Showing posts with label John Barrowman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John Barrowman. Show all posts

Bookmark and Share #RTWatch: Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang

4/17/2020 08:52:00 am - Reported by Chuck Foster

RTWatch: Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang (Credit: Radio Times)Radio Times are presenting their second Torchwood-oriented Twitter viewing event tonight, this time focussing on the arrival of Jack's former colleague Captain John Hart.

To join in, simply pop in your DVD or Bluray disc of Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang, or access a streaming service such as BBC iPlayer, Amazon Video, iTunes or Google Play, and then hit play at 8:00pm BST / 3:00pm EDT / 5:00am AEST / 7:00am NZST and share your viewing experience!



John Barrowman will be tweeting his thoughts during the viewing alongside co-stars Naoko Mori, Burn Gorman and Gareth David-Lloyd, after which they will be participating in a live Q&A.

Bookmark and Share #RTWatch: Q&A with John Barrowman and Naoko Mori

4/03/2020 08:01:00 am - Reported by Chuck Foster

Yesterday evening saw the Radio Times present its own "tweetalong", this time for the Torchwood episode Captain Jack Harkness; this was followed by a live Q&A with its stars John Barrowman and Naoko Mori, and is available to watch via their YouTube channel:

Bookmark and Share Moffat: I'm not blocking Torchwood return

9/13/2016 03:53:00 pm - Reported by Josiah Rowe

John Barrowman has recently spoken about the obstacles preventing Torchwood's return to television.
Speaking at the Wizard World Chicago Comic Con Barrowman mentioned Doctor Who's current lead writer and executive producer Steven Moffat as the reason Torchwood would not be back, to which Moffat has clarified that he is not one of those obstacles:
You may be aware that John Barrowman has been saying, publicly, that I've been blocking a new series of Torchwood. To be very clear - I haven't blocked it; I wouldn't block it; I wouldn't even be ABLE to block it. I didn't even know a revival had been mooted till I read about it on the Internet. As John perfectly well knows, it's not my show and I could no more prevent it happening that he could cancel Sherlock. I am bewildered, and a little cross, even to be included in this conversation. For the record, I really liked the show (especially the third series) and would be very happy to see more - monsters and mayhem, why not? But the fact is, it has nothing to do with me. Please pass this on to the anxious and the angry - I've had enough hate mail now.

Acknowledgement: Wizard World Chicago Comic Con coverage report via YouTube, courtesy of ChristineDoesCons

Bookmark and Share The Lives of Captain Jack

9/10/2016 12:01:00 am - Reported by Chuck Foster

Big Finish have announced further adventures for Captain Jack Harkness with a new series coming in June 2017.

The Lives of Captain Jack (Credit: Big Finish)John Barrowman (Doctor Who, Torchwood, Arrow, The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow) returns to the Doctor Who universe as Captain Jack Harkness in The Lives of Captain Jack, a set of four full cast audio adventures from Big Finish, made under licence from BBC Worldwide.

Captain Jack - an immortal adventurer with a wicked sense of everything - has led an extraordinary set of lives. We all know he travelled with the Doctor, we all know he ran Torchwood - but what else did he get up to? The four adventures in this full cast series from Big Finish provide some of the answers.

Starring John Barrowman, and guest starring Russell Tovey (Doctor Who, Being Human and Looking), Camille Coduri (Doctor Who, Him & Her), Alexander Vlahos (Merlin, Versailles, The Confessions of Dorian Gray), Sarah Douglas (Superman I, Superman II, Space 1999, V, Strippers vs Werewolves), Scott Haran (Wizards vs Aliens), Aaron Neil (Class) and Katy Manning (Doctor Who) the four adventures see Captain Jack in different times and on different planets, doing battle with a variety of strange and horrible enemies, from Mother Nothing to the Council Of Three.

John Barrowman laughs:
I find it really easy to slip into Captain Jack. There’s a bit of Jack in John and vice versa. What’s great about these stories is that they’re the kind of episode we didn’t have time for on TV – exploring aspects of Jack that you’ve never seen before in a timey-wimey way. And getting to work with Camille was amazing. If you’re a fan of Captain Jack, or Torchwood or Doctor Who, then I say get them.
Producer James Goss says:
We love John. He understands Captain Jack like no-one else, and easily provided the various versions of him – having just spent three days playing Torchwood Jack, he suddenly delivered preppy Time Agent Jack, Satellite 5 Jack, End of Time Jack, and effortlessly locked horns with Jackie Tyler. Watching him together in the studio with Camille was genuinely one of the happiest days of my life. We were so lucky to get John, and can’t wait to get him back.

Released in June 2017, The Lives of Captain Jack is written by Guy Adams and James Goss. The stories include:
  • THE YEAR AFTER I DIED: Set in the year 200,101, on an Earth ravaged by the Daleks, we see Jack struggling to save humanity from its oldest enemy.
  • WEDNESDAYS FOR BEGINNERS: Jack and Jackie Tyler (Camille Coduri) must unite to rescue the Powell Estate from a force whose name Jackie can never say.
  • ONE ENCHANTED EVENING: Captain Jack and Alonso Frame (Russell Tovey) have only just met. But why did the Doctor want them to be together?
  • MONTH 25: He’s the young star of the Time Agency, and his whole life is about to fall apart. But that’s not going to stop him winning.

The Lives of Captain Jack is available to pre-order from the Big Finish website.

Bookmark and Share John Barrowman and Julie Gardner made MBEs

6/14/2014 01:00:00 am - Reported by Marcus

John Barrowman, who played Captain Jack and Julie Gardner, Doctor Who's former Executive Producer, have both been made a MBE in the 2014 Queen's Birthday Honours list.

Julie Gardner was a key member of the team responsible for bringing back Doctor Who in 2005 and relaunching the series for a whole new generation. She was brought into the project in 2003 to work with Russell T Davies on developing the show. Together they were responsible for turning Doctor Who into one of the biggest BBC's most succesful shows, responsible for 60 episodes. She was involved in casting two Doctors, Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant, and creating two spin-offs, Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures. She now works in California as Senior vice president Scripted Projects for BBC Worldwide America.

Gardner, who was born in Neath, near Swansea, has been awarded the honour for "services to the Economic Development of the Television Industry in Wales." She said: she was honored to accept the award.
I have filmed all over the world. But the talent, stamina and sheer fun of the writers, cast and crews I’ve worked with in Wales is beyond compare. I am lucky; I get to keep this award. But I am accepting it for all those brilliant people who have made my job such an absolute joy, and for my dad who will be the talk of Glynneath. My proudest achievement has been to successfully bring Doctor Who to Wales. From there, through Torchwood, Casualty and Da Vinci's Demon's, Wales' position in the global television industry goes from strength to strength. I am hugely proud to have been a part of that journey and will work hard so that this is just the beginning.


John Barrowman joined Doctor Who in 2005, playing Captain Jack Harkness in eleven episodes of the series. His success was such that he was given his own spin off series Torchwood, which ran from 2006-2011. The honour was given for his services to entertainment as well as his contribution to charity.

Barrowman, who is currently in Australia , promoting his drama series Arrow, said receiving the award was the proudest day in his life.

The honour makes both a member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. The award is given by Queen Elizabeth on the advice of the British Government.

Bookmark and Share People Roundup

2/16/2014 07:24:00 pm - Reported by John Bowman

Today sees a certain actor reaching a certain milestone and we couldn't let it go unrecognised, so here's wishing A VERY HAPPY 50th BIRTHDAY to Christopher Eccleston - the man who was so fundamental in ensuring that Doctor Who was a success when it returned in 2005! To mark the special occasion, here are his first and last scenes as the Doctor.


Matt Smith is to appear at the Wizard World Louisville Comic Con on Saturday 29th March, which is being held at the Kentucky International Convention Center, 221 S 4th Street,
Louisville. He will be greeting fans, signing autographs, posing for photos and conducting an interactive question-and-answer session. [Wizard World]

The first photo of David Tennant in Gracepoint - the US remake of ITV drama Broadchurch in which he also starred - has been released and published by Entertainment Weekly. It shows Tennant, who plays Detective Emmett Carver, with Anna Gunn as his sidekick Detective Ellie Miller. The 10-episode series - written by Chris Chibnall who created the original show, and directed by James Strong who helmed five Broadchurch episodes - is being made by Fox and will air next season. [Entertainment Weekly, 14 Feb 2014]

Ben Wheatley - who is directing Peter Capaldi's first two episodes - has been talking about working with the actor. "With someone like Capaldi, he's a massive Who fan. He knows Who inside out. And everything he does is very, carefully planned and thought about. I remember when they first started talking to me about doing it, and I was very nervous for just those reasons. How do you shape this performance? But then when I heard who was going to do it - when they told me it was Capaldi, [I thought] that's not really a problem. He's so good. I was relieved, pretty much. It would have been a very different situation if it had been another kind of Matt Smith character. A guy who you don't know. Moulded from the start. But with Capaldi, you look at his career and you look at his performances they are all so brilliant, and all so different as well. It was a lucky break for me, I think that." He added: "It seems to me the episodes that we're doing now seem more like classic Who. We're going back to that style. But you'll have to wait and see." [io9, 3 Feb 2014]

Carey Mulligan will be playing the former lover of a character portrayed by Bill Nighy when she makes her West End debut in Skylight by Sir David Hare. The revival will be on at Wyndham's Theatre from Friday 6th June to Saturday 23rd August and will see Mulligan in the role of schoolteacher Kyra Hollis, while Nighy plays Tom Sergeant, as "the two attempt to rekindle their once-passionate relationship only to find themselves locked in a dangerous battle of opposing ideologies and mutual desires." [BBC News, 14 Feb 2014]

Bonnie Langford is returning to play the Lady of the Lake in the hit West End musical Spamalot, which is at the Playhouse Theatre. She will be appearing in it from Monday 24th February. [The Stage, 10 Feb 2014]

The fifth series of ITV period drama Downton Abbey will see Richard E Grant joining the cast as Simon Bricker - a guest of the Granthams. The eight-part series will also see the return of Hugh Bonneville, Penelope Wilton, Samantha Bond and Raquel Cassidy. [ITV Press Centre, 14 Feb 2014]

Michael Gambon will be among those taking part in the HighTide Festival in Halesworth, Suffolk. Among the theatre festival's events are world premieres of plays, readings and music, and Gambon will be taking part in the Face To Face series, when he will be interviewed by the theatre critic Michael Billington on Saturday 19th April. The festival - which takes place from Thursday 10th to Saturday 19th April - will also see the world premiere of Peddling, a play written and performed by Patrick Troughton's grandson Harry Melling, which will then transfer to New York.

Alex Kingston, Noel Clarke and Reece Shearsmith are to star in the ITV drama Chasing Shadows. The four-part production, which focuses on the work of a missing persons field unit charged with tracking down serial killers who prey on impressionable and vulnerable people, is due to start filming in the south-east of England soon for eight weeks. Shearsmith will play Det Sgt Sean Stone, with Kingston portraying his partner, Ruth Hattersley, while Clarke will take the role of Det Insp Prior. [ITV Press Centre, 11 Feb 2014]

Actress and model Lily Cole has been cast as Helen of Troy in The Last Days of Troy - an adaptation by Simon Armitage of The Iliad - which will receive its world premiere at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester from Thursday 8th May to Saturday 7th June, before transferring to The Globe in London from Tuesday 10th to Saturday 28th June. [The Stage, 12 Feb 2014]

A forthcoming show featuring Louise Jameson that is for children who have learning difficulties needs actors and costumes after some cast members had to leave the production. The Unexpected Heroes is being put on at Sandhurst School in Berkshire on Tuesday 25th, Wednesday 26th and Friday 28th February, and producer Jonathan Turner said: "We are facing great difficulties as some cast members had to drop out due to unforeseen circumstances, so we are appealing for help with costumes and sets." Jameson is voicing a magic mirror in the show. Turner can be contacted on jonathanturner560@gmail.com [Local Berkshire, 14 Feb 2014]

Oft-rumoured to have been considered to play the Doctor, Paterson Joseph has told in an interview of his audition to take over from David Tennant. "I was in South Africa at the time, and I think if I'd been in England I probably would have suffered some sort of trauma. But I'll be very honest with you. I was overjoyed. Not that I thought I had been considered, because I hadn't been - they hadn't approached my agent at that point - but I was overjoyed." He added that after the audition "I came back and I think I pretty much knew that I hadn't got it and weirdly wasn't disappointed." [The Independent, 8 Feb 2014]

With his new TV entertainment show Superstar Dogs due to start on Channel 4 tomorrow at 5.30pm, John Barrowman has been talking about the programme and how his own dogs - Captain Jack, a Jack Russell terrier named after his Doctor Who/Torchwood character, and cocker spaniel Harris - would get on in the challenges. "Captain Jack knows how to dive underwater and swim down to retrieve a bone but I don't think he'd be good at fetching any balls because he'd burst them. And I'd probably have to train him a bit for the Dogstacle course. Harris would refuse to do anything!" [What's On TV]

An inquest into the death of former director Christopher Barry is to be held on Thursday 5th June. The 88-year-old died on Friday 7th February after falling down an escalator at a shopping centre in Banbury, near his home, earlier that day. He was taken to hospital but while there he suddenly stopped breathing and doctors couldn't revive him. [The Telegraph, 15 Feb 2014]

Lalla Ward and her husband Richard Dawkins will be sharing their memories of writer and former Doctor Who script editor Douglas Adams, as well as celebrating his life, at Highgate Cemetery, where Adams is buried. The sold-out event - entitled A Conversation At The End Of The Universe - takes place on Tuesday 11th March, which would have been Adams's 62nd birthday. Ward and Dawkins were introduced to each other by Adams at his 40th birthday party in 1992 and they married later that year. [Highgate Cemetery website]

Among those paying their respects to Roger Lloyd Pack at his funeral at St Paul's Church, Covent Garden, on Thursday were fellow Only Fools And Horses stars John Challis and Tessa Peake-Jones, plus the actor Nigel Havers. Daughter Emily Lloyd gave a reading of Kahlil Gibran's poem On Death and said afterwards that Lloyd Pack's last words to his family were "I'm fine." [The Mirror, 14 Feb 2014]

In Memoriam

The actress Lisa Daniely - who played Madeleine Issigri in The Space Pirates - has died at the age of 84. She made her film debut in 1951 as the eponymous Lilli Marlene, starring in the sequel, The Wedding of Lilli Marlene, two years later as well. Among her other roles, she also appeared in ITV's 1958-59 version of The Invisible Man as Diane Brady Wilson - the title character's widowed sister - with Deborah Watling playing her daughter. Other TV appearances included The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Van der Valk, The Protectors, Strange Report, Danger Man and The Saint. [The Stage, 12 Feb 2014]

Bookmark and Share People Roundup

1/25/2014 02:21:00 pm - Reported by John Bowman

Christopher Eccleston is to portray an English scientist in the Sky Atlantic crime drama Fortitude - a 12-episode series centring on a murder in the eponymous Arctic Circle town where there has been no violent crime beforehand. Joining him for the show - to be shot in Iceland and the UK and shown later this year - are Michael Gambon as a wildlife photographer who is terminally ill and Jessica Raine playing the wife of the town's main search-and-rescue pilot. [Radio Times, 24 Jan 2014]

John Barrowman is to present the new Channel 4 daytime series Superstar Dogs in the run-up to Crufts. It will see dogs and their owners competing in a number of challenges, with the eventual winner being crowned at the dog show in March. He said: "I have a passion for animals, dogs in particular, so I am hugely excited to be part of a sporting event for dogs and their owners that encourages teamwork, competitive spirit and a large dose of fun and laughter! Having dogs myself, I know the determination, love and commitment you need to train them - it's not easy!" Recording is taking place at MediaCity, Salford Quays from Tuesday 28th to Thursday 30th January, with tickets currently available from Applause Store. (NB: Minimum age is 16.) [Channel 4, 15 Jan 2014]

The BBC One daytime drama Father Brown - starring Mark Williams as the eponymous crime-solving priest - has been recommissioned for a third series. Made by BBC Birmingham Drama Village, it is based on the G K Chesterton stories. The new run of 15 45-minute episodes will begin shooting in and around the Cotswolds later this year. Damian Kavanagh, the controller of BBC Daytime, said: "I'm extremely proud that Father Brown has become an appointment-to-view programme on BBC One afternoons. The production team and Mark Williams have done a fantastic job bringing Father Brown to life and I'm delighted that our viewers share my enthusiasm for the series." [BBC Media Centre, 22 Jan 2014]

Richard Wilson is to appear in the one-man play Krapp's Last Tape, by Samuel Beckett, from Wednesday 25th June to Saturday 19th July at The Crucible in Sheffield, where he is an associate director for Sheffield Theatres at its studio space there. [The Stage, 20 Jan 2014]

The actor Bill Nighy has been shortlisted for one of the British Animation Awards. He has been nominated for his voice work on the 10-minute drama The Hungry Corpse, whose senior executive producer Rankin took the official portrait of Peter Capaldi for his unveiling as the new Doctor. The ceremony will be held at the BFI Southbank on Friday 7th March. [BBC News, 22 Jan 2014]

And speaking of Peter Capaldi, the actor Jason Flemyng - who will be guest-starring as baddie Vadim opposite Capaldi's Cardinal Richelieu in the BBC One drama The Musketeers tomorrow - reckons he will be "amazing" as the Doctor. Flemyng - the son of Gordon Flemyng who directed the two Dalek films in the 1960s - has a pedigree of appearing with forthcoming Doctors. Capaldi was filming The Musketeers when he got the role, and Flemyng said: "One minute I was working with Peter playing the Cardinal and the next, I was working with Doctor Who. That was quite surprising when he got the Doctor Who gig while we were in the middle of it. When I did The Quatermass Experiment, David Tennant came in one morning and was Doctor Who as well so it seems to be something strange, like I'm a lucky (charm). Always the bridesmaid, never the bride." He said Capaldi would "smash it. He's going to be amazing. He's so talented." Flemyng was less favourably disposed towards the Daleks, though. "Until they stop the Daleks flying and put them back in the spaceship, which is where they're meant to land, then I shall be keeping away from Doctor Who. It's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Much as I love the show, suddenly the Daleks start flying and I thought, 'That's silly,'" he said. [Wales Online, 25 Jan 2014]

A poster and trailer for the forthcoming horror film Oculus starring Karen Gillan have been released. The film, which sees Gillan portray the character Kaylie Russell, who is trying to clear her twin brother of murdering their parents by proving it was supernatural forces in a mirror at their childhood home, opens in America on Friday 11th April but has yet to receive a release date for the UK. (NB: The trailer has been approved for appropriate audiences by the Motion Picture Association of America.)


In Memoriam

The actor Jerome Willis, who played the memorable villain Stevens in The Green Death, has died aged 85. He notched up well over 100 screen credits during his career, including the leading role of Matthew Peele in ITV drama The Sandbaggers and as Oliver Cromwell in the BBC drama Woodstock. Other notable series Willis appeared in included Z-Cars, Within These Walls, Freewheelers, The Avengers, Danger Man, Adam Adamant Lives!, Callan, Doomwatch, The Caesars, Poirot, and sci-fi drama Space Precinct. An accomplished stage actor, he was a member of the RSC in the 20th and 21st centuries, and in 2002 penned a piece for The Guardian describing the differences he encountered between then and the 1950s. Films that he appeared in included Siege of the Saxons and Winstanley. The DVD of The Green Death - first released in 2004 as a one-disc version and, since last August, also available as a two-disc special edition - saw Willis reprise the role of Stevens in the spoof documentary Global Conspiracy?, which was included as one of the extras. An announcement of his death was published in The Guardian on 17th January that read as follows:
WILLIS, Jerome Barry (23 Oct 1928), died peacefully on 11 January 2014. Loved and missed by his darling wife Dilys, daughters Sarah, Megan, Grania and Kate, sisters Nuala and Fiona, and his six adored granddaughters. Funeral private. A memorial service will be held at a later date.

Bookmark and Share "Oh Yes It Is!"

12/21/2013 07:13:00 pm - Reported by Chuck Foster

Another Yuletide season, and another chance to indulge in the the tradition of pantomime ...

Colin Baker in Aladdin, Anvil Arts Basingstoke, 2013Colin Baker (The Sixth Doctor)
Aladdin, Anvil Arts, Basingstoke
12 December - 5 January

Starring Colin Baker (Doctor Who, I'm a Celebrity) as Abanazer, Derek Moran (Channel 5's Milkshake) as Wishee Washee and Ian Good as Widow Twankey

The wicked sorcerer Abanazer tries to get his hands on the fabled magic lamp and rule the world. Only the bravery of Aladdin can stop him - if his silly brother Wishee Washee doesn't mess everything up first!

This year's production stars the ever-popular Colin Baker (Dr Who, I'm a Celebrity) as Abanazer, Derek Moran from Milkshake as Wishee Washee, and, back by popular demand, Ian Good as Widow Twankey. Join them and the rest of the cast on a magic carpet ride of adventure. With superb sets, colourful costumes, great song and dance routines and plenty of comedy, this traditional pantomime is one for all the family to enjoy.

Please note: this performance includes special effects including strobe lighting, flashing lights, haze, UV lighting, and pyrotechnics including real flame effects.
John Barrowman and the Krankies in Dick McWhittington, Glasgow SECC, 2013John Barrowman (Jack)
Dick McWhittington, Glasgow SECC
14 December - 5 January

John Barrowman returns to the SECC as Dick accompanied by The Krankies as Councillor Krankie and Jimmy Krankie in this year's spectacular pantomime adventure, Dick McWhittington.

With spectacular special effects, amazing 3D sequences, stunning costumes and lots of audience participation this magical family show will be everything you would expect from Glasgow’s biggest pantomime.

Book today to join us on this very unique Scottish adventure!
Bonnie Langford in Cinderella, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre Guildford, 2013Bonnie Langford (Mel)
Cinderella, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford
6 December - 12 January

Following her triumphant return to London’s West End, Surrey-born singer, dancer, actress and entertainer Bonnie Langford will star as Fairy Snow, leading a truly fabulous cast in this year’s magical family pantomime, Cinderella.

Bonnie is joined on stage by one of the country’s top performers; the inimitable Kit Hesketh-Harvey as an Ugly Sister. Kit’s sister in crime is none other than Surrey and Hampshire’s favourite breakfast show host, Eagle Radio’s Peter Gordon.

Other names associated with Doctor Who include: Nigel Havers (Peter Dalton, The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith) in Robin Hood at the Theatre Royal Plymouth; Leslie Grantham (Kiston, Resurrection of the Daleks) in Dick Whittington at the Grove Theatre Dunstable; Kai Owen (Rhys, Torchwood) in Aladdin at the Royal Spa Centre Leamington Spa; Susan Penhaligon (Lakis, The Time Monster) in Sleeping Beauty at the Queens Theatre Barnstaple; Tony Adams (Elgin, The Green Death) in Sleeping Beauty at the King's Theatre Southsea; Bradley Walsh (Spellman, The Day of the Clown) in Cinderella at the Orchard Theatre Dartford; and also Brian Blessed (Yrcanos, Mindwarp) in the Christmas show The Snow Gorilla at the Rose Theatre Kingston.

Other forms of entertainment are available.

Bookmark and Share People Roundup

10/04/2013 03:36:00 pm - Reported by Chuck Foster

David Tennant is to 'regenerate' into an American version of his character Detective Inspector Alec Hardy in a US adaptation of the successful drama Broadchurch to be made by Fox. Writer Chris Chibnall is also involved, saying: "I'm very, very fascinated to see this story in a different landscape with an acting ensemble that's just as strong but taken from really great American actors. The DNA of the original is absolutely intact and filtered through a new prism, so it should still feel just as vibrant, and interesting, and strange, and unique, and beautiful, but just in a different setting — and then it's exploring the dramatic opportunities that that offers up. We're not gonna do the terrible version. We're gonna do a great version." [Entertainment Weekly, 2 Oct 2013]

Co-star Arthur Darvill has confirmed that he would be back in the second series of the UK version: "I'm meant to be doing the next series. I actually don't know whether that's an episode or a whole series, I'm in touch with the production company and my agent, [but] it's quite nice not knowing because I really can't give anything away. I'd quite like to find out soon so I can plan my life!" [Mirror, 18 Sep 2013]

Paul McGann is to provide the face of a new website to pay tribute to people from Merseyside who fought in the First World War. The actor said: "The First World War has only just ceased to be within living memory, the last trench soldiers have just died. I was privileged enough to know them for the last 20 years of their lives. It’s in my own family and that’s what this website is about – it’s a living history. This is to me what makes it so potent." Merseyside Experience of War, 1914-1918 is a project undertaken by Liverpool John Moores University and will be officially launched in November. [Liverpool Echo, 3 Oct 2013]

A poster featuring Christopher Eccleston as Malekith the Accursed from the forthcoming film Thor: The Dark World has been revealed. [Entertainment Weekly, 26 Sep 2013]

Steven Moffat is to appear at the Cheltenham Literature Festival on 12th October. Sherlock, The Doctor and Me is being hosted by the Radio Times, with behind-the-scenes discussion of his two successful BBC One shows. [Radio Times, 3 Oct 2013]

John Barrowman is to host a new quiz show for BBC One called Pressure Pad which will be broadcast from November; the actor said: "I am thrilled to be hosting this new innovative quiz show for BBC One and look forward to seeing whether contestants can take the heat on the Pressure Pad, and join in having fun with me." [BBC Media Centre, 2 Oct 2013]

The actor is also looking to buy a home in Scotland: "With whatever filming I'm doing in Scotland, it’s better to have my own house rather than a hotel. It’s nice to have somewhere to have parties by the sea. I want a house on the water. If anyone knows of a modern building with at least five bedrooms, we’ll keep it as our Scottish base. I know exactly what I’m looking for. I’ve been looking at the west coast and I’m not averse to it being on a loch or near a big town for when we want to go to the cinema or eat in restaurants. It also needs a two to three car garage because I have 10 cars." Barrowman has become a regular attraction for Glasgow during the Winter pantomime season alongside The Krankies, this year's presentation being Dick McWhittington. [Daily Record, 20 Sep 2013]

Karen Gillan has wrapped filming for the forthcoming film Guardians of the Galaxy - a film in which she shaved her hair to much media interest. The actress has this week been promoting Not Another Happy Ending, her film which is due to be released in cinemas on 11th October. Interviews can be found via the Irish Independent. The official trailer can be watched on YouTube.

Billie Piper will be appearing as Brona Croft in the new series from Showtime called Penny Dreadful. The series, from Skyfall director Sam Mendes is described as a "psychosexual horror" series which brings to life characters from Victorian literature alongside orginal creations, with Piper's character an Irish immigrant with a shady past. [Comic Book Resources, 19 Sep 2013]

The actress will also appear in Foxtrot, a play to be broadcast on Sky's Arts Channel as part of their Playhouse Presents series. She appears alongside Ben Whishaw and Lindsay Duncan. [Radio Times, 17 Sep 2013]

David Tennant's Winter turn in the RSC will be as the title role of Richard II; his performance will also be screened live in cinemas around the United Kingdom on 13th November as part of the National Theatre Live season. In addition, the Manchester International Festival's production of Macbeth starring Kenneth Branagh and Alex Kingston will be screened at venues around the United States as part of the National Theatre Live's Encore programme. [Manchester International Festival, 3 Oct 2013] [Shields Gazette, 26 Sep 2013]

An Evening with Kate O'Mara takes place on 19th October at The Misty Moon Gallery in London; speaking about whether she'd ever reprise her role as the Rani in the new series, the actress said: "I have white hair now, but a lot of it, and I'm still very glamorous and so I won't disappoint, I hope! I'll still be wearing the tight leather trousers and high-heel boots, regardless of what age! That's what the fans are expecting, so that's what you've got to give them. If you put a much older woman in Doctor Who, they can identify with it. I think it's quite an interesting concept and if you remember things like Grimm's Fairytales, the older woman is often the villainess, often the terrifying figure - why I do not know, but often she is. I think it's an idea to be exploited." [Digital Spy, 4 Oct 2013]

Bookmark and Share The Ninth Doctor Revisited On BBC America

9/08/2013 08:22:00 pm - Reported by John Bowman

The episodes Bad Wolf and The Parting of the Ways are to be shown by BBC America on Sunday 29th September when the channel marks the Ninth Doctor's era in its celebratory strand Doctor Who: The Doctors Revisited.

The stories, which formed the finale of the show's first series on its return to TV, marked the end of the Christopher Eccleston era, and saw his Doctor - aided by companions Rose, played by Billie Piper, and Captain Jack Harkness, portrayed by John Barrowman - taking on the might of the Daleks.

Preceding the episodes will be the special documentary Doctor Who: The Doctors Revisited – The Ninth Doctor, featuring Steven Moffat, Neil Gaiman, Noel Clarke, and Barrowman among the participants discussing Eccleston's portrayal of a no-nonsense, hard-hitting, and straight-talking Doctor. The documentary will air at 8pm ET/PT.

The stories, written by Russell T Davies and directed by Joe Ahearne, originally aired in June 2005.

Bookmark and Share Doctor Who at San Diego Comic Con 2013

7/22/2013 08:25:00 pm - Reported by Anonymous

Matt Smith, Jenna Coleman and Steven Moffat (Credit: BBC America) Doctor Who once again had a presence at this year's San Diego Comic Con. Fans in the packed Hall H were treated to an exclusive screening of a trailer for the 50th Anniversary episode as well as a trailer for An Adventure In Space and Time.

Steven Moffat told fans who saw the trailer to not leak any audio or video footage of it or there would be no more exclusives at the convention in future years.

The panel was hosted by Craig Ferguson and consisted of Matt Smith, Jenna Coleman, Steven Moffat, Marcus Wilson, Mark Gatiss and David Bradley. Before the panel took place, Smith disguised himself as Bart Simpson as he wandered the convention floor while talking to Doctor Who fans in an American accent.

The cast and crew had a busy few days doing lots of interviews. A selection of these are below.

As part of Entertainment Weekly's Star Portrait series, Smith, Coleman, Gatiss and Bradley had their pictures taken for the publication.
Matt Smith and Jenna Coleman (Credit: Entertainment Weekly) Matt Smith (Credit: Entertainment Weekly) Jenna Coleman (Credit: Entertainment Weekly) David Bradley and Mark Gatiss (Credit: Entertainment Weekly)

Karen Gillan takes off her wig (Credit: Getty)
Karen Gillan shocked fans at Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy panel by showing off a new look. The actress will be playing Nebula in the film which required her to shave her hair off. She was wearing a wig before she took it off at the panel. The video footage of that is viewable here. She was also there taking part in interviews for NTSF:SD:SUV. A clip featuring Gillan in one of the episodes can be viewed here.

John Barrowman was also at the convention as part of the Arrow panel. In an interview with That Hashtag Show he discussed Doctor Who and said he would like a female Doctor. During the fan questions of the Doctor Who panel, Moffat was asked why Captain Jack wasn't in the 50th Anniversary episode, to which he replied: "How do you know what is or is not in the 50th? I've lied my arse off for months - you know nothing, so don't make presumptions."

Bookmark and Share People Roundup

7/18/2013 07:03:00 pm - Reported by Marcus

John Barrowman has married his long term partner Scott Gill at a ceremony in California.

The couple, who have been together 20 years, entered into a civil partnership in 2006. Following the US Supreme Court’s overturning of the Defence of Marriage Act, the duo officially tied the knot at the beginning of the month, announcing the news on Whosay.

Barrowman recently told ITV's Daybreak the next Doctor should be a woman. "We’ve had great guys playing the role. The character of River Song was so popular in the last part of the series and it was such an impact, why shouldn’t we have a female doctor,” he said, adding “Give it a whirl, if it doesn’t work she can always regenerate, she can always regenerate back to a man - I’ve been there, I’ve watched them do it.”


Actress Lynda Bellingham has revealed she has cancer.

Bellingham played the The Inquisitor in the 1986 Trial of a Time Lord season and is well known for her roles in All Creatures Great and Small, and Loose Women, as well as the Oxo TV adverts screened in the 1980s and '90s. The actress has postponed a UK tour of Kay Mellor's play A Passionate Woman to have treatment.

In a statement she said "I'm devastated not to be able to honour my commitments to the play this year, But having toured many times before, I'm aware of the sheer stamina needed and I need to prioritise my recovery. That said, nothing's going to stop me coming back next year, and I can't wait to be 'a passionate woman'.


Author and Script Writer Neil Gaiman is doing a mini-tour of England and Scotland this August. The writer of The Doctor's Wife and Nightmare in Silver will talking about his new book The Ocean at the End of the Lane.

He will be visiting his home city of Portsmouth as well as Ely, Oxford, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Dundee and Inverness.


The body of former Torchwood actor Richard Gent has been discovered in woods near his home in north London.

The actor, who also appeared in Casualty, Teachers and Black Mirror, went missing in April 2012 prompting his family to launch an appeal for his return. His body was discovered earlier this month. A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said his death is not being treated as suspicious. Gent's family issued a statement "The search for Richard is over and he is at peace now. We miss him more than we can ever say, and want to thank everyone for their support. Everyone’s kindness shows just how much he was loved. We are donating to the charity Missing People and setting up an acting scholarship in his name to help other young actors."

Bookmark and Share BBC America: The Doctor Who Ultimate List of Lists

12/13/2012 10:05:00 am - Reported by Chuck Foster

BBC America is to broadcast a special programme on the 21st December to look at the Top Five of several favourite Doctor Who topics:

The Doctor Who Ultimate List of Lists

What's your Top Five Doctor Who companions? Your Top Five Scariest Monsters? Your Top Five Guest Stars?

Don't miss as BBC AMERICA's pop culture correspondent ASHA LEO is joined by special guest Captain Jack Harkness himself, JOHN BARROWMAN (Torchwood, Doctor Who), to countdown the rankings in these and other heated polls.

Watch the World Premiere of the All New Special
Friday Dec 21 at 10/9c *** only on BBC America.

Rankings are based on votes from readers of BBCAMERICA.com's Anglophenia blog.

The Doctor Who Ultimate List of Lists is a show in the channel's The Brit List series, which explores the shared British and American pop-culture.

Bookmark and Share "All Together Now ..."

12/01/2012 12:42:00 am - Reported by Chuck Foster

Where would the United Kingdom be without the traditional Christmas pantomime, and this year is no exception with a variety of Doctor Who names back on the stage to entertain during the festive season.

Sleeping Beauty, Bournemouth PavilionColin Baker (The Sixth Doctor)
Sleeping Beauty, Bournemouth Pavilion
8th December - 6th January

This year’s offering is once again brought to you by UK Productions following a record-breaking production of Jack and the Beanstalk last year.

Returning to once again write, direct and star is venue favourite and Bournemouth resident Chris Jarvis as Happy Harry, whose local gags, rapport with the audience and range of impressions always go down a storm with adults and children alike.

We’re also delighted to welcome back one of the best panto villains Bournemouth has seen in recent years, Su Pollard – last with us for the the 2009 Panto season – as Bad Fairy.

Also returning from the cast of Jack and the Beanstalk is Wave 105 presenter Kate Weston as Good Fairy.

However, our all-star cast doesn’t end there, as they’re joined by Asa Elliott from ITV’s Benidorm as the Prince and of course, no Panto would be complete without a dame, with Nurse Nelly to be played by Colin Baker of Doctor Who fame.
 
Jack and the Beanstalk, Glasgow SECCJohn Barrowman (Captain Jack)
Jack and the Beanstalk, Glasgow SECC
15th December - 6th January

Following two years of hugely-successful and record-breaking Christmas shows at the Clyde Auditorium, the producers of the SECC’s pantomime, Qdos Entertainment have announced that John Barrowman and The Krankies will return to the venue this Christmas!

John Barrowman and The Krankies have previously starred in Aladdin and Robinson Crusoe & the Caribbean Pirates and this year will lead the cast in Jack and the Beanstalk which is a change to the advertised title of Robin Hood. John will play the leading role of Jack while The Krankies will play Farmer & Jimmy Trot!

The use of 3D special effects in the previous Qdos Entertainment pantomimes at the SECC have been so popular with audiences that Jack and the Beanstalk will feature brand-new and outstanding surprises including a fantastic 3D enchanted forest and journey through the giant’s castle!
 
Dick Whittington, Harpenden Public HallsPeter Purves (Steven)
Dick Whittington, Harpenden Public Halls
15th December - 22nd December

Join our hero Dick as he sets out on a quest to find fame and fortune in this classic rags-to-riches tale. Starring Cerrie Burnell as seen on CBeebies as The Fairy of The Bells and Dr Who companion and Blue Peter legend Peter Purves as Alderman Fitzwarren, with hilarious panto dame Richard Aucott and full supporting cast.

Will Dick find the streets paved with gold? Will he win the hand of the lovely Alice? Will he defeat the evil King Rat? Find out this Christmas!

Featuring fantastic songs, a live band, sumptuous sets, sensational costumes and bags of audience participation, Dick Whittington is the perfect way to kick start your festive season.
 

Other names associated with Doctor Who include: Nigel Havers (Peter Dalton, The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith) in Jack and the Beanstalk at the Southampton Mayflower; Christopher Pizzey (Eddie Smith, The Sarah Jane Adventures) in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Tunbridge Wells Assembly Hall Theatre; Paul Lavers (Farrah, The Androids of Tara) in Mother Goose at the Gorleston Pavilion; Royce Mills (Dalek operator) in Aladdin at the Guildford Yvonne Arnaud Theatre; Marshall Lancaster (Buzzer, The Rebel Flesh) in Jack and the Beanstalk at the Leeds Carriageworks; Lynda Bellingham (The Inquisitor, The Trial of a Time Lord) in Cinderella at the Bradford Alhambra Theatre; Warwick Davis (The Last Cyberman) in Snow White at the New Wimbledon Theatre; Floella Benjamin (Professor Rivers, The Sarah Jane Adventures) and Andrew Hayden-Smith (Jake Simmonds, Rise of the Cybermen) in Cinderella at the Broadway Theatre, Catford; Bruno Langley (Adam in Dalek) in Jack and the Beanstalk at the Brindley Arts Centre, Runcorn; Eric Potts (Oliver Charles, Aliens of London) in Dick Whittington at the New Victoria Theatre, Woking; Nichola McAuliffe (Vivien Rook, The Sound of Drums) in Snow White at the Theatre Royal, Bath; Barney Harwood (Totally Doctor Who) in Peter Pan at Llandudno's Venue Cymru; Lily Savage aka Paul O'Grady (himself, The Stolen Earth) in Aladdin at the O2; Ann Widdecombe (herself, The Sound of Drums) in Snow White at the Wycombe Swan; and Christopher Biggins (The One Doctor, Big Finish) in Dick Whittington at the Plymouth Theatre Royal.

Bookmark and Share People Roundup

10/10/2012 05:17:00 pm - Reported by John Bowman

Matt Smith has revealed his keenness to appear in a play by the Bard. "I definitely want to do Shakespeare. I don't know what role, though, and it wouldn't be just yet. I'm too busy at the moment, there's just not enough time," he said. [Telegraph, 7 Oct 2012]

John Barrowman with The Krankies.Superhero series Arrow is due to premiere tonight on The CW in the United States, and on Sky 1 in the UK from Monday 22nd October. As previously reported, John Barrowman is to feature as a recurring character in the series, described only as "the well-dressed man". Lead actor Stephen Amell says: "He's a very well-spoken, well-respected businessman in Starling City. I know I tweeted a couple of weeks ago that I was reading a script that was episode 7 and I read a scene and I audibly gasped and I went "[gasp] that's really cool!" It's from the beginning of episode 7, and it's a scene with John. He's a really fun guy to work with. He obviously is very comfortable and he made the crew and even me, when it was my coverage, crack up during a rehearsal and it took a while to get it back for the actual takes." Actor Colin Salmon will also feature in another recurring role. [KSiteTV, 4 Oct 2012]

Barrowman talks about his third Christmas pantomime in Glasgow alongside The Krankies - Jack and the Beanstalk at the Clyde Auditorium: "There's a sense of humour up here that is unlike any other in the country and it's the same kind of sense of humour that the three of us have so it goes over very well. We can play right to the kids because they see Jack, Jimmy and their dad doing all this stuff but the adults know it's John, Ian and Janette who are having a bit of fun, so those jokes go to them and just go right over the kids' heads. I love coming up and doing panto in Glasgow at Christmas." [Daily Record, 8 Oct 2012]

Tommy Knight as Kevin Skelton in Waterloo Road.Tommy Knight makes his debut in Waterloo Road tomorrow evening on BBC One. Talking about recognition, the Sarah Jane Adventures star said: "Well, the attention side of acting isn't really my favourite thing, I'll be honest! I was out in Glasgow high street a few weeks ago and I was with Kaya Moore who plays Phoenix, and with the amount of attention he was getting, it must have taken us a couple of hours to get down the high street! I was standing there thinking, 'Oh my word', and I was a little bit worried about it. It's a bit intimidating as being on Waterloo Road will probably mean the most attention I've ever had. I think I'll be alright, I suppose I'll just have to see how I feel about it when it happens. When Sarah Jane was first out, I was recognised an awful lot. I used to pick up my little brother from his primary school every day and I remember when the show first aired, it got really hectic around the primary school. I was trying to find my little brother among all these kids going, 'Sign my contacts book!' and 'Sign my face!'" [Digital Spy, 10 Oct 2012]

Caitlin Blackwood - aka the young Amelia Pond - will be taking part in a question-and-answer session at The Churchill pub in New York on Friday 12th October. Book via event organiser Who York.

Referring to his "music obsession", Arthur Darvill has a particular era he would have liked his character Rory to have visited: "I'd have liked to travel back to the Sixties and do something with the Doctor there. Or go back to when I was an annoying child and reassure myself it's all going to be all right." He also thinks that after Amy and Rory's departure from the series "they have a very quiet life – which is quite sad after having such an adventurous time – but they're just happy to be together. Obviously it doesn't run smoothly as they're stuck back in quite a horrible place but they've got each other and that's all they really need." [Radio Times, 8 Oct 20120]

Mark Gatiss, Daniel Mays, Tom Goodman-Hill, and Brigit Forsyth will appear in the BBC Radio 4 series Living With Mother when it returns for a second series later this month. The individual comedies focus on mothers and adult sons living together. Gatiss will be in the first episode, when the series starts on Wednesday 31st October at 11.15pm, with Mays in the second one, Goodman-Hill in the third, and Forsyth in the fourth. [Radio Times, 9 Oct 2012]

Katy Manning will be appearing in You're Only Young Twice at The Crewe Lyceum Theatre from Tuesday 30th October to Saturday 3rd November. Also starring in the show are John D Collins and Melvyn Hayes (pictured right with Manning), the former husband of Wendy Padbury.

Paterson Joseph has been talking of the thrill of being in the Series 1 episodes Bad Wolf and The Parting of the Ways. He said of the show: "I did watch it when I was a kid. I can't actually say I was obsessed with it as some other people are, but I was very happy to be shown around the Tardis. It was then I suddenly thought, 'Wow this is really exciting'. I also got the chance to get killed by a Dalek and not many people can say that in their lives. I had a 6ft Dalek rolling towards me screaming, 'Exterminate'. It was truly frightening." Joseph plays Brutus in Julius Caesar at the New Theatre in Cardiff from Tuesday 23rd October to Saturday 27th October. [Wales Online, 7 Oct 2012]

Dark Horizons author and Doctor Who fan Jenny Colgan has spoken of her excitement at writing the book. "The thrill of typing 'The Doctor opened the door of the TARDIS' was huge," she said, adding that she approached the BBC to write a novel. "A friend of mine called Naomi Alderman had written one for them [Borrowed Time] and that gave me the idea. I asked them nicely and they said, 'Oh well you can't put any kissing in it' and I promised faithfully that I wouldn't, and then I offered them three different ideas for stories and they chose one. It was enormous fun to do." She also tells of the background work she did. "I did a lot of research into Vikings because I wanted to write about the Lewis chess set, the set of figures that was found there that are about a thousand years old. Nobody knows how they ended up there, so I thought it would be an interesting mystery for the Doctor to solve. There are a couple of bits I really hope readers will enjoy: a scene set on a beach in the current day, and the Norse God that the Viking princess thinks the Doctor is." [TV Book Club, 7 Oct 2012]

Frazer Hines is taking his one-man show The Time-Travelling Scot to Tasmania. He will be in conversation at the Wrest Point Entertainment Centre in Sandy Bay, Hobart, on Sunday 9th December, telling behind-the-scenes stories about his time on Doctor Who.

Jean Marsh reflects on her appearances in Doctor Who: "I was in the very first series, I think (Season 2's The Crusade), which has probably been wiped. I can’t remember what it was called, but I remember I played a Princess of France in the 10th century. That was just one episode. Then I came back as Sara Kingdom (The Daleks' Master Plan), sort of a space spy, fabulously ridiculous, wearing a catsuit of very tight, elastic brown tweed. Why one has to wear those sort of things… It was a bit like Joanna Lumley. It was just to show your body, I suppose. So I did eight episodes of that and turned from being a baddie into being a goodie. Then I was killed in a brilliant way. I was running — in my catsuit — away from someone who was trying to kill me, and he had an aging gun. And he hit me, and I started aging very quickly, and they had to keep switching my makeup, and then the last shot of me was of a very, very, very old woman. So that was terrific. Then the third one was Morgan le Fay with King Arthur (Battlefield). I loved doing that because they were beginning to take Doctor Who more seriously, and that was a bit more fun." [A.V. Club, 5 Oct 2012]

BBC Two has commissioned the comedy-thriller The Wrong Mans from James Corden and Mathew Baynton. The six-parter centres on two lowly office workers - Phil (Corden) and Sam (Baynton) - who become caught up in a deadly criminal conspiracy after Sam discovers a ringing phone at the scene of a horrific car crash. Filming starts in January 2013. [BBC Media Centre, 9 Oct 2012]
(Compiled by John Bowman and Chuck Foster)
(with thanks to Paula Bentham)

Bookmark and Share People Roundup

9/21/2012 09:02:00 pm - Reported by Chuck Foster

David Tennant has been elected onto the board of the Royal Shakespeare Company. The board is made up of 15 non-salaried people, chosen for their skills and experience, who work closely with the senior management team in leading and steering the company. The actor, who did much to promote the RSC when he took on the role of Hamlet in 2008, will be in the post for three years. [Daily Record, 17 Sep 2012]

Christopher Eccleston is one of a number of new people making claims against the media company News International over allegations of phone-hacking. Other celebrity claimants include Davina McCall, Jessie Wallace, Peter Andre and Katie Price. [Guardian, 17 Sep 2012]

John Barrowman is to front a new reality show in the United States. Make My Musical from Vinnie Potestivo Entertainment is currently taking applications from Broadway performers who, if successful, will be have their troupe followed as they prepare to mount a musical theatre review in New York City Theatre. Barrowman is on board as part of a panel of experts to help the group along the way. [Broadway World, 11 Sep 2012]

The performer also made a surprise visit to Millport on the Isle of Cumbrae with his sister Carole last week; the town and island form the inspiration for the fictional location of Seaport on Auchinmurn in their novel Hollow Earth. [Largs and Millport Evening News, 17 Sep 2012]

Illustrator Ben Morris has announced: "I've just signed the contract to be the sole illustrator on a new Doctor Who book for BBC Books in 2013. Really looking forward to getting started on it next month!". He has previously contributed artwork for The Brilliant Book, and is regular for Doctor Who Magazine and Doctor Who Adventures. [Facebook, via Vitas Varnas, 18 Sep 2012]

Carey Mulligan talks about becoming an ambassador for The Alzheimer's Society, a role she's taken on after her own experiences with the disease that affects her grandmother: "I reach a different demographic than some of the other wonderful ambassadors because I'm a bit younger. Overall, the thing I'm most excited about working with the Alzheimer's Society is the idea of just making people aware in the communities. The more people who understand that dementia is not just people being old and forgetful and a product of old age, but is actually a disease and people can be more caring and aware in the community." The actress is also taking part in the Society's Memory Walk this weekend. [You and Yours via Kenny Davidson, 21 Sep 2012]

If anyone should bring closure to the long-lived Scottish detective series Taggart it should be Steven Moffat, say series star John Michie. The actor, who played DI Robbie Ross in the series before it was dropped last year, said: "I'm still extremely loyal to the character and I really hope I'll be back playing it one day, as part of a series or a one-off. One way to round it off could be to get a really top writer in, a big name, and who could be better than Steven Moffat? Everything he touches turns into gold, it would be a great way to sell it." [Daily Record, 10 Sep 2012]

Bookmark and Share Torchwood: Exodus Code coverage

9/21/2012 01:01:00 pm - Reported by Chuck Foster

The writing partnership of John and Carole Barrowman have been out and about this week promoting their new, Torchwood-based novel Exodus Code.

John Barrowman in 'serious Jack' mode on This Morning, ITV1, 17 Sep 2012 John and Carole Barrowman on Steve Wright in the Afternoon, BBC Radio 2, 17 Sep 2012 John and Carole Barrowman on Loose Women, ITV1, 20 Sep 2012

Speaking on ITV1's This Morning on Monday, John said:
I had the idea, and also Carole's a huge sci-fi fan, she loves Torchwood. We went to BBC Books and BBC Worldwide and spoke with Russell (T Davies) and sent him the draft, and I said I'd love to do it. And to be honest with you, nobody knows Jack better than myself and Russell and the rest of the team who helped create us.

A little time has passed, but we do reference the last series, Miracle Day. This is what's going on afterwards. We've written Exodus Code specifically to either be lifted from the book - if it were, that could be the next series, it could be a movie - that's me talking, not anyone from the BBC, but that would be my dream.
On missing Torchwood in general, he said:
Of course I do, Jack changed my life, the fans have changed my life, and this book is dedicated to all the fans, and I've always said, if I'm asked to play Jack again of course I would - I would do it at the drop of a hat, it's an amazing character to play!
This Morning is available to watch in the UK until next Monday on the ITV Player (38:05).


Later, he and his sister featured on BBC Radio 2's Steve Wright in the Afternoon, where he spoke a little more on his motives behind the collaboration:
It's been over a year now since Miracle Day. Again, we haven't been told "no" it's not going to happen ever again, but we haven't been told "yes", and consequently that's why I spoke to Carole and we spoke to the BBC. I wanted to keep Jack alive, and that's why we wrote the book.
Carole spoke about feedback from the show's creator, Russell T Davies:
What was really nice was we had to go through all sorts of levels of approval as you can imagine with the BBC and so on, and Russell had to read it, and one of the nice things was when I got an email off my editor saying that Russell really liked the balance between the personal and the big save the world under the world sci-fi thing, he really liked the way we had captured that balance. That meant more to me than the fact that John liked it!
The interview segment can be listened to via the Steve Wright in the Afternoon site.


Red Carpet News TV caught up with the couple for the book launch at London's Forbidden Planet on the 19th September, and asked John about the potential for more Torchwood on the screen:



The couple appeared on ITV1's Loose Women on Thursday, where John explained the writing process between the two:
The collaboration works in the way that we sit down together and we work through the outline, we work through character-building, we work through the imagination of the whole story; we record it all, Carole spends a lot of time with me, but she does the hard work, I do not write it - she goes away, she does all the writing, she's got the gift of putting the word into form on the page, and I will not take credit for because I cannot do it.
Carole talked about writing for a character that was essentially her brother:
The one thing we did do in this book we really brought back the Jack with the sense of humour and the sexy Jack who's got the swagger and he's a little roguish. For me, the hardest part about writing that was when we were writing some of the sexy scenes and it would be like eurgh!
Loose Women is available to watch in the UK until next Thursday via the ITV Player (16:00).


You can keep track of further appearances etc. via John Barrowman's official website.