actually appearing for one story and Sarah Jane is one of the most memorable companions.... the trailer looks great too, I can't wait for Thursday!

Locations & Missing Scripts

Whilst browsing the web I came across these 2 sites which will be of interest to any Dr Who fan. The first is a project to list and give as much information on stories that were never made and can be found here.

The second is a filming location guide and can be found here.

Isn't the internet great?

Richard Curtis reveals 'Who' episode details

Richard Curtis has revealed some details about the upcoming Doctor Who episode he has written.

I am not one for dropping spoilers onto people that may not necessarily want to read them... but if you do want to read the few tiny titbits of information that have been released, click here.

New series spoof

Whilst I'm on a roll I came across this tongue in cheek look at the forthcoming Matt Smith era. Very good!!

Every Dr Who Story.....

Here is a great little montage I found on YouTube which takes us through the entire history of the show and has a clip of every story set to a great soundtrack too.... I hope you all enjoy it!

Barry Letts (1925 - 2009)

It is with a heavy heart that I must report the passing of Barry Letts, producer of Doctor Who from 1970 to 1974, who has died at the age of 84.

Although his role a producer for the Jon Pertwee era will be the one he is most remembered for, his association with the program began in 1968 when he directed the Pat Toughton serial Enemy of the World before accepting the role of producer.

Having read some of the obituaries that have been published, I was unaware that not only did he produce the Jon Pertwee era, but also directed several serials, and wrote as well! He is also credited with creating Liz Sladen's character Sarah Jane Smith, and of course, casting Tom Baker as the Fourth Doctor.

After handing over the production rains to Philip Hinchcliffe, he still remained closely connected with the program including directing, writing novels and novelisations, returning as Executive Producer in 1980 to oversee John Nathan-Turner's first year on the series, attending conventions, providing DVD commentaries, and appearing in numerous documentaries about the program.

One of my favourite Barry Letts stories is the redesign of the Console Room, designed by Tim Gleeson, for the Jon Pertwee story The Time Monster. Barry went on to tell how he disliked the new design immensely and felt that the new roundels resembled plastic washing-up bowls stuck to the wall!

Although he is best known for his connection with Doctor Who, he did go on to produce other programs and adaptations for the BBC such as Great Expectations, A Tale of Two Cities, The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Invisible Man, Alice in Wonderland, and was nominated for a BAFTA for his production of Jane Eyre.

It is with certainty I can say that Barry will be sorely missed by the whole of the Doctor Who community, but the he will always be fondly remembered and the legacy he leaves behind makes him immortal!

Time War '09: Magna, Rotherham

This looks like a great little event on 14th November. I will certainly be there with the kids.......

INFORMATION FOR PUBLIC
Come meet the Doctor, Daleks, companions and enemies!
People turning up at the event in costume will be given a free pass!
There will be a room dedicated to kids activities which will focus on painting/building daleks, colouring and face painting!
There will be a costume competition for children on the day.
A room/area will be designated for putting on display part-build daleks and parts etc so you can see what makes them tick!
TICKET prices: http://www.visitmagna.co.uk/content/84/ticket-prices
Any questions you might have feel free to contact the Admins for this event or leave a message at the bottom of the page.

UPDATE

Here is a run down of what will be there....

* Daleks trundeling about (20+!)
* An 'Audience with the Daleks'
* "Time Slip" - the Doctor comes face-to-face with a familiar foe
* GUEST: Al Davison of 'Astral Gypsy', artist (TBC)
(The Doctor: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikfM9m75HeeYsMcw5IAV-TE2jxXKNXr3b4zKbHW9XbLsEr6MqIglsoppo0wYDWTl1Pz4zXCRG2CfKDwyosqK86WBpWterTOgnreGfNL-s4OBFgiuvK5DrG11D5GSNX5tqts3muug7P99ri/s1600-h/The+Doctor.jpg)
* Kids activities, including making and painting and face-painting!
* Several TARDISs (...or TARDI?)
* 1 TARDIS console room: retro/'60s-style TARDIS console room set (from 'The Schrodinger Effect')
* Screenings of the Children in Need special episode 'Pudsai' - featuring no less than 11 spin-off/fan-film 'Doctor's
* Bessie, the Doctor's car! (TBC)
* Torchwood's black Range Rover (TBC)
* 'Doctor Who' props (includes weapons of various descriptions and masks!)
* A 'how to?' on prop building (Daleks guns and latex masks)



INFORMATION FOR DALEK OWNERS/MINDERS
The daleks have full run of the place (yes, even STORM can roam free!) inside and out,
The main location for the daleks is known as 'The Face of Steel' room.
FREE food and drink to all throughout the day
Green room area away from the public for breaks will be provided
FREE pass to the museum for anyone bringing a dalek and any minders/members of family accompanying them. There is plenty to do and fun for all the family - tickets are normally priced at £14 family ticket !
A room/area will be designated for putting on display part-build daleks and parts etc. We are looking at members being able to have talks with the public (Volunteers please!)
Local TV and radio will be attending this event so a good chance of getting your dalek on telly.
We have a stage area with in house PA system (as used by 'The Artic Monekies'!) that a Magna crew will operate for us and we are planning on doing a Dr Who show and 'Audience with the Daleks', so any daleks wanting to EXTERMINATE Richard (I mean the Doctor) and have a bash on stage we will sort out on the day.

Anyone wishing to bring a dalek along to this event
Please contact Raymond @ Raymondhyd@aol.com
before the event ! cheers.

INFORMATION FOR CHARACTERS/ACTORS
There will be costume performers appearing on the day dressed as characters from Dr Who, and if you are interested in joining them put your name forward please by messaging us. This would be for those that do not just 'cosplay' but perform as the character. For further information or advice please contact us or Rose Wynn (see attendees)
FREE food and drink to all throughout the day
Changing-room facilities will be provided on site
Green room provided for 'off stage' periods throughout the day


If anyone has any further questions or information please get in touch with the admins and we look forward to seeing everyone at the event!

Richard and Raymond

No more sonic screwdriver?

Here is a picture taken from the filming of what appears to be episode one of the new series as Matt is wearing DT's brown pinstripe suit. It also seems that he is having some kind of problems with his sonic device........

Dr Who Writers Event in Leeds

On Wednesday 14th October there is a special event taking place in Morley, Leeds as part of the annual Literature festival. Here are some more details from their Facebook link;

Daleks. A tardis. Assistants. Time travel. Doctoring. Davros. Scary stuff.

Fans of Doctor Who – of all ages! – are in for a special treat at this year’s festival: Doctor Who writers Mark Morris, Robert Shearman, Simon Guerrier and Mark Michalowski will be hosting an event at Morley Library, talking about their work and answering your questions. It’s sure to be hugely popular, so buy a ticket!

Robert Shearman was one of the writers for the BAFTA-award-winning first series of Doctor Who, starring Christopher Eccleston. He is also a playwright and writer of short stories.

Mark Morris is author of almost twenty books, including four in the Doctor Who range, as well as a Torchwood novel and several Doctor Who audio scripts.

Simon Guerrier has written novels, short stories, comic strips and audio plays for Doctor Who, as well as Primeval, Robin Hood, Blake’s 7 and Sapphire and Steel.

Mark Michalowski is author of four Doctor Who novels, and founding editor of Yorkshire’s very own gay newspaper, SHOUT! He also writes short stories, and is currently working on a novel to tie in with the second series of BBC3 drama Being Human.

Moths Ate My Dr Who Scarf

Here is my review of the production which a few of us went to see recently....

Last night I took my wife (who casually enjoys the odd new episode of Doctor Who, probably due to the aesthetic value of its leading man) to see the highly acclaimed Moths ate my Doctor Who Scarf, written by and starring Toby Hadoke, at the Carriageworks in Leeds.

Toby, like me grew up in the 1970s and, like me is a Doctor Who fan and makes it clear that hes not going to apologise for it. His one man show takes us on a journey through his life, starting with his his father leaving home at a young age (suggesting that the character of Doctor Who was in part a replacement father figure) and recounting the familiar setting of Saturday nights watching a certain Time Lord in the 1970s. He even knitted a Tom Baker scarf!

As we progress through his school days, Toby recounts tales of being bullied, spectacularly failing to get off with girls and his ability to name every actor who had ever appeared in Doctor Who. The show is funny, very funny. He interweaves comedy routines, social comment and Doctor Who facts seamlessly whilst tugging at your emotions when we learn that he struggled to bond with his young son but it was the Doctor who saved the day! His recount of how his son had asked (as a treat) if he could stay up late to watch Doctor Who with his dad was made even more poignant when his son asked if he could cuddle him during the scary bits. Grown men were filling up at this stage.

If I were more talented and was brave enough to get up on stage in front of a few hundred people then I would be saying exactly the same things as Toby. His life is my life and this is all because of Doctor Who. All the way through the show he shows us why it is the greatest show ever.

Towards the end of the show we heard the voice of David Tennant himself coming out of the speakers announcing the he was back. This was to illustrate the announcement in 2003 the show was returning. Toby went to dig out his scarf in celebration but it had been eaten by moths, the crowning glory of the show was the revelation that, well I’m not going to spoil it for anyone who hasn’t seen it.

I urge everyone in the world to see this show. You don’t have to be a fan to be moved by it but if you are you will have a different experience.

The Projection Room - Fan films

If anyone out there is feeling a little starved of new episodes then why not have a look into fan made films? One group based in Leeds called the Projection Room have a good selection of films in their archive and they are planning on filming a new mini series next year.

New filming pictures 05/10/09

Here are a few pictures featuring Matt & Karen which shows the Doctor in DT's costume & Karen dressed as a sexy policewoman.......

Hello all

Hi and welcome to our new blog for Doctor Who fans in Leeds. Please check out our website on here too

October's "Who Do"

Saturday 3rd October saw a fantastic turn out for our monthly get together The new website was announced and people were asked to contribute to the content so please make sure you have a look at it here .

Roger Mitchell very kindly compiled a questionnaire which featured some amusing if not random questions which attendees were asked to fill out. These Q & A sessions will be posted on the main website soon.

Following a great night out at “Moths ate my Dr Who Scarf” Nick Ryder was asked to write a review for another well know Who blog. You can read it here

Our next meeting will be on Saturday 7th November so make sure you come along for a great afternoon…..