Tuesday, September 4, 2018

BBC Studios Compels CultBox to Take Down Story about Doctor Who Launch

September 4, 2018

Earlier today, an observant fan in Germany discovered that iTunes had released the launch date of Doctor Who Series 11 in a post which offered the series for presale. This offer was extended over all of  iTunes' regional websites, reporting the same launch date.

Cultbox reported on the story, including the launch date, and was sent a legal notice from BBC Studios to desist.
CultBox wisely capitulated in the face of potential legal problems from the large corporation and edited the story, explaining the reason.

Though I know which date was reported, I will not reveal for fear of receiving a legal notice myself.

Several media people on Twitter have complained about the way CultBox was treated.

Stuart Manning has created some stunning Doctor Who artwork for the Radio Times and other media outlets.
Former Doctor Who Magazine editor and TARDIS aficionado Clayton Hickman:
Doctor Who Companion founder Philip Bates:
The official word from the BBC is that Doctor Who will return "Autumn 2018".

Update, September 5, 2018:

The BBC has announced the air date of the first Series 11 episode, titled The Woman Who Fell to Earth, as October 7, the same air date given on itunes which CultBox reported.

BBC entertainment news correspondent Lizo Mzimba included this statement with his announcement of the air date:
Meanwhile, BBC Studios, which makes the time travel drama, has been criticised by many fans after entertainment website Cultbox was threatened with legal action for reporting the launch date a day before the BBC's announcement.
The site had referenced an official page for the BBC series on the iTunes store, which had published the launch date.
 A cease and desist letter sent on behalf of the BBC said that they considered the now removed story on Cultbox contained "classified information", and that it constituted "a breach of a trade secret".

Thursday, August 23, 2018

From Series 11 Writers and Directors in Doctor Who Magazine

Five writers were announced in addition to Chris Chibnall. They are given primary credit for one episode each, though that does not necessarily discount a writers' room type collaboration over all ten episodes. They were each asked to describe their episodes in three words:

Malorie Blackman: heartfelt, thought-provoking, timely

Ed Hime: really rather spooky

Peter McTighe: creepy, fun, rollercoaster

Vinay Patel: educational, epic, emotional

Joy Wilkinson: dark, funny, squelchy



This is what was learned from the directors:

There was an outdoor scene filmed in Wales intentionally involving inclement weather in Episode 1, 7, 9 or 10.

A filming block involved scenes that went from "Baroque to the future".

The location filming of Episodes 4 and 6 occurred during quite a bit of rain, snow and mud. This might have something to do with writer Joy Wilkinson describing her episode as "squelchy".

Episode 5 or 8 contains a zany action sequence in an entirely digitally-created world.


The director's statements:

Jamie Childs, Episodes 1, 6, 7 & 10

"I love real locations, and I think they bring a lot of realism to any film, especially in sci fi when you want to ground the surreal in the real world. As we shoot mostly in and around Cardiff, one of the main concerns with any exterior location was always: will it rain? I have to say Wales never let me down. I don’t think I got bad weather once, apart from the one time I wanted a specific type of ‘bad’ weather and I got it. So I was very lucky overall.” 

Mark Tonderai, Episodes 2 & 3

“It’s a movie a week in essence without regular standing sets. But I always think – as under pressure that I am – what about design or costume? Man, they are really under the gun. Sometimes they go from Baroque to the future in one block. But what’s great is that on Who I operated camera B, which meant the episodes I shot really are mine, you know? I shot it how I saw it. And our crew were wonderful human beings whose craft elevated everything I did.”

Sallie Aprahamian, Episodes 4 & 9

“The weather was not kind to us on one of the episodes – howling rain storms, snow, lots of mud and bright sunshine, sometimes within minutes of each other. The cast and crew were amazing, working on through with good humour and craft. That’s how Doctor Whomagic sometimes has to happen."

Jennifer Perrott, Episodes 5 and 8

“It was my turn to film just after the apocalyptic snow storms earlier this year, so I wasn’t hindered by arduous weather. The previous team lost filming time due to red-alert snow storms. I did have a zany action sequence in studio where we just had the actors, green screen and fans blowing their hair – the entire world around them will be created with VFX. I can’t wait to see what those geniuses at [effects house] DNEG create for that.”

Monday, August 20, 2018

Series 11 Writers Finally Announced!

Malorie Blackman, Chris Chibnall, Ed Hime, Vinay Patel, Pete McTighe and Joy Wilkinson are the Doctor Who, Series 11 writers.


I suspect this announcement was written and ready to go for the day it was discovered that mail/post subscribers had received their issues of Doctor Who Magazine, which again missed an opportunity to announce an exclusive.

The Series 11 directors were also officially announced today but they were already discovered.

Friday, August 10, 2018

BBC Studios Targets Two Twitter Accounts


BBC Studios filed a subpoena against Twitter regarding leaked Doctor Who Series 11 materials on August 3. The PDF of the court docket can be found here.

The two accounts are @VortexiaTweets and @MrWhelan101

The World Intellectual Property Review (WIPR) covered the story on August 10.
"The BBC filed its subpoena against Twitter at the US District Court for the Northern District of California on Friday, August 3" 

*Source* 

(It seems the the article is now archived and only available to subscribers.

The article mentions the two Twitter accounts targeted as "Vortexia" and  "Mr Whelan 101".
"The BBC asked for any personal information held by Twitter on two of its users, including address, internet protocol location, and date of birth. The users are identified as Vortexia and Mr Whelan 101."
Both Twitter accounts have responded with statements after I tweeted them:

Twitter has so far been very cooperative with the DMCA to the point of permanently suspending Twitter accounts for infractions as small as posting companion character portrait images from merchandisers who posted images from Doctor Who 2019 calendars too soon.

Thursday, August 9, 2018

Another Leaked Photo of the TARDIS Interior

Earlier today, I saw  a photo on Facebook. The claim about the photo was it was of the TARDIS interior. I was skeptical because it was such a bad photo that I thought someone had photoshopped a fake TARDIS interior based on earlier leaked photos. It turns out the photo is genuine.
The photo lacked interior illumination of several of the set elements. The red glow of the "ribs" and central column was missing as was the lighting under the floor which allows some of the geometry and the Gallifreyan writing to show.

This marks the forth time there has been a significant leak of Series 11 content, whether by deliberate theft, mistaken early release or a poorly ordered website.

This reminds me or a quote from Princess Leia to Governor Tarkin Star Wars: A New Hope.
"The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers."
I'm not trying to compare BBC Studios or anyone who directs them to enforce extreme secrecy to the evil of the Empire nor depict anyone behind the leaks as virtuous. The deliberate leakers have patently broken the law and violated the trust of their employers.

I do think that the current atmosphere of extreme secrecy breeds this type of behavior, however. I've been frequently perplexed by the amount and kind of information which has not yet been released.

We do not even know the premiere date of the first episode two months before it delivers in October, according to a leak from an exclusive panel at the BBC Worldwide Showcase.

Doctor Who Magazine used to be a source of exclusive information about the series and now they are reduced to one photo exclusive in their last issue. The magazine used to be the source of knowledge of what writers and directors were hired for the upcoming series. None of the Series 11 writers (with the exception of Chris Chibnall) and only one of the directors were officially announced. The only reason we know the names of all four Series 11 directors is through diligent fan research.

None of the things I've mentioned contribute to spoilers for the episodes themselves so it's very perplexing that the fans aren't even allowed this information when they were in the past. All this secrecy is supposed to create a communal fan experience when Doctor Who premieres in the fall, but I've seen it cause fear and furtiveness among the fans.

It used to be fun to discover new things. Now the discovery of new material can be dangerous because the material itself is not alway what it seems. Fans do not always know when something that looks like an official publicity photo or images from a calendar offered for sale have been posted too soon or by accident. The increased vigilance of DMCA takedowns and the resulting consequences have led to the permanent loss of Twitter accounts. This creates much fear, bad will and resentment rather than a happy communal fan experience.

Wednesday, August 8, 2018

Doctor Who Children in Need Sketch Filmed at Roath Lock Studios

I can confirm that a Doctor Who Children in Need sketch was filmed at Roath Lock Studios on August 7. A photo exists of a safety bulletin posted outside of the studios used for Doctor Who.
I've privately seen this photo myself, though not from the person who tweeted about it. I can confirm the safety bulletin says "Doctor Who/Children In Need" and contains handwritten warnings for
Slips, trips and falls
Water
Overhead washing
I would venture to guess that "Overhead washing" refers to some sort of water-releasing apparatus used in filming to simulate rain.

I would also guess that the photo was possibly taken by someone who was partaking in a tour of the Pobol y Cwm set which was offered that day in the same studio complex.

Monday, August 6, 2018

"Crazy" New Design for the TARDIS Interior

If you've been paying attention, you have seen the video of the twelfth Doctor's TARDIS being dismantled.



You've also watched the interior if the TARDIS blow up after ejecting the newly-regenerated thirteenth Doctor in Twice Upon a Time.


Despite this evidence, here is what Chris Chibnall had to say about a new TARDIS interior design at press conference at San Diego Comic Con:

"No, I didn't say that!," he said, laughing as one of his questioners stated that he mentioned that the TARDIS exploded so we will see a new one. "I said it exploded. You said we'd see a new one." Chris Chibnall then refused any more questions on the subject.

Last week, after a photo credit was published in Doctor Who Magazine, two photos depicting portions of the TARDIS interior were discovered on character and publicity stills photographer Ben Blackall's online portfolio. Those photos, along with some other character portraits and publicity stills can be found on the Facebook page for Doctor Freedom.

Just today, Doctor Who concept artist Darren Fereday tweeted this (You are only seeing the reply because the tweet was deleted. Screenshot below):


So production designer Arwel Wyn Jones had a "crazy" vision for the new TARDIS interior which I assume he designed with input from Jodie Whittaker.

As for Chris Chibnall, I think a very discerning ear is required whenever he makes statements about Doctor Who.

Update:

It seems Darren Fereday was asked to delete some tweets.
Fereday not only deleted his tweets which featured his own renditions of the sonic screwdriver but also deleted his tweet about Arwel Wyn Jones' "crazy vision" for new TARDIS interior design.

Perhaps one of the secrets is that, like one of the toy versions, the tip rotates.


Chris Chibnall said to Digital Spy:
"Secrecy is not an end in itself." 
"it's not out of a desire for secrecy, it's a desire for that moment when it goes out of people experiencing it together."
I fail to see how being secretive about the mere existence of a new TARDIS interior fits with keeping the broadcasts a communal experience when an explosion already destroyed the twelfth Doctor's console room in Twice Upon a Time so it can be presumed a new one is required.

I also fail to see how drawings of a device which has already been released as a toy version and is already in the hands of fans would also be subject to the same secrecy.

It's really a shame how restricted the creative people on the production team are in sharing their enthusiasm. Even comic and concept artist Patrick Goddard was forced to delete a tweet of a drawing he created of the thirteenth Doctor's costume the day it was revealed to the public.

Friday, August 3, 2018

Series 11 Wraps!

We found out from San Diego Comic Con that Doctor Who Series 11 wrapped in two weeks.

I has now been two weeks and it's Friday, the last day of the typical work week and Doctor Who Series 11 has officially wrapped.


From costume designer Ray Holman. This looks like a costume and makeup wrap celebration to me. Note the Doctor Who Cast & Crew 2018 t-shirts.

More hijinks from the set today:



From Digital Editorial Assistant for  Doctor Who at the BBC TV Centre. A lot of Doctor Who-related jobs apparently end simultaneously with Series 11 production.

Next up is Christmas special filming with director Wayne Yip. I do not yet know when this begins. Some of the crew will move on to other jobs.

Wednesday, August 1, 2018

Filming in Cardiff July 29 and 30

In the last week of finale filming:


Sunday, July 29:


There was some Doctor Who filming outside Cathays Llywodraeth Cymru offices in Cardiff. The sign outside was covered with one that said, "MDZ Research".
It involved an unknown actor filmed inside of a car.





Monday, July 30: 


This time there was filming at the smart bridge opposite the Atrium building at Cardiff University. 


It involved the TARDIS, Mandip Gill and a least two actors, one with bright red hair.

Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Production Still Photographs Exposed

For the third time during Series 11 production, some revealing materials were "leaked".

It would be accurate to call only the first instance a deliberate leak. An entire Episode 1 clip was uploaded to Tapatalk and eventually made its way to YouTube, Twitter and other forms of public media along with two photos involving the thirteenth Doctor seeming to construct her new sonic screwdriver. I've described the materials on this blog post.

The second instance involved a merchandiser called Calender Club, who posted images of a Series 11 Doctor Who Calendar by Danilo. Those images were also distributed further on social media. The images consisted of character portraits of the Doctor and her companions, with a larger photo of Yasmin Khan. The images were removed from the website and the DMCA removed the images from tweets so it would seem Calendar Club must have posted the images too early. Danilo has now released some of the images and is offering the calendars for presale. Calendar Club has now re-released the images. 

The third instance is the result of the way a production stills photographer posted his portfolio online. One thumbnail from each of the categories in photographer Ben Blackall's Doctor Who Series 11 portfolio were visible when accessed via the mobile version of his website. The thumbnails have since been removed from public view, but two more thumbnails were revealed during the process of reprogramming his website. The photos are not in their final form with the background drape and actor's marks visible and color grading for alien worlds missing.

Blackall's portfolio was accessed by a curious fan who learned of the photographer's involvement via a photo credit in Doctor Who Magazine #528, which published Blackall's photo of the thirteenth Doctor standing on a rocky outcrop in what looks like a landscape from the filming in Granada Province in Spain. This photo appeared in Blackall's portfolio with the TARDIS photoshopped into the foreground on the right side.

Two of Blackall's thumbnails featured two photos the brand new interior of the Thirteenth Doctor's TARDIS!  Your best bet in finding the photos would be to search "new tardis" on Facebook, which doesn't seem to be subject to the same corporate copyright pressure as Twitter. It is likely the other photos can be found on Facebook as well. The http://www.doctorwhotv.co.uk website has the photos in one of its posts under a spoiler tag.

The first photo shows the Doctor in the blue-shirt version of her costume inside the TARDIS, showing the entrance. This still is probably from late in Episode 1. Rather than the TARDIS doors opening directly into the console room, the entrance is three-dimensional with the two interior police box walls flanking the door visible from the inside. Only the wall of the police box facing the interior is missing, except the edges and the top with the "POLICE PUBLIC CALL BOX" sign. So the TARDIS has a police box vestibule of sorts. This would explain why it was unnecessary to have a flat photo of the interior just inside the prop door during location filming.

The interior wall near the door is beige with circles within large hexagons. The circles each have two concave-curved tri-"spokes", one overlapping the other. It is not a regular pattern, however, with some of the hexagonal units seeming to merge in places and intertwine in a somewhat organic fashion. This design is also three-dimensional with an alcove leading to the police box portion with and opening with angled edges formed by the hexagons.

Another photo showed more of the TARDIS interior from the outside through the doors. The doors open inward. Four director's chairs face the opening to the TARDIS console set with the names, "JODIE", "MANDIP", "BRAD" and "TOSIN". Black curtains conceal some of the undressed set exterior. Though the door, crew can be seen working on the interior. The hexagonal motif continues on the floor and light red walls with blue and purple hexagons. Some of the hexagons in the floor light up to a warm white. The rotor platform consists of two concentric circles forming steps going up. The step-rings are rimmed in black with white Gallifreyan symbols. I don't think the rotor was visible through the doors because of the camera angle, some of the crew standing in the way or because the set was unfinished.

Another Episode 1 publicity shot shows the Doctor in the Twelfth Doctor's costume in front of the the large cranes at HTC Crane in Sheffield lit up at night. It is labeled from a November 21 album.

I can place only some of the photos in episodes or filming blocks.

One character photo of a young, asian woman in a tan shirt and black trousers from the episode in the finale block which involves hostages. Part of this finale block episode was filmed in the Tredegar area. I've previously blogged about it.

Another photo is a still from Block 3 filming in Sheffield on February 13 at the tram bridge. It is essentially this scene from a different angle. Tanya Fear is the guest star in this photo.
There are two photos of a young, red-haired man. One of the photos is a character shot in side view of him pregnant! Yes, a Doctor Who episode with a pregnant man! The character photo shows the man in an olive green jacket with many round black and sliver patches, blown, baggy knickers, brown tights, tan socks and hiking boots. The second photo is a still of the same man smiling while looking down at an infant swaddled in a gray quilted blanket in his arms. He appears to be in a hospital setting in a white t-shirt with one of the black/silver patches and a blue hospital gown.

There are three recognizable guest stars in the photos: Julie Hesmondhalgh, Mark Addy and Claudia Jessie. I cannot place any of them in any specific episodes.

Julie Hesmondhalgh is pictured in a production still in what looks like a vast storage facility. Her hair is short and blonde. She is wearing black-rimmed glasses and a grey shiny blouse and grey blazer of the types I would describe as futuristic. She is looking very businesslike holding a white tablet.

Mark Addy's character is dressed in tan and brown rugged clothing with a jacket, chaps, boots and lots of straps. He is holding a rectangular, hand-held instrument. He is pictured in two stills walking in a rocky setting (probably filmed in a quarry) with Graham, the Doctor, Yasmin and Ryan. The Doctor holds a translucent, white, irregularly-shaped object. There appear to be the ruins of a crashed flying vehicle in one of the photos somewhat resembling turbo engines.

Claudia Jessie is pictured in a character portrait wearing a white, long-sleeved shirt, black trousers and an open purple vest with three grey strips, vertical on the shoulders and horizontal at waist and hip.

Three of the photos show the Doctor in her costume with the burgundy shirt she wears in Episode 3. I think the Doctor wears this shirt for more than one episode. One photo is a character portrait of the Doctor walking. The second shows the Doctor with her companions at night surrounded by mounds of scrap metal. This is possibly from Episode 7 filming at HTC Crane in Sheffield. (There was definitely some Episode 1 filming at this location with the thirteenth Doctor in the twelfth Doctor's costume with her three companions plus Graham's wife, Mary played by Sharon D. Clarke.) The third photo is from the same episode as the second photo. It is a still of the Doctor, her companions and an unknown dark-haired actress dressed in a white, sleeveless futuristic outfit with trousers. All five people look down a white, circular corridor with astonished expressions on their faces. There is a damaged panel with dangling wires just behind the Doctor.

Some photos I can't place:

A still of the Doctor in a blue shirt with the companions in costumes I can't find in any other stills or video. They all look astonished as they peer down from a metal railing. In the background is a white wall with a large, circular doorway. Behind them on the wall through the doorway is a circular object with an unfamiliar (yet strangely somewhat familiar) red and black geometric design. It's possible this is a placeholder graphic for something which will be added to the photo later. I am unsure.

A still from an album titled "Dr Who Rumble" showing two men, one in a red tank top and another in a chef's uniform with raised fists about to engage each other. Graham can be spotted in the background.

Last, but not least, is a photo of Graham from an unknown episode. Graham is in a dark hallway lit by wall lamps. He his holding a copper-colored spherical object approximately a half meter in diameter which somewhat resembles the hovering security cameras in Silence in the Library, only more utilitarian and not quite so Art Deco.

That's it for the photo descriptions. A tantalizing glimpse into Series 11.


Tuesday, July 24, 2018

More filming Photos from South Africa

Production Assistant Tash Montlake was thrilled to be involved in Doctor Who filming in the Cape Town area of South Africa. There are multiple photos on this one Instagram post.
"The cast & the crew were so sweet to me, I can’t even begin to explain. When Jodie found out I was a fan of the show she made sure I had a selfie and a proper photo with her in costume. I didn’t even ask, she absolutely insisted. I love her for that so very much. I learnt the most badass things about the Dr. Who universe. Everything from the finer details to The Doctor’s costume to playing with the brand new Sonic. This season is steeped in references from the old and still making it feel new & relevant and I cannot wait to watch it." 
Story time: Since my buddies have done a panel at SDCC I can finally share a couple photos from a set that makes me miss my job so deeply it hurts. Everyone knows how much I love a good sci-fi and being British born you could imagine how much I nearly DIED when I got invited to work on @bbcdoctorwho it was honestly, without question the most special job I have ever done. The whole experience reminded me that this is what I came to this little blue green planet for. This industry is not just a job for me, being able to make shows & movies I love has always been a crazy dream. I have to constantly remind myself that this is actually happening in real life. The cast & the crew were so sweet to me, I can’t even begin to explain. When Jodie found out I was a fan of the show she made sure I had a selfie and a proper photo with her in costume. I didn’t even ask, she absolutely insisted. I love her for that so very much. I learnt the most badass things about the Dr. Who universe. Everything from the finer details to The Doctor’s costume to playing with the brand new Sonic. This season is steeped in references from the old and still making it feel new & relevant and I cannot wait to watch it. As soon as it’s revealed, I’ll share my photo of the TARDIS, it’s such a goodie. Jodie Whittaker will forever be my doctor 😍
A post shared by tashmontlake (@tashmontlake) on

Here's what can we learn from her post:

There was some filming in Ottery, a suburb of Cape Town on January 12.

The filming at the Kimberley Hotel on January 14 involved the new sonic screwdriver.

The filming in Greenmarket square (cobblestones) on January 18 was for Scene 55 of  Episode 3, the episode which features the Montgomery, Alabama bus boycott. You can see Jodie Whittaker in the variation of the Doctor's costume with the burgundy shirt.

Friday, July 20, 2018

Series 11 Trailer Breakdown by Episode/Filming Block

First, the new Doctor Who Series 11 Trailer:


Block 1, Episodes 1 and 7:

Episode 1:

The Doctor in a cave


The Doctor, startled, rising abruptly.


These two scenes are believed to be of the Doctor constructing her new sonic screwdriver. Note she is still wearing the twelfth Doctor's vest and shirt. Some photos from this scene of the Doctor constructing the sonic screwdriver were leaked.

Chris Chibnall had this to say about the new sonic screwdriver at San Diego Comic Con:
"There's a very specific way this Doctor comes by this sonic screwdriver." 
"It's made out of some interesting components which you'll find out about in Episode 1."

Block 2, Episodes 2 and 3

Episode 2:

This episode features aliens in a desolate landscape, likely another world. These scenes were filmed at Macassar Beach Pavilion, an abandoned water park near Cape Town, South Africa.

The Doctor, Graham, Yasmin and Ryan climb a sandy slope with some ruins.

Graham, Yamin, Ryan and the Doctor look out on the ocean from some ruins.

Here are two scenes which contain the actor Shaun Dooley which I believe are from the same episode.

Episode 3:

An episode set during the 1955 Montgomery, Alabama Bus Boycott and the events with Rosa Parks which led up to it. This episode also features scenes filmed in South Africa, mostly in Cape Town. Note the Doctor's costume variation, a burgundy shirt instead of navy blue.



Block 3, Episodes 4 and 6:

This is the block which contained the much-covered filming in Gosport and Sheffield in February. Alan Cumming is playing Kings James the First in one of the episodes which features witches in the 17th Century. The other episode features at least one spider but it is unclear whether the episode is about spiders.

I can tell this still is from Block 3 because Tosin Cole and Bradley Walsh are wearing the same costumes from the Sheffield filming photos.

Block 4, Episodes 5 and 8:

Not enough is known about this filming block to place any stills from the trailer.


Block 5, Episodes 9 and 10:

Some of the filming from this block took place in Granada Province, Andalucia, Spain.

There were local horse riders hired for scenes for the Spain filming. Note one of the them holds a gun.

The rest of the stills I cannot yet place:


These scenes were likely filmed in a quarry. 



This may be from Block 1 filming in a forest on November 16.




Monday, July 16, 2018

Series 11 News from Radio Times Magazine

A new issue of Radio Times cam out this week with Jodie Whittaker on the cover.

This is what Chris Chibnall has to say about casting her as the Doctor:
"I felt the time was right for a female Doctor – I felt the audience were really ready for it. I think if we hadn't done it, we would have been really behind the world – and Doctor Who has to be out front leading the world, showcasing all the amazing things out there. So it was never a question in my mind. It was time."
"The 13th Doctor is incredibly warm, funny, energetic, inclusive – she's the greatest friend you could wish to have as your guide around the universe."
 Jodie Whittaker added:
"And now it isn't just attainable for half the population. The Other half can be the Doctor as well. Girls will no longer just think, 'Oh I can be the companion.' Being the first female Doctor and showing children that their heroes in shows don't always look the same is a huge honor for me."
"The pressure on any actor coming into the role – man or woman – is huge because they're big boots to fill. And for me, there's been 12 pairs of boots."
Bradley Walsh, Mandip Gill and Tosin Cole are interviewed as well. The interviews were recent because they were nearing the end of Series 11 filming after nine months of filming, which began in November.

There is a new photo of Graham in a fish and chips shop with a fictional newspaper in his hands called the Sheffield Advertiser. It's the same restaurant set as seen in the teaser which was just released.

Radio Times is officially scheduled to hit newsstands and digital editions Tuesday, July 17.

New Teaser Released

BBC Studios released a new teaser featuring Ryan Sinclair, Yasmin Khan Graham and the thirteenth Doctor.

None of the scenes appear to be from any Series 11 episode.

Each of the three companions have their own experience simultaneously, evidenced by the same panel show on the television in all three scenes. There are glimpses of the Doctor before she appears; a hand reaching for Ryan's food, her coat glimpsed in the room where Yasmin and her friends are eating pizza and her feet in the diner where Graham is eating.

Before she shows up at the end of the clip, the Doctor employs her time skills to replace an empty pizza box in Yasmin's hands with a the same box before the pizza was eaten and changes the Sheffield Advertiser newspaper Graham is reading to a 1981 issue of Beano.


If you look carefully, you can spot Doctor Who crew member Lauren Pate, listed on Linkedin as a Floor Runner, playing Yasmin's friend sheepishly eating the last piece of pizza. Pate also had a brief speaking role in the Series 10 episode Oxygen, playing a St. Luke's University student at one of the Doctor's lectures.


Saturday, July 14, 2018

Another "Leak"

This web page, was deleted. It's from a merchandiser selling a calendar by Danilo, a company licenced to sell Doctor Who merchandise.

I do not know why the web page was taken down but I can venture to guess that perhaps they did not yet have permission to post the images of the calendar or offer it for sale.

Hence, we have another "leak", although it would likely be more accurate to call it an early, unauthorized posting of merchandise images.

The images on the website contained character portraits of the Doctor and her companions, Graham, Yasmin Khan and Ryan Sinclair.


Friday, July 13, 2018

New Series 11 Information and Photos from Entertainment Weekly Magazine

Photo by Simon Ridgeway

Photo by Sophie Mutevelian


This next photo is from South Africa filming. Note the photo credit given to the South African photographer, Coco Van Oppens.


Photo by Giles Keyte

Note each of the production stills are by a different photographer, which suggests that a unique stills photographer was employed for each filming block, which would mean they are not from the same episodes. The change of costume for the companions would suggest this as well.


Series 11 Information from the Issue

The thirteenth Doctor's costume has some "hidden attributes" yet to be revealed which will "delight longtime Whovians".

Chris Chibnall said casting Jodie Whittaker "was the easiest decision I made in my whole career" because "She was just so compelling."

Graham is a "regular bloke from London who's ended up living in the north of England and gets taken away on this journey," according to Bradley Walsh. "It's like Jodie is Captain Kirk and we're the rest of the guys on the bridge. I'm like, Lieutenant Uhura."

Jodie Whittaker said the TARDIS rejected the Doctor, kicking her out at the the of Twice Upon a Time.

Whittaker was interviewed by the magazine five months into filming, sometime in March, so likely during the third filming block.

After a set visit during the filming of a scene, the thirteenth Doctor is described as "excitable and ebullient" and Mandip Gill describes her as having "a similar energy to Matt Smith's Doctor. Very high energy."

Jodie Whittaker herself describes her Doctor as "hopeful and fizzing with wonder." "This Doctor goes in all sorts of directions but essentially, I think the big theme is hope." "There are no rules, and it's liberating. But it's equally terrifying."

Thursday, July 12, 2018

Filming on Newton Beach in Porthcawl July 12


Curiously, all the information I could find about the filming is from Facebook posts. All I could gather was that they are filming a wintery scene and one of the props is a large monolith with strange markings. This is possibly Christmas special filming or, as one of the Facebook posts mentioned, a promotional short. The trouble with asking the crew for information about what they are filming is that you can't always get a straight answer. One person was told they are filming there two days.


This person claims the crew told him they are filming for two days.





Wales Online briefly covered the filming and shared the video below.



There were even actors on location.

And here is one more Facebook post I found which shows the monolith being filmed with a strange tent and another actor.



Monday, July 9, 2018

Will There Be Filming the Work Week of July 16-20?

With few exceptions, the Doctor Who film crew typically works Monday trough Friday of any given week.

The week of July 16 to 20 coincides with San Diego Comic Con.

The BBC America Doctor Who panel is scheduled for Thursday, July 19,  at 11:45 a.m. Jodie Whittaker, Tosin Cole, Mandip Gill, showrunner Chris Chibnall and executive producer Matt Strevens will feature on the panel.

To be able to join an early morning panel in San Diego, the panelists will need to fly into San Diego Wednesday, July 18, at the latest.

Jodie Whittaker is scheduled scheduled to join the Entertainment Weekly's Women Who Kick Ass panel at SDCC at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 21, which means that Whittaker will remain in San Diego at least until late Saturday or early Sunday morning.

So the only two days of the typical work week available for filming that week are Monday and Tuesday, July 16 and 17.

The question remains, will the cast and crew take the entire week off?

Update: that question has been answered by this tweet:

And this tweet:
It looks as if Jodie Whittaker probably headed to San Diego on Monday, July 16. In any case, if she is at an airport for a flight, she is unavailable for filming.

Also of interest, will they commence filming the unannounced Christmas Special directed by Wayne Yip after the convention?

Wayne Yip was spotted at Roath Lock Studios in Cardiff on June 18 so the preparations are well underway.

Perhaps we will get more answers about the production schedule at the convention, though Chris Chibnall has not been forthcoming with production news.

A production news update written by Chris Chibnall is planned for the following week in Doctor Who Magazine #528, though exclusive news is now difficult to come by in the magazine since Chris Chibnall became showrunner so it's possible that Chris Chibnall's column will only reiterate any news he divulged at San Diego Comic Con. Doctor Who Magazine also promises a Series 11 update which will hopefully contain some exclusive news and photos. It would be a shame if the publication were relegated to reiterating news already announced through other official sources.


Thursday, July 5, 2018

Doctor Who Christmas Special is in the Works with a Familiar Director

After months of rampant speculation and debate that either there would be no Doctor Who Christmas special or that the Christmas special would be filmed as part of the ten Series 11 episodes, I'm happy to report that there will be an additional filming block for the Christmas special directed by Wayne Yip.
Wayne Yip directed two episodes of the Doctor Who spinoff Class before directing two episodes of Doctor Who, Series 10, Empress of Mars and The Lie of the Land.

Wednesday, June 27, 2018

Seres 11 Composer Announced

Segun Akinola will score Series 11
“The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire alumni will provide an exciting and emotional score beckoning in a new era for the show, including a fresh take on the legendary theme tune.”

Showrunner Chris Chibnall said:
“Welcome to the Doctor Who family, Segun Akinola! We’re over the moon Segun's agreed to join us, to provide the score for the next phase of the Doctor Who adventure. From our very first conversations, it was obvious Segun was a passionate, collaborative and delightful human being as well as a fantastic and bold composer. We’re looking forward to introducing the world to his exciting and emotional soundtracks for the Thirteenth Doctor.”

And Akinola said:
“Doctor Who is woven into the fabric of British culture and recognised globally. I am absolutely thrilled to be given the privilege of working on such a beloved series and to bring my musical voice to it.”
Segun Akinola's Blog 

Some examples of his work

Monday, June 25, 2018

Series 11 Video and Photos Leaked SPOILERS!

I will not post the leaked content on this page but I will describe it.

A video clip leaked of a scene which takes place on a train a half an hour after the Doctor regenerated. The Doctor, Yasmin and Ryan are present, walking through the train. Yasmin is PC Kahn of the Hallamshire Police, Yaz to her friends. Hallamshire is an historic district in the City of Sheffield. Ryan's last name is Sinclair.

The train is a potential crime scene and the driver's window was broken.

The Doctor is surprised to be called Ma'am, despite having briefly glimpsed her own reflection before she fell out of the TARDIS. Somehow this did not make her gender apparent, or perhaps it's post-regeneration confusion. In fact, she can't yet remember her own name.

That's all I dare to describe and, I assure you, the clip is a lot funnier and exciting than I have described.

There are also two photos of the Thirteenth Doctor in dark, "steampunk" goggles with what appears to be her new sonic screwdriver.

This material can be found on the @JoshBinns5 Twitter account, though I suspect the account will be suspended shortly.

There is a backstory to the leaks. At least one person received the materials in a Twitter DM from someone who claimed to be a BBC employee. The alleged BBC employee has now deleted that account and all traces of communication from it.

UPDATE June 27:

I think by now most people who wanted to see the leaked material have seen it.

Someone on Twitter said that on Tuesday, June 19 they were shown the leaked materials.

Based on what this person saw in the photos which contain images of the new sonic screwdriver, they created their own drawings of the device which have also been making to rounds. Some people profess astonishment that this fan-created artwork is also subject to removal due to copyright issues but I believe this is in line with ownership of the actual design the drawings were taken from.

About the photos featuring the new Sonic screwdriver; it's obvious these were stills taken from another clip, probably a clip which is also in the possession of the person who shared the train clip.

It is my opinion and guess that the train clip and another one featuring the new sonic screwdriver reveal are intended to be shown at San Diego Comic Con. I'll explain.

The train clip shows the Doctor a half hour after her regeneration and introduces Yasmin and Ryan by first and last name. It is my guess that this clip will be shown right before Jodie Whittaker, Mandip Gill and Tosin Cole take the stage for the Doctor Who Panel at San Diego Comic Con.

I also think that, at some point during the panel, the clip featuring the Doctor with her new sonic screwdriver will be shown after which the prop will be revealed on stage. This is a great way to promote new merchandise and I wouldn't be surprised if toys or replicas based on the new sonic screwdriver are offered for sale shortly after San Diego Comic Con.

A post shared by Rubbertoeprops (@rubbertoeprops) on

I have further reason to believe the leaked materials are intended for San Diego Comic Con. To be fair to Beth Axford of the Doctor Who Magazine Time Team, she claims no inside knowledge. On June 25, she said, "Wait a few weeks. It's not long now." The San Diego Comic Con Doctor Who panel will likely occur on Sunday, July 22.


You can judge for yourself the logic behind this claim. Series 11 won't premiere until October.


I'm not the only one who believes the clips are intended for San Diego Comic Con.


UPDATE July 2:

On Friday, June 29, the BBC requested a clerk at the California federal court issue a subpoena to Tapatalk to identify the leaker. It is not known why they suspect the leaked material was distributed via Tapatalk.

Tapatalk is primarily designed as a convenient way to access forums, yet my first encounter with the leak was via a YouTube video which was brought to my attention on Twitter. I'm told the forum in question is Reddit. I'll update this blog again if I find out more.

SECOND UPDATE July 2:

BBC News had more to say about the leak:
"It is understood the unfinished clip had temporary music and had not gone through the process which determines the final visual look of the scene. 
That may help investigators identify the part of the production chain where the leak originated before it was uploaded to Tapatalk.
It also appears that a small number of individuals on a different online platform, Discord, which is often used by gaming communities, had seen and discussed the short scene almost a week before it leaked publicly. 
BBC Studios moved quickly to ensure the Tapatalk link was disabled and to remove the clip from social media platforms and video sharing sites. 
Some fans online have speculated that the BBC may have planned to show a finished version of the clip at San Diego Comic-Con."
That last part is interesting. The writer of the news piece, Lizo Mzimba, BBC News entertainment correspondent, often knows in advance when and where news and publicity will break but cannot reveal the information due to news embargoes.

Also, I've been told the forum name of the leaker on Discord:


THIRD UPDATE August 7 

BBC Studios has now made two attempts to discover the identity of the leaker.

In July, BBC Studios filed an application with the California Federal Court to compel the owners of Tapatalk, a platform which facilitates access to multiple online forums, to release information on the Tapatalk account which uploaded the leaked materials.

Now, in August, BBC Studios has filed a subpoena in Seattle, Washington to the headquarters of Microsoft to release information on the the owner of a Microsoft OneDrive account which had the leaked clip uploaded onto it. The information came from TorrentFreak. The article also states the footage in question was stolen from the studio.

So what do we know about this leaker? The leaker is likely a male member of the Doctor Who production team.

If the footage leaked from the studio, it likely originated from someone on the production team. Someone on Twitter stated that they were shown the clip by a person who told them that he was a BBC employee. I assume this was via Twitter DM since the person stated the leaker has since blocked them. The Twitter person also referred to the person who shared the clip with him as "the guy" and "he".

The Twitter person has not yet been questioned as part of the investigation. I wonder if the investigative team really knows what they are doing if they are only attempting to follow the digital trail to find the leaker.

FOURTH UPDATE August 9


The Radio Times has a bit more information about the investigation.

According to their sources, it seems the BBC Studios investigation will will now include questioning of people who claimed prior knowledge of the leak on social media.
"We understand that BBC Studios is currently determined to track down various figures who indicated on social media that they had received the leaked material prior to its wider circulation earlier this year…"
Their sources also claim that Tapatalk and Microsoft are fully cooperating with the court orders.
"At the moment, it’s difficult for the BBC to prevent further leaks without knowing the original source of the material, or how much material was taken, so the legal application – which sources say is an entirely amicable process between the BBC, Microsoft and TapaTalk and a fairly standard procedure that has to be enacted due to privacy laws – is their best shot at keeping the new series under wraps and protecting the BBC’s IP."

FIFTH UPDATE August 10


It would seem BBC Studios believes it has come closer to finding the individuals responsible, or at least their contact(s), having targeted two Twitter accounts, @Vortexia and @MrWhelan101, according to the World Intellectual Property Review.
"The BBC filed its subpoena against Twitter at the US District Court for the Northern District of California on Friday, August 3"
"The BBC asked for any personal information held by Twitter on two of its users, including address, internet protocol location, and date of birth. The users are identified as Vortexia and Mr Whelan 101."

Both Twitter accounts have responded with statements after I tweeted them:
Well, that's interesting. The account I mentioned was @Vortexia and I received a response from and account called @VortexiaTweets, which has now deleted all the tweets on its account.