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David Tennant's appearance in the fifth series of Doctor Who looks uncertain after it was revealed there will be no new series in 2009. The fourth series, starring Tennant, is due to hit TV screens next year, but the fifth will not be seen until 2010. Instead, Tennant, will star in three Doctor Who specials, written by Russell T Davies, on BBC One in 2009. A spokeswoman for Doctor Who said she was unable to comment whether Tennant would return for the 2010 series. Tennant, 36, will reportedly play Hamlet with the Royal Shakespeare Company from July to November next year, but this has not been confirmed by the RSC. 'Best loved' Series four, which went into production in July, will hit UK screens in spring 2008 with a special episode scheduled for Christmas 2008. Comedian Catherine Tate is set to return to the Tardis for the complete 13-week run, reprising her role as Donna from the 2006 Christmas special. Actress Freema Agyeman, who won praise for her portrayal of assistant Martha Jones, is also set to return during series four. BBC Fiction controller Jane Tranter said: "Doctor Who is one of the BBC's best loved and most successful dramas. "Its journey over the past three series has been one of the most ambitious and exciting that we have had, and I'm delighted to be able to confirm not only three exciting specials for 2009, but a fifth series in 2010. " Menna Richards, controller of BBC Wales, said: "This announcement is marvellous news for all involved, and more importantly for the programme's amazing fan base and audience." Story from BBC NEWS: |
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| I'm not sure its such a bad thing. :ponder: For a start I think it could make it more likey that DT will continue in the role - I think its pretty clear he loves doing it but the schedule means he doesn't get much time to do much else but having a year off allows him to do Hamlet or whatever and come back to the role refreshed. It also lets RTD and the writers have a break, do other things and again come back refreshed. Might not be so bad in the long run. :shrug: |
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| New Doctor Who Executive Producer announced. BBC Wales has announced that Piers Wenger is to take over the reins as Executive Producer for Doctor Who's fifth series and will become the new Head of Drama, BBC Wales when Julie Gardner leaves that role in January 2009. Piers was the producer of the multi-award winning Housewife, 49 with Victoria Wood and has just finished work on Ballet Shoes, Heidi Thomas' adaptation of Noel Streatfeild's classic novel to be shown on Boxing Day on BBC One. He left his role as Head of Development at Granada Drama earlier in the year to help set up independent drama producer Mammoth Screen. "I'm incredibly excited to be joining BBC Wales," said Piers. "The success of the drama team there has been extraordinary and I look forward to taking the team to even greater heights. Working with Julie Gardner on Doctor Who over the next year will provide an invaluable insight into the secrets and success of the series. I couldn't have a more inspiring leader." Julie Gardner will continue as Executive Producer of the fourth Doctor Who series and the Doctor Who specials to be broadcast during 2009. She will continue to executive produce Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures for BBC Wales. In addition, Julie continues work on an impressive slate of independent dramas and will run the strategy and development of BBC Wales Drama with her handover to Piers. BBC Wales Controller Menna Richards said: "I'm delighted Piers is joining the BBC Wales team, and I'm confident he can build on Julie's huge successes. Julie has helped transform drama production – not only at BBC Wales but across the BBC. "She is an extraordinarily creative and dynamic leader. I am full of gratitude and admiration for her achievements at BBC Wales which will of course continue over the coming months. We owe her a huge debt." In addition to her work with BBC Wales, Julie will continue to take the responsibility for the development and commissioning of new Saturday evening drama for BBC One, as well as working with Controller of BBC Fiction, Jane Tranter, on a wide and diverse range of special projects. Jane Tranter comments: "Julie Gardner is one of the most impressive television executives in the UK. "Her success over the past four years in BBC Wales drama has been unparalleled; her work on Doctor Who has earned her a place in TV history; and I'm delighted that she is committed to working across such a broad range of drama at the BBC for the next few years. "She will provide a guiding light for Piers for the next 12 months and this creative collaboration will be an exciting time for BBC Wales drama." Julie Gardner comments: "I know that when I hand over my sonic screwdriver to Piers for season five of Doctor Who, it'll be to someone who loves and understands the show. "Doctor Who is the most precious TV drama in the galaxy and I'm leaving it in safe and brilliant hands. "I've been on the trip of a lifetime in the last five years with the finest writers, actors and crew, and I've got another 18 months of time travel to enjoy. "Just wait until you see what's coming up on Christmas day and series four!" Doctor Who – Voyage Of The Damned will transmit on Christmas Day on BBC One. Series four of Doctor Who will transmit in spring 2008. |
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| Tennant 'is leaving Doctor Who' Catherine Tate has suggested that the next series of Doctor Who could be the last for actor David Tennant. The comedian, speaking on Radio 2's Jonathan Ross programme, said: "I think it's maybe David's last series." The BBC refused to comment on Mr Tennant's future as the show's star. Tate, who first appeared in the 2006 Christmas special, is to return as the doctor's assistant, Donna, for the entire run of the fourth series. She will also be joined for several episodes by the doctor's former companion Martha Jones, played by Freema Agyeman. When pressed on whether Tennant would return to play the timelord in special Dr Who shows in future, Tate replied: "Possibly." The comedian also confirmed that the forthcoming series would be her last. Tate made her Doctor Who debut last year as a runaway bride who found herself transported into the Tardis as she prepared for her wedding on Christmas Eve. The episode attracted an audience of 9.4 million when it was screened on BBC One on Christmas Day. This year's Christmas special, starring Kylie Minogue, is due to be screened at 1850 GMT on 25 December. Speaking to Doctor Who magazine, the pop star said appearing in the show was "like stepping back in time". "I really felt at home being back in the world of TV," she added. "I've definitely got the acting bug again!" Story from BBC NEWS: |
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| Doctor Who and SJA up for RTS honours. The nominations for this year's Royal Television Society Programme Awards have been announced, with both Doctor Who and The Sarah Jane Adventures recognised in key categories. Doctor Who is up against Skins and The Street in the Best Drama Serial category, with David Tennant also nominated for Best Actor. The Sarah Jane Adventures, meanwhile, is nominated alongside Desperados and My Life As A Popat for Best Children's Drama. The winners will be announced on Wednesday 19 March. |
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| Doctor Who guru Davies steps down Russell T Davies is to step down as executive producer of Doctor Who, the BBC has announced. Davies is credited with breathing new life into the show which he brought back to television screens in 2005. Bafta-winning Writer Steven Moffat will succeed Davies as lead writer and executive producer of the fifth series of Doctor Who. Moffat said that the whole of his career had been "a secret plan to get this job". BBC Fiction controller Jane Tranter said the past four series of Doctor Who had been "brilliantly helmed" by the "spectacularly talented" Davies. "As lead writer and executive producer, he has overseen the creative direction and detail of the 21st century re-launch of Doctor Who and we are delighted to have his continued presence on the specials over the next 18 months," she added. Davies will remain in charge of four specials to be shown in 2009. The fifth series, with Moffat at the helm, is scheduled to be broadcast on BBC One in Spring 2010. Story from BBC NEWS: |
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| David on BBC Radio 2 David discusses new role. If you missed David Tennant on the Jonathan Ross show last Saturday, you can catch him on Jonathan's podcast on the BBC Radio 2 website. During the interview David discusses his title role in the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Hamlet as well as some Doctor Who gossip. David will be starring as Hamlet from the 24 July untill 15 November 2008 at the Courtyard Theatre, London. He will also be appearing on The Andrew Marr Show on Sunday 8th June. |
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| Dr Who writer denies Tintin row Scriptwriter Steven Moffat has denied he "quit" a deal to work on Steven Spielberg's forthcoming Tintin trilogy so he could oversee TV's Doctor Who. A newspaper report that he had "turned down" a two-film deal with Spielberg was "a bit misleading", Moffat said. He had planned to finish Tintin before starting Doctor Who but was delayed by the US writers' strike, he said. In May it was announced he would replace Russell T Davies as lead writer and executive producer on Doctor Who. Mr Moffat told the BBC that "nothing less than Doctor Who could have torn me away" from Tintin, which he described as a "stunning project" he was "proud" to be part of. But it was "the proper duty of every British subject to come to the aid of the Tardis", he added. 'Very patient' Clarifying the chronology of the deal, he said he had not accepted the offer to replace Russell T Davies on Doctor Who during the three-month strike, which ended in February. "In fact it was already in the works," Moffat said. "The strike just meant that I was unable to finish my work on the Tintin films given my new commitments." He said Spielberg had been "very patient and understanding about the situation, despite the problems it created". He also said that, contrary to the report, it was Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson who was a fan of Doctor Who, rather than Spielberg, who just "knows and admires the show". And he added that "the figures quoted" in the paper about his salary "are also entirely speculative and wildly inaccurate". Story from BBC NEWS: |
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| Steven Moffat, who is set to take over the job of executive producer of the BBC's Doctor Who from current show runner Russell T. Davies, told SCI FI Wire that he is currently planning the fifth season of the new incarnation, due to air in 2010 following a series of five specials next year. "It's all happening in this head," Moffat said in an interview at Comic-Con International in San Diego on July 23. "I know where I want it to start. I don't mean to make it sound very grand. It's very simple, just where I want it to be when it takes off. So [Russell's] arranged for that." Moffat, who has written some of the most popular episodes of the new series so far, said that his new role as executive producer will require him to approach writing from an entirely different perspective. "There are a bunch of things I've always wanted to see in Doctor Who, yes, but now it's slightly different--it's very different in my new position," Moffat said. "Obviously, I only turned up once a year, and practically my brief was to write, in effect, the Moffat episode--the one that's very different, the one that's a bit timey-wimey or a bit scary. And that's all they were expecting. And they would just tell me, 'Go, and do your thing.' So I would do my Moffat-y thing--whatever the f--k that is--in a very, very pronounced way. But you couldn't have a whole series like that. If you started a series with 'Silence of the Library' or 'Blink,' people would turn off. You can't have that as the first episode. It's just too grim. So it's different contemplating it from this position, very, very different." The series will also continue to embrace a wide range of tones and genres, Moffat said. Rather than adapting the show to his particular writing style, he looks forward to experimenting with different voices to maintain the show's variety. "That's not what the show's about," Moffat said. "Kids aren't rushing to their television sets to see how much of the Moffat voice will get through. All you can do is make exciting television episodes and experiment with different voices. I've quite deliberately and purposefully--it's not been an accident--had a very consistent voice in Doctor Who, because that enables Russell to manage me. He knows what he's going to get. He knew it was going to be dark before [he] got it, because that's what he said it was. 'You'll be doing a dark one.' Whereas Russell in Doctor Who will write everything from 'Partners in Crime' to 'Midnight,' and those two have nothing in common as far as voice is concerned. It's two totally different takes on the same show. And that's quite exciting for me, too, because I get to write episodes that I wouldn't normally write, that wouldn't be expected of me." Moffat hopes that the long wait between seasons, punctuated by the specials, will make the audience more excited for its return. "Part of the reason behind the gap year was thinking, 'Starve them for a year. Make them want it back. Return it to event status.' |
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| 'Doctor Who' specials writers announced Friday, July 25 2008, 10:58 BST By Ben Rawson-Jones, Cult Editor Russell T. Davies has revealed his co-writers for the forthcoming Doctor Who specials in 2009. "I can confirm that after Christmas 2008 there are a total of four more specials to come before the Steven Moffat era begins in 2010," Davies told Doctor Who Magazine. "Two of next year's four will be written by me, One will be written by me and Gareth Roberts and one will be co-written by me and Phil Ford." Roberts has previously written episodes 'The Shakespeare Code' and 'The Unicorn And The Wasp' for Doctor Who, in addition to co-writing 'Invasion Of The Bane' with Davies for The Sarah Jane Adventures. Ford has never scripted an episode of Doctor Who before, but is responsible for 'The Eye Of The Gorgon' and 'The Lost Boy' for Sarah Jane and 'Something Borrowed' for Torchwood. |
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| Davies suggests next Doctor Who Doctor Who writer Russell T Davies has suggested who he thinks should replace David Tennant as the next Time Lord. In e-mails serialised in The Times newspaper, Davies said Russell Tovey, who appeared in Alan Bennett's play The History Boys, would fit the role. The creator, who leaves the show next year as lead writer and executive producer, said he thought Tovey was "going to be huge" and is "amazing". Davies also revealed he had wanted JK Rowling to star in a Christmas special. 'Spoof' idea However, Tennant had not responded well to the suggestion. "David doesn't like the JK idea, he thinks it sounds like a spoof, so we've paused slightly, wondering whether to win him round or just abandon something that he's not going to be happy with," Davies said. In the correspondence between Davies and Doctor Who magazine journalist Benjamin Cook, Davies talked about Kylie Minogue's cameo. "A read-through with Kylie Minogue! Marvellous, isn't it? She's going to watch Last of The Time Lords on Saturday with David. Madder and madder," he wrote. Tovey, 26, had a part in last year's Christmas Doctor Who special as Midshipman Frame. He is best known for his role as Rudge, the least intellectual of the boys in the stage and screen versions of The History Boys. The extracts are taken from a forthcoming book, Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale. They also reveal that Hollywood actor Dennis Hopper was keen to appear in Doctor Who, but was not "available for that many days" to film. Story from BBC NEWS: |