Tardis Base - Here for YOU & WHO

Doctor Who/Star Trek Comic Crossover Confirmed

2012-02-15T02:46:00.001Z

IDW have revealed that they are releasing a Doctor Who/Star Trek crossover comic series, becoming the second officially licenced Doctor Who crossover with another franchise (the other being Dimensions In Time, a charity special crossover with Eastenders). Read a press release below:

In conjunction with BBC Worldwide Consumer Products and CBS Consumer Products, IDW Publishing will make history when two of the greatest science-fiction properties of all time come together in a comic book for the first time. The world’s most popular time traveler teams up with the U.S.S. Enterprise crew in STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION/DOCTOR WHO: ASSIMILATION2, taking fans on an adventure where no man has gone before.

“By joining these two sci-fi powerhouses, fans will be taken on the ultimate adventure through time and space,” said Liz Kalodner, executive vice president and general manager of CBS Consumer Products.

Launching in May, STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION/DOCTOR WHO: ASSIMILATION2 will feature fan-favorite villains the Borg and the Cybermen as they create an unholy alliance resulting in potential disaster for all humanity. Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise find themselves joining forces with the Doctor and his companions, with the fate of the galaxy hanging in the balance.

“We are excited about this new adventure for the Doctor and the fact that he will be travelling with Captain Jean-Luc Picard and his iconic crew. This is a perfect partnership for not only Doctor Who’s incredible fans, but also for the brand. We have just celebrated our most successful year yet. Doctor Who’s latest season delivered record ratings for BBC AMERICA and it was most downloaded full TV seasons of 2011 in the U.S. on the iTunes Store,” says Soumya Sriraman, executive vice president Home Entertainment and Licensing.

This eight-issue series will be written by Scott and David Tipton, the authors of critically acclaimed Star Trek: Infestation, with a helping hand from longtime Doctor Who writer Tony Lee, and will feature fully painted artwork by J.K. Woodward (Fallen Angel).

Fans are encouraged to ask their retailers about the rare wraparound photo cover. Plus, artist Joe Corroney (Star Trek Ongoing) will provide a variant cover featuring the Doctor and friends aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise.

Doctor Who and Star Trek are two hugely successful franchises that began as television series, and have expanded into a number of other media, including comic books, which continue to captivate fans all over the world. Nearly five decades and 1,500 episodes in the making, this is the moment that both Trekkers and Whovians have waited for all their lives!

STAR TREK TNG/DOCTOR WHO: ASSIMILATION2 ($3.99, 32 pages, full color) will be available in stores in May 2012.

Doctor Who: "Darkstar Academy" Audio Exclusive

2012-02-13T03:12:00.002Z

Check out the cover and synopsis for a new Doctor Who audio exclusive titled "Darkstar Academy" which is written by Mark Morris and read by Alexander Armstrong, due for release on March 8th.

When the TARDIS is buffeted by ‘time slippage’, the Doctor experiences a terrible vision of the end of everything. Tracking the source of the disruption, he takes Rory and Amy to what appears to be an English public school in the 1950s. But as the friends are about to discover, there are some very unusual things about Darkstar Academy. For a start the prefects carry guns, and then there is the strange forcefield that surrounds the perimeter. Not to mention the foot-long, crab-like creatures with spiny, armoured bodies... When the Doctor learns the truth about the Academy, he also discovers that the whole place is in terrible danger. But with a swarm of carnivorous creatures on the loose, what can he, Amy and Rory do to help prevent a terrible disaster?

Written specially for audio by Mark Morris, “Darkstar Academy” features the Doctor, Amy and Rory as played by Matt Smith, Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill in the acclaimed hit series from BBC Television. It is read by Alexander Armstrong, who played Reg Arwell in the 2011 Christmas special “The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe”.

Torchwood 'Army of One' Set Post-Miracle Day

2012-02-11T13:29:00.001Z

The synopsis for the new audio exclusive Torchwood story "Army of One" is now available and reveals that the adventure takes place after "Miracle Day", becoming the first spin-off product of the show to venture forward with the story of Torchwood. Read the synopsis for "Army of One" below:

Kai Owen reads this exclusive audio adventure set after the conclusion of ‘Miracle Day’, featuring Gwen Cooper and Rhys Williams.

Washington D.C., post-Miracle. The city has been hit by a spate of very unusual serial killings. The victims are different ages and genders and the locations vary, but each body has one thing in common – it has been reduced to a dried-up, dessicated husk.

Special Agent Lucas Avery has dealt with some tricky puzzles in his time, but this is stranger than anything he’s ever encountered. His one lead is a pair of names: ‘Gwen’ and ‘Rhys’...

For Gwen Cooper and Rhys Williams, still recovering from the recent, traumatic events that shook the world, life is about to get difficult and dangerous again. For it’s not just Homeland Security on their trail, but something else – something alien, terrifying and deadly...

Army of One has a running time of 1 hour and 10 minutes and will be released on CD and download on March 8th. Pre-order it from Amazon or AudioGo.

The Sarah Jane Adventures: Children of Steel - Review

2012-02-09T18:05:00.001Z

Following the release of The Sarah Jane Adventures series 5 on DVD and Blu-ray this week, we thought it would be fitting to review Sarah Janes final off screen adventures, experienced in the form of audio.

"Children of Steel" starts out with Sarah Jane and the gang bidding for what seems to be an old Victorian brass head at an auction, but actually turns out to be a research probe from the future with an active brain, created to act as a servant.

Unlike previous audios in the Sarah Jane range, this is the first one not read by Elisabeth Sladen, sadly. However Daniel Anthony brings the adventure to life thanks to the descriptive writing of Martin Day which creates vivid images for the listener. The audiobook is produced to the finest detail with some great sound effects through-out which add to the atmosphere.

One problem I found was how Sky Smith acted nothing like how her character does on television. She is full of knowledge and wit in this adventure, despite not knowing what the word 'girl' or 'pizza' meant in the series. It should be noted that the audiobook was written before Sky was even introduced to the series, so this can be forgiven.

Doctor Who fans will enjoy a reference to the Doctor, and the story seems to pay tribute to the classic story 4th Doctor and Sarah Jane story "Robot" as both see Sarah Jane feeling emotionally attached to robots!

With a running length of 1 hour and 5 minutes, this audiobook provides a feast of entertainment leaving fans with the final adventures of the heroic Sarah Jane Smith.

You can download "Children of Steel" or buy it on CD from BBC Audio Go here.

DOCTOR WHO SERIES 7 UPDATE

2012-02-09T15:16:00.001Z

The official Doctor Who website has confirmed that filming on series 7 of Doctor Who will commence on February 20th! Saul Metzstein will be directing the first new episodes to be filmed. See a press statement from the BBC below:

It's almost time. New monsters are becoming real, old friends are returning to Cardiff and somewhere in Wales, a tweed jacket is being taken from its hanger and lovingly dusted off. It can only mean one thing... Filming on the new series of Doctor Who begins on 20 February, 2012!

The first director to shout 'action' will be the award-winning Saul Metzstein whose previous credits include Micro Men (starring Alexander Armstrong and Martin Freeman), the critically acclaimed Late Night Shopping and BBC Wales' Upstairs Downstairs. For the very first time, Doctor Who will be produced at the new BBC Roath Lock Studios in Cardiff, which officially open in March. The production team includes Steven Moffat (Executive Producer and lead writer), Caroline Skinner (Executive Producer) and Marcus Wilson (Producer).

The new series will see Matt Smith return as the Doctor in what Steven Moffat has described as 'the biggest, the best and the most ambitious season we've ever made'. Karen Gillan (Amy) and Arthur Darvill (Rory) are both back, for what will be their final voyage with the Doctor - a thrilling rollercoaster ride which will culminate in a heart-breaking farewell to the Ponds. But there will be more shocks, surprises and adventures to come when the Doctor meets a new friend, in the last very place he could ever have expected...

And yes! We've been promised the return of some old monsters, but some new and terrifying ones lie in wait for the Doctor...

We'll be bringing you all the news about the incredible new series as it emerges, so stay tuned for some big surprises!

Meanwhile the new issue of DWM confirms that Toby Whithouse (The Vampires of Venice, The God Complex) and Chris Chibnall (The Hungry Earth/Cold Blood) are amongst the writers for series 7! Also in relation to series 7, Steven Moffat has once again teased Amy and Rory's departure. Speaking to The University Depature he said:

“I’m writing that right now, the big Rory and Amy heartbreaking finale. It will be quite heartbreaking. I think you’ll be in trouble watching it.”

Can it be Autumn already?

Daniel Radcliffe: "Doctor Who is Matt Smith's Role!"

2012-02-07T19:23:00.001Z

In an interview with Digital Spy, Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe spoke a little bit about Doctor Who and the David Yates movie currently in development.

“I don’t know if I could play him, Matt Smith plays Doctor Who and does a wonderful job. They don’t need me! I would never presume to jump into somebody else’s franchise, not at all.

Eve Myles At SFX Weekender

2012-02-07T19:13:00.001Z

Check out this hilarious clip of Eve Myles at SFX Weekender where she is reminded of something that happened five years ago...

DOCTOR WHO IDW COMIC ISSUE 14

2012-02-04T14:08:00.001Z

Check out the cover for issue 14 of the IDW Doctor Who American comic range. It features the Doctor, Amy, Rory and the return of the Silurians!

The comic is available now in the US or in the UK via digital download from the IDW app on iTunes. The IDW Doctor Who comics are also available in Volumes from Amazon here.

Alex Kingston on The Graham Norton Show Tonight

2012-02-03T19:50:00.001Z

Alex Kingston will be a guest on tonights edition of The Graham Norton Show! During the show, which was filmed earlier this week, Kingston teased Who fans when asked if she will return to Doctor Who: “You may see her again. Who knows? Let’s just say, Upstairs Downstairs and Doctor Who don’t film at the same time.” Watch some previews of Alex on the show below:

The Graham Norton Show airs at 10.35pm on BBC One.

Doctor Who Nightmare of Eden and Ace Adventures DVDs

2012-02-02T12:55:00.003Z

2Entertain have announced details on two new classic Doctor Who DVD releases. Due for release on April 2nd is the classic 4th Doctor story "Nightmare of Eden" on DVD. May 7th will see the release of the "Ace Adventures" boxset featuring two classic stories with the 7th Doctor and Ace. See the cover and details for these releases below:

Two spacecraft fuse in a hyperspace collision, and with the dimensional instabilities threatening everyone aboard, it’s fortunate the Doctor (Tom Baker), Romana (Lalla Ward) and K-9 arrive to help.

But when a crewmember is found clawed by a ferocious creature, it seems there’s something even more frightening stalking the corridors.

But what can this have to do with a zoologist, Professor Tryst, his CET projection machine, and a planet called Eden?

Special features…
*Commentary with actors Lalla Ward (Romana) and Peter Craze (Costa), writer Bob Baker, effects designer Colin Mapson and make-up designer Joan Stribling. Moderated by Toby Hadoke
*The Nightmare of Television Centre – A look back at a somewhat troubled production with three of the behind-the-scenes crew who worked on it
*Going Solo – Writer Bob Baker talks about The Nightmare of Eden
*The Doctor’s Strange Love with comedian Josie Long and writers Joe Lidster and Simon Guerrier
*Ask Aspel – LallaWard’s appearance on the popular BBC children’s show
*Radio Times Listings (DVD-ROM)
*Programme Subtitles
*Production Information Subtitles
*Photo Gallery
*Coming Soon Trailer
*Digitally Remastered Picture And Sound Quality

In these two classic stories Ace joins the Seventh Doctor aboard the TARDIS where she’s soon battling a biomechanoid and liberating a world where just feeling sad can get you shot!

Dragonfire:
On the planet Svartos, the Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) and Mel unexpectedly encounter an old friend – Sabalom Glitz. Joined by Ace, a teenage waitress with a love for explosives, the group ventures off to find the fabled Dragonfire treasure.

The Happiness Patrol:
On the planet Terra Alpha, the population constantly displays happy smiles. Anyone feeling remotely glum disappears. Quickly. Having heard disturbing rumours, the Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) and Ace arrive to topple the entire regime.

Special Features…

Dragonfire:
Commentary
Deleted / extended scenes
Trivia subtitles
Video & audio restoration
Coming Soon Trailer
Radio Times Billings (PDF)
Making-of documentary
Photo gallery
Danny Bang – documentary
The Doctor’s Strange Love – documentary

The Happiness Patrol
Commentary
“Ace” wishes Blue Peter Happy Birthday (archive clip)
Isolated score
Deleted / extended scenes
Trivia subtitles
Video & audio restoration
Coming Soon Trailer
Radio Times Billings (PDF)
Making-of documentary
Photo gallery
Politics In Doctor Who – documentary

Pre-order 'Nightmare of Eden' here and the 'Ace Adventures' boxset here.

DOCTOR WHO MAGAZINE ISSUE 444 COVER

2012-01-31T16:19:00.002Z

The Doctor Who Magazine Twitter page has unveiled the cover for issue 444 of their magazine, out next Thursday, February 9th. Check out the cover below!

TORCHWOOD: 'ARMY OF ONE' COVER

2012-01-30T16:42:00.001Z

The cover for the first of three new Torchwood audio exclusive adventures has surfaced online today. The audiobook, titled "Army of One" is written by Ian Edginton and read by Kai Owen who plays Rhys Williams. The story seems to be centered around Gwen and Rhys, possibly set after Miracle Day, however those details and the synopsis are yet to be released.

Army of One will be available on CD and download from March 8th.

Doctor Who Series 7 Filming Begins February 20th

2012-01-26T20:05:00.002Z

Matt Smith told BBC News 24 on the Red Carpet before the National Television Awards that filming for series 7 of Doctor Who will commence on February 20th, with rehearsals beginning on the 13th! Make sure you keep a look out for filming reports and on-set pictures very soon!

Eve Myles: "Nothing’s Going to Happen in 2012"

2012-01-26T15:00:00.003Z

Eve Myles was interviewed by CultBox.co.uk regarding the future of Torchwood, and finally we have word on what's going down with Torchwood in 2012. And that is nothing. Eve remains hopeful for some sort of conclusion to Torchwood: "Who knows what will happen in 2013. Maybe a movie, to kinda draw a line under it." See an extract from the interview below:

What’s the latest you’ve heard on the future of Torchwood?

"As far as I know at the moment, everything’s still very much on hold. Russell [T Davies] has things happening in his personal life.

"John [Barrowman] is very much on the same page as me, in that if and when they need us, they can just pick the phone up and we will be there before they’ve even put the phone down, because it’s something we love doing.

"Nothing’s going to happen in 2012, I know that much for sure. But who knows what will happen in 2013. Maybe a movie, to kinda draw a line under it.

"That’s the thing about Torchwood, every series we’ve changed our format. We’ve always had a gap in between, so fingers crossed, because we’ve got such an outstanding loyal fan base. They deserve Torchwood to go ahead with something else to draw a line under it, for the fans to have a bit of closure.

With the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who coming up next year, would you be up for returning as Gwen for that?

"Um, I said something at one of these conventions and the press kinda jumped on it: “EVE MYLES THINKS BEING INVOLVED IN THE 50TH ANNINVERSARY OF DOCTOR WHO IS INAPPROPRIATE.”

"Now, this has come across wrong and I want to get this out that I didn’t mean it like that! What I meant was that the direction we were taking with Torchwood was very violent kind of storylines. The characters were going through certain narratives that are pretty hefty and adult. What I meant was that it’s difficult for a character to do those kind of scenes then do Doctor Who, which my niece and my nephews watch. And I would never let them watch Torchwood!

"It’s a difficult crossover. It works with Captain Jack because John does it beautifully. If I was asked it would be an absolute honour to be involved with something as huge as Doctor Who again.

"We were born from Doctor Who and we will be eternally grateful to the mothership. And I always say that and that never gets printed! If I was involved, I’m sure it’d be a wonderful thing but there’s been no phone call or no talk about it so I doubt very much that I will be involved, but I’d be honoured."

Eve Myles also talks about her upcoming role in the play "All New People" here. The play opens in London on February 22nd.

VIDEO: MATT AND KAREN WIN BIG AT NTAS

2012-01-25T23:33:00.006Z

Congratulations to Matt Smith and Karen Gillan on winning their very first National Television Awards earlier tonight! Matt won Best Male Drama Performance whilst Karen picked up the Best Female Drama Performance award, becoming the first companion to do so since Billie Piper won back in 2006! Sadly Doctor Who lost out on the Best Drama award to Downton Abbey, but Doctor Who has enough awards under its belt to last a life time! Watch Matt Smith and Karen Gillans acceptance speeches in the players below, plus a backstage interview with Matt!

NATIONAL TELEVISION AWARDS TONIGHT!

2012-01-25T15:39:00.002Z

Voting has now closed for the National Television Awards! The award ceremony will broadcast live from the O2 in London tonight at 7.30pm on ITV1. Doctor Who is up against Merlin, Waterloo Road and Downton Abbey in the Best Drama category, whilst Matt Smith is up for the Best Male Drama Performance award, against none other than John Barrowman, for his work on Torchwood: Miracle Day, as well as Martin Clunes (Doc Martin) and David Threlfall (Shameless). Karen Gillan and Eve Myles are both nominated for the Best Female Drama Award against Jaye Jacobs (Waterloo Road) and Suranne Jones (Scott & Bailey) for their work in Doctor Who and Torchwood respectively.

Who are you backing to win tonight?

THE ETERNITY CLOCK GAMEPLAY TRAILER!

2012-01-23T16:20:00.003Z

Here is the very first gameplay trailer for Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock! The trailer gives us a glimpse on what the game will be like in terms of graphics and gameplay, and reveals that it will be available this March! Watch the trailer below:

Read the latest on The Eternity Clock here.

Doctor Faces Vikings and Princess in New Novel

2012-01-22T15:18:00.001Z

Writer Jenny Colgan has told BBC News some details about her upcoming Doctor Who novel, Dark Horizons. The 320 page book tells of Matt Smith's Doctor arriving on the Western Isles to play on the chess set. He finds the islands under attack by a mysterious fire and also encounters Vikings and a kidnapped princess.

Colgan said: "Writing Dark Horizons has been, as my friends and family already know, a dream come true for me. I grew up on Terrance Dicks and I'm beyond thrilled to be joining the ranks of Doctor Who novelists".

Albert De Petrillo, senior editorial director at BBC Books said:

"We were deeply impressed with the originality and enthusiasm she brought to the task of writing an 11th Doctor adventure. Dark Horizons is simply a terrific Doctor Who story - fast-paced, thrilling and often quite funny, it captures Matt Smith's Doctor perfectly and introduces some very memorable new characters as well. It's a testament to Jenny's range as a writer of quality commercial fiction, and a book I'm proud to publish on the Doctor Who list."

Dark Horizons is due for release on July 5th. Read more about it here.

Watch Matt Smiths Interview With 'One Plus One'

2012-01-21T16:31:00.001Z

Matt Smith was interviewed by Australian TV show "One Plus One" to talk about Doctor Who. Watch the full interview in the player below:

Sylvester McCoy & Sophie Alred Talk 50th Anniversary

2012-01-21T16:01:00.002Z

Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Alred, known to Doctor Who fans as the 7th Doctor and his companion Ace, shared their thoughts on the 50th anniversary with Shadowlocked. Sophie Alred also revealed that Russell T Davies was planning to bring Ace into The Sarah Jane Adventures! Watch the interview below:

KAREN GILLAN COVERS THIS WEEKS RADIO TIMES

2012-01-20T13:07:00.002Z

Karen Gillan is the cover star on today’s Radio Times, for her new drama We’ll Take Manhattan, in which she plays 60s model Jean Shrimpton.

In her interview with Radio Times, Karen Gillan talks about leaving Doctor Who:

“It was a completely mutual agreement,” she insists of the recent news that she is to leave the show. Steven Moffat and I decided when would be the best time for Amy to go.” Gillan might know when, but she doesn’t know how – only that Moffat has promised it will be heartbreaking: “I’d like to see her go out in flames of glory.”

Her first post-Who project will be Not Another Happy Ending, a quirky indie film – “It’s a great script, really funny” – in which Gillan will play an eccentric author with writer’s block. And after that? Does Hollywood appeal? “Ooo, that would be really fun. I like the States.”

DOCTOR WHO DARK HORIZONS COVER AND DETAILS

2012-01-19T15:01:00.001Z

BBC Books have released the cover and some information on their new Doctor Who release titled “Dark Horizons”, written by J.T. Colgan. This standalone novel consists of 320 pages and is due for release on July 5th 2012 for £12.99.

Pre-order Dark Horizons for a cheaper price of £9.74 from Amazon here.

Will you be buying this book?

FIRST LOOK AT THE ETERNITY CLOCK!

2012-01-18T16:36:00.003Z

At last we have our very first look at Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock! Today three screenshots were released teasing fans of the new platform game set for release on the Playstation 3, PS Vita and PC this Spring. The screenshots are taken from the in-game engine (i.e not from a cutscene) which highlight the brilliant graphics we can expect. See the images below:

A new trailer for the game will be released later this month. For more information on The Eternity Clock, click here. Sony have listed Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock in their top 12 games to look out for in 2012! Are you going to get it?

JOHN SIMM WANTS TO RETURN AS THE MASTER

2012-01-17T17:08:00.003Z

Actor John Simm has expressed his interest in reprising the role of the Master. When asked on Twitter about the possibility of returning he said: “Of course! Mr Moffat is a brilliant writer.” The tables seem to have turned as the last time John Simm spoke about Doctor Who he said he would just “consider” returning. Follow John Simm on Twitter here.

Would you like the Master to return? Or would you prefer if a new actor played the role? Have your say in the comments below!

MADAME DE POMPADOUR TO RETURN?

2012-01-13T16:59:00.002Z

Steven Moffat and actress Sophia Myles have hinted that Madame De Pompadour, otherwise known as "The Girl in the Fireplace" will be returning to Doctor Who in series 7. The pair posted messages to eachother via Twitter, see them below:

What do you make of this? Would you like Madame De Pompadour to return, or possibly be a new companion? Share your thoughts below!

BBC ANNOUNCE NEW SCRIPT TO SCREEN COMPETITION

2012-01-11T20:51:00.002Z

The BBC have announced another Doctor Who Script to Screen competition for 2012. It gives 9-11 year olds the chance to write a Doctor Who script which will then be made into a short special. Read more from the official Doctor Who website and watch a video of the Doctor talking about the competition below:

Script to Screen is back... And this time, if you're aged 9-11 years old you can write an adventure for the Doctor set anywhere in time and space!

The new competition will be launched by the Doctor himself on Blue Peter on CBBC, Thursday, January 12 at 5.45pm. The challenge is simple. Schoolchildren aged 9-11 should write a mini-episode that features the Doctor in an Olympic-themed adventure. Amy and Rory can be included in the script alongside one of four familiar alien species plus a brand new human character.

You can find out much more about the new Script to Screen on Thursday's Blue Peter, but it's been confirmed that once again, the winning script will be produced by the Doctor Who team and broadcast on the BBC. The winners will meet the stars of the show, visit the set and see their mini-episode being shot.

Script to Screen invites UK primary schools to submit one entry each to the competition and a BBC Learning website is available to give master classes in how to write. Learning resources were downloaded 300,000 times during the 7 weeks the competition was open last year and more than 1000 schools submitted an entry.

Following the 2011 competition a survey found that 96% of teachers believed it was an excellent tool for teaching literacy and writing skills. Steven Moffat, Doctor Who's lead writer and executive producer, reflected, 'I come from a family of teachers, I was a teacher, my father's a teacher, my sister's a teacher. We go back teacher generations so it's hard wired for me to want the approval of teachers so I'm very, very thrilled that its gone down so well with the schools that took part.'

Caroline Skinner, executive producer of Doctor Who, looked forward to the return of Script to Screen and commented, 'It's so exciting to be able to challenge young writers in this way. Doctor Who is such an amazing show to work on. It really sets the imaginations of viewers alight, and it's a thrilling prospect to see where young members of our audience would like to see the Doctor go this time!'

All entries for this year's Script to Screen must be submitted by midnight on Friday, March 16, 2012. To find out more about the competition, watch Blue Peter on CBBC, 5.45pm and you can visit the BBC Learning site to investigate the videos and resources created to help develop writing skills that are out of this world!

Watch the result of last years competition below!

WHO DID ELISABETH SLADEN REPLACE? ANSWERED!

2012-01-10T18:19:00.003Z

One of Doctor Who's oldest mysteries has today been answered! Some of you may or not know that Elisabeth Sladen wasn't the first choice to play Sarah Jane, and she actually replaced the original actress very near to filming starting on Doctor Who's eleventh series.

For many years, it's been a mystery who this woman was, but it has finally been revealed to have been April Walker. Her name was discovered when David Brunt was checking the BBC files for the Production Notes of the DVD release of Invasion of the Dinosaurs and found her name on an old memo.

The story goes that Barry Letts was looking for a replacement for Katy Manning, who was leaving the series, when Lets met April Walker. She soon after signed contracts to become the new companion, but it soon appeared it wasn't going to work out as Jon Pertwee thought they had no chemistry together (and he apparently said she was 'too tall', 'too busty' and 'too dominant').

Barry Letts then found Elisabeth Sladen and the rest is history. Jon Pertwee gave him his thumbs up, and she became the most popular companion in the history of the show. There are so many 'what-ifs' surrounding this story. What if April Walker became Sarah Jane? What would she have been like? Would she have had a similar impact? Would she still be so relevant today? Most likely not...

April Walker never broke through after Doctor Who, and instead have small roles in several shows such as Faulty Towers, Two Ronnies, Morecambe & Wise Show and Waking The Dead.

Watch the video below (skip to 4.40) to see April Walker playing the character of Jean from a 1975 episode of Fawlty Towers - The Wedding Party

Next mystery, just what planet is Tom Baker from?

DOCTOR WHO ADVENTURES #251 COVER AND DETAILS

2012-01-10T17:49:00.003Z

The cover and details for Issue 251 of Doctor Who Adventures have been released, and we have them right here for you.

Inside this issue DWA is looking at some of Doctor Who's most embarrassing monster moments, Amy Pond's life story and behind the scenes of making the Wooden King.

Also inside:

• Talking rubber ducks
•  Monster cringes
•  Forest Walkers
•  10 things you might not know about the Sonic
• The amazing life of Amy Pond
• Vengeance of The Atomon Part 2 (comic)
• Backstage secrets and much more…

This weeks issuse, priced £2.50 comes with free mind boggling puzzle cube…

Will you be getting your copy?

WATCH KAREN GILLAN ON THE GRAHAM NORTON SHOW

2012-01-07T22:27:00.001Z

Karen Gillan was a guest on last nights edition of The Graham Norton Show! Watch her full interview in four parts in the player below:

KAREN GILLAN SAYS AMYS DEATH "COULD BE POSSIBLE"

2012-01-06T16:54:00.002Z

Karen Gillan will be a guest on tonights edition of The Graham Norton show alongside Gerard Butler, Martin Freeman and Noel Gallagher. The actress revealed that it is a "massive relief" that the public now know that she is leaving Doctor Who next year.

"I have known for ages that I am leaving and it’s such a massive relief that it is out and I can speak freely about it. I'm back next year for a few episodes, but it's not actually confirmed when I go."

When asked if Amy could die, she replied:

"I don’t know - it could be possible".

The Graham Norton Show airs at 10.35pm on BBC One tonight.

DOCTOR WHO MAGAZINE ISSUE 443 COVER

2012-01-06T16:16:00.002Z

The Doctor Who Magazine Twitter page has revealed details on Doctor Who Magazine issue 443, on sale next Thursday. The magazine has two covers to choose from, each one featuring the 4th Doctor. See the covers below:

As you can see, each cover focuses on a classic 4th Doctor story by Robert Banks Stewart as it reveals that he is writing a brand new story titled "The Foe From The Future"! Issue 443 is available in shops from next Thursday for the RRP of £4.50.

BARROWMAN HOLLOW EARTH SIGNING EVENTS DETAILS

2012-01-05T20:59:00.004Z

John Barrowman and Carol E. Barrowman are going to be signing copies of their new co-written book, Hollow Earth.

Two dates have been released for the signing events, where they will ONLY be signing copies of Hollow Earth (so unfortunately, no Torchwood/Doctor Who memorabilia).

The two dates confirmed so far are as follows. If more dates are added, we'll update the post:

Saturday 4th February 20121pm - John and Carole will be signing copies of Hollow Earth at Waterstone's, Bluewater West, The Village, Greenhithe, Kent DA9 9SE (Tel: 01322 624831)

Sunday 5th February 20121pm - John and Carole will be signing copies of Hollow Earth at Costco, Hartspring Lane, Watford, Hertfordshire WD25 8JS (Tel: 01923 699800)

Are you going to either of these events?

MATT SAYS SHOW 'HAS TO GET BETTER EVERY YEAR'

2012-01-05T03:14:00.001Z

In a new interview with Radio 1, Matt Smith shared his thoughts on how he thinks Doctor Who should improve with each series. When on the subject of Doctor Who, he said: “We’ve got another year to do and who knows what after that. There’s a long way to go. It’s got to get better. That’s the key, It has to get better every year.” Listen to a snippet of his interview below:

TALKING PLUSH DALEK TOYS

2012-01-05T03:07:00.001Z

The new Paradigm Daleks have come in many forms since their debut on screen last year, but now will be available in plush form for the first time! They are available in four different colours; red, blue, white and yellow, and will be released in February. Read more below:

Underground Toys is pleased to announce the release of an exciting selection of talking plush products for the worldwide hit TV series, Doctor Who. Underground Toys has captured the characters as talking soft toys for the first time!

The Daleks have been hated and feared throughout time and space, so maybe it’s time someone gave them a hug. After all, it just might be worth it to get one on your side!

Showcasing the very best from the Doctor Who rogues’ gallery, this 9-inch tall talking plush features the infamous Dalek in yellow.

The villain’s spoken phrases include: “Exterminate, Exterminate.” and “You would make a good Dalek. You must be destroyed.” But it doesn’t want your destruction… just your admiration. Really!

Pick your favourite colour and order it from Forbidden Planet here!

JOHN BARROWMAN CO-WRITES NEW CHILDREN'S NOVEL

2012-01-03T16:49:00.007Z

John Barrowman has joined with his sister, Carole E. Barrowman once again to co-write a new children's novel. The Novel, Hollow Earth, which is non-Who/Torchwood related is about telepathic twins who have the ability to bring art to life.

Hollow Earth
John and Carol E. Barrowman
R.R.P.: £6.99
Released: 2nd February 2012

Lots of twins have a special connection - being able to finish each other's sentences; sensing what the other is thinking; perhaps even knowing when the other is in trouble or in pain - but for 12-year-old twins, Matt and Emily Calder, the connection is beyond special. Together, the twins have extraordinary powers. They are able to bring art to life, or enter paintings at will. Their abilities are sought by villains trying to access the terrors of Hollow Earth - a place where all the demons, devils and creatures ever imagined lie trapped for eternity. The twins flee with their mother to the security of an island, off the west coast of Scotland, where their grandfather has certain protective powers of his own. But too much is at stake, and the twins aren't safe there either. The villains will stop at nothing to find Hollow Earth and harness the powers within...

Hollow Earth is available for pre-order now, and will be released on 2nd February 2012.

Are you going to buy Hallow Earth?

FINAL CHRISTMAS SPECIAL 2011 RATINGS

2012-01-02T17:36:00.001Z

That final ratings for The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe have been released by BARB.

The festive episode was seen by an official audience of 10.7 Million which is a dramatic rise on the unofficial overnight ratings of 8.9.

This makes Doctor Who the third most watched program on Christmas Day, behind Downton Abbey (11.6 million) and Eastenders (11.33 million).

You can re-live the episode on DVD and Blu-Ray from 16th January 2012.

NATIONAL TELEVISION AWARDS SHORTLIST

2012-01-02T15:51:00.002Z

The shortlist for the National Television Awards 2012 has revealed that Doctor Who will be up against Merlin, Waterloo Road and Downton Abbey in the Best Drama category, whilst Torchwood: Miracle Day didn't make it to the shortlist.

Matt Smith is still up for the Best Male Drama Performance award, against none other than John Barrowman, for his work on Torchwood: Miracle Day, as well as Martin Clunes (Doc Martin) and David Threlfall (Shameless). Remaining in the shortlist for the Best Female Drama Performance award are Karen Gillan and Eve Myles, who are both against Jaye Jacobs (Waterloo Road) and Suranne Jones (Scott & Bailey) for their work in Doctor Who and Torchwood respectively.

Make sure you cast your votes before January 25th here, and tune in to see the award ceremony at 7.30pm on the same day on ITV1.

Who will you be voting to win the Best Male and Female Drama Performance awards? Tell us in the comments below!

DAVID TENNANT MARRIES GEORGIA MOFFAT

2012-01-01T15:51:00.001Z

David Tennant has married his long-term partner, and daughter of Peter Davison, Georgia Moffat.

The pair, who played alongside each other in The Doctor's Daughter married on Friday night in a secret London venue with close family and friends.

Congratulations David and Georgia!

In other news, fangirls hearts across the world shatter into a million pieces.

NEW XMAS ARRIVALS FOR DOCTOR WHO EXPERIENCE

2011-12-30T17:54:00.001Z

The Doctor Who Experience has announced 2 new arrivals for it's exhibit in London.

The Wooden King and the Wooden Queen from the recent Christmas special, The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe will take their place in the exhibit.

To book your tickets, click here.

The Doctor Who Experience will be in London until 22nd February 2012, when it will be moved and re-opened in the new BBC Studios in Cardiff, Wales.

Have you been to the Doctor Who Experience? Are you going? Let us know!

TARDIS BASE MAGAZINE NOW ON ISSUU!

2011-12-30T13:59:00.003Z

Tardis Base Magazine is now available to read on the webs biggest magazine sharing website, Issuu.

As well as downloading the PDF, and using our page viewer, you can now read both issues of the magazine for free on Issuu.

Why choose Issuu? Issuu allows faster loading times than either of our previous options, smoother reading, and more high-quality text! It also allows us (and you) to embed the magazines online. You can view the magazine via our Issuu account by clicking HERE.

Catch up on Tardis Base Magazine and check out both of the newly uploaded issues (on Issuu) below:

(Note, image quality will be lower than the other available options because the issues weren't originally created for such HQ viewing. This will be corrected from Issue 3 onwards).

THE SARAH JANE ADVETURES COMPLETE COLLECTION

2011-12-29T13:45:00.002Z

The DVD cover for The Sarah Jane Adventures Series 1-5 boxset is now available and can be seen below. The boxset contains 12 discs and will go on sale on February 6th for £51.99.

The Complete Sarah Jane Adventures Collection brings together all five series of the award-winning Doctor Who spin-off featuring Sarah Jane, the former companion of the Doctor and her teenage gang of alien investigators.

The Complete First Series:

When Maria Jackson – a seemingly ordinary girl--moves into Bannerman Road, nothing will ever be ordinary again.

The Complete Second Series:

Bannerman Road’s newest arrival is fourteen-year-old Rani Chandra, a wannabe journalist and like Sarah Jane, not the type to let a mystery go unsolved!

The Complete Third Series:

Includes a return of Sarah Jane Smith’s most fearsome enemy yet – the Judoon, as well as a visit from an old friend: the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant).

The Complete Fourth Series:

Sarah Jane is reunited with another of the Doctor's former companions, Jo Grant, and they're joined by the Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith), in an adventure featuring undertaker vultures and a trip to an alien planet.

The Fifth Series:

The bubbly Sky – the Starchild placed in Sarah Jane’s care – settles into Bannerman Road and discovers she has telekinetic powers.

Pre-order The Sarah Jane Adventures Series 1-5 boxset here on Amazon.co.uk, or check out details on the seperate series 5 release on DVD and Blu-ray here.

EXCLUSIVE: FREE DOWNLOADABLE 2012 CALENDAR

2011-12-28T16:53:00.001Z

2012 is literally just around the corner, and what better way to get ready than with a new calendar.

What? You don't have a calendar? Do not fear, because TARDIS Base is here! We have an exclusive downloadable caldendar to take you through the next 2012 months. Click the image below to download, print out, and stick on your wall. It's that easy!

Enjoy!

2012 IS COMING. ARE YOU READY?

2011-12-28T01:45:00.002Z

Another year is almost over, and 2012 is just around the corner. 2012 is a big year for the world. It's the year the Olympics come to London, the year the world ends, and the year Doctor Who is off air until Autumn (sad times).

2012 is also a rather eventful year for the world of Doctor Who. It's the year that in a military base somewhere under Utah a stray Dalek goes on a killing spree and becomes part Rose. It's also the year that Doctor Who predicted we'd have touch-screen glass computers (they got the touch screen bit right). It's also the year that Henry van Statten (the man who owns the Internet) has his memory wiped and is left on the side of the road in an American city beginning with 'S'. Keep a look out for him!

On the note of 'dumping', Adam Mitchell was also dumped back in his (very dated looking) home in 2012 after getting a nice door implanted in his forehead.

Also in 2012, the Doctor carries the Olympic torch to the opening ceremony (imagine), after freeing young Chloe Webber of Isolus and living drawings. Doctor Who predicted that we'd have easy access to TV on our computers (with Chloe watching BBC News 24 on her laptop), which wouldn't have been so easy back in 2006. However, they very wrongly predicted that Shayne Ward would be on his Greatest Hits tour. In actual fact, his third album flopped and he got dropped from his record company. Hard times.

Somewhere in an alternate universe Melanie Bush never met the 6th Doctor and died of a brain tumour at the age of 48 in 2012. 2012 is also the year that Alistair Gryffen from K-9 was born!

What are you most excited for in 2012?

DOCTOR WHO CHRISTMAS OVERNIGHT RATINGS

2011-12-26T12:45:00.002Z

The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe was watched by 8.9 million last night, with 34.2% of the total television audience, according to unofficial overnight ratings. Doctor Who was the third most watched show of the day, behind EastEnders (9.9 million) and Coronation Street (9.0 million). Doctor Who is the fourth most watched show this week. Final ratings, which should see a significant rise in numbers will be released next week by BARB.

POLL RESULTS: BEST CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

2011-12-25T22:49:00.001Z

The poll results are in for the best Doctor Who Christmas special! TARDIS Base readers voted A Christmas Carol as the best festive episode ever with 39% of the vote, with The End of Time Part One coming in second place with 23% of the vote. In third places comes Voyage of the Damned and The Christmas Invasion, which both got the exact same amount of votes. The Runaway Bride got 19% of the vote, leaving The Next Doctor with only 13%, the least voted Christmas special.

But the better question is... where do you place The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe in all of this? Was it your favourite or least favourite Christmas story? Let us know below in the comments!

DIGITAL SPY NAMES DOCTOR WHO BEST SHOW

2011-12-25T22:39:00.001Z

Digital Spy readers have voted Doctor Who as the "best overall show" of 2011! The show was also voted the second "Best TV Drama" behind Downton Abbey. Matt Smith was voted the Best TV Actor and Karen Gillan won Best TV Actress! See the full results list here.

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM TARDIS BASE

2011-12-25T00:00:00.003Z

It's Christmas! If you've visited TARDIS Base just once since October then you'll know that today is a big day for Doctor Who fans, as the website has been keeping regular updates on "The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe" since filming began a few months ago, and now it's finally December 25th, the day the festive special gets its premiere on BBC One!

We would like to thank you all for your support in the launch of our free online magazine, and we hope you enjoyed the build up to Christmas over the last couple of weeks with The Bases of Christmas. More importantly though, we hope you have an amazing Christmas and enjoy Doctor Who without any disturbances!

ETERNITY CLOCK RELEASE DATE COMING IN NEW YEAR

2011-12-24T14:36:00.001Z

The official Twitter page for Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock has revealed that a release date for the upcoming platform game will be coming in the new year. Stay tuned! The official Twitter page also revealed some other tidbits about the game, see them in our older post here. See the release date tweet below:

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL CLIP FROM GRAHAM NORTON

2011-12-24T14:24:00.001Z

Here is a better quality version of the new clip from "The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe" from last nights edition of The Graham Norton Show! Watch Matt Smiths interview on the show here.

WATCH MATT SMITH ON THE GRAHAM NORTON SHOW

2011-12-24T01:11:00.001Z

In case you missed it earlier, here is Matt Smith on The Graham Norton Show, including a brand new preview clip from the Christmas special!

THE SARAH JANE ADVENTURES SERIES 5 DVD COVER

2011-12-23T21:49:00.001Z

The cover has been revealed for the release of The Sarah Jane Adventures: The Fifth Series, abvailable on DVD and Blu-ray from February 6th. Unlike previous releases, the cover doesn't say "The Complete Series" as sadly only half of the planned episodes for the fifth series were filmed. The boxset contains "Sky", "The Curse of Clyde Langer" and "The Man Who Never Was", with details on extras yet to be announced. See the cover below:

February 6th also sees the release of the complete series 1-5 collection.

MATT SMITH AND STEVEN MOFFAT Q&A VIDEO

2011-12-23T20:51:00.001Z

The Q&A session with Matt Smith and Steven Moffat from the Christmas special launch at the BBC Television Centre from last week has now been uploaded in full by the BBC in three parts. See them all in the video below:

THE DOCTOR, THE WIDOW AND THE WARDROBE TEASERS

2011-12-23T19:27:00.003Z

Digital Spy have released their traditional 10 teasers for the up-coming Christmas special, The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe.

The episode picks up mere moments after the prequel ends...
"Did you fall? Where did you fall from?"
There's a moment that recalls the 1979 Bond film Moonraker.
"I like the bombing - it's exciting!"
The Doctor - briefly - has a new catchphrase.
"Beware of panthers!"
There's a reference to a Peter Davison-era Doctor Who adventure...
"That man is quite ridiculous!"
We also get a nod to an early Christopher Eccleston episode.
"Eyes on the box!"

What do you think of these teasers? Tell us below!

ELISABETH SLADEN: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY - REVIEW

2011-12-23T00:09:00.002Z

After reading Elisabeth Sladen: The Autobiography, I felt obliged to review it and share my thoughts on it, and you will understand why below:

Elisabeth Sladen was a great actress, who we all knew as Sarah Jane Smith. But she was also a wife and a mother. So who really was Elisabeth Sladen off set? This book really does what you would expect it to do, it reveals her life story. It delves into the thoughts of Lis, who reveals many things never before heard of (such as how she uses an S instead of a Z in her name as it stands for "Star", or the fact that the media has been listing her as two years younger than she really was since before she can remember!).

Lis started out going to drama classes at a very young age, like most actors. She describes her time as a theatre actress who aspired to be successful, with a brief mention of the possibilty of appearing in Broadway, an ambition which faded away when she became a television actress. A big section of the book focuses on the build up to her becoming a television actress. Some moments to look out for there is when she describes how she burst out laughing when she played a corpse on stage, or how she vomited on her co-star!

One of the overall highlights for me is her recollection of when she and the wonderful Tom Baker knocked on a random house one evening asking the woman who answered if they could watch themselves on TV, as it was the first episode Lis was going to miss as it went out live on the BBC, and back in those days if you missed an episode, there was no catching up.

I won't spoil anymore of the highlights, but her stories of the time she spent with Jon Pertwee have, at times, some great laugh out loud moments. She depicts him in the way most others have, as completely crazy, but in a very good way of course. She was evidently very fond of Jon, and maybe even more so his successor, Tom Baker.

The way in which Lis goes about her daily life is very gentle, she goes about everything with a caring approach. She is also very down to Earth, throughout the book she references her turning down of offers on huge roles that could continue her success after Doctor Who, because she doesn't like how it's being filmed or doesn't like the story, something other actors may jump at the chance of, no matter what the working conditions. She always remained a down to Earth character, who at the end of the day liked to switch off from being Elisabeth Sladen, the actress, to Elisabeth Miller, the wife.

If you learn just one thing from this autobiography, it is that Elisabeth Sladen is one of the kindess actresses you will ever hear about. At the end there is a foreword from her husband and daughter (Brian and Sadie Miller), which is quite heartbreaking, because for a somewhat great deal of time during my reading of this book, I completely forgot that poor Lis had passed on, you just forget somehow when it feels like she is talking to you through the book. But when you look back on Elisabeth Sladen you will feel like you knew the woman a whole lot better, fondly remembering the wonderful life she lived.

If there's any book you should be reading over the Christmas holidays, it's this. For Ashleys take on the book, see TARDIS Base Magazine issue 2.

You can purchase Elisabeth Sladen: The Autobiography from any book shop at the RRP of £18.99, or order it from Amazon for £10.53 here.

PREVIEW: MATT SMITH ON THE GRAHAM NORTON SHOW

2011-12-22T21:35:00.003Z

Matt Smith will be a guest on tomorrow nights Christmas edition of The Graham Norton Show alongside Gillian Anderson and Russell Kane. Watch a preview below:

UPDATE: BBC America have released a different preview clip of Matt talking about Karens departure, see it below:

The show airs at 10.35pm on BBC One on Friday night.

12 BASES OF CHRISTMAS - 3 DAYS TO GO

2011-12-22T00:00:00.002Z

3 days before Christmas, Tardis Base gave to me a caption contest for me to complete.

It's 3 days to go, and no countdown would be complete without a good old fashioned Caption Contest (and Matt Smith's nipples).

Think of a caption for the image above, and the best ones will be posted at the end of the 12 Bases of Christmas!

Leave your comments in the box below, or send your entries to tardisbasemagazine@gmail.com

Deadline: Boxing Day (26/12/11).

Enjoy!

THE ETERNITY CLOCK FEATURES "THE BEST MONSTERS"

2011-12-21T21:57:00.001Z

The official Twitter page for Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock has revealed that the upcoming game, developed by Supermassive Games for the Playstation 3 and PC, will feature "the best monsters". They also teased that a new trailer featuring gameplay footage is in the works and will be released in the coming weeks. See what they tweeted below:

There will be a number of the best monsters from the Doctor Who universe in the game. We’ll announce exactly which in the coming weeks.

We're currently working on a new trailer for the game that will show you lots of gameplay! It's going to look very cool.

The next trailer won't be out before Christmas but will have some monsters in it. Lots in fact.

Which monsters would you most like to appear?

DOCTOR WHO: WORLDS IN TIME BEHIND THE SCENES

2011-12-21T14:05:00.001Z

After the preview launch of Worlds in Time yesterday, the BBC and Three rings have revealed a behind-the scenes video from the making of the game.

Click here to play the game now!

12 BASES OF CHRISTMAS - 4 DAYS TO GO

2011-12-21T00:13:00.002Z

4 Days before Christmas, Tardis Base gave to me, a fun quiz for the whole year.

Seeing as it's the end of the year, we thought we'd give you a special quiz of this entire Doctor Who year, covering the year's biggest stories! Fill in the quiz below and let us know how you did!

&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.quizrevolution.com/act155411/mini/go/tardis_base&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s_big_fat_quiz"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;tardis_base&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s_big_fat_quiz&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Enjoy!

STEVEN MOFFAT TALKS HIS DOCTOR WHO FUTURE

2011-12-20T17:11:00.003Z

Steven Moffat recently spoke to The Scotman about his future on Doctor Who, Series 7 and the Doctor Who Movie.

On his future on Doctor Who he said that he has no leaving plans set in stone:

“I genuinely haven’t got a plan, except I’ll probably have to stop at some point or I’ll die. And dying would be bad. But my main concern is not so much how long I do it, but that I absolutely, definitely am going to be handing it on to somebody else. I want it to be in great shape, and some day I want somebody else to come in and knock my socks off with what they do with it. You don’t want to be the last person in the relay race, do you?”

Regarding the move to Autumn for the show, he said:

“It’s done very well in the summer, it’s not like we’ve ever suffered from it, but it’s almost like an aesthetic thing. If you’re having to close the curtains so you can see the screen, that’s not a good time to be watching a show that’s largely about tunnels and torches. I think it’s a show you watch in the dark.”

He also revealed that the 50th Anniversary plans are in the "early stage" and nothing has been "set in stone":

“Why talk in the singular? Again, genuinely, the plans are at an early stage, but we have some very clear ideas about some of the things we’re doing, and I think Doctor Who fans and kids will think it’s the best thing ever. We’ve got a load of very big plans – the mere fact that we’re talking about this two years before the event should tell you how seriously we’re taking it.”

We reported earlier today that he claimed David Yates' Doctor Who Movie was "imaginary", and he has again blasted these claims as inaccurate:

“It’s completely inaccurate! There’s nothing there. I mean it would be lovely, yes. If anything, the only good bit about this is that it might actually focus our minds on thinking that we actually should do a film. But to state the bleeding obvious, it’s not going to be a different version of Doctor Who with two different Doctors at the same time. Of course not, we’re not that silly. That would be no way to run a franchise, would it? I’d love it to happen, but that version you heard was just a guy getting cornered on the red carpet and not really being on-message.”

See Steven Moffat's latest story, The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe, on BBC One and BBC HD at 7:00pm on Christmas day.

DOCTOR WHO: WORLDS IN TIME - PLAY IT NOW!

2011-12-20T16:17:00.001Z

Doctor Who game fans will be delighted to hear that the new animated online game "Worlds in Time" is now available to play! All you have to do is go to www.DoctorWhoWIT.com, create an account and make your character, then get playing! You can customise your character and give it a unique name, then join the Doctor in the TARDIS for adventures. The game will become commercial in early 2012, but fans can become the first players starting today. So get playing!

MOFFAT: DAVID YATES' FILM REBOOT IS IMAGINARY

2011-12-20T12:51:00.004Z

Steven Moffat has spoken out against David Yates movie claims once again. On BBC Breakfast this morning, he claimed that David Yates' ideas for the movie are "imaginary" and "off the message".

It's an imaginary film. David Yates - a very brilliant director - was talking off the cuff and slightly off-message. We're not going to do a film of the nature that he described, which would be rebooting the story and having a different Doctor and being in a different continuity - that would never happen, that would be insane and that would be insulting to the audience. I hope one day we will do a film, maybe even soon, but it will be very much an offshoot of the television series with the same Doctor and all that. (and you doing it?) Yes.

These come in response to David Yates' claims last month that he wanted to wipe the slate clean for a blockbuster movie:

Russell T Davies and then Steven Moffat have done their own transformations, which were fantastic, but we have to put that aside and start from scratch.

Speaking of the Christmas special, he described it as having a "flavour of Narnia":

There's a slight flavour of Narnia in this one, yes - it's not the same story at all by any means. Last year we pretty much did A Christmas Carol beat-for-beat, but this time it's just a sort of flavouring of that really. The Doctor ends up in debt to someone, his life is saved by someone, and a few years later he returns to save their Christmas because these children have just lost their father - of course being the Doctor he just endangers them terribly, but that's sort of what he'd like.

Do you believe what Steven Moffat says about the movie? Was David Yates just imagining what he wanted the movie to be?

12 BASES OF CHRISTMAS - 5 DAYS TO GO

2011-12-20T12:01:00.005Z

5 days before Christmas, Tardis Base gave to me, a third wallpaper for my screen.

If like us, you like to keep your desktop wallpaper fresh and new, then you're in the right place. We weren't content with giving you 2 wallpapers, so here is a third, just for you! Click to image above to download both sizes (standard and widescreen), or click here to download standard and here to download widescreen.

Enjoy!

HOLLY EARL: MATT SMITH HAS SO MUCH ENERGY

2011-12-19T20:43:00.002Z

Holly Earl, who plays Lily Arwell in this year's festive episode, The Doctor, The Widow and The Wadrobe has revelaed that she loved working with Matt Smith!

The 19 year-old said in an interview with Cultbox that she loved Matt Smith's energy and fun side.

"Matt Smith is so much fun, I'm so luck. He's just got so much energy; he always brings out the best in you every take. His energy makes him such a good Doctor. Even in between takes he was so much fun, he was a dream to work with. He was really welcoming."

She also revealed how she a "kind of" companion for the episode in absense of Amy and Rory:

“I kind of come in as a companion-like character, I wouldn’t go as far as to say I was a companion. We had to create some kind of friendship, which was easy with Matt.”

Click here to read the full interview. See Holly Earl in The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe, on BBC One and BBC HD at 7:00pm on Christmas day.

TOM BAKER TURNS ON CHRISTMAS LIGHTS FOOTAGE

2011-12-19T17:37:00.003Z

The BBC have recovered and partially restored an old video of Tom Baker switching on the Christmas lights in Northern Ireland in the 1970s and posted it on their official Doctor Who site as part of their Christmas Advent Calendar.

From the BBC:

We're delving into the archive today with the first of two pieces from Tom Baker's time as the Doctor.

Today's video shows Tom Baker during a visit to Northern Ireland, switching on Christmas Lights to the delight of a huge, wonderfully noisy crowd!

Both pieces are decades old and their audio/video quality reflects this, but we hope their charm and interest makes up for the imperfect sound and picture. We'll be bringing you the second video very soon!

12 BASES OF CHRISTMAS - 6 DAYS TO GO

2011-12-19T00:00:00.001Z

6 days before Christmas, Tardis Base gave to me, a cool Doctor colouring sheet.

With 6 days to go, we thought it was time for you to get creative. Download and print off this exclusive abstract colouring sheet and bring some colour to the Doctor's life! Click on the image above or click here to download it.

Enjoy!

NEIL GAIMAN WANTS 11 DOCTORS FOR 50TH

2011-12-18T17:19:00.001Z

Award-winning author, and writer of "The Doctor's Wife", Neil Gaiman has revealed his dream story for the 50th anniversary. Speaking to BBC America, the author said there is only one story that he wants, but it's the one story that is not possible to do, and that is the 11 Doctors in one special.

"The trouble is, the real dream story, that would be the 50th anniversary show, is the one that you cannot do, because technology is not there and people have died. It would be The 11 Doctors. They made The Three Doctors, they made The Five Doctors. It's the 50th anniversary."

He also reveals he think the actors COULD be re-cast, but doesn't think it should happen because it wouldn't work.

Watch the interview below:

12 BASES OF CHRISTMAS - 7 DAYS TO GO

2011-12-18T00:28:00.001Z

7 days before Christmas, Tardis Base gave to me, bookmarks for when I read.

It's just 7 before Christmas, so we thought we'd give you a bookmark for everyday of the week! Download these cool exclusive bookmarks and up them in your books. Click the image above to download or click here.

Enjoy!

DOCTOR WHO: WORLDS IN TIME CLOSED PREVIEW

2011-12-17T23:33:00.002Z

It seems it's been a long time coming, but the massively mulitplayer online game, Doctor Who - Worlds In Time, is a step closer to reaching the general public.

Selected fans have been allowed to demo a closed preview version of the game, in an incomplete form.

After registration you get to choose from four different races, Human, Silurian, Cat-person and Tree-person. If you were lucky enough to get chosen, or still want to get chosen (head over to the official website to apply), then you have to put your lips sealed! It's in the terms and conditions that everything you experience in the game has to be kept strictly confidential!

9 NEW CHRISTMAS SPECIAL PICTURES

2011-12-17T13:50:00.001Z

The BBC have released 9 exciting new episode stills from "The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe" as part of their Christmas Adventure Calendar!

RADIO 5 MATT SMITH & STEVEN MOFFAT INTERVIEW

2011-12-17T00:15:00.001Z

BBC Radio Five conducted a special 45 minute interview with Matt Smith and Steven Moffat for their Doctor Who special show. They talked about the Christmas special, series 7, plans on the Doctor Who movie and more. Listen to the full interview below thanks to Doctor Who TV:

12 BASES OF CHRISTMAS - 8 DAYS TO GO

2011-12-17T00:01:00.013Z

8 days before Christmas, Tardis Base gave to me, another wallpaper for my screen.

We love you so much, we thought we'd give you another cool, exclusive wallpaper for your to download. It comes in 2 sizes, widescreen and standard. Click the image above (or click here) to download both versions, or click HERE to download the widescreen version or HERE for the standard.

Enjoy!

12 BASES OF CHRISTMAS - 9 DAYS TO GO

2011-12-16T00:01:00.010Z

9 days before Christmas, Tardis Base gave to me, a wordsearch to complete

This fun Christmas wordsearch is ready for you to complete. Find the 13 words and beat the wordsearch. click the image above to download, or click here.

Enjoy!

CONFIRMED: AMY AND RORY LEAVING DOCTOR WHO

2011-12-15T20:54:00.001Z

Just moments ago at the press screening of "The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe", Steven Moffat revealed that Amy and Rory will be leaving Doctor Who next series, with casting for a new companion to take place soon.

BBC reporter Lizo Mzimba tweeted from the screening:

“Amy and Rory will leave ‘heartbreakingly’ during next series and The Doctor will get a new companion.”

“Steven Moffat says plenty of Amy and Rory in next series, but they will leave ‘heartbreakingly’. New companion not yet cast"

The official Doctor Who website went on to confirm the news:

“The final days of the Ponds are coming during the next series. Then the Doctor will meet a new friend”

Last month we asked you if you wanted Amy and Rory to stay or leave Doctor Who, and more of you voted them to stay! What are your thoughts on the Ponds departure news?

STEVEN MOFFAT: "NO TWO PARTERS FOR SERIES 7"

2011-12-15T16:18:00.001Z

In the new issue of Doctor Who Magazine, out today, Steven Moffat reveals that Doctor Who series seven may not have any two parters, because he think the series will benefit if it is full of big standalone stories rather than a story written just for the sake of being a two parter. See what he said below:

”The big thing is, nothing in the next run is starting out as a two-parter. At this stage, everything is a single episode, and the only reason anything will become a two-parter is if we think it needs to be; not so much that the story is too long for 45 minutes, because nothing is too long for 45 minutes, but if it feels as though there are two distinct stages to the story…"

"I was looking at the facts and stats and it’s not true that the two-parters save us money. We’ve assumed it for years. They don’t save us money at all. Not a penny. So what’s the point in them? The viewing figures always go down. The AI goes down, even if the second episode is the better one. The press coverage goes down. The trailers are a bit boring. I want to be able to say, every week, we’ve got a big standalone blockbuster, and then a trailer that makes it look like nothing compared to what’s going to happen next week! That’s the form for next year.”

Were you a fan of two parters? Are you happy with the idea of a series full of standalone story series? Tell us below!

THE DÆMONS DVD RELEASE COVER AND DETAILS

2011-12-15T13:27:00.006Z

2 Entertain have released the cover art and details for next years release of the classic 3rd Doctor story “The Dæmons”, a five part serial originally shown between 22nd May and 19th June in 1971. See the cover and details below:

Doctor Who - The Dæmons
The Doctor is joined by Katy Manning playing Jo Grant as well as UNIT regulars Nicholas Courtney, Richard Franklin and John Levene with Roger Delgado appearing as the main villan of the piece.

Christopher Barry directed the story which was written by Barry Letts and Robert Sloman.

The story was originally screened between 22nd May and 19th June in 1971, where it brought to an end the eighth season of the show. Its popularity saw it repeated the following Christmas in an omnibus form. It received a further repeat in 1992 when restored versions of each episode were repeated on BBC2 on consecutive Fridays.

Extras on the disc include:
The Devil Rides Out - A documentary on the making of the story. (29 mins)
Episode One Colourisation Test. (25 mins)
Tomorrow's World Extract (5 mins)
The BBC's Dr Who - On Location - At Aldbourne (7 Min)
Photo Gallery (6 Min)
Remembering Barry Letts. Feature on the much loved Doctor Who Producer. (33 mins)

The Dæmons will be released on DVD on March 26th 2012 for £14.99.

12 BASES OF CHRISTMAS - 10 DAYS TO GO

2011-12-15T00:01:00.025Z

10 days before Christmas, Tardis Base gave to me, 2 characters for me to be.

These brilliant Doctor Who masks are exclusive to Tardis Base. Be the Doctor or Amy this Christmas with these downloadable masks. Just print out, cut out, attach string and have fun! Click on the image above to download, or click here.

Enjoy!

THE FACE OF EVIL DVD COVER AND DETAILS

2011-12-14T20:22:00.000Z

2 Entertain have released the cover art and details for next years release of the classic 4th Doctor story “The Face of Evil”, a four part serial originally shown in January 1977. See the cover and details below:

When the Tardis arrives on a jungle planet, the Doctor encounters two warring tribes, the Sevateem and the Tesh.
The Sevateem worship a god called Xoanon and the Tesh are supposedly keeping Xoanon prisoner…
But why do the Sevateem call the Doctor the Evil One?
And what are the invisible creatures in the jungle?
The Time Lord, with the help of a girl called Leela, is about to find out.
Special features…
*Commentary
*Into the Wild Cast and crew talk about the making of The Face of Evil.
*From the Cutting Room Floor Film trims provide a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the film shoot.
*Tomorrow’s Times – The Fourth Doctor A look at press coverage of Doctor Who during the Tom Baker era.
*Doctor Who Stories: Louise Jameson talks about her role on the programme in this interview shot for 2003′s The Story of Doctor Who.
*Swap Shop An extract from Louise Jameson’s appearance on The Multi-Coloured Swap Shop, interviewed by Noel Edmonds.
*Denys Fisher Toys Advert
*1976 Typhoo Tea Doctor Who Promotion
*Radio Times listingsProgramme subtitles
*Production information subtitles
*Photo gallery
*Coming soon trailer
*Digitally remastered picture and sound quality

The Face of Evil will be released on DVD on March 5th 2012 for £14.99.

IMAGE OF FENDAHL FIGURE SET

2011-12-14T20:21:00.002Z

From the 4th Doctor story "Image of Fendahl" comes this new action figure set exclusive to Forbidden Planet. The set comes with a Fendhaleen adult and Leela figure plus a Fendhaleen infant and skull and stand accessories. See a picture and more information about the classic story below:

An anachronistic twelve-million-year-old human skull has been discovered by archaeologists and is now being used by Professor Fendelman in his time scanner experiments at Fetch Priory in contemporary England. The skull is actually an artifact of the Fendahl, an ancient creature that feeds on the life force of others.

Drawn by the operation of the scanner, the Fourth Doctor and Leela arrive as the experiments reach a peak. The skull is exerting an influence over the mind of Thea Ransome, one of the scientists in Fendelman’s team, and glowing with power each time the scanner is activated. Thea is eventually transformed into the Fendahl core, and a group of acolytes assembled by Maximillian Stael – another of Fendelman’s team, who is trying to harness the creature’s power for his own ends – are converted into snake-like Fendahleen.

The Doctor shows the remaining scientist, Adam Colby, and two locals, Martha Tyler and her son Jack, how to defend themselves against the Fendahleen using rock salt. By activating the scanner once more, he triggers an implosion that destroys both the Priory and the Fendahl core.

The Image of Fendahl figure set is due for release later this month. Pre-order yours from Forbidden Planet here.

BBC REVEALS 3 NEW CHRISTMAS SPECIAL CLIPS

2011-12-14T19:22:00.003Z

The BBC have revealed 3 new clips from The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe!

Watch the three clips below:

The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe airs on BBC One and BBC HD at 7:00pm on Christmas day.

TOM BAKER BIG FINISH SERIES - FIRST LOOK

2011-12-14T17:51:00.002Z

Big Finish have released a 5 minute preview of the new audio adventures series featuring Tom Baker as the Doctor and Louise Jameson as Leela.

The series marks Tom Baker's first audio's for Big Finish, after his successful BBC series. The video has clips from 6 new adventures, Destination Nerva, The Renaissance Man, The Wrath of the Iceni, Energy of the Daleks, Trail of the White Worm and The Oseidon Adventure as well as 2 Lost Stories, The Foe From the Future and The Valley of Death.

The 6 new adventures will be released monthly between January and June 2012 and the Lost Stories on 31st January 2012.

DWM COMPANION: THE 11TH DOCTOR VOLUME 4

2011-12-14T16:35:00.002Z

Doctor Who Magazine have released details of the 4th volume of the Doctor Who Companion covering the Eleventh Doctor's adventures (From The Rebel Flesh through to The Girl Who Waited).

The Doctor Who Companion
The Eleventh Doctor - Volume Four

Your complete guide to the award-winning BBC One series!Written and researched by Andrew Pixley.

The 2011 season of Doctor Who began in the most dramatic way possible – by killing off the Doctor in the first episode! Unaware of his ultimate fate, the Doctor (Matt Smith) was reunited with his friends, newlyweds Amy (Karen Gillan) and Rory Pond (Arthur Darvill) and together they embarked on an incredible series of adventures in time and space. Their journey took them from the acid mines in the future to the empty world of Apalapucia, and saw encounters with Headless Monks, Handbots, living dolls... and even Adolf Hitler!

Now, Doctor Who Magazine takes you behind the scenes of these astonishing episodes with an in-depth episode guide – including original storylines, deleted scenes, media appearances, ratings information and hundreds of facts about the day-to-day life of the making of Doctor Who – all illustrated with gorgeous, never-before-seen photographs. This collectors’ edition examines The Rebel Flesh/The Almost People, A Good Man Goes to War, Let’s Kill Hitler, Night Terrors and The Girl Who Waited, as well as the specially-made Doctor Who sequence that introduced the National Television Awards.

This is your essential guide to the worlds of Doctor Who.Get ready to discover a wealth of information – and remember, silence will fall.

The Doctor Who Companion - The Eleventh Doctor Volume 4 will be released on 15th December 2011.

12 BASES OF CHRISTMAS - 11 DAYS TO GO

2011-12-14T00:00:00.003Z

11 days before Christmas, Tardis Base gave to me, a wallpaper for my computer screen.

Today, we have a fantastic, exclusive wallpaper for you to download! Get your computer in the festive spirit! The wallpaper comes in standard edition and widescreen, so click on the picture above to download both wallpapers or click here. Click HERE to download the widescreen and HERE to download the standard edition.

Enjoy!

CLAIRE SKINNER: MADGE IS "TESTED AND CHALLENGED"

2011-12-13T19:18:00.001Z

Claire Skinner has revealed to BBC America that her character is a "warm and a thoroughly decent woman" who will be "tested and challenged" in the upcoming Christmas episode.

She also reveals that the Gas-Mask Zombies from Series 1 are the scariest Doctor Who monsters and that she is a huge fan of Morecambe and Wise.

Read the full interview with BBC America, below:

Who do you play in the Christmas special?
I play a character called Madge Arwell who, first and foremost, is a mother. It just informs everything about her character. What I found attractive about the role is that she’s warm and a thoroughly decent woman, as well as being quite straight down the line. In the episode she gets tested and challenged and it’s interesting to see how she handles different things and adapts to various situations for the sake of her children.

What was it like working with Matt Smith?
Lovely! A really nice experience. He’s thoroughly charming, good fun and has loads of energy.

What about the other guest stars?
I’ve worked with Alexander Armstrong before, so it was great to see him again. We’ve actually been fishing together! Bill Bailey is just completely brilliant; a really nice, natural and funny bloke. And the children as well. Maurice and Holly were just delightful, completely lovely.

Are you a fan of “Doctor Who”?
Yes for several reasons actually. My son watches it, my husband has directed it before and my father in-law was in an episode. It’s a nice connection to have.

How did it feel being cast in such an iconic show?
I was very excited to be in it, both because it’s “Doctor Who” and also a great script. When I got the call I was like “Yay, at last I’m going to be in ‘Doctor Who.’”

How did you find filming on location?
We shot some scenes outside in a public space and it was an unusual experience acting in front of huge crowds of people who had come to watch. I had to drive a car down the road, which took about 500 takes, and they applauded my driving each time. It was lovely, but I hadn’t been quite ready for that.

What do you think is the scariest “Doctor Who” monster of all time?
It’s not exactly a monster, but the creepy people in the gas masks in series one were pretty scary. They definitely freaked both my children out at the time.

What will you be doing on Christmas Day?
I will be with my family and my husband’s family; a traditional Christmas. We’ll of course be watching “Doctor Who.”

What other Christmas TV do you like?
I like traditional comedy; I’m such a fan of “Morecambe and Wise.” We’ve got the box set, so we always get that out at Christmas.

THE DOCTOR, THE WIDOW AND THE WARDROBE TRAILER

2011-12-13T17:59:00.002Z

A brand new trailer for The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe has aired on BBC One. The new trailer features new clips from the episode, and is now airing across all BBC channels.

The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe airs on BBC One and BBC HD at 7:00pm on Christmas day.

12 BASES OF CHRISTMAS - 12 DAYS TO GO

2011-12-12T23:59:00.002Z

With just 12 days before Christmas, Tardis Base is getting in the festive mood. Over the next 12 days, we'll be giving you something free and festive everyday!

12 days before Christmas, Tardis Base gave to me, Christmas cards for friends and family.

These brilliant Christmas cards have been designed exclusively for Tardis Base! Download the cards, and print them out to give to your family and friends. Just click the image above, or click here to download the zip file (extract it once it has been downloaded).

Enjoy!

BBC RELEASE CLIPS FROM RECOVERED EPISODES

2011-12-12T16:25:00.002Z

Following the news that two old Doctor Who episodes have been recovered, the BBC have released a clip from each episode ahead of their upcoming DVD release (rumoured to be released sometime next year). See clips from “Galaxy 4” part three and “The Underwater Menace” part two below!

Watch a news report about the recovered episodes below:

SJA SERIES 5 DVD/BLU-RAY PRE-ORDER

2011-12-12T14:11:00.001Z

The fifth and final series of The Sarah Jane Adventures is now available to pre-order on DVD and Blu-Ray.

Amazon have listed the items as being released on February 6th 2012, the same day as a 12-disc box-set of all five series is being released.

Pre-order Series 5 DVD (£10.99)

Pre-order Series 5 Blu-Ray (£13.99)

Pre-order Series 1-5 Boxset (£52.47)

Stick with TARDIS-Base.co.nr for covers and details as they are released!

TWO LOST DOCTOR WHO EPISODES FOUND

2011-12-11T18:00:00.004Z

Two missing episodes of classic Doctor Who from the 1960s have been found and returned to the BBC Archives! Full episodes from the First Doctor story “Galaxy 4” and the Second Doctor story “The Underwater Menace”, originally thought to be lost forever, are now back and being re-mastered for a future DVD release! See the BBC’s official statement below:

Episode 3 of the William Hartnell adventure "Galaxy 4" and Episode 2 of Patrick Troughton's "The Underwater Menace" were purchased by film collector Terry Burnett at a village fete near Southampton in the early 80s. He had been unaware that the canisters contained material missing from the BBC.
Thanks to the kind loan by Mr Burnett, the classic footage has been shown today at the British Film Institute's annual "Missing Believed Wiped" event at the National Film Theatre in London. Host at the event was Doctor Who writer and actor Mark Gatiss who said: "Christmas has come early for Doctor Who fans everywhere. It's always wonderful when a missing episode turns up but it's been years since the last one so to have two is just brilliant. Add to that a proper bit of action from the legendary Chumblies (and the horrifying Rills!) plus the utterly mesmeric Patrick Troughton on great form. Well, what more could we all ask for?"
Over 100 episodes of Doctor Who from the 1960s still remain missing. The tapes were routinely wiped once the rights to repeat them had expired. It seems unfathomable to us today, but before the advent of DVDs and iPlayer, grainy black and white material was thought to no longer be of interest to the television audience. However, many film prints sold overseas have since been returned. These latest discoveries are the first complete episodes to have been located since 2004.
None of the four episodes of the 1965 adventure "Galaxy 4" were known to have survived, although a short extract had been retained. "The Underwater Menace" dating from 1967 is now the earliest surviving complete episode featuring Patrick Troughton's performance as the Second Doctor.
Research has shown that the returned episodes originated from the ABC channel in Australia. In fact, the copy of The Underwater Menace is still missing a few short sections which were removed by the Australian censors upon its original transmission Down Under. Fresh scans of the missing material have been made by the National Archives of Australia and will be incorporated into the restored episodes ahead of a DVD release.
Details of a commercial release will be announced by 2 entertain in 2012.

Radio Times also have an interesting article on how they were recovered here.

BBC RADIO 4 EXTRA TO AIR HORNETS NEST

2011-12-11T14:00:00.002Z

This Christmas BBC Radio 4 Extra will be broadcasting the 4th Doctor audio drama series “The Hornet’s Nest” for the first time ever. The Hornet’s Nest is a five part series originally released on CD in 2009 by Audio Go which saw Tom Baker reprise his role as the Doctor for the first time since he last appeared in classic Doctor Who. The Hornet’s Nest will kick off on Monday December 12th, see the schedule below:

On Monday and Tuesday, in The Stuff of Nightmares, Mike Yates is reunited with the Time Lord. Barricaded in the Time Lord's cottage, he hears about re-animating bugs.
On Wednesday and Thursday, in The Dead Shoes, it's back in time to 1930s Cromer for Mike's next lesson about the alien swarm.
On Friday and Monday, in The Circus of Doom, the Time Lord encounters the invading swarm in early 19th-century rural England.
Next Tuesday and Wednesday, in A Sting in the Tale, his next alien insect encounter, the Doctor travels back to medieval England.
In the final story on Thursday and Friday, Hive of Horror, now up to speed, Mike Yates joins forces with the Time Lord to tackle the alien swarm.

You can buy “The Hornet’s Nest” boxset here from Amazon, or get the follow up series “Demon Quest” here from Audio Go.

ALEXANDER ARMSTRONG ON CHARACTER AND CO-STARS

2011-12-10T18:33:00.002Z

Alexander Armstrong, the voice of Mr.Smith, has dropped a few hints about his character, Reg, who will appear in The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe.

Speaking to TV Choice, he said:

"He's called Reg, he's husband to Madge (Claire Skinner). He's a brave airman. I die, that's true, but there are quite a lot of flashbacks, and the instance of his dying turns out to be very important. As will be revealed."

Earlier this week he spoke to the BBC and revealed even more about his character and his time on set. Read the full interview below:

What can you reveal about your character?
I play Reg Arwell, who is a bomber pilot in the Second World War. We witness him flying over the channel and all the navigation equipment completely stops working. It doesn’t look good for him! His wife Madge then receives a slip of paper saying that a ‘Reg’ is missing and presumed dead. Their two children hope that their Daddy is going to be back for Christmas and that’s when the Doctor gets involved to return a favour to Madge as she helps him out at the very beginning of the episode.

Did you enjoy working with your co-stars?
Amazing. Lovely to work with Claire Skinner again, I did a drama with her called Life Begins a couple of years ago. But the real treat was working with Matt, who’s just a tremendously fine fellow and an excellent person to hang out on set with. As you can imagine, there’s an awful lot of time between takes and I can think of few nicer people to spend time with than Matt.

Doctor Who will soon be celebrating its 50th anniversary. Are you a fan?
It’s something I’ve always wanted to be in and there really isn’t another show like Doctor Who. The heritage of it is amazing and when the BBC got it going again it suddenly took on a whole new life. It has all the charm and ingenuity of the first incarnation but it also has Russell and now Steven’s really current TV brains behind it, people who are so literate in really good television that gets you thinking. With Christopher, David and now Matt, this Doctor Who has kind of gone nuts. I mean my Doctor Who when I was young was Tom Baker, I loved Tom Baker, everyone did, but the Doctor these days has taken on a sort of rock star status.

Did you enjoy filming in Cardiff?
Brilliant, it was lovely. It was a fantastic journey out of Cardiff down to the studio – a really beautiful part of Wales. We filmed in an amazing Victorian castle looking right out on the Gower peninsular. It was absolutely stunning.

What will you be doing on Christmas day?
Entertaining children, trying to keep a lid on sugary treats and desperately rationing presents because our children got high on them last year. Also, we will of course be watching Doctor Who. I really hope it’s another cold Christmas; I loved the cold winter last year. A bit of snow and a bit of sledging – it’ll be great.

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL DVD/BLU-RAY COVER

2011-12-10T18:27:00.004Z

The cover artwork for the DVD and Blu-ray release of "The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe" is now available! It is set for release on January 16th and includes over two hours of special features with 3 "The Best of Doctor Who" features and the prequel for the story. Click the covers below to enlarge them.

The recommended retail price for the DVD is £13.27 and £16.33 for the Blu-ray.

DOCTOR WHO TOPS US ITUNES FOR 2011

2011-12-09T21:13:00.003Z

Doctor Who has topped the TV Shows chart on iTunes for 2011!

It managed to beat the highly popular Modern Family, which regularly tops the charts week-on-week.

However, Doctor Who managed to come out on top, being the top show for itunes in the US.

Doctor Who lead writer and executive producer Steven Moffat said:

"This is incredibly exciting news. It's an honour to be on the same list as all those shows, let alone at the very top."And for a British show to have achieved this in the US is absolutely remarkable. Next, the universe!"

The full list is as follows: 1. Doctor Who 2. Modern Family 3. Dexter 4. Breaking Bad 5. True Blood 6. Top Gear 7. Glee 8. Entourage 9. Archer 10. The Walking Dead

DOCTOR WHO MAGAZINE #442 COVER

2011-12-09T17:15:00.002Z

The Doctor Who Magazine Facebook page has revealed the front cover for issue 442 of the magazine, due for release across the nation from Thursday December 15th. The cover, seen below (with and without polybag), was painted by Vince McIndoe, and is a pastiche of the 1924 Christmas edition of the Radio Times. The issue comes free with three art cards and consists of 100 pages!

THE ETERNITY CLOCK PRESS RELEASE + FULL HD TRAILER

2011-12-09T14:46:00.008Z

The BBC have revealed the official press release for Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock, following yesterdays premature leak of the game trailer. The press release reveals that the game is planned to be the first of many, and that it will be released on more platforms following its initial release on PS3, Vita and PC! Read the full press release below:

BBC Worldwide today released the first details of a major new gaming development for the Doctor Who brand.

Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock will be the first of a series of Doctor Who console games developed by BBC Worldwide Digital Entertainment and Games marking a significant movement into gaming for this business. Two further Doctor Who console game titles are planned to follow this release with details to be announced next year. Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock is being created in full high definition for digital download platforms and is set for release in early 2012, initially on Playstation 3 ®; Playstation Vita ® and PC platforms.

Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock will immerse gamers in the universe of Doctor Who, allowing them to take on the role of the Doctor and River Song as they travel across time and space to save the Earth. Gamers must learn to master the complexities of time travel with exceptional time based game play, changes made in one time will impact another creating multiple possibilities and challenging players to solve puzzles across the centuries. A wholly new storyline has been developed especially for this new Doctor Who console game franchise, written in collaboration with the BBC Wales team. Photo-real graphics, television quality scenes and highly realistic characters will bring the world of Doctor Who to life immersing fans completely in the twists and turns of an action filled plot. The stars of the series Matt Smith (the Doctor) and Alex Kingston (River Song) have recorded full voiceovers for their characters in Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock and motion capture has been used to create in-game characters that are incredibly realistic providing the ultimate Doctor Who gaming experience.

The game is being developed by Supermassive Games (www.supermassivegames.com), experienced Playstation and PC developers based in the UK who were a Develop Excellence Awards New Studio Finalist in 2011.

Robert Nashak, EVP of Digital Entertainment at BBC Worldwide said: “We’re creating these new games for Playstation 3 and Vita with adaptations that will bring the wonder, adventure and madness of Doctor Who to each platform. Working with a top-tier UK development partner like Supermassive Games demonstrates BBC Worldwide’s commitment to create world-class Doctor Who games for fans of the show and gamers alike.”

Watch the trailer for The Eternity Clock in full HD below:

You can read a blog from the executive producer of the game here, and follow the games official Twitter here.

DOCTOR WHO: THE ETERNITY CLOCK PS3 & PC GAME

2011-12-08T23:39:00.002Z

UPDATE: The full press release and trailer is now available in our new post here.

BBC Worldwide have announced and released a trailer for what looks like a very promising Doctor Who game currently being developed by Supermassive Games for the Playstation 3, Playstation Vita and PC. The game is titled Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock and allows gamers to take on the role of the Doctor and River Song as they explore the universe of Doctor Who over multiple time periods. Work on the game is nearing completion as it is due for release early next year! A teaser trailer for the game was uploaded to BBC Worldwide's Youtube but has since been removed.

This could finally be the game Doctor Who fans have been waiting for after the previous release of the Nintendo Wii and DS games turned out to be what most people would consider an insult to the world of gaming.

Are you excited about The Eternity Clock? What platform will you be getting it on? Let us know below!

MATT SMITH AND STEVEN MOFFAT IN NEW RADIO TIMES

2011-12-08T10:35:00.006Z

This years Christmas edition of the Radio Times features interviews with Matt Smith and Steven Moffat! Inside the TV guide Matt Smith reveals his most treasured Christmas presents as a child: “I got a mini snooker table that I loved, lots of football-y things, and I once got a Sega Mega Drive, which I loved. That was pretty epic.” Writer Steven Moffat reveals how inspiration for the Doctor Who special came from Sherlock, “the most unexpected source and possibly the least Christmassy man in all fiction.”

The Christmas issue of Radio Times is on sale now in the UK, but we have scans of the Doctor Who feature below for those outside the UK thanks to Combom.co.uk (click to enlarge).

UPDATED: SPENCER WILDING PLAYS WOODEN KING

2011-12-08T10:15:00.002Z

6ft 7inch actor and stuntman Spencer Wilding has told Rhyl Journal that he has a role in “The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe”, having previously appeared as the Minotaur in “The God Complex”. The actor couldn’t reveal much about his role, but described the festive special as “a real hum-dinger of an episode”. He said: "It's great working with the likes of Matt Smith - he's such a cool Doctor. And it's such a great production."

UPDATE: The new issue of Radio Times confirms what most fans predicted, that Spencer Wilding plays the wooden creature seen in the trailer for the Christmas special. They confirmed the creature is called the Wooden King.

THE COMPLETE BOOK OF K9

2011-12-08T10:01:00.003Z

Due for release next year is “The Complete Book of K9”, a guide to the Doctor and Sarah Janes favourite metal mutt, following his appearances in Doctor Who to his adventures in the Disney XD spin-off show K9.

This Hardback book is in Full Colour featuring the story of K9; from his travels in Time and Space with Doctor Who to appearing in his very own series. Featuring anecdotes from many of the people involved with K9 over the years this is a must have volume that features exclusive never seen before designs, photos and behind the scenes stories.

The book will be available to pre-order from the official K9 shop soon, along with “The K9 Story Book”, a full colour book featuring short stories, behind the scenes features and comic strips.

Tardis Base - Here for YOU & WHO

Doctor Who/Star Trek Comic Crossover Confirmed

Doctor Who: "Darkstar Academy" Audio Exclusive

Torchwood 'Army of One' Set Post-Miracle Day

The Sarah Jane Adventures: Children of Steel - Review

DOCTOR WHO SERIES 7 UPDATE

Daniel Radcliffe: "Doctor Who is Matt Smith's Role!"

Eve Myles At SFX Weekender

DOCTOR WHO IDW COMIC ISSUE 14

Alex Kingston on The Graham Norton Show Tonight

Doctor Who Nightmare of Eden and Ace Adventures DVDs

DOCTOR WHO MAGAZINE ISSUE 444 COVER

TORCHWOOD: 'ARMY OF ONE' COVER

Doctor Who Series 7 Filming Begins February 20th

Eve Myles: "Nothing’s Going to Happen in 2012"

VIDEO: MATT AND KAREN WIN BIG AT NTAS

NATIONAL TELEVISION AWARDS TONIGHT!

THE ETERNITY CLOCK GAMEPLAY TRAILER!

Doctor Faces Vikings and Princess in New Novel

Watch Matt Smiths Interview With 'One Plus One'

Sylvester McCoy & Sophie Alred Talk 50th Anniversary

KAREN GILLAN COVERS THIS WEEKS RADIO TIMES

DOCTOR WHO DARK HORIZONS COVER AND DETAILS

FIRST LOOK AT THE ETERNITY CLOCK!

JOHN SIMM WANTS TO RETURN AS THE MASTER

MADAME DE POMPADOUR TO RETURN?

BBC ANNOUNCE NEW SCRIPT TO SCREEN COMPETITION

WHO DID ELISABETH SLADEN REPLACE? ANSWERED!

DOCTOR WHO ADVENTURES #251 COVER AND DETAILS

WATCH KAREN GILLAN ON THE GRAHAM NORTON SHOW

KAREN GILLAN SAYS AMYS DEATH "COULD BE POSSIBLE"

DOCTOR WHO MAGAZINE ISSUE 443 COVER

BARROWMAN HOLLOW EARTH SIGNING EVENTS DETAILS

MATT SAYS SHOW 'HAS TO GET BETTER EVERY YEAR'

TALKING PLUSH DALEK TOYS

JOHN BARROWMAN CO-WRITES NEW CHILDREN'S NOVEL

FINAL CHRISTMAS SPECIAL 2011 RATINGS

NATIONAL TELEVISION AWARDS SHORTLIST

DAVID TENNANT MARRIES GEORGIA MOFFAT

TOP 5 BIGGEST TARDIS BASE STORIES OF 2011

NEW XMAS ARRIVALS FOR DOCTOR WHO EXPERIENCE

TARDIS BASE MAGAZINE NOW ON ISSUU!

THE SARAH JANE ADVETURES COMPLETE COLLECTION

EXCLUSIVE: FREE DOWNLOADABLE 2012 CALENDAR

2012 IS COMING. ARE YOU READY?

DOCTOR WHO CHRISTMAS OVERNIGHT RATINGS

POLL RESULTS: BEST CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

DIGITAL SPY NAMES DOCTOR WHO BEST SHOW

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM TARDIS BASE

ETERNITY CLOCK RELEASE DATE COMING IN NEW YEAR

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL CLIP FROM GRAHAM NORTON

WATCH MATT SMITH ON THE GRAHAM NORTON SHOW

THE SARAH JANE ADVENTURES SERIES 5 DVD COVER

MATT SMITH AND STEVEN MOFFAT Q&A VIDEO

THE DOCTOR, THE WIDOW AND THE WARDROBE TEASERS

ELISABETH SLADEN: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY - REVIEW

PREVIEW: MATT SMITH ON THE GRAHAM NORTON SHOW

12 BASES OF CHRISTMAS - 3 DAYS TO GO

THE ETERNITY CLOCK FEATURES "THE BEST MONSTERS"

DOCTOR WHO: WORLDS IN TIME BEHIND THE SCENES

12 BASES OF CHRISTMAS - 4 DAYS TO GO

STEVEN MOFFAT TALKS HIS DOCTOR WHO FUTURE

DOCTOR WHO: WORLDS IN TIME - PLAY IT NOW!

MOFFAT: DAVID YATES' FILM REBOOT IS IMAGINARY

12 BASES OF CHRISTMAS - 5 DAYS TO GO

HOLLY EARL: MATT SMITH HAS SO MUCH ENERGY

TOM BAKER TURNS ON CHRISTMAS LIGHTS FOOTAGE

12 BASES OF CHRISTMAS - 6 DAYS TO GO

NEIL GAIMAN WANTS 11 DOCTORS FOR 50TH

12 BASES OF CHRISTMAS - 7 DAYS TO GO

DOCTOR WHO: WORLDS IN TIME CLOSED PREVIEW

9 NEW CHRISTMAS SPECIAL PICTURES

RADIO 5 MATT SMITH & STEVEN MOFFAT INTERVIEW

12 BASES OF CHRISTMAS - 8 DAYS TO GO

12 BASES OF CHRISTMAS - 9 DAYS TO GO

CONFIRMED: AMY AND RORY LEAVING DOCTOR WHO

STEVEN MOFFAT: "NO TWO PARTERS FOR SERIES 7"

THE DÆMONS DVD RELEASE COVER AND DETAILS

12 BASES OF CHRISTMAS - 10 DAYS TO GO

THE FACE OF EVIL DVD COVER AND DETAILS