Orla Brady - Interview

What drew you to the role of Tasha Lem?

So you're sitting in your dressing room on an ordinary day (well, ordinary for an actress) playing a normal person who makes breakfast and loses her purse sometimes. Then along comes a call to play a galactic nun and whizz around the universe with Matt Smith. Now what girl wouldn't be drawn to that?

Can you tell us anything about how we first meet your character?

The Doctor goes to see Tasha as they are old friends. He needs her help and knows he will find it with her, as although she is fearsomely powerful she is loyal to her friend.

What can you tell us about your costume and make-up? Did you work closely with the costume designer?

The designer Howard Burden knows the Doctor Who world inside out and had an image of Tasha that I loved from the start, so there was very little need for me to suggest anything. I just climbed into it really. Emma Cowen created a look that was a little spooky, referencing "Blade Runner" a little. We both wanted her to look as she is described in the writing: imposing, human, but with a touch of alien.

In this special a whole host of the Doctor's most famous enemies come together, including Cybermen, The Silence, Weeping Angels and Daleks - how did you find filming opposite these monsters? Have you had to do anything similar for previous roles?
Most of my acting life I have played ordinary women so obviously monsters haven't factored much. However, I did love getting to face off with one of this lot in "The Time Of The Doctor".

How did you find working with departing Doctor Matt Smith?

Joyous. I had heard through friends that he was a nice guy - and he is - but what struck me most is how enthusiastic and engaged he was in his role, in every single scene we played. It so often happens that someone playing a character for years sits back a bit. He didn't. He was as full of energy and inventiveness as someone on their first day and it was truly good to be around.

Did you meet the next Doctor Peter Capaldi?

Yes. Peter came to set for the first time and it was good to see him again as we had briefly played boyfriend and girlfriend years ago and he was hilarious. He has an air about him, that man. Can't wait to see what he will do with his Doctor.

How was it filming in Cardiff?

Would it be obvious to say rainy? It was a place I had never been to, I didn't know anyone and was staying in a hotel which can be a bit glum. However, the thing I discovered about Cardiff is that it is the friendliest place I have ever been. Ever. The Capital of Friendly. I could live there now I think . . . but I would buy a new raincoat.

And finally, where will you be watching the Christmas special?

My mum and brothers are insisting on watching it on Christmas Day, but I find it excruciating to watch things I'm in with other people, so I will go for a pint with a friend.

Jenna Coleman - Interview

How did you find the readthrough? Was it emotional?

It was a very emotional read-through. Just going through the process of saying goodbye was difficult. The script itself is very emotional, but also joyous. But saying those words and saying goodbye was never going to be easy.

Is there a sense from the start of the episode that we're moving towards a regeneration?

It's very much an adventure, but it goes off on a different track. People watching will know that it's Matt's last episode, but it doesn't loom over from the start.

We were introduced to Clara as the impossible girl last year. Are we going to find out more about her family background?

Absolutely. I think there had to be a sense of mystery last year to make the plot work. What's really interesting is that it does feel like we're starting again and we get to see her home life as well as her life with the Doctor.

From a few pictures that have been released there are some of you cooking Christmas dinner. Have you ever done that in real life?

My mum does the Christmas cooking. It couldn't be any other way.

Are you looking forward to filming next year with Peter?

It will be a different show next year. We have a bit of a gap before we start filming the new series, so I have time to get my head around it all. Me and Peter will get together before Christmas to start rehearsing and the scripts will start coming in. I think when I came in there was just a week off in production where Arthur and Karen left, so that would have been a strange shift.

This episode is very much about Matt and the 11th Doctor and Clara and the 11th Doctor and their last adventure together. I have no idea where we're going to next series!

Where will you be watching the special this year? Will you be at home?

Yeah, I think so. Last year the whole family got a cottage together where mum still did the Christmas cooking. We'll definitely all be together.

What was your reaction when you heard the next Doctor was Peter Capaldi?

It was kind of that moment "Of course, makes sense." It's funny as I don't think he was one of the names that was originally being speculated about and it wasn't until the week before that his name came up. He's going to be so different to Matt and take the show in an interesting direction.

When were you told?

Matt and I were told together during the royal visit to Roath Lock studios. We could tell something was going on and we managed to pin the producers down and get it out of them!

How hard was it to keep the secret?

I think I've learnt my lesson in that the best thing to do is not to tell anybody and then you don't have your own paranoia that you've let something out.

What will you miss about working with Matt?

Everything! When you're reading a scene with him he can turn anything on its head. He's so inventive, clever and very funny. There's just so much that I'll miss about him.

Steven Moffat - Interview

Can you set the scene for this Christmas episode?

It's his final battle and he's been fighting it for a while. The Doctor is facing the joint challenge of a mysterious event in space that has summoned lots of aliens to one place and helping Clara cook Christmas dinner. There are also elements from every series of Matt's Doctor, which will come to a head in this special. Things that we've laid down for years are going to be paid off.

How was the read-through?

It was emotional. I think possibly the beginning of the end is more emotional than the actual end. It was the same with "The Angels Take Manhattan", when Karen and Arthur left. The read-throughs are the moments that tend to get people because obviously the shoot dissolves into what we hope will be a tremendously exciting wrap party.

Did you know what you wanted Matt's last words to be?

I didn't think I would go that way, but a couple of months before I wrote it I did say to Mark [Gatiss] that I thought I knew what his last moment would be. And indeed his last line. But if it didn't fit the scene I wouldn't crowbar it in. I've had the vague storyline in place for a long while.

What episodes or scenes do you think will define Matt's time as the Doctor?

I think "The Eleventh Hour" was such an extraordinary debut. Everybody for a year of poor Matt Smith's life had been saying, "Total mistake. He's far too young." Then he came in and he was brilliant. "Vincent And The Doctor" was also such a lovely episode and I was thrilled Richard Curtis was able to write for the show. There's the physical comedy that Matt has brought and of course fish fingers and custard. I think his relationship with his own TARDIS in "The Doctor's Wife" was gorgeous.

What do you think distinguishes Matt from the other Doctors?

I think he does old Doctor better than anybody else. It's not an accident. It's something he very, very consciously thought about. Because he was the youngest Doctor Matt said, "He's only got young skin. Nothing else is young." I think Matt makes you think very believably that he is this ancient being.

The Christmas special will introduce the next Doctor, played by Peter Capaldi. What was it about Peter that you thought was right for the role?

He's one of the best actors in the country and is very beloved. I was at the BAFTAs shortly before we were contemplating Peter and heard the cheer he got from the audience. Nobody has a bad thing to say about him and that's not a minor issue when it comes to casting a Doctor. They've got to be lovely. And he's a huge fan of Doctor Who. So we asked and he was incredibly excited to come and audition. We didn't tell him that he was the only person auditioning because that would be oddly pressuring.

Did you deliberately aim to cast an older Doctor?

It wasn't the reason I cast Peter but I do think if we'd cast another Doctor as young as Matt - because Matt's been so good at being The Young Doctor - I'm not sure what another one would have done. They'd have to have either been deliberately different or just repeat him.

Matt Smith - Interview

Can you first tell us a little bit about the Christmas special?

The Christmas special for me is a bitter-sweet episode because I'm leaving, but Steven [Moffat] has written a brilliant, adventurous, funny episode and I'm really thrilled with it. It feels wonderfully Christmassy.

What did you want from your last episode?

I think it's good for the Doctor to go out with a bang, a crash and a wallop. I'm pleased it's really funny and mad. When I got to the last 20 pages and it was quite a hard read for me, but I hope it's going to be a belter.

We've got a great director in Jamie Payne and some really lovely double-hand stuff with me and Jenna [Coleman]. Steven's managed to tie in plot points and narratives that have been threaded through over years and I think that's ingenious.

Emotionally, how did it feel to be doing your final performance?

It felt very emotional to be doing my final episode. My mother is mortified, honestly she was at the front of campaigning for me to stay and wasn't happy when I said I was going to leave. But, when you've got to go, you've got to go.

Of course, it's very sad for me in many ways because everything is the last time. It's the last read-through, the last time I put on the bow tie and the last scene in the TARDIS. But the show is about change and I had lunch with Peter Capaldi shortly after the announcement and I think he's just going to be incredible. He has the most brilliant ideas. As a fan, I'm genuinely excited to see what he's going to do because I think he's going to do something extraordinary.

So you're still going to be a fan?

Yeah, absolutely. I'll be a fan. I'm very grateful to Steven Moffat and that whole team up in Wales for the past four years and you know I want the show to go from strength to strength, which it will. It might take me a couple of weeks to get my head around it. I think it was the same for David and I think it was the same for Karen, when she watched Jenna come in. I don't think it's easy, but it's not my show, it's the fans' show, so I'll be a fan and then it will be my show.

Have you been given anything by the fans as a leaving present?

I was doing a promo shoot for the 50th and these two girls came on set. They had made me this book which must have had 50 or 60 letters in, saying thank you for Doctor Who, for being part of it. Things like that are amazing. I've said it before, the fans of this show are really spectacular and they've made this an extraordinary journey for me and I'm very, very grateful. I don't think there's another set of fans like it.

Can we expect some nods to past series with this Christmas special? Are we referencing old specials?

With Doctor Who you're always looking back and forward at the same time, because you tend to be jumping around. I don't want to give too much away, but obviously when you look at my tenure over the last four years, there are stories and plot points and villains in there that are particular to my Doctor and I think he's got to face all that.

An Evening with Steven Moffat

BBC Cymru has released a video interview with Steven Moffat, which can be viewed by IPlayer

Tom Baker Interview

As Doctor Who nears its 50th anniversary, Tom Baker reflects on his seven years as the fourth Doctor. "It was so much better than real life," he says.

Tom Baker is planning to break the habit of a lifetime on 23 November.

The actor says he's never been interested in watching Doctor Who - including his own stories - but he plans to sit down in front of this month's special episode that will mark the show's 50th anniversary.

"I hope it's going to be terrific," he says. "It's such a landmark. It'll be a big, emotional thing, but I don't know what they'll do - I'll make an exception and watch that."

With his long scarf and love of jelly babies, Baker's fourth Doctor remains one of the most instantly recognisable incarnations of the Time Lord. He is also the show's longest-serving star, having played the role from 1974 to 1981.

"I can't explain the show's longevity any more than I can explain my own," booms the 79-year-old actor when we meet in a private members' club in London's Covent Garden. "It's just a happy accident."

Baker admits he "wasn't at all happy" just before he was cast to replace Jon Pertwee in what is arguably British TV's most well-known role.

 

After joining Olivier's National Theatre company in the late 1960s, Baker moved into films. He was Rasputin in Nicholas and Alexandra (1971) and had roles in Pier Paolo Pasolini's The Canterbury Tales (1972) and The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1973).

But he was working as a labourer when he was cast in Doctor Who.

"I was going through a bad time of feeling rejected, even though I'd had a flirtation with movies. I was on a building site, having no skill there except to make the tea and use a drill," Baker recalls.

"So when the opportunity came to play Doctor Who, it was a jackpot."

Baker's co-workers on the building site found out the news by reading it in the Evening Standard.

"I went to work next morning - famous! They were so thrilled for me. I legged it down to Barclays Bank and got an advance and gave them a party. It was like being reborn."

Baker admits he had no idea how he was going to tackle his role as the new star of Doctor Who.

Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen) and the Doctor (Tom Baker) in a scene from 1976's The Brain of Morbius

"How could I? I didn't watch it. I didn't watch it when I was in it and I haven't watched it since. So when it came, and these scripts were given to me, one of the problems was they were being written for Jon Pertwee - so I had to wrench it my way."

Without doubt, Baker made the part his own. Viewing figures went up and many of his stories - The Ark in Space, Genesis of the Daleks, The Brain of Morbius, The Deadly Assassin and The Robots of Death - are regarded as classics.

How did he find being the Doctor?

Baker beams. "It was a great experience. Actors want a big audience, and to be admired and to get applause is one thing, but to be adored is something I recommend."

He reminisces about visiting schools and hospitals, doing charity work and being flown round in helicopters.

"Everywhere I went I was waving like royalty and dishing out 50 pence pieces," he says.

"It was so much better than real life. I stayed so long because real life at the time wasn't so terrific.

(from left) Peter Davison, Tom Baker and Paul McGann launching a set of Doctor Who stamps earlier this year

"Being Doctor Who, I used to look at the clock and know at half past four we were going to stop rehearsing - and that was a sad moment for me because I wanted to stay in this beautiful, unreal world."

Asked if he has kept any Doctor Who props, Baker responds: "I had lots of bits and pieces but they've all been begged off me by the charities. It's all gone now."

"I have some interesting letters from fans who saw me as a messianic figure and thought I could do miracles."

He flashes one of his Doctor-like grins: "They were quite mistaken, but I didn't disabuse them."

'In the groove'

After leaving Doctor Who in 1981, Baker's career embraced TV, stage and film.

In 1982 he was Sherlock Holmes in BBC TV's The Hound of the Baskervilles, and his stage roles included Hedda Gabler, Educating Rita (RSC) and She Stoops to Conquer (NT).

More recent TV roles include Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased), Monarch of the Glen (2004-5) and the narrator of Little Britain.

Despite his assertion that he's not watched his own stories, Baker has, of course, sat through some of them for DVD commentaries and at conventions.

In recent years he has reprised the role of the Doctor for a number of Big Finish audio adventures.

Baker's tenure as the Time Lord lasted from 1974 to 1981

"I'm back now in the groove," Baker says. "The fans want to go back in time and I don't disappoint them because I haven't advanced at all from Doctor Who."

All these years on, the actor notes, Doctor Who fans can still be in awe of him.

"Anyone who's on television gets a reaction when playing a heroic part like the Doctor. And it still happens now with much older people.

"But some of them are telling me lies," he adds, with a glint in his eye. "I met an old lady, aged about 85, the other day, who said: 'When I was a little girl I used to hide behind the sofa when I saw you!'"

Many of those who watched the show in the 60s and 70s have helped bring on the next generation of fans.

"People introduce me to their grandchildren or to their children," Baker says. "It's very sweet that it's passed on affectionately by parents, showing my old stuff.

"Small children sometimes approach me and ask 'is it true you used to be Doctor Who?'"

Source: Official Site

Jenna Coleman - Interview

What is it like starring in the 50th special, one of the biggest years for the show?
It's fantastic. I feel really spoilt to be honest and lucky to be in the show in the first place, but also to have come in at this time. Whilst we were filming it felt very celebratory and special. Working with David, Billie and John, I feel really pleased to be part of the whole thing.

What was it like working with David and Billie? Was there any competiveness between the different Doctors and companions?

I think there's a competitiveness in them that kind of brings out the best in the Doctor. You see it on set that they are so totally different Doctors, but they just complement each other. They make fun of each other mercilessly.

What were your thoughts when you first heard about John's character?

So, not only do we have David back, we also have John Hurt starring as the Doctor, which is massively exciting. And again, the three of them complement each other totally, and it utterly works. It's great to see all of them together.

There are some big stunts in this episode. What was it like filming in the TARDIS dangling from a crane in front of crowds in Trafalgar Square?

It's one of the major stunts that we did and one of the big opening sequences at the beginning of the episode. We actually filmed it in a couple of stages including at St Athan's airfield, where me and Matt were in the TARDIS being swung from side to side. Then, in the second half, we were actually lowered down into Trafalgar Square. I think it will be quite an iconic image, it certainly felt like that on the day.

I didn't get to do the really high stunt in Trafalgar Square, which I was devastated about, and was kind of stood around begging people to go up, but I got to do the end of it. I am quite scared of rollercoasters, but when you've got a camera pointing at you and loads of crew then you kind of just tend to be really brave. That's one of the thrills of the show.

What differences did you find filming in 3D compared to 2D?

Loads of differences. Well for a start, the cameras are massive, so you kind of can’t miss them and they're really heavy for the poor camera operators. The framing is quite different and when the Doctor points you can kind of really react to it. I just think the show lends itself so well and there are so many moments in it that will work really well in 3D. On the first day I saw Matt in the TARDIS in 3D it felt like the world was coming right out at you.

Joanna Page - Interview

What's it like being part of the 50th, one of the biggest years on the show?

It's amazing being part of the 50th anniversary. I just remember getting an email asking if I'd play Queen Elizabeth I, which in itself I couldn't believe because she's so iconic, even in the history of Doctor Who. I've always wanted to be in Doctor Who and now to be in it and playing Queen Elizabeth I is absolutely fantastic, so exciting.

And what did you do when you first found out about the news?

When I first found out about the news I phoned my mum and my dad and obviously told my husband, and then I sat down and read the script, because I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. I just couldn't believe that they had sent it to me, as it was like gold dust. There were all these rumours in the papers about what's happening, and so and so is coming back and I just thought I'm actually going to know what happens. I've never done a job where you have to keep a secret before and it's been really difficult, but also really exciting because you know and no-one else does.

You're playing royalty. Can we expect a Queen Elizabeth with a Welsh twang?

Well, it's very funny being one of the most well-known Welsh people and having to stand up and say, "How dare you, I'm the Queen of England." That did make me laugh, but no, I'm playing her with an English accent. But John Hurt said she actually wouldn't have had a very English accent, because there were so many different influences.

What was it like working Matt, David, Billie and Jenna?

It was quite scary working with Matt, David, Billie and Jenna because they're iconic and they're these major characters that I've watched and are part of Doctor Who history. It's really funny acting with them because you look at them and they're almost like cartoon characters because you see them so much and you've watched them and you believe them. It's just been fascinating and working with the two Doctors is brilliant because it's the same character, but seeing how the two boys just play them completely differently and how they work off each other, it's really funny. After reading the script and then hearing it all in the read-through, it just all came to life and I thought, "Wow this is going to be fantastic."

There's a little bit of romance between Queen Elizabeth and the Tenth Doctor. What was is it like filming those scenes?

Filming the romantic scenes were quite difficult because my first day was on top of a mountain in Neath. It was absolutely freezing, it was blowing a gale and David, the Tenth Doctor, and I are having a picnic. So I'm lying across him and he probably couldn't breathe, because I've just got this massive costume on, and he's feeding me grapes as I'm just desperately shivering. You've got to try and play it romantic and relaxed, when actually you're freezing cold. I think our lips were turning blue and I stopped feeling my hands. The next day, because it had been so cold with the wind, my hands were bright red and all blistered because they were so chapped. So everyone is probably jealous, thinking she gets to kiss the Tenth Doctor and it's all romantic, but it's not; my lips were numb and my hands were chapped.

Where will you be watching the episode?

I'm going to be watching the episode in my living room. My husband has been asking for ages if we can buy a 3D TV and I said no, but now after putting on the glasses myself it's fantastic so I've said we have to get a 3D TV. So we'll be watching it in the living room with all of my family round and then I'll probably go to the cinema and watch it as well.

David Tennant - Interview

What is it like being part of the 50th in one of the biggest years for the show?

It's very exciting to be around for the big celebration episode. I think since I left, the expectation had been that I'd end up in this special, because there is a precedent for old Doctors coming back for a visit around the anniversary time. I was thrilled because it's a huge thing for Doctor Who and it's a huge thing for television in general. So few shows run beyond a few series and 50 years' worth is quite a legacy, so I'm very honoured to be part of that.

What is it like working with Matt and Jenna? Was there any rivalry or competitiveness between the two sets of Doctors and companions?

It's funny, I think people almost expected Matt and me to be at loggerheads, but we've really enjoyed it. I guess when you've played a character for a long time you kind of feel like you know how they'll react in most situations. It's delicious to be handed a situation that's completely new and a character meeting a version of himself is not something that you come across in a lot of drama. So to get to play that with someone as talented and as quick and brilliant as Matt is nothing short of jolly good fun.

You've probably seen some of the previous anniversary specials, but how do you think this one compares to them?

It's very hard to be objective about something you're in, especially when you set it up against things that you experienced as a child. But I certainly remember when The Five Doctors was on, it was electrically exciting. That was of course in the day when we didn't even have a video player. You couldn't revisit things, so the chance to see old Doctors that I had never seen on the telly at all acting with the current [Doctor] was fantastic. I hope that this will have some of that buzz for today's generation.

Do you still watch Doctor Who?

Of course. I watch it every time it's on, along with the rest of the nation.

How did you find filming in 3D compared to 2D?

Our job as actors remains the same really, but you're aware that there's a whole extra layer of technical stuff that has to be dealt with and the cameras are bigger. We shot a lot on this hand-held camera, which was quite trying for Joe, our intrepid camera operator, who has this enormous thing that he has to lug around and navigate around the set; he did it brilliantly. But it causes some headaches for the camera teams and for the post-production side of making it. We're not doing too much novelty-weaving into the lens for the 3D effect, but it gives it an extra zing.

What was it like working with Billie again?

It's always lovely to see Billie, and to be on set with her is a particular joy. She's one of my favourite actresses and one of my favourite people, so I was very happy to be in the same room as Billie.

Where will you be watching the episode?

Wherever I am in the world and whatever I'm doing, I'm sure I will make time for the Doctor Who 50th anniversary special.

During filming did you ever have pinch-yourself moments thinking, "God, I'm back" or anything like that?

I think the thing with filming Doctor Who is that there is so much excitement around it and there's so much enthusiasm for it that often the lead-up to getting here is more of a delight than shooting it.

Because once you're on set there’s a script and there's lines and you've got to get the scene shot and they are the pressures that filming always has. Really, you're just trying to film the scenes the best you possibly can, so you sort of put aside the idea that you're making something that is a moment in television history. The pressure of that would sort of paralyse you really.

Matt Smith - Interview

What is it like starring in the 50th anniversary special, one of the biggest years for the show?

It's a thrill to be in the 50th anniversary. I feel very proud to be part of it and it's a credit to everyone who started the show back in the '60s that it's come this far. It's a great format and a great idea.

The Day Of The Doctor marks the return of David Tennant and Billie Piper, and we get the revelation of John Hurt's Doctor. What was it like working alongside them all?

It was a joy to work with David, Billie and John Hurt. I've worked with Billie before and I'd obviously seen all of David's work, especially as the Doctor. He's a brilliant actor and a brilliant Doctor. It's quite strange, I always sort of get that surreal thing of looking at David and thinking, "Oh my God, there's Doctor Who." And John is acting royalty. Another wonderful Doctor and again, a good bloke. I think looking back over my tenure on this show, one of the great privileges has been the quality of actors that you get to work with.

Was there any kind of competitiveness between the different Doctors and companions?

No, we're not competitive, I mean there's a funny bit in the script between the 10th and 11th Doctors comparing sonics, so there's competitiveness in the story, but not off-screen. We just had a laugh and it was exciting to see David back in the pin-striped suit and Converse. John only has to move his eyes and he floors you, and Billie is Billie. I adore Billie, so we had a great time.

Were there any moments when you were standing on the floor waiting for action to be called and thinking "Oh my goodness, I'm actually doing this"?

Of course, there's always those moments in Doctor Who when you're going, "Wow we're doing Doctor Who and there's David Tennant over there and John Hurt over there and Billie over there and there's a Redgrave over there." There are a lot of those moments when you make this show.

But I think the wonderful thing was there was great downtime. I just enjoyed spending time with David and obviously for me as well, as I am about to leave the show, it was really interesting to talk to him about that experience and his experience on the show, because it is a very individual experience playing the Doctor. It was quite nice to go, "What was that bit like for you?" and it was just sort of enlightening really.

Moving on to stunts, some pictures have been published of you hanging from the TARDIS in front of crowds in Trafalgar Square. What was that like and did you need to be convinced to go up there?

I was hoisted up over 90 feet, double Nelson's Column ....[DWN note: The monument is 170ft high], hanging on a wire under the TARDIS. They used the biggest crane I think they had ever brought to Trafalgar Square. I really had to persuade them to let me go up, but I had the most wonderful view of London. It was raining and really windy, but I loved it and would do it again. It was one of the rare brilliant opportunities that you only get with Who.

As well as being shown on BBC One, The Day Of The Doctor will be available in 3D to those with a 3D TV and in some cinemas. What was it like filming in 3D?

The rigs for the cameras are much heavier and poor Joe [Russell], who is our wonderful cameraman, had a very tough time of it. It was like having a six-year-old or seven-year-old child on your shoulder all day. There's just a lot more time, the technical process of filming everything is more laborious.

But also there are a lot of pluses and I'm really excited to see how Doctor Who lends itself to it, because I think as a show and a format it really suits the idea of being shot in 3D. I think it's good for a show like Doctor Who to be at the forefront of technology and that's what we've always been. It's always been at the front of the advancement in film and even with the wobbly sets, at least they were having a go and I think it's a good step forward. It's an evolution.

Steven Moffat Interview

What is it like being the writer for the Doctor Who 50th special?

Since I was a little boy, the idea of writing a Doctor Who story at all was remarkable enough to me. But writing the 50th special was exciting and terrifying - everything that showbiz should be.

So where did the story for The Day Of The Doctor come from?

I didn't want this to just be a celebration of 50 years of the past. I wanted it to be a celebration of the mythology and legend of the Doctor and all that entailed.

This should be the first step on the next journey, guaranteeing the 100th anniversary. The story focuses on the most important thing that ever happened to the Doctor. We very rarely do that in Doctor Who as it's usually about the people the Doctor meets or the companions that travel with him. This time it's different.

The Day Of The Doctor welcomes back the shape-shifting Zygons, a monster we haven't seen since the 1970s. Why did you decide they were the ones to bring back?

The Zygons, without question, are a design classic. They are superb - brilliant from the voice, to the appearance. Essentially, we've resurrected exactly the same Zygon as Tom Baker fought back in the '70s. They are beautiful, and it'll show that the special looks forward to the future of Doctor Who and also celebrates the legend.

At the end of the last series we were introduced to John Hurt as the Doctor. What does John bring to the role and can you tell us anything about his Doctor?

With John Hurt we have serious acting royalty and that was the intent of John's character. John is one of the most distinguished film stars of British origin, one of the most distinguished actors this country has produced, and has now become part of Doctor Who mythology.

There have been Doctor Who anniversary specials before, which are so well loved. How do you think this one will be remembered?

There's only really been one anniversary special before and that was for the 20th anniversary with The Five Doctors. The Three Doctors wasn't an anniversary special as it was one year too early, but we remember it that way.

I adored The Three Doctors, it was brilliant, an accidental piece of magic. I also loved The Five Doctors. I did think that was the one where possibly the desire to celebrate overwhelmed the desire to tell a story. But I can't really begrudge it that!

The Day Of The Doctor will be the first time we see Doctor Who in proper 3D. Did you write the script with 3D in mind?

My first impulse was if we're going to do 3D, it had to be part of the plot. We actually have to make 3D part of the story and, if at all possible, to try and make 3D a bit scary. I wouldn't say it's in every scene, but there is an element of the show that exploits the fact of 3D.

The 50th special will mark the return of David Tennant to the role of the Tenth Doctor, starring opposite the Eleventh, Matt Smith. How was it having two Doctors on set?

It was eye-twisting at times. You don't quite realise how these two men have become hard-wired into your brain as the Doctor. Matt and David got on so well and their interaction on screen is a sublime double act. Matt said to me, "It's a bit like Laurel and Laurel. It's like Hardy didn't turn up." They are absolutely great together. Sometimes very, very, different - other times, in moments they choose together, they are exactly the same.

And seeing Billie and David on set together, how was that?

Seeing Billie and David standing on set together was quite epic. Billie told me that as she is very good friends with both Matt and David she felt quite torn and divided. She didn't know how to deal with both of them at the same time, so if she was talking to one, she would stroke the arm of the other.

And finally, where will you be watching the episode on 23rd November?

I've got two impulses. One is to watch it at home with my friends, particularly friends who made the show. My other impulse is to go out and join the party. But it's a difficult one. When Matt and I watched The Eleventh Hour we watched it many times before it went out. Then came the fateful day, 3rd April 2010. Matt came round to my house, my parents and his parents were there to watch the episode go out and have our future decided. Everyone sat down, but Matt and I couldn't stay in the room. So I might be watching it peering round my kitchen door with Matt.

An Adventure in Time and Space - David Bradley

Acclaimed actor David Bradley plays William Hartnell, the First Doctor, in An Adventure in Space and Time, the brilliant drama that explores the origins of Doctor Who that will premiere soon on BBC Two. Here David talks about Hartnell himself, the portrayal of an actor he greatly admired and discussed transforming himself into the Doctor…

A popular screen star, well regarded by his peers, William Hartnell was born in St Pancras, London in 1908. He appeared in numerous plays, films and TV shows, often playing the ‘tough guy’ role as typified by his character in the comedy ‘The Army Game’, which ran from 1957 to 1961 just prior to Doctor Who. When he was first approached, Hartnell was widely reported to have been unconvinced by the role of Doctor. ‘It has to be said’, explains David, ‘after some initial reluctance to do something for children’s TV I think he was quickly convinced that it was the right thing for him to do. He felt quite insecure about it as it was new territory for him, but once he started he embraced the whole idea of the part.’

An Adventure in Space and Time tells the story behind the beginnings of Doctor Who and the team of personalities behind it. Known as a perfectionist Hartnell was widely regarded as cantankerous by colleagues. But as David explains the script for ‘Space and Time’ reveals a full picture of Bill, including the good and the bad. ‘I know he had a reputation at times for being cantankerous and rather difficult and one has to play that’, says David. ‘It was clear from research and hearing his colleagues talk about him that he was a perfectionist. He demanded a lot of himself and he expected everyone around him to show the same level of commitment.’

Hartnell played the role from 1963 until 1966, creating the template for the character of the Doctor, which has since been played by 10 other actors. He embraced all that embodied the show, as David explains, ‘He was invited to school fetes in the full outfit and I thought how brilliant and touching that was. It’s clear that he absolutely loved it and found it very hard to let go. That’s an element that Mark Gatiss brings out in the script’, he concludes.

Deteriorating health led Hartnell to finally retire from the role, but as his illness worsened, so too did his relationship with the production team of Doctor Who. ‘I think maybe when people joined the show later’, explains David, ‘different directors and different actors, if they showed a lack of commitment then it would upset him and he would let people know that’s how he felt. There are moments of sadness in ‘Space and Time’ where he becomes aware that he hasn’t got the strength to do it anymore.’

David grew up with the show (‘I remember Hartnell, Troughton and Pertwee best’) and recently starred opposite current Doctor Matt Smith. Does he see any of Hartnell’s characteristics in Smith? ‘I really admire him as a Doctor’, says David, ‘he’s got that curiosity and that slight eccentricity that the part requires, not in the same way as Bill Hartnell, but I think some of those characteristics have gone all the way through everyone that's played the Doctor’.

So how would David sum up his experience taking on one of TV’s most iconic roles? ‘It’s been one of those great jobs and an experience I’ll always remember. We’re honouring something that’s been part of television history for 50 years and I hope I’ve done justice to an actor that I admire greatly’, he concludes.

Source: Doctor Who Official Site

Moffat thanks fans

Well that was all a bit Keystone Cops, wasn't it? Our biggest surprise, our most secret episode, a revelation about the Doctor that changes everything ...

... and we'd have got away with it too, if we hadn't accidentally sent Blu-ray copies of Name Of The Doctor to 210 Doctor Who fans in America. Security-wise, that's not GOOD, is it? I mean, it's not top-notch; it's hard to defend as professional-level, hard-line secrecy.

My favorite fact is that they're Blu-Rays. Listen, we don't just leak any old rubbish, we leak in high-def – 1080p or nothing, that's us. Every last pixel in beautifully rendered detail. It's like getting caught extra naked.

But here's the thing. Never mind us blundering fools, check out the fans. Two hundred and ten of them, with the top-secret episode within their grasp – and because we asked nicely, they didn't breathe a word. Not one. Even Doctor Who websites have been closing their comments sections, just in case anyone blurts. I'm gobsmacked. I'm impressed. Actually, I'm humbled. And we are all very grateful.

Now you might be thinking, what does all this matter? It's a plot development in the mad old fantasy world of Doctor Who, why is that important? Well of course, it's not important, and in the scheme of things, it doesn't matter at all. Just as it doesn't matter when you're telling a joke, and some idiot shouts out the punchline before you finish. It's irritating, that's all. It's bad manners.

Well, no bad manners here! Two hundred and ten Doctor Who fans kept the secret, and many, many more fans helped. I wish I could send you all flowers, but I don't know where you live (and, given our record, you really shouldn't be sharing private information with us). So instead, there is a little video treat.

Ten plus 11 gives you ...

Warwick Davis - Video

Neil Gaiman - Video

Christmas Radio Times

The Radio Times (8th-14th Dec) features the upcoming Christmas Special 'The Snowmen' with articles inside, as well as the cover.

Matt Smith says:

I've got a whole new Christmassy outfit and the best hat! A bit Artful Dodger meets the Doctor. There's a lot of purple this year, which is nice. I've always wanted something purple but they were always reluctant. It's taken three years to get a jaunty hat and a purple coat!

Tom Wards says:

My character is an archetypal Victorian gentleman, a repressed, Establishment-type chap who is distant from his children and can't communicate with women. I couldn't resist him as he's so well written - besides a part in a Doctor Who Christmas Special was just too good an opportunity to pass up!

Jenna-Louise Coleman says:

The connection is that it's me playing both. I'm not Oswin: I'm a different person who looks and sounds like Oswin. 

The Radio Times is out today.

Matt Smith & cast interview - Doctor Who: The Angels Take Manhattan - Se...

The Return of River Song - Doctor Who: 'The Angels Take Manhattan' - Ser...

Radio Times

This weeks Radio Times has an interview with Matt Smith.

The Power of Three

The Power of Three got an overnight viewing figure of  5.49m, even though the figures were down, Doctor Who was the second most watched programme on Saturday night after the X Factor (8.2m).

Professor Brian Cox had this to say about his cameo in the episode:

I have been a Doctor Who fan for a long time - from Pyramids of Mars and The Hand of Fear onwards, with the great Tom Baker and Elisabeth Sladen. I am also a huge fan of Matt, so it was a tremendous honour to be part of one of the great institutions of British television.

Alan Sugar has said:

I have watched Doctor Who for over 40 years and I was flattered when they approached me to make a cameo. It's an honour to be appearing in such an iconic programme, not to mention the street cred it gives me with the grandkids.