Video: Matt Smith on ITV "Daybreak"

Courtesy of dWhoFan9, here's the interview this morning from ITV Daybreak where Matt talks about Season 7, his departure and the Doctor Who Convention in Cardiff:

Matt Smith on ITV Daybreak

Matt Smith will be interviewed on ITV's "Daybreak" tomorrow (Wednesday 29 February 2012). Presenter Steve Hargrave has filmed an interview on the "Doctor Who" set in Cardiff which will air during tomorrow's show.

"Daybreak" runs from 6.50am to 8.30am and at the moment a precise transmission time for the interview is unknown.

Video - "Top Gear" - Behind the Scenes with Matt Smith

Courtesy of topgear.com here's a behind the scenes video of Matt filming his "Star in a Reasonably Priced Car" lap (and as so many people are having trouble viewing the Brightcove video, there's a youtube version below it). As "Top Gear" say:

If you watched Sunday’s Top Gear you’ll know that promising footballist, actor and current Doctor Who, Matt Smith, understeered his way around the Top Gear test track with some success, becoming the fastest Doctor ever to take to our track.

You may not know just how much time he spent ploughing the fields around it. And shouting. And spinning. And not braking.

So, for your delectation, we’ve bundled together some exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from the Time Lord’s lap.

And the youtube version:

Video - Matt Smith on "Top Gear"

Matt was the "Star in a Reasonably Priced Car" on "Top Gear" tonight. Here's the interview and lap:

Preview Clip - Matt Smith on "Top Gear"

Courtesy of the BBC, here's a clip of Matt Smith as the "Star in a Reasonably Priced Car" on "Top Gear" - the episode airs on Sunday 26 February 2012 at 8pm on BBC2.

Nice singing, Matt...

Matt on "Top Gear" - Behind the Scenes Pics

A couple more pics - this time from the BBC Top Gear site:

More Promos - Matt on "Top Gear"

Courtesy of Mark Jefferies, below are two more large promos from Matt's forthcoming "Top Gear" appearance. As always, right click and open in new tab for the large versions:



The following are from Radio Times and are smaller:

Promo Image - Matt on "Top Gear"

The BBC's "Top Gear" Facebook page has released the first promo image of Matt Smith from the upcoming Sunday episode.

Right click and open in new tab for the larger version.

Matt will take part in the "Star in a Reasonably Priced Car" segment of the show. The episode airs on BBC 2 at 8pm on Sunday 26 February 2012.

Season 7 - First Promo Pic and Casting News

Above is the first promo for Season 7 (click for big version) and the BBC press release for Season 7 reads:

Filming has just started on Series 7 of Doctor Who in Cardiff.

This series will see the last days of the Ponds with Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill returning for their final, rollercoaster voyage with the Doctor. Amy and Rory have been at the Doctor’s side for more than two series but what will he do after their heartbreaking departure?

On returning for his third series as the Eleventh Doctor, Matt Smith says: “It’s thrilling and exciting to be back and working with two of my closest friends.”

Karen Gillan adds: “It’s just brilliant to be back on the TARDIS with Matt and Arthur for our craziest adventures yet.”

Series 7 will then see a dramatic turn of events when The Doctor meets a new friend.

Prepare yourselves for thrills, adventures and dramatic surprises as the show builds towards its enormous, climactic 50th anniversary year. Fourteen big, blockbuster-movie episodes – each a brand new epic adventure featuring new monsters and some familiar foes as you’ve never seen them before.

So far, the confirmed guest stars include David Bradley, Rupert Graves and Mark Williams.

Rupert Graves is, of course, familiar to "Sherlock" fans as Inspector Lestrade.

"The Eternity Clock" - New Preview Trailer

Showing off the fact that the game is being built on the Unreal Engine 3, BBC Worldwide and Supermassive Games have released what they call an "epic trailer":



It really looks incredible - and the PS3 and PS Vita versions should launch globally in March 2012 with the PC version available later.

Confirmed: Matt Smith on "Top Gear"

Finally - after days of rumours - it's confirmed that Matt Smith will be "The Star in a Reasonably Priced Car" on "Top Gear" on Sunday 26 February 2011.

Should be fun - especially as, according to some on twitter, he almost rolled the car.

Keep your eyes on the BBC Top Gear Site as they sometimes post clips and pictures in advance of the episode airing.

"Doctor Who" Season 7 episode to film in Spain?

Thanks to Twitter user Ruther2 for finding the above note on the news page of Shepperd-Fox Theatrical Agency.

The last time "Doctor Who" filmed in Spain was for "The Two Doctors" in 1985. Well, at least they should be warm...

Karen Gillan to attend the Official Doctor Who Convention

It's the news most have been expecting but it's nice to get it confirmed as BBC Worldwide have announced that Karen Gillan will be joining Matt Smith and Arthur Darvill at the Official Doctor Who Convention on 24 and 25 March 2012.

Karen said: "“I'm really looking forward to the Convention and meeting all of the wonderful Doctor Who fans!”

It's certainly shaping up to be something rather special. As the press release says:

The Convention brings the makers of the Doctor Who together for a full day, in-depth event designed to reveal the inner workings of the series. On the main stage live pyrotechnic demonstrations will thrill attendees, while in detailed prosthetics masterclasses fans will see a monster made flesh in front of their eyes. Throughout these sessions the secrets of their craft will be revealed by masters of the trade including Danny Hargreaves, SFX Supervisor and Neill Gorton co-director of Millennium FX, Europe’s leading supplier of cutting edge prosthetics, animatronics and special make-up FX.

For further information and to book tickets please visit Official Doctor Who Convention

Video - Matt Smith talks to "The Guardian"

"The Guardian" have a video interview with Matt Smith where he talks about "limbering up for the next batch of Doctor Who, why he can't wait to get back into theatre – and about the challenges of peeing live in front of an audience ...":

Nothing At The End Of The Lane - Issue 3

Having been alerted to this magazine's existence by a tweet from Gareth Roberts, I bought it thinking "a magazine about Doctor Who research and restoration? Bring it on!". Now, this is issue 3 - the previous two issues sold out quickly but are now available as an omnibus issue - and, whilst I was expecting something along the lines of your typical black and white fan produced magazine, the reality was startlingly different: a nice thick cover with 115 glossy colour pages.

So, it looks good. But the content is breathtaking. The editor, Richard Bignall, gives a brief account of how much work and research goes into producing these magazines. Some of the articles in the current issue for instance, took up to three years of painstaking research to produce - and looking through the magazine, you can see why.

There are three "on location" segments featuring behind the scenes photographs from "The Smugglers", "The Enemy of the World" and "The Invasion", there are articles about the original Sarah Jane Smith, "The Evil of the Daleks", unproduced storylines from Brian Hayles, details about a lost 1963 story called "the Living Planet" and much more.

The main articles however are "Journey Into Time" - the story of the lost "Doctor Who" radio series featuring Peter Cushing and "Lost in the Dark Dimension" - the real story behind the 1993 90 minute episode featuring Tom Baker that was cancelled mere weeks after formal confirmation of the story.

The "Journey into Time" feature is fascinating - there are internal BBC memos, interviews and even the complete script for the first episode of the proposed radio series. The one thing missing is the original recording - which, as the magazine notes, "despite extensive searches, no copy of the pilot is known to have survived".

The best feature however, is "Lost in the Dark Dimension" - and if you were a fan of the show in 1993, "The Dark Dimension" needs no introduction. For those newbies, "The Dark Dimension" was confirmed by the BBC shortly after the final episode, "Survival" had aired. It would feature Tom Baker. Four weeks later, it was cancelled. Obviously there were all sorts of rumours ranging from "some inside the BBC hate Doctor Who and sabotaged it" to "some of the Doctors didn't like the size of their roles". This article nails it. It has proposed locations - with pictures taken from location recce videos - it has interviews, letters, memos and, rather wonderfully, there's also a three and a half page "summary" of the plot - taken from the original script.

This really is an extraordinary magazine - and kudos to all those involved for their incredible hard work. It really is a labour of love and I honestly cannot recommend this highly enough.

You can order "Nothing At The End Of The Lane" from End of the Lane. Issue 3 is priced £5.99 (an absolute bargain).

Toby Haynes joins Official Doctor Who Convention Lineup

A press release from BBC Worldwide confirmed today that Toby Haynes would join the guest lineup at the Official Doctor Who Convention in March:

BBC Worldwide announced today that Director Toby Haynes will be joining the Official Doctor Who Convention taking place on the 24th and 25th March at Cardiff’s Millennium Centre.

Toby Haynes has directed several key Eleventh Doctor episodes and most recently came together with Steven Moffat again to film the nail biting series-finale of Sherlock. Doctor Who episodes directed by Haynes include the US based opener to series 6 The Impossible Astronaut and Day of the Moon; the 2010 Christmas special A Christmas Carol with guest stars Michael Gambon and Katherine Jenkins; and Series 5 episodes The Big Bang and The Pandorica Opens which saw the Doctor imprisoned in the fabled Pandorica Box.

“I love the idea of a Convention with a difference, bringing together all the people who make the show and letting the fans see the script to screen process in person. Often when I meet fans I'm blown away by their knowledge of Doctor Who and their enthusiasm to find out more, this event will go a long way to fulfilling that desire!” said Toby Haynes.

Toby joins a host of cast and crew appearing at the Official Doctor Who Convention including: Matt Smith; Steven Moffat; Arthur Darvill; Mark Sheppard; Nicholas Briggs; Ian McNeice; Raquel Cassidy; Neill Gorton; Danny Hargreaves; Tom MacRae; Barnaby Edwards; Caroline Henry; Stephan Pehrsson; Michael Pickwoad; Andy Pryor; Gary Russell; Simon Fisher-Becker and Marcus Wilson. The Convention is a full day event that will reveal the inner workings of Doctor Who, showing the journey from script to screen: Live special effects and pyrotechnic demonstrations; prosthetic masterclasses and in-depth Q & A sessions with the makers of the show will give an unrivalled glimpse into the behind-the-scenes world of Doctor Who.

Tickets to the Convention are on sale now, priced at £99.00. To book, please visit Official Doctor Who Convention

New Competition

Our third giveaway/competition gives you the chance to win a copy of "The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe" on DVD. Please note that this IS a region 2 UK DVD release and, whilst the competition is open to everyone, please ensure you can play this DVD.

The DVD contains the 2011 Christmas Special together with the following special features:

• Prequel
• 3 x The Best of Doctor Who 45-minute features, commissioned by BBC America and only seen in the US. Showcasing the favourite moments of all the series that feature Matt Smith as the Doctor:
Best of the Doctor
Best of the Monsters
Best of the Companions

We have one copy of this to give away and no question to answer.

For rules and how to enter please see the competition link at the top of the page. Competition closes at midnight UK time on Wednesday 7 March 2012.

Season 7 Filming Update

Following yesterday's announcement of two further writers for Season 7, the BBC Official Website has released the following information which includes confirmation of the date filming starts:

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!

Finally - Rory Standee

It might not be an action figure but at least Rory fans now have something of their own. Forbidden Planet today announced a new Rory standee:

This life-size cardboard cut-out cardboard cut-out of Rory Williams is sure to turn heads and wow visitors in equal measure!

This Rory standee is the perfect focus point of any theme party or a gift sure to delight the most avid fan. All cut-outs are designed to be self supporting and are assembled within seconds. Alternatively it is possible to leave the supports flat and wall mount the standee as you wish. All life-size stand ups fold down for easy storage.

The standee is due for release on 13 February 2012 and can be pre-ordered for £26.99. I highly recommend these standees - being the proud owner of an 11th Doctor with stetson standee - they are great fun and easily folded for storage. Although why would you want to store it away? Mine stands proudly near my lounge window.

To pre-order the Rory standee, please visit Forbidden Planet

More Season 7 Writers Confirmed

Two more writers have been confirmed for Season 7. Along with Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, Toby Whithouse ("School Reunion", "Vampires of Venice" and "The God Complex") and Chris Chibnall ("42", "The Hungry Earth/Cold Blood") will be joining the writing crew.

Toby Whithouse's episode is described in the new issue of "Doctor Who Magazine" (on sale tomorrow) as a "big blockbuster of a genre piece".

Filming for the new series begins on Monday 20 February 2012.

More Award Success for "Doctor Who"

Hot on the heels of the "National Television Awards", "Doctor Who" swept the board in the SFX Awards 2012 today:

Best TV Show: "Doctor Who"

Best Actor: Matt Smith for "Doctor Who"

Best Actress: Alex Kingston for "Doctor Who"

Screenwriting Excellence: Neil Gaiman for "Doctor Who" - "The Doctor's Wife"

Courtesy of SFX, here's Neil Gaiman's acceptance speech:



The full list of awards and videos can be found at SFX Awards 2012

Video: Matt Smith's message at the Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular, Melbourne

Courtesy of YBNews, here's the video message from Matt Smith at the Melbourne Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular:

"The Science and Fiction of Doctor Who" - National Maritime Museum

Anyone who has visited the National Maritime Museum in Falmouth, Cornwall will know that it's a fantastic day out, however, on 12 February there's a little extra something for "Doctor Who" fans:

The Science and Fiction of Doctor Who
Aliens and time machines, Cybermen and Daleks. This show takes you on a journey through the fantastic worlds of Doctor Who, and asks: 'Do we live in The Doctor's science fiction world?’

"Live and direct" from CBBC's "Space Hoppers", this is presented by author Mark Brake and science rapper Jon Chase. Times are 11.30am, 2pm and 3.30pm.

As usual with the Museum, all activites are free with a Museum entrance ticket - one "make and take" activity each day.

Obviously, this is aimed at children and adult supervision is required.

For further details, either see the Maritime Museum's Supersized Weekend page or contact them on 01326 313388.

Official Doctor Who Convention - New Guests Announced

BBC Worldwide have announced more guests who will be appearing at the Official Doctor Who Convention in Cardiff in March.

Mark Sheppard, who played Canton in Season 6, together with Nicholas Briggs (voice of Daleks etc), Neil Gorton from MilleniumFX, Ian McNeice (Winston Churchill) and Raquel Cassidy (Cleaves in "The Almost People/The Rebel Flesh").

Mark Sheppard commented:

I grew up watching Doctor Who, and the fans are a huge part of what really makes the show so very special. I can't wait to come back to Cardiff for this unprecedented behind-the-scenes event - a unique chance for fans to meet the amazing people responsible for so much of the show we all love and get to experience their talent and creativity in a totally new way.

Guests already announced include Matt Smith, Steven Moffat, Arthur Darvill, Stuart Milligan, Simon Fisher-Becker, Marcus Wilson and Tom MacRae.

To read the full press release visit: BBC Worldwide Press Release

Please visit Official Doctor Who Convention for booking details.