COWBRIDGE GOES WHO

 

Fans of Doctor Who can meet two leading authorities on the BBC TV show at an event hosted by the Cowbridge Book Festival on 25th September. Alastair Reynolds, author of the BBC’s Doctor Who: Harvest of Time and Andy Frankham-Allen, author of Companions: Fifty Years of Doctor Who Assistants and will both be there to discuss writing, the long running popular sci-fi series and sign copies of their books.

 
Alastair Reynolds is one of the world’s most renowned science fiction writers. Having won the British Science Fiction Award for his book Chasm City in 2001, the Doctor Who legacy was in more than capable hands when he turned his pen to Doctor Who. Harvest of Time transports readers back to the Jon Pertwee era, with UNIT, Jo, the Brigadier and the Master in full attendance. The story centres on the Sild as they escape confinement and threaten to rewrite history.

 

Andy Frankham-Allen has been a Doctor Who fan since his childhood and has relished the opportunity to write Companions in celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the series. The book follows the narrative of the series as seen through the eyes of the Doctor’s ever-faithful companions and features a foreword by Gary Russell.

 

Both authors will be discussing the show with the Comic Guru’s Kristian Barry. There will also be a charity raffle, where attendees will be able to win merchandise covering each Doctor (supplied by Candy Jar Books & The Comic Guru). These include signed Katy Manning and Deborah Watling photos, a copy of the Paul McGann TV Movie, Big Finish audios and comics, as well as signed copies of Companions: Fifty Years of Doctor Who Assistants. Tickets are available from www.cowbridgebookfestival.co.uk

 

The Cowbridge Book Festival hosts a number of literary events across the year raising money for Noah’s Arc and Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research.

A WHO-HEAVY NOVEMBER AHEAD!

Just when you thought the 50^th anniversary episode ‘The Day of the Doctor’ was enough in itself to get you excited, the BBC have announced an entire range of programmes to celebrate the show’s golden years.

For a start, ‘The Day of the Doctor’ will be as fans assumed it – a feature length episode lasting a tasty 75 minutes. But the man of the hour, Matt Smith, appears every bit as excited as the fans. He says: “The Day of the Doctor is nearly here! Hope you all enjoy. There’s lots more coming your way, as the countdown to the 50^th begins now.”

With the BBC already in full swing preparing for the occasion, an assortment of separate programmes is to be spread out across each channel, showcasing various aspects of the show’s past, present and future.

BBC Two will kick off the celebration with an hour long show hosted by Dr Brian Cox discussing the level of reality applied to Doctor Who. Is time-travel possible? Do aliens exist? How would TARDIS work in our world? For fans of any kind of science-fiction, this is an absolute must.

Continuing the festivity, BBC Two will also present ‘Me, You, and Doctor Who’ – an hour-long special of lifelong fan Matthew Sweet exploring the show’s historical significance and its place within the sci-fi genre. The show's position as a major force in British popular culture definitely doesn't seem to be waning then.

One of the more intriguing programmes however, is the dramatisation of the making of the programme itself, titled ‘An Adventure in Space and Time’. Written by Mark Gatiss and starring David Bradley, Brian Cox, Jessica Raine and Sacha Dhawan, it will tell the story of Sydney Newman and the rest of the crew as they take on the first steps towards the creation of Doctor Who.

CBBC will be making their own contribution through 12 Again – bringing an array of ‘super-fans’ together including Chris Johnson, Jon Culshaw, Tommy Knight, Warwick Davies, Neve Mcintosh, Dan Starkey, Louise Jameson and the 7^th Doctor himself, Sylvester McCoy. The programme's aim will be to explore the childhood memories of growing up with Who on the screen. How has it helped us shape our own thoughts on space, time and extraterrestrial light? Definitely one for the family.

BBC Three will also make their own contribution with Doctor Who: Monsters and Villains, a countdown of the country’s favourite Who monster.

Danny Cohen, Director of BBC Television, says “Doctor Who is a titan of British television and I’m incredibly proud to have it on the BBC. It’s an astonishing achievement for a drama to reach its 50^th anniversary. I’d like to thank every person – on both sides of the camera – who has been involved with its creative journey over so many years.”

With all this on offer, any Who fan will be hard-pressed to find something that quenches their thirst. With entertainment coming from all angles, 2013 will definitely be a year to remember for us Who-fans.

FIRST POSTER FOR DAY OF THE DOCTOR!

Now that we find ourselves closer to the 50th anniversary spectacular coming later this year, it comes as no surprise that any news Who-related is met with more excitement than ever. If you ever thought that the BBC were being too secretive in their talk of the programme, fear not, for they have answered. Find below the first of many posters to be released to celebrate the Doctor Who spectacular..

©BBC 2013

Certainly has the 'block-buster movie' feel about it.

Most notable element to this poster, is the announcement of the episode's title, 'Day of the Doctor'. However, attention should also be brought to the portion taken up by John Hurt's character - surrounded by an explosions of Daleks and repeated prints of the words 'Bad Wolf' - certainly makes you wonder what kind of connection the episode will have with the show's previous storylines. Now that we've caught the first visual tease of the episode, it's seems a safe thing to say that Matt Smith is certainly going to have a memorable exit episode. But more importantly, what do you think? Sound off in the comments below!

WHO COMES TO COMIC-CON!

If you were lucky enough to be in Cardiff over the weekend, chances are you may have noticed a slight increase in excitement coming from the Motorpoint Arena. Thanks to some dedicated fans, a few kind celebrities and the occasional Dalek, what you stumbled upon was none other than Cardiff Comic-Con 2013.

With a crowd of fans stretching all the way around the building as their favourite hero/villain/Doctor, enthusiasm was at a high from the very beginning. Within seconds, any passer-by would see Spiderman, Doctor Who and Darth Vader  in casual chatter and ready to enjoy the day - a day that was undeniably a success.

Yet even with its ridiculously diverse fanbase, Who still managed to have its own place in the hall, with celebrities and fans alike sharing their passion for the show in their own special way.

Attending stars from Who included Colin Baker, Frazer Hines, Kai Owen, Anthony Head, John Leeson, Mat Irvine and Laurie Goode, all of which were heavily involved in talking to the fans on a one-to-one basis.

Who was also the subject of many cosplayers, dressing as their favourite characters including the uncanny Matt Smith incarnation (found below) and a surprisingly original TARDIS-inspired gown.

The showdown we all want to see.

Candy Jar Books' own Terry Cooper also made his own appearance as everyone's favourite pirate, Captain Jack Sparrow. Having spent Sunday entirely in-character for 10 hours straight, he's certainly a performer worth admiring! Check out his official Facebook page here.

In hindsight, the two-day event was a wonderful way for fans to meet their heroes, as well as to celebrate an ever-growing source of imagination. After all, where else would we see Cybermen dancing with the Doctor if not our television screens?