Press coverage - Empire magazine September 2014

Last week we had The Sunday Times Magazine running a cover story interview with Peter Capaldi. This week it is the turn on the film magazine, Empire to get kick off their coverage.

On sale from 31st July, the September issue has a nice article and photo shoot.

Sadly Doctor Who doesn’t make the cover - that goes to some film called The Hobbit.

Empire Magazine
September 2014

Personally this is the most engaging photo shoot to date.

The Sunday Times was quite low-key; and Entertainment Weekly was a bit brief - but this has a bit more fun with the two lead stars.



Taken by David Venni, the photoshoot was on 17th June 2014.

Empire have released images of how the article appears, along with some alternatives and out-takes from the shoot.

There’s a fun set of three images, showing The Doctor on the empty set...

...then the TARDIS starts to appear...






...until it is near fully revealed.

You can read a promotional version of the article here:

EMPIRE Exclusive:
Peter Capaldi On Doctor Who

Tee for Who

Since 2011 Forbidden Planet have been releasing a series of t-shirts based on The Doctor’s costumes, as well as a few other sundry characters.

All eleven Doctors to date have been covered, so it was only a matter of time that they would turn their attentions to the latest incarnation.

The Twelfth Doctor’s costume has been lifted from the initial publicity photo, wearing the John Smedley cardigan and Budd shirt.

Sadly the collar on the shirt looks a little short to me, and from the look of things the cardigan was actually quite a short-lived garment.

Nevertheless it will be a welcome addition to the ever expanding collection of Doctor Who t-shirts out there!

12th Doctor Costume t-shirt ForbiddenPlanet.com

Ticket scramble - Symphonic Spectacular UK Tour May 2015

After the frantic scramble for tickets to the first two legs of the Doctor Who World Tour, today tickets for yet ANOTHER event are going on sale.

This time the BBC are bringing the Symphonic Spectacular - an event which has run in Australia and New Zealand for the past couple of years - home to the UK.

I always felt the events on the other side of the world were a form of compensation for not having the Prom concerts we have enjoyed in the UK. So it’s a bit like shipping coals to Newcastle!

Ironically Newcastle is one of the venues, along with Cardiff (obviously); Birmingham; Leeds; and Glasgow (home town of Peter Capaldi).

The SSE Arena, Wembley, London

Sat 23rd May 2015 (3pm / 7:30pm)

Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff

Mon 25th May 2015 (3pm / 7:30pm)

Nat Indoor Arena, Birmingham

Tues 26th May 2015 (3pm / 7:30pm)

First Direct Arena, Leeds

Weds 27th May 2015 (3pm / 7:30pm)

Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle

Thurs 28th May 2015 (3pm / 7:30pm)

SSE Hydro, Glasgow

Fri 29th May 2015 (3pm / 7:30pm)

Still, it’s taking in a number of UK venues, including the Wembley Arena which isn’t too far from me - so you’ve got to, haven’t you?

This time, as a subscriber to the BBC’s email newsletter, I get a link to pre-sales a day before the tickets go on general public sale.

With so many venues it proves a doddle to get the tickets I want for the afternoon performance at the Wembley Arena.

Job done.

Press coverage - The Sunday Times Magazine 27th July 2014

As the broadcast dates for season eight draw near, there have been a number of magazine articles in anticipation of Peter Capaldi’s debut as The Doctor.

A few have special exclusive photoshoots of Peter in costume, and although they are not official BBC costume portraits, I feel they are worthy of a look.

Sunday Times Magazine
27th July 2014

The Sunday Times Magazine carries what it claims is the first interview with Peter Capaldi ahead of his debut as the Twelfth Doctor.

A similar interview appeared in the Telegraph Magazine just before Matt Smith began his era.

Photo Paul Stuart © Sunday Times

It goes without saying that The Doctor’s costume comes under scrutiny and there is a wonderful portrait shot of it on a mannequin stand.

There also features a shot of Peter putting on his Budd shirt.
I’ve taken a copy of the magazine along to the guys at Budds and they are thrilled to see their shirt so prominently displayed!

Finally Peter ties the laces to his Loakes, and he’s ready for action!

The article can be read in full on the Sunday Times website (if you subscribe to their online content).

The Sunday Times -
The doctor will see you now

The magazine lists a URL on their site, but I can seem to get it to work. Ho hum.

Ticket scramble - London BFI preview 7th August 2014

Well isn’t this annoying.

A few days ago I got an email from the BFI announcing their Days Of Fear And Wonder season, which includes the second leg of the Doctor Who World Tour - taking in London.

It consists of a preview of Deep Breath with a panel discussion afterwards.

And the date? The SAME DAY as the Cardiff event!

BFI - Doctor Who: Deep Breath + panel discussion and Q&A with cast and production

I do enjoy going to these events, and try to get myself along to as many as feasible.
So it’s within my mind-set to go to both - if I hadn’t already booked my return trip to Cardiff to include a visit to the Doctor Who Experience the following day, meaning I’m staying overnight.

Tickets, like most of last year’s BFI screening for Doctor Who at 50, are allocated by ballot, so I’ve got nothing to lose entering to see what happens.

The ballot ran from 17th - 20th July, with the results announced to the lucky ticket winners today.

Sadly I didn’t get a ticket, which is a relief in a way as it would have ruined my plans for Cardiff, which I’ll now make the most of.

CARDIFF HERE I COME!

Ticket scramble - Cardiff preview 7th August 2014

No matter how well planned, these things are always seem to turn into a scrum and the hosting websites fall over with the level of demand. Do they never learn?

Following the leisurely stroll then mad dash for ticket to the Doctor Who: Live event at Elstree Studios, today saw the release of tickets to a preview of Deep Breath at St Davids Hall, Cardiff.

St David’s Hall Cardiff
Doctor Who World Tour

The event marks the start of a The Doctor Who World Tour (literally) taking in SEVEN cities over FIVE continents.

This will become the biggest series launch of Doctor Who - ever!

CARDIFF - 7th Aug
LONDON - 7th Aug
SEOUL - 9th Aug
SYDNEY - 12th Aug
NEW YORK - 14th Aug
MEXICO CITY - 17th Aug
RIO DE JANERIO - 18th Aug

At this point news is scarce about what form the events will be taking place, and the dates are not being full released (the list about has been assembled retrospectively).

For now only the details for Cardiff have been released, so like everyone else I’m poised on my computer for 10am this morning waiting for the tickets to be come available.

It took almost half an hour for the website to open the bookings, and then promptly fell over wight he demand.

I took to using my desktop AND laptop to try to get in, and on several occasions I did, only to find either the seat I selected was strangely unavailable when it can to adding it, or an internal system error threw me out.

In the end I managed to secure a seat in Tier 11, which although quite far back, is at least pretty central.

Checking back  I found that the whole venue was SOLD OUT, so I was relieved I managed to grab the seat I got while I could.

It just remains for me to get myself a cheap return train ticket and look to arranging a final visit to the Matt Smith Doctor Who Experience before it closes to be revamped and relaunched with Peter Capaldi as the incumbent Doctor.