The Doctor From Gallifrey 

Another video from San Diego Comic Con now which sees John Barrowman interview Matt Smith, Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill. This one is a quick watch, it's only 5 minutes long!

 

News from the main panel is still to come!

San Diego Comic Con is happening this weekend and the Doctor Who gang are there doing lots of things. Yesterday they did a panel which was filmed by Doctor Who Media which you can watch below. Topics included a potential multi-Doctor story, Matt Smith's fave Doctor and Karen Gillan's dalek impression. There's also a sing-song of Bohemian Rhapsody (at 38 minutes in, worth watching even if you don't want to watch the whole thing!). 

 

The main Doctor Who panel is coming soon so expect new news and footage from that by tomorrow at the latest!

Some great casting news for series 7 was announced today. Dame Diana Rigg will star in the Mark Gatiss penned episode, along with her daughter Rachel Stirling, the first time they have worked together. 

Character details are being kept hush hush but they will recreate their off-screen relationship and play a mother and daughter. The press release states that Diana Rigg plays a Yorkshire local, which implies Rachel Stirling will to and that the episode will be set in Yorkshire. It's also going to be a historical episode but that's all we really know at the moment. 

Diana Rigg is best known for her 60s roles as Emma Peel in The Avengers and as a Bond girl in On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Speaking about the role she said: "The first time Rachie and I will be working together is on an episode of “Doctor Who” specially written for us by Mark Gatiss. How lucky is that?" 

Rachel Stirling has most recently been seen in Snow White and the Huntsman. She said: "What joy. I am looking forward to the madness of Doctor Who enormously. Mark Gatiss has written a gift of a script and an on-screen relationship between Ma and I that is truly delicious. We have never before worked together because the offers have not been tempting, but when such a funny and original script comes through you know the time has come." 

And of course Stephen Moffat had to have the last word: "Dame Diana Rigg, Rachael Stirling and a Mark Gatiss script - a combination of talents you could only get in Doctor Who! Frankly, I'm terrified already!"

For everything we know so far about Series 7 click here.

[Source: BBC Doctor Who]

Now we don't normally write very much about shows that aren't Doctor Who but a new announcement today has so many Doctor Who connections we felt we had to talk about it. 

A new eight part ensemble drama called "Broadchurch" has been commisioned by ITV and is written by Doctor Who and Torchwood writer Chris Chibnall. It will explore what happens to a small community when it suddenly becomes the focus of a major event and is subjected to the full glare of the media spotlight. 

It stars David Tennant (10th Doctor), Olivia Colman ("Mother" in The Eleventh Hour) and Vicky McClure. Tennant takes the role of DI Alec Hardy; an out-of-town, newly promoted police detective who takes the job local girl DS Ellie Miller (Olivia Colman) believes should have been hers. 

There's also a fantastic supporting cast of British actors including Jodie Whittaker as Beth, Andrew Buchan (Who was hotly tipped to be the 11th Doctor) as Mark, Will Mellor playing Stephen Turner and Arthur Darvill (Rory Williams) as the town priest Paul Coates.

“Broadchurch focuses on a small British community which finds itself at the eye of a storm. In the wake of one boy’s death, the residents of Broadchurch come under scrutiny and suspicion,” said writer Chris Chibnall. “It’s a story of scale and intimacy, as the lives of the characters are laid bare,” he added.

So it's written by a Doctor Who writer and stars David Tennant and Arthur Darville. What's that, you want a couple more Doctor Who links? Well Doctor Who directer James Strong will direct four of the episodes can Torchwood producer Richard Stokes will produce it!

We reckon that this is going to be a great drama which will be well worth watching. You can expect it on your screens sometime in 2013. 

[Source: Unreality TV]

We have just completed our biggest site redesign ever. We're proud of what we've done here and hope you like it too! 

Before:

After:

As we redesigned the site we also updated it and added a few new things. So get out there and have an explore and see what you can find!

It looks like the Doctor Who logo has once again been tweaked a little. This new version was added to the Official site today. It is a different colour and the DW has been shifted from the left to the right. 

[Source: BBC Doctor Who]

A whole load of little news pieces have come our way over the last few days. None of them major but we thought you might like to see them all the same: 

• Two new Doctor Who books are coming out in Septmeber. A graphic novel by Justin Richards called "The Dalek Project" and a book called "The History of the Universe in 100 Objects". The covers are below and you can read full synopsis of them both here.

• BBC3 started repeated series 6 again tonight. Check out the schedules to see when the episodes are on and watch them on afterwards on BBC iPlayer. 

• Spider-man star Andrew Garfield has been speaking fondly about his guest role in Doctor Who (Daleks in Manhattan/Evolution of the Daleks). Story here.

• Noel Clarke (Mickey Smith) has been talking to Digital Spy about the possibility of returning to the show for the 50th Anniversary.

• John Barrowman (Captain Jack Harkness) has been given the title of "Rear of the Year". Story here.

Here's the cover of Doctor Who Magazine #449, which will be released later this week, price £4.50.

There will no dobut be some BRAND NEW news about series 7 in the issue which we will of course share with you once the magazine is out. And over on our series 7 page we have a possible name for Episode 11!

It's official! The opening episode of Series 7 will be called "Asylum of the Daleks". This is actually no real surprise to us seeing as though it's been on our Series 7 page as that for months.

However, something that is brand new information is that the episode will air at BFI in London in August. The date seems to vary between the 14th and the 18th depending on which website you look at but the BFI website says it will air at 6PM on the 14th August so we reckon it's then. Tickets go on sale next month.

It is with great sadness that we report that Caroline John, best known as Doctor Who's Liz Shaw, passed away earlier this month age 71. Liz Shaw was the first companion of the Third Doctor in the 7th series of Doctor Who. Her character helped viewers adjust to a new Doctor and one exiled to Earth and having no choice but to work for UNIT. 

She reprised the role in The Five Doctors and again, though unofficially, in Mark Gatiss' PROBE spin-offs. She appeared in many other roles across the years too, everything from Z-Cars to the film Love Actually. 

Steven Moffat said: ‘Caroline was a brilliant actress and in her role as Liz Shaw, a tremendous co-star for Jon Pertwee in his first year as the Doctor. She was not just a sidekick but a scientist in her own right and a match for the universe's number one know-all. The Doctor's companions should never be his assistants - they're the people who keep him on his toes, and that's what Caroline did. From everyone at the show, our thoughts go out to Caroline’s family.’

RIP Caroline John 1940-2012

[Source: BBC]