With thanks to BBC DVD.

With 12.11 million UK viewers gorging themselves on Matt Smith's DOCTOR WHO - A CHRISTMAS CAROL fans may like to re-live the adventure courtesy of BBC DVD.

It is released on 24 January (both on DVD £13.27 and BLU-RAY £16.33) as a single-disc issue that includes the accompaning DOCTOR WHO CONFIDENTIAL and DOCTOR WHO AT THE PROMS 2010.

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE: It's the deepest part of winter, the exact midpoint, Christmas Eve - half way out of the dark. Amy and Rory are trapped on a stricken space liner that's plummeting through banks of thick icy fog to the surface of the planet below. Only one man has the power to save them; only one man is in possession of a machine that can clear the fog and let them land safely. That man is Kazran Sardick, a rich but lonely old miser who rules Sardicktown with a sky-mast of iron.

The Doctor's only chance of rescuing the ship's four thousand passengers is to save Kazran's soul and show him that life is worth living. For this he needs to go back, way back, to when Kazran was a boy with a life full of promise. But can the Doctor put a song in Kazran's heart and love in his life, in time for Christmas? Can he bring him out of the dark?

Starring alongside Matt Smith as the Doctor, Karen Gillan as Amy Pond, and Arthur Darvill as Rory Williams, A Christmas Carol also stars singing sensation Katherine Jenkins in her first acting role and British acting stalwart Michael Gambon.

With thanks to BBC DVD.

BBC DVD will be publishing William Hartnell's four-parter, DOCTOR WHO - THE ARK on 14 February 2011 as a single-disc issue.

The preview disc (called a "testmold") has been received and will be reviewed shortly. The final sleeve is shown (left, bottom).

Materialising in what appears to be a jungle on Earth, the Doctor, Steven and Dodo soon realise that things are not what they seem: the sky is made of steel, and the jungle merely a colossal life chamber in a craft that has embarked on the most important expedition in the history of mankind.

It is ten million years in the future, and the Earth is soon to be engulfed by the Sun in a catastrophic explosion. A gigantic space ark has been launched, taking the last humans to a new life on the distant planet of Refusis, serving the Guardians of Earth are the Monoids, mute reptilian aliens.

But the Ark's mission of deliverance is threatened by the arrival of the time travellers; Dodo inadvertently passes her cold to the Guardians - to them, it is a long-forgotten virus against which they have no defence. It is not long before people start to die and the TARDIS crew are on trial for their own lives.

DOCTOR WHO - THE ARK DVD review

The disc (RRP £19.99) contains a commentary with Peter Purves and its director, Michael Imison along with three documentaries.

• ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELLS (13' 14" minutes)
• ONE HIT WONDER (4' 33" minutes)
• RIVERSIDE STORY (20' 17" minutes)
• Additional content: COMING SOON trailer (MARA TALES), PHOTO GALLERY and INFORMATION TEXT

They may not (or may...) appearing in the forthcoming SERIES 6 and they may never again following the backlash from DOCTOR WHO fandom so here's an opportunity to own (cheapest we've been able to find) a fully remote controlled 13" RED DRONE DALEK from BOOTS.COM.

This fully functional radio controlled 13" Dr Who Dalek Drone includes a handset with 'Dual Stick' movement control, 10 Dalek phrases and exterminator gun sound effect, activated using the five button sound selector.

Reduced from £49.99 to £20.00 (limited stock) and with free UK pick-up from your local BOOTS store.

And a happy new year to you all.

We're back from the holiday period and site updates will commence shortly.

Ahead of finding that lump of coal and a satsuma that has seen better days in the toe of your stocking (you have got a stocking, haven't you?), there's nothing better than planning for the first 2011 releases from 2|entertain BBC DVD.

• REVISITATIONS 2 (THE SEEDS OF DEATH, CARNIVAL OF MONSTERS and RESURRECTION OF THE DALKES)
• MARA TALES (KINDA and SNAKEDANCE)
• THE ARK
• THE MUTANTS
• MEGLOS
• A CHRISTMAS CAROL (including a BLU RAY format)

Wishing you all a relaxing Christmastime and thank you for your support throughout 2010.

The RADIO TIMES photo shoot for last week's edition is online and shows Matt Smith striking a classic Pertweeian (well, it seems correct...) pose.

RADIO TIMES photo shoot

BBC PICTURES continue to issue promotional composite images for the forthcoming episode, DOCTOR WHO - A CRHISTMAS CAROL.

These images were embargoed until Saturday 18 December 2010.

The Press Review copies first 2011 DOCTOR WHO audiobooks from AUDIOGO have arrived.

These are Martin Day's DOCTOR WHO - THE JADE PYRAMID (06.01.2011) read by Matt Smith, and Nigel Robinson's CLASSIC SERIES unabridged novelisation of DOCTOR WHO - THE EDGE OF DESTRUCTION (01.01.2011) read by William Russell.

Reviews will be online shortly.

The Press Review copies of the January 2011 CLASSIC SERIES DVDs have been reviewed.

MEGLOS DVD - online now (updated - 01.12.2011)

THE MUTANTS DVD - online now (updated - 16.12.2011)

Win one of ten copies of THE MUTANTS on DVD

A fan has glimpsed an officially licensed Fourth Doctor version of the icon SONIC SCREWDRIVER. Thank you cyber-who for the email/photo.

Fans have voiced their disappointed that the recent CHARACTER OPTIONS manufactured toy, Third Doctor Sonic Screwdriver is not only £5.00 more expensive than the Eleventh Doctor's version but it does not feature the original sound effect as featured in the CLASSIC SERIES. "Sloppy design" as one fan commented to eyeofhorus.org.uk

It is hoped that this Fourth Doctor version has the Fourth Doctor sound effect.

16.12.2010

We are re-printing a list of forthcoming (TBC) action figures that we were emailed.

Two items on the list was "a classic sonic" (which eyeofhorus.org.uk has now seen) and a set (RESSURECTION OF THE DALEKS) that has been announced today by FORBIDDEN PLANET (link to product information). The latter set features a new "paint-finish" for the Fifth Doctor, a new Davros sculpt and two new dalek "paint-finish". Released on 17 January 2011 pre-order price £34.99.

Link to our FORBIDDEN PLANET page for more new products

Would anyone be surprised that all the items on the list are either (1) in development or (2) in manufacture? Thank you cyber-who for the email/photo.

• Sontaran Lynx with sontaran pod and 3rd Doctor
• Sontaran Styre with sontaran pod and 4th Doctor
• Genesis set with Davros, 4th Doctor and 2 daleks
• Destiny set with Davros, 4th Doctor and 2 daleks
• Revelation set with Davros, 6th Doctor and cream dalek and grey dalek
• CONFIRMED - Resurrection set with Davros, 5th doc, dalek supreme and dalek
• CONFIRMED - Peri and villain pack 1 (Sil)
• Peri and villain pack 2
  
  Or possibly a classic sonic IN PRODUCTION
  

Tucked away in the legendary CHRISTMAS RADIO TIMES (page 152) you'll discover that ITV's THIS MORNING SHOW will be broadcasting a feature from behind-the-scenes of DOCTOR WHO - A CHRISTMAS CAROL.

The six-minute segment will be shown on Thursday 23 December from 10:30. One for the diary.

The official BBC DVD CLASSIC SERIES TWITTER feed has published a "one the desk" image of the forthcoming (March/April 2011) release featuring the Fifth Doctor, DOCTOR WHO - MARA TALES (including KINDA and SNAKEDANCE).

BBC DVD CLASSIC SERIES TWITTER feed

The original FORBIDDEN PLANET London-based sci-fi retailer continues with their CHARACTER OPTIONS releases, and just in "the nick of time" - sorry for that - a new action figure set will be ready for delivery in time for Christmas Day.

The 11th. Doctor, the newly regenerated TARDIS and Amy Pond as the "kissogram" Police Officer version. £26.99 (SAVE £3.00).

This set is released on Monday 20 December 2010.

Link to our FORBIDDEN PLANET page for more products

From tomorrow, the free-to-enter competition to win one of ten copies of DOCTOR WHO - MEGLOS DVD will be open. There's a simple question to answer.

MEGLOS COMPETITION

MEGLOS DVD - online now (updated - 01.12.2011)

A new set of images from this year's Christmas Day episode, DOCTOR WHO - A CHRISTMAS CAROL are currently under "embargo" until Saturday morning (there are two images that are released today but we'll upload the complete set in one go).

We will have this online just after midnight but be warned they contain SPOILERS.

Today, the BBC PRESS OFFICE has released an official "press pack". Here's the details: SYNOPSIS SPOILERS.

It's the deepest part of winter, the exact midpoint, Christmas Eve - halfway out of the dark. Amy and Rory are trapped on a stricken space liner that's plummeting through banks of thick icy fog to the surface of the planet below.

Only one man has the power to save them; only one man is in possession of a machine that can clear the fog and let them land safely.

That man is Kazran Sardick, a rich but lonely old miser who rules Sardicktown with a sky-mast of iron.

The Doctor's only chance of rescuing the ship's four thousand passengers is to save Kazran's soul and show him that life is worth living. For this he needs to go back, way back, to when Kazran was a boy with a life full of promise.

But can the Doctor put a song in Kazran's heart and love in his life, in time for Christmas? Can he bring him out of the dark?

DOCTOR WHO - A CHRISTMAS CAROL episode guide

The original FORBIDDEN PLANET London-based sci-fi retailer continues with their CHARACTER OPTIONS exclusives with a CLASSIC SERIES set (£24.99) featuring Peri Brown and Sil as featured in VENGEANCE ON VAROS (1985).

This set is "limited edition" and is released on 7 December 2010.

Link to our FORBIDDEN PLANET page for more products

Information received from UNDERGROUND TOYS USA indicate that there will be more "limited edition" pack variations throughout 2011. The sets will include (TBC):

• THE TIME WARRIOR set - Sontaran Lynx with sontaran pod and 3rd Doctor
• THE SONTARAN EXPERIMENT set - Sontaran Styre with sontaran pod and 4th Doctor
• GENESIS OF THE DALEKS set - Davros, 4th Doctor and 2 daleks
• DESTINY OF THE DALEKS set - Davros, 4th Doctor and 2 daleks
• REVELATION OF THE DALEKS set - Davros, 6th Doctor and cream dalek and grey dalek
• RESSURECTION OF THE DALEKS set -Davros, 5th Doctor, dalek supreme and dalek
• ATTACK OF THE CYBERMEN set - Peri and cyberman

The new RADIO TIMES (for 11-17 December 2010) is out today.

Need we say more.

With the arrival of the preview discs for DOCTOR WHO - MEGLOS and the two-disc presentation of DOCTOR WHO - THE MUTANTS we could be mistaken that, with all the snow across the UK, it's Christmas Day.

We will have a review of these January 2011 releases shortly. Unfortunately, unlike other DOCTOR WHO non-official fan-made sites/blogs, we respect the copyright held by the BBC and will not host unapproved video content (such as the "Coming soon..." preview footage). Sorry.

MEGLOS DVD - online now (updated - 01.12.2011)

THE MUTANTS DVD - online now (updated - 16.12.2011)

BBC DVD has released a "draft sleeve" for SERIES 5's special episode, DOCTOR WHO - A CHRISTMAS CAROL.

This will be released on 24 January 2011 and includes the coverage from the DOCTOR WHO AT THE PROMS 2010.

RRP £12.99 with a pre-order from AMAZON.CO.UK at £9.69 (at 27.11.2010).