February 1st Happy Birthday Elizabeth!!

Today, the 1st February is Elizabeth Sladen's 61st Birthday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Early career

An only child, Sladen developed an interest in performing at an early age, beginning dance lessons when she was five and dancing in one production with the Royal Ballet. She eventually turned to acting, and after finishing grammar school, attended drama school for two years.

Following this, she began work at the Liverpool Playhouse repertory company as an assistant stage manager. Her first stage appearance was as a corpse. However, she was scolded for giggling on stage, thanks to a young actor, Brian Miller, whispering the words, "Respiration nil, Aston Villa two" in her ear while he was playing the doctor. Sladen was so good as an assistant stage manager that she did not get many acting roles, a problem she solved by deliberately making mistakes on several occasions. This got her told off again, but she started to get more on-stage roles.

Sladen eventually moved into weekly repertory work, travelling around to various locations in England. Sladen and Miller, now married, moved to Manchester, spending three years there. She appeared in numerous roles, most notably as Desdemona in Othello, her first appearance as a leading lady. She also got the odd part on Leeds Radio and Granada Television, eventually appearing as a barmaid in six episodes of the long-running soap opera Coronation Street. Sladen made her first, uncredited, screen appearance in 1964 in the film Ferry 'Cross The Mersey as an extra.

In 1972, Miller was appearing in a play that moved down to London and they had to move along with it. Sladen found city life a bit of an adjustment, but eventually adapted. Her first television role in London was as a terrorist in an episode of Doomwatch. This was followed by guest roles in Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em and Z-Cars.

Doctor Who

In 1973, Sladen joined the cast of Doctor Who as the show's enduring companion Sarah Jane Smith to Jon Pertwee's Doctor in The Time Warrior. She witnessed the third regeneration from Pertwee to Baker. She left at the end of the serial The Hand of Fear in 1976. 1981 Sladen reprised her role as Sarah Jane in the pilot K-9 & Co. This did not do so well due to a poor script. In 1983 Sladen appeared in the 20th anniversary special The Five Doctors. She reprised the role again in the 1993 Children In Need special Dimernsions In Time, and in the 1995 independently produced video Downtime alongside former co-star Nicholas Courtney as Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewert and Deborah Watling as Victoria Waterfield. This was her last on-screen appearance as Sarah Jane Smith until the 2006 Season 28 (Series 2) episode School Reunion, with David Tennant as the Doctor.

The Time Warrior

The Hand of Fear

The Sarah Jane Adventures

Christmas 2006 saw the Pilot episode of The Sarah Jane Adventures, which in 2007 became a fully fledged series and followed by a second series in 2008. A third is planned later in 2009. Elizabeth returned to Doctor Who in Season 30 (Series 4) in the final two of a three part finale - The Stolen Earth & Journey's End, which saw the return of our favourite baddie and Dalek creator DAVROS.

School Reunion

The Stolen Earth

Journey's End

New Wave of Classic WHO Figures

Forbidden Planet has released details on a new wave of Classic Series figures. These five figures are exclusive to Forbidden Planet.

This series includes two versions of the First and Second Doctors (one in colour and one in black & white), and a version of the Sixth Doctor in his all blue costume from BBCi's webcast "Real Time".

These figures are available now for pre-order and will be released in late July.

£24.99 for the above
£14.99

forbiddenplanet

New Monsters For POTD

The Tritovore are coming..................

The Doctor has had to do battle with a number of scary and frightening foes throughout his lifetime - the evil DALEKS, the emotionless CYBERMEN, through to the SEA DEVILS and the AUTONS, now he comes face-to-face with an unknown foe called the TRITOVORE - his scariest foe yet. A half man-half fly creature.

A set source said: "Scriptwriters are confident they'll make a huge impact. "Everyone remembers the Daleks and the Cyberman, but not a lot else if they're honest. "The Tritovore will change that. They are disgusting and will last long in the memory."

Apparently Russell T Davies is planning to pit the Doctor against the Tritovore in the remaining three specials. The source added: "Russell is telling everybody to expect some real surprises. He wants him to go out with a bang."

As yet there are no publicity pictures of the new foe.

(The Daily Mirror)

David Tennant To Host Comic Relief

At this year's Red Nose Day press launch, it was announced that David Tennant will be co-presenting the first hour of Comic Relief with Big Brother host Davina McColl.

In a pre-recorded video recording, David Tennant said,"It's a great honour for me. I remember the first Red Nose Day when I was in school, buying the tee shirt and everybody joining in, and then later at drama school, me and my mate Alan McCue formed a Proclaimers tribute act and went busking in Sauchiehall Street. We were rubbis, but we earned £65 in our lunch hour. The people of Glasgow are very generous."

Comic Relief will air on 13th March 2009 at 7pm

To donate or to take part, visit rednoseday.com

Smith makes first TV appearance since Dr Who announcement

Before entering the TARDIS as the eleventh Doctor Who, Matt Smith is set to try his hand at some detective work, starring alongside Casanova's Shaun Parkes in the new BBC drama Moses Jones.

Matt Smith plays hopeful detective DS Dan Twentyman in the drama, in which he and his senior partner DI Moses Jones (Shaun Parkes) investigate violent crimes across London.

"Moses Jones is a vibrant and atmospheric thriller set in the heart of London, which will capture the imagination of the BBC Two drama audience," explains BBC head of series and serials Kate Harwood.

The first episode, to be aired this Monday, sees the detectives investigating the murder of a man found mutilated and washed up on the banks of the Thames.

This appearance will mark Matt's first TV role following the revelation of his appointment as the next Doctor Who. The 26-year-old will replace David Tennant and take on the role of the eleventh Doctor in time for the fifth series since the series' reboot next year.

TV.com

Doctor Who: The Master's Metal Fob Watch

£69.99 Free Delivery (play.com/Gadgets)

• Limited edition - only 1000 pieces will be produced
• Supplied with certificate of authenticity signed by Derek Jacobi
• Watch is engraved with its edition number

Planet Of The Dead becomes Planet Of The Rewrite as a bust bus scuppers production...

Filming on the upcoming Doctor Who special, due to be screened in Spring, has been dealt such a severe blow that Russell T Davies is in the process of re-writing Planet of the Dead.

But why? It seems that a red double decker bus (integral to the plot) was shipped overseas (reportedly to Dubai) but was so badly damaged that the vehicle is now unusable for filming. This has forced the writer into some hasty re-writes of the script, co-written with Gareth Roberts.

Another red double-decker bus has been spotted cruising around the streets of Cardiff with David Tennant and Michelle Ryan on board. It is rumoured this bus transports its human passengers to an alien world. The story also stars comedian Lee Evans who revealed that his character, Malcolm, is a professor during an interview with Jonathan Ross.

Showrunner Russell T Davies is on record as saying that although this is the "Easter Special", there is no guarantee that Planet Of The Dead will be broadcast at that time; hence the use of "Spring" in the BBC press releases.

This is not the first time Doctor Who has faced problems with overseas production. During the filming of Fires Of Pompeii, some of the production crew arrived a day late due to border problems. Let's hope these current problems don't hinder the production of another excellent adventure for the Time Lord.

denofgeek.com

Noel Clarke Wants To Return To WHO

By Mayer Nissim

Noel Clarke has said that he would like to make a return to Doctor Who.

Clarke, who played Rose Tyler's boyfriend Mickey Smith, revealed that he would not mind joining Freema Agyeman in coming back to the show.

Agyeman is reportedly going to return as Martha Jones in one of the upcoming specials being screened this year.

Clarke told The Sun: "Who would turn down a return to Doctor Who? I love the show and have always supported it. I was there from day one when nobody was sure if it was going to be a hit.

"But the show moves on. Who knows? Whatever happens, happens."

He added that he will see if the programme writers "come knocking".

The actor-director recently told DS that he tries not to have an ego despite his recent Orange Rising Star BAFTA nomination.

digitaspy.co.uk

Martin Clunes - NO WHO

Martin Clunes was poised to become the NEW Doctor – but it is claimed he pulled out in a row over cash.

The Men Behaving Badly star had signed up for the Christmas special with producers wanting to give him the full-time job this year. But four days before filming, the deal is said to have collapsed as terms could not be agreed.

David Morrissey, 44, was cast instead at the last minute as a second Time Lord opposite David Tennant, 37.

Bosses were desperate for Clunes, 47, to fill Tennant’s shoes if the special episode had gone well. In the end, they chose the relatively unknown Matt Smith who was much cheaper to cast. However, Clune's agent has since denied that he dropped out over money disputes.

A source said: “Producers wanted Martin to take over Tennant’s job full-time and were desperate to see him in the Christmas episode.

They saw it as a trial for the main job but they found the whole casting process very frustrating.

“Talent comes at a price and the show could simply not afford Martin. It’s a shame as he would have been perfect.”

Clunes’s first ever job in TV was as Lon in Doctor Who - Snakedance in 1983 alongside Peter Davison as the Time Lord. Talking about the role on chat show Parkinson, Clunes joked: “I thought that I was brilliant.

mirror.co.uk

Torchwood: Children Of Earth Preview - Soon....

A sneak preview of the highly anticipated third series will be shown in New York next month - and it will be available on this site as soon as it's released!

The preview has been made for New York ComicCon 2009 - the second largest pop culture convention in America. The event will include a panel discussion with Eve Myles and director Euros Lyn in attendance.

Torchwood: Children of Earth finds the team embarking on a single action-packed adventure as they fight for the future of the human race against the fiercest force they have yet encountered.

"Torchwood face their toughest battle to date in this new series," says Russell T Davies. "This latest threat causes global shockwaves and the team has to fight with everything they've got to survive. Viewers are in for a real treat."

Torchwood: Children of Earth will air in America on the same day as the UK, meaning American audiences will have almost no lag time in seeing the series. Torchwood has garnered much media acclaim in America, including USA Today dubbing it "one of TV's most entertaining sci-fi romps," Los Angeles Times calling it "grown-up, dark, energetic" and TV Guide proclaiming, "If John Barrowman's Capt. Jack Harkness is the head of Torchwood, then Eve Myles' Gwen Cooper is the heart."

Martha's Return?

According to The SUN newspaper, Freema Agyeman is set to return to the world of Doctor Who for last time before Matt Smith takes over the control of the TARDIS.

But sources confirmed the Londoner will reprise Martha for the BBC1 hit later this year. An insider said: “Freema’s on board. It’s early days so it’s unclear what exactly Martha will be up to in the new show. Whatever happens it’s good news for Freema and shows that whatever friction there was between her and Who bosses has gone.”

New Planet of the Dead Filming Pics

Tennant's Tapes

As production begins on the four special episodes that will bring the Tenth Doctor's era to a close, David Tennant takes us behind the scenes of his first day back in Cardiff.

Planet of the Dead Update

Filming has begun on the first Doctor Who special of 2009 which will air at Easter. Confirmation of who will play the Doctor's companion in Planet of the Dead is ex Eastender's and Bionic Woman actress Michelle Ryan.

Ryan will play the mysterious Lady Christina de Souza. She is a big fan of Doctor Who and is excited to join David Tennant and the Doctor Who team.




Russell T Davies said, "Michelle is one of the most sought-after young actresses an the country and we are delighted to announced that she is joining the team. As always the script is being kept under wraps, however we can reveal that Lady Christina is a woman who comes with a mystgerious past that who's gonna have a huge impact on the Doctor."

One of Britain's best loved and biggest comedy stars, Lee Evans, will also be joining the cast playing a character called Malcolm, whose life becomes connected to the Doctor's under extraordinary circumstances.

Planet Of The Dead, written by Russell T Davies and Gareth Roberts, is currently in production and will be screened on BBC One in Spring 2009.

The producer is Tracie Simpson; Executive Producers are Julie Gardner and Russell T Davies. Doctor Who is produced by BBC Wales and is filmed in Cardiff.

Exclusive filming images of David Tennant & Michelle Ryan on a double decker bus in Cardiff

david-tennant.com/

Pictures below from Spoiler Tv