- GallifreyNewsBase: People Roundup People Roundup

Carey Mulligan, who played Sally Sparrow in the 2007 Steven Moffat story Blink, has been nominated in the 2010 Academy Awards as Best Actress in a Leading Role. She earns the nomination for An Education, in which she played Jenny, an English schoolgirl who is seduced by the charms of an older man.

Paul Magrs is to take part in the Bristol celebration of the achievements of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people. Magrs has written several Doctor Who novels for BBC Books as well as plays for Big Finish and the recently released Tom Baker series Hornet's Nest for BBC Audio. His other work includes gritty teen fiction such as Strange Boy, a coming of age novel about a boy discovering and learning to accept his sexuality. He will take part in a free creative writing session to be held at Bristol Central Library on February 25 from 2pm to 4pm followed by a talk at Bedminster Library from 7.30pm to 9pm.

Dan Walker, an artist on the 2005 and 2010 series of Doctor Who, will be showing off some concept work at Teesside University's Animex International Festival in Middlesbrough, England. The event runs until the 12th February.

Nicholas Briggs, who provides the voices for several Doctor Who monsters, most notably the Daleks and the Cybermen, is is presenting The 7th Dimension on BBC Radio 7. He provides the continuity for the station’s slot dedicated to science-fiction, fantasy, and horror.

- GallifreyNewsBase: Gaiman confirms he is writing for Doctor Who Gaiman confirms he is writing for Doctor Who

Science fiction and fantasy author Neil Gaiman has confirmed he will be writing an episode of Doctor Who for Matt Smith's second series as The Doctor.

Gaiman broke the news in a special message sent to SFX Weekender as part of his acceptance speech for winning Best Comic at the SFX Awards.

Over the years SFX, and its readers and their votes in the polls, have always been very kind to me. I thought I’d return the favour with what used to be called, in journalistic circles when I was a boy, a scoop.
As anyone who’s read my blog knows, I’m a big fan of a certain long-running British SF TV series. One that started watching -- from behind the sofa -- when I was three. And while I know it’s cruel to make you wait for things, in about 14 months from now, which is to say, NOT in the upcoming season but early in the one after that, it’s quite possible that I might have written an episode. And if I had, it would originally have been called “The House of Nothing”. But it definitely isn’t called that any more.

Gaiman's works include The Sandman graphic novel series, Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book. He has won a Hugo Award and the 2009 Newbery Medal. His involvement in Doctor Who has been rumoured for a while.

- GallifreyNewsBase: Barrowman not drawn on Torchwood's future Barrowman not drawn on Torchwood's future

John Barrowman appeared on tonight's Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, during which he discussed how Torchwood was responsible for him gaining his forthcoming role in the US series Desperate Housewives. When asked about for future of Captain Jack himself:

I don't know ... that's the answer I have to give you, I have no idea. I have no clue of what's going to happen, that's the official answer. That's what I am sticking to - I always say something else and and say something more, and I get in trouble for it, so I'm not saying anything more!

He went on to speak about meeting Matt Smith:

I did get to meet him once; we were doing some BBC publicity for Torchwood and he was being introduced to the PR department at the BBC, because he was getting briefed on what he's got to do and how his life is going to change. And he did say to me how "I'd love for our characters' paths to cross". I kind of think, with David finishing, Captain Jack might be done in the Doctor Who series. That's my feelings on it, but if they ask me to come back of course I would go back - I would go back in a second!

Jonathan Ross also confirmed that Matt Smith would be appearing on his show in a few weeks time.

The show is available on the BBC iplayer for the next seven days.

- GallifreyNewsBase: New Fifth Doctor Audios Announced New Fifth Doctor Audios Announced

Big Finish announced today details of the upcoming three-story season of Fifth Doctor stories, featuring Peter Davison as the Doctor, Sarah Sutton as Nyssa, Janet Fielding as Tegan and Mark Strickson as Turlough, the first time this TARDIS team had acted together since 1983.

According to executive producer Nicholas Briggs, "The three stories were recorded just after Christmas, and everyone was on brilliant form. It was quite thrilling to hear [the cast] recreating their roles so authentically. These adventures sound just like they've fallen through a time warp!"

He aded: “The mood during the recording was quite rambunctious and everyone had such a brilliant time that I wouldn’t be surprised to see this team reunited again some time in the near future…”

The series will debut in July, and the first story released will be Cobwebs by Jonathan Morris. The story guest-stars Helen Griffin (Mrs. Moore in "Rise of the Cybermen"), Raymond Coulthard of Hotel Babylon and Adrian Lukis (Peak Practice). The TARDIS crew lands on a scientific base and it becomes obvious that they've been there before...only for them it hasn't happened yet.

The second story is The Whispering Forest by Stephen Cole, set on an alien world where a colony has become obsessed with cleanliness – while strange creatures are prowling among the trees. The guest cast includes Paul Shelley (previously Persuasion in "Four to Doomsday"), Harry Melling (Dudley Dursley in the Harry Potter films...and Patrick Troughton's grandson) and Hayley Atwell (recently in the Prisoner remake).

Wrapping up the series, with the blessings of original creator Christopher Bailey, the Mara makes a welcome return in The Cradle of the Snake by Marc Platt, in which the TARDIS crew revisits the planet Manussa. “When we knew we could get these characters back together, we realised we wanted to bring back the Mara because it was an iconic monster from the Davison era,” says Briggs. "Marc Platt seemed the obvious choice to write it – because Marc does ‘weird’ so wonderfully!”

Please visit the Big Finish website to read the full story.

- GallifreyNewsBase: The Doctor and I The Doctor and I

John Barrowman has recorded a new track called The Doctor and I. The song is based on "The Wizard and I" from the Stephen Schwartz musical, Wicked. The lyrics have been changed to have references to The Doctor and Captain Jack.

Barrowman has performed the song at some of his previous concerts and it gets its first ever radio play this Sunday during Elaine Paige on Sunday on BBC Radio 2, available in the UK on FM and around the world on the BBC IPlayer.

Barrowman will be a guest on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross tonight.

- GallifreyNewsBase: Doctor Who Magazine 418 Doctor Who Magazine 418

This month's Doctor Who Magazine reveals the secrets of casting the Eleventh Doctor Matt Smith. In the second part of a in-depth interview, showrunner Steven Moffat talks about how the new TARDIS team were chosen; the controversial new costumes; the challenges in creating the new series of Doctor Who; and, after the auditions, why it was clear that Matt Smith had to play the title role.

It was very obvious it was him. It was just a really, really good audition. More than good acting – they were all good actors – he just had the tone of it straight away, the fun of it, the nuttiness of it… the unselfconscious nuttiness of it. Because, let’s be honest, Matt is unselfconsciously nutty. That’s what he’s like.

Also in the magazine, the Watcher returns and proudly presents his definitive guide to the greatest of all the Doctor’s many foes, the dreaded Daleks. There is an interview with Louise Page, Doctor Who’s costume designer from 2006-2009, about dressing David Tennant, kitting out Kylie Minogue and mixing materials for a menagerie of monsters!

Part three of "The Crimson Hand" sees Majenta finally reunited with her old gang, but what will this mean for her companion, the Doctor? And what terrors lie in store for the universe itself? Plus the Doctor, Tegan and Turlough tackle Tractators as The Fact of Fiction takes a close look at 1984’s Frontios.

Neil Harris asks, "Should Doctor Who be sexy?" There is also a catch up with sixties companion Peter Purves who talks about playing companion Steven Taylor both now and then.

- GallifreyNewsBase: Doctor Who Adventures - 152 Doctor Who Adventures - 152

Be careful not to blink while reading this week’s Doctor Who Adventures magazine because the Weeping Angels are in it! The Angels are returning to Doctor Who where they will come face to face with the Eleventh Doctor. Find out how they kill and why they scare so much.

Also in the magazine, read all about the creatures called the Flood. Discover what they are, what they want, and essential survival tips. Plus the chance to ask the new Doctor Matt Smith a question, the Master’s Top 10 of evil deeds and three posters.

Out now in the United Kingdom.

- GallifreyNewsBase: Episode Titles Revealed Episode Titles Revealed

Steven Moffat has revealed the titles of the first few stories of Matt Smith's era as the Eleventh Doctor.

The series begins with The Eleventh Hour written by Moffat himself and is believed to follow directly on from the regeneration in The End of Time. Episode Two is The Beast Below also by Moffat with Episode Three seeing the return of the Doctor's greatest foe in Victory of the Daleks by Mark Gatiss.

Speaking to Doctor Who Magazine, Moffat also confirmed a number of guest stars for the new series coming to the UK in the Spring.

Arthur Darvill will join the cast of Episode One as Rory. Darvill was previously seen in Little Dorrit, playing Tip Dorrit in the 2008 series.

Sophie Okonedo stars in Episode Two. She recently seen playing Winnie Mandela in the film Mrs Mandela and has previously starred in series such as Criminal Justice, Father and Son and Clocking Off. Her role as Tatiana, the wife of Rwandan hotel manager Paul Rusesabagina in the genocide drama film Hotel Rwanda, earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. For Doctor Who she played Alison Cheney, a companion of the Doctor in the 2003 webcast, Scream of the Shalka.

Bill Paterson joins Episode Three. The Scottish actor's long career features appearances in The Killing Fields, A Private Function, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, Chaplin, Richard III, Miss Potter and Creation. His television roles include Auf Wiedersehen Pet, Smiley's People, The Singing Detective and the ITV version of Doctor Zhivago. Science fiction fans will remember him from his two roles in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy radio dramas: as the Playbeing freighter pilot in the Secondary Phase, and as "rain god" Rob McKenna in the Quandary Phase.

Also in Episode Three is Ian McNeice. McNeice had a memorable role in the award-winning series Edge of Darkness. He has appeared in a number of films, including 84 Charing Cross Road, Day of the Dead, No Escape, From Hell and The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain, and is well known to TV fans as Baron Harkonnen in the Sci-Fi Channel original miniseries Dune and Children of Dune and the Forum Crier in the HBO series Rome.

Episodes Four and Five see the return of Alex Kingston as River Song. Kingston first played the role in the Tenth Doctor's episodes Silence in the Library and Forest of the Dead also written by Steven Moffat. She is best known for her role as Dr. Elizabeth Corday in the NBC television series ER and has appeared in The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover, A Pin for the Butterfly, Croupier and Boudica.

Episode Ten sees Tony Curran join the cast playing Vincent Van Gough in the Richard Curtis episode. Curran has appeared in many films including Shallow Grave, Great Expectations, Gladiator, The Mists of Avalon and Miami Vice.

- GallifreyNewsBase: Doctor Who visits Stonehenge Doctor Who visits Stonehenge

One of the UK's most prestigious historical landmarks played host to the Doctor Who production team last night, with cast and crew filming at Stonehenge in Wiltshire. A report on the proceedings follows below.

Well it certainly was a mad thing to go to Stonehenge and see the filming, but I can't tell you how amazing it was seeing the Neolithic stones list up in the mist laden night sky. This is going to be such an iconic and epic scene in the finale. I can't wait to see it! We arrived there about 8.30, and there was nothing to see, lights had been placed around the stones, but hadn't been switched on. Over the next hour or so dozens of cars arrived, a coach full of extras and [special effects technician] Danny Hargreaves amongst others. Things kicked off around 11pm with Matt, Karen (in that dressing gown again) and River Song all rehearsing a scene in the middle of the stones. Braziers, propane bottles and a smoke machine were also being used. Unfortunately after about 10 minutes the heavans opened. I do wonder why they waited so long to film when it was pitch black by 6pm and not a drop of rain in sight. I do hope they managed to brave the elements, cos the cold was more than enough for us to contend with just watching!

Information and photos courtesy of Scott Frankton.

There are further photographs (i.e. spoilers) from BBC Wiltshire.

- GallifreyNewsBase: Peter Davison dismisses Doctors reunion Peter Davison dismisses Doctors reunion

During an interview on the Alan Titchmarsh Show this afternoon, former Doctor Peter Davison was asked about a possible reunion with all the remaining Doctors:

I've not heard anything about it, I doubt that it would happen. I mean, there aren't that many of us left, you see! And what would have to happen, they'd have to get replacements, people that looked a bit like the characters who are no longer with us ... I just don't see it happening - I mean I wouldn't rule it out absolutely, but I can't imagine.

Discussion also turned to David Tennant (who is going out with his daughter Georgia Moffett):

He's got the best deal in Doctor Who ... there is a version of his Doctor that is actually ageing on Earth, because there were two of them - a sort of clone - so he can be brought back at any time. It's a brilliant deal! I have to try and look thirty years younger, but he'll be absolutely fine!

Davison - who was on the show to promote his current show Legally Blonde - was also a little bemused by a clip of Mawdryn Undead being used as an introduction for him, citing that Titchmarsh has a habit of showing clips of him that are older than the previous one each time he appears on the programme!

- GallifreyNewsBase: Regeneration - Number One for Week Regeneration - Number One for Week

Official figures released by BARB reveal Doctor Who The End of Time, Part Two was watched by 12.27 million people and was once more the most watched programme of the week on British television.

The figures were finally released Monday, after a delay caused by the implementation of a new data collection system. These final ratings are more accurate than the initial overnight figures, and include those who recorded the programme to watch within seven days of transmission. The figures for BBC One give The End of Time a rating of 11.79 million viewers, second for the week behind the episode of EastEnders which directly followed the regeneration. However, unlike EastEnders, Doctor Who was simulcast on the BBC HD channel, where it was watched by an extra 480,000. If these figures are added to the BBC One number it gives Doctor Who a total of 12.27 million, enough to push the programme to the number one spot for only the third time in its 47 year history.

It makes The End of Time, Part Two the 3rd highest rated episode since the series returned in 2005. Overall the episode has the 25th highest rating in the series history.

The edition of Doctor Who Confidential, looking back at the Tenth Doctor, got a final rating of 1.21 million viewers on BBC Three with an additional 150,000 watching on BBC HD. It was the second highest rated programme on Multi Channel for the day.

As well as being the end of David Tennant as the Doctor, The End of Time also brings to an end the stewardship of Russell T Davies and Julie Gardner. Speaking after the launch of the series in 2005, the then BBC head of drama commissioning, Jane Tranter, spoke about her hopes for the series and the audience it would attract. "I told myself I'd be completely and utterly thrilled if it got 6.5 million" she said, "but there was a little voice inside whispering '4.5 million".

The fact that every single episode since the relaunch has exceeded her highest aspirations show how tremedously successful the series has become. Not only bringing large numbers of viewers to BBC One, but also drawing people towards new services such as BBC Three, the BBC iPlayer and , in the last year, BBC HD. If the number of viewers who watched the End of Time on all platforms is calculated, the total stands at around 16 million, roughly the same as the highest rating ever achieved by the classic series, 16.1 million for City of Death in 1979.

Over the last five years 60 episodes have been transmitted making a grand total of 756 since the series began in 1963. Of those sixty 10 have made the top five programmes of the week, something only one episode from the classic series ever achieved. Twenty Six episodes, over half of those made by the team, made the top ten, with only two episodes falling outside the top twenty.

The top rating story of the era was Voyage of the Damned, the Christmas story from 2007, with 13.3 million viewers, the lowest rating story was The Satan Pit with 6.1 million.

Full ratings data and audience analysis for all sixty episodes can be found in the ratings threads in the Transmission section of Gallifrey Base

- GallifreyNewsBase: Bonhams Auction Catalogue Bonhams Auction Catalogue

As previously reported, Bonhams will be holding a Doctor Who related auction on Wednesday 24th February. The catalogue for the auction is now available to view online, and includes items from both the 'modern' series of recent years, and also from the 'classic' 20th Century series - many of which originate from the recently closed Blackpool Exhibition.

There are a variety of costumes and props listed in the auction, ranging from the SUV from Torchwood through to the oldest item in the auction, a Brontosaurus model from Invasion of the Dinosaurs.

It is possible to pre-register on the site to bid in the auction on the day.

- GallifreyNewsBase: Bill Nighy in Doctor Who Bill Nighy in Doctor Who

Actor Bill Nighy, star of films such as Love, Actually and the TV drama serial State of Play, is to appear as a guest star in the forthcoming 2010 series of Doctor Who, according to the Digital Spy website. The website quotes a "set insider" as confirming the casting, apparently in the episode written by Nighy's frequent collaborator Richard Curtis. The nature of Nighy's role, according to Digital Spy, can be found in the spoiler box below.

Nighy's name has long been associated with rumours concerning the revived version of Doctor Who, frequently attached to speculation that he might be cast as the Doctor. This began in September 2003, the day following the announcement of the new series, when then-Doctor Who Magazine editor Clayton Hickman named the actor on BBC Radio 4 as Russell T Davies's favoured choice for the role. On March 20th 2004, the very day that the BBC announced Christopher Eccleston's casting as the Ninth Doctor, early editions of the Daily Mail newspaper in the UK carried a story stating that Nighy had won the part.

According to the Digital Spy report, Nighy will be playing "a van Gogh expert with some similar fashion choices to The Doctor himself."

- GallifreyNewsBase: New Books from Hirst New Books from Hirst

Two new Doctor Who-related publications are available from Hirst Books.

Look Who’s Talking by Colin Baker
To many, Colin Baker is the sixth Doctor Who; to some, he is the villainous Paul Merroney in the classic BBC drama The Brothers. But to the residents of South Buckinghamshire he is a weekly voice of sanity in a world that seems intent on confounding him. Marking the 15th anniversary of his regular feature in the Bucks Free Press, this compilation includes over 100 of his most entertaining columns, from 1995 to 2009, complete with new linking material. With fierce intelligence and a wicked sense of humour, Colin tackles everything from the absurdities of political correctness to the joys of being an actor, slipping in vivid childhood memories, international adventures and current affairs in a relentless rollercoaster of reflections, gripes and anecdotes. Pulling no punches, taking no prisoners and sparing no detail, the ups and downs of Colin life are shared with panache, honesty and clarity, and they are every bit as entertaining and surreal as his trips in that famous police box... for a world that is bewildering, surprising and wondrous, one need look no further than modern Britain, and Colin Baker is here to help you make sense of it all, and to give you a good laugh along the way

Shooty Dog Thing by Paul Castle
Since the 1970s, Doctor Who fans have written and produced fanzines. Some of the most quirky, passionate and subversive writing is still to be found in the pages of lovingly crafted, home-spun, desktop-published fanzines, and Shooty Dog Thing is no exception.Cool and accessible, Shooty Dog Thing is inspiring a new wave of fandom. This book will make you remember why you fell in love with Doctor Who in the first place; challenging established views, covering The Doctor’s travels on TV, in books, comic strips and on audio; and finding reasons to love this very special show just that little bit more than the casual viewer. Shooty Dog Thing is louder, braver, and more loving. The best of the first 10 issues is compiled here for your enjoyment, along with some lovely, juicy new stuff, including contributions from Doctor Who writer Paul Cornell, Doctor Who historian David J. Howe and the original Doctor Who glamour girl, Anneke Wills.

Both books can be ordered, signed, from hirstbooks.com

- GallifreyNewsBase: Tennant and Tate back on Radio 2 Tennant and Tate back on Radio 2

The BBC has confirmed our story from yesterday that David Tennant and Catherine Tate will return to Radio 2 on Saturday morning when they once more stand in for Jonathan Ross.

It will be the third time the duo have stood in for the presenter, hosting the three hour radio show. This weeks guests include Anthony Head, who appeared in the Series 2 story School Reunion playing Mr Finch, Ricky Gervais and the rock band La Roux.

We understand the programme was recorded on Friday and will not be live. Radio 2 can be heard around the world via the BBC Website. The programme begins at 1000 GMT.

Update. The programme has now aired and can be heard for the next seven days on the BBC iPlayer.

- GallifreyNewsBase: Doctor Who and the Silver Spiral Doctor Who and the Silver Spiral

Astronomer Dr Megan Argo has published a report on a major cosmic discovery in the form of a Doctor Who story!

The discovery relates to a powerful jet of energy seen from an exploding star in a distant galaxy observed when Dr Argo was working with an international team at Jodrell Bank. As well as the more scientific technical report on the event (to be published in Nature), the doctor, a keen science fiction and Doctor Who fan, decided to also write the discovery up in story form in order to introduce the discovery to the general public.

Megan, from Macclesfield, Cheshire, told Skymania News:

I've been a Doctor Who fan since I was a child. It was partially to blame for me becoming a scientist. I first came across an concept called entropy in a Doctor Who story called Logopolis and remember being fascinated, even though it was some ten years before it was ever mentioned in a physics lesson.

You can read the story of the discovery through the eyes of the Doctor and Martha in Doctor Who and the Silver Spiral from Megan's own blog; the official title of the paper in Nature will be: "A mildly relativistic radio jet from the normal Type Ic Supernova 2007gr".

Reported by Scientific American.

- GallifreyNewsBase: Radio Times Covers Party Radio Times Covers Party

David Tennant has attended the Radio Times Covers Party in London. The annual event is open to all those who have appeared on the cover of the UK listings magazine over the year. In 2009 Tennant appeared on three covers as the Doctor. A full report on the party is available on the Radio Times website, along with a short video shot at the occasion.

A tweet from drummer William Bowerman implies David Tennant and Catherine Tate will once more host Jonathan Ross's Radio show this weekend. This has not been confirmed by the BBC who still have Ross listed as presenter on their website.

- GallifreyNewsBase: Thursday Location Report Thursday Location Report

Filming for Matt Smith's first series as the Doctor continues with the team returning to a location they have used already for scenes earlier in the series.

Details and photos below.

The production team has returned to the Old Vicarage in Rhymney in South Wales. Filming took place at this location in October for what is believed to be episode one of the new series. The TARDIS prop is present, under a tarpaulin, in the vicarage garden. Although all the filming has taken place inside the Vicarage so far, lights have been rigged in the garden ready for a future scene. The windows of the vicarage have been blacked out. Matt Smith has been seen on location today.

We understand Location filming will take place at Stonehenge sometime next week.

Photos courtesy of ahremsee of Gallifrey Base. Information from The Silver Cloak

- GallifreyNewsBase: Dreamland for North America Dreamland for North America

The animated story Dreamland will be be released in North America on 4th May. The 45 minute story was originally made for the BBC's interactive service.

The story features the vocal talents of David Tennant, Georgia Moffett, David Warner, Stuart Milligan and Clark Peters and is set in the infamous alien hotspot Roswell. It is described by writer Phil Ford as 'Doctor Who meets a Fifties monster B-movie'.

Like the UK release, the DVD will be part of a two disc set and will feature the three documentaries looking back at the last five years of Doctor Who, Doctor Who's Greatest Moments, which were shown in the UK last summer.

More details and the cover can be seen at TVShowsonDVD

The DVD is released in the UK on 1st February.

- GallifreyNewsBase: Weng Chiang Revisited Weng Chiang Revisited

2 entertain have revealed, via their twitter page, that the second story to be included in the DVD Revisitations Box Set will be the 1977 Tom Baker story The Talons of Weng Chiang.

The story, which is one of the most highly-regarded of the Fourth Doctor's era, was originally released on DVD in April 2003. The updated version will contain new behind the scenes features. The other story so far confirmed for the set is The TV Movie, staring Paul McGann. The set will be released in the UK later this year.