The BBCi website is launching a special competition to accompany the launch details of the upcoming webcast, The Scream of the Shalka. The website states:

From today, you can leave a message on our competition telephone line. Whoever leaves the wittiest messages in response to the Doctor’s greeting before the end of November will win some unique mementos of this ground-breaking animation.

For example, we’ve prepared a prototype life-size figure of the new animated Doctor, as played by Richard E. Grant, and unless we give away the whole Cult office, we think that’ll be the biggest prize we can possibly offer.

To enter, phone 0870 787 4040 and leave your message for the Doctor. Please note – and this may seem obvious, but it’s really important – you’ll need to leave your own name and a contact number clearly along with your entry. This is so that we can get back to you if we think you’re the funniest. Your contact details will not be used for any other purpose.

As with all our competitions, please note that only UK residents can enter. But for a bonus, anyone entering will get to hear Richard E. Grant speaking as the Doctor.

So start dialing already! :-)

I’ve just added about 90 new Doctor Who pictures to the “Gallery” section of the site. Almost all of them are from “The Curse Of The Fatal Death” and are, pretty much, the entire storyboard of REG’s involvement in the episode.

Two of the pics though are from the upcoming animated webcast “The Scream Of The Shalka” – Including a very cool full-length shot of Richard’s “Doctor Who Number Nine” persona. I thank Elliot T. for passing this one on to me.

Incidentely Jenna informs me that the latest Starburst special issue (number 58) is on sale now and is a Doctor Who special issue. There’s quite a lot of talk about Richard and quite a few nice pictures of him too. They certainly seem to think he should be the official 9th Doctor, and lavish praise on his performance in “The Curse Of The Fatal Death”. There’s also lots of stuff for the Paul McGann fans among us.

October 2003

Roy Zetisky has been shooting non-stop throughout the African winter and has recently directed commercials for some major brands including Coca Cola for Lowe Scanad, Ravensburger Games for Germany, Bell Lager for Lowe Uganda and CBA Bank for Ayton Y&R. Roy has also just shot the new Aids Awareness commercial, starring Richard E Grant and the Chimpanzee Ruby.

You can view the commercial below.

BBCi Website – Thursday 23rd October, 2003

Further details of our special anniversary full-animated story featuring Richard E Grant.

It’s not only cats that have nine lives… Doctor Who is back! As the cult series prepares to celebrate its 40th birthday, Richard E Grant, star of films such as Withnail And I, Jack And Sarah and Bram Stoker’s Dracula, steps out of the TARDIS as the ninth incarnation of the Doctor – only on BBCi.

The new, animated Doctor Who series, Scream Of The Shalka, premieres on BBCi on Thursday 13th November.

Grant, who is joined by an all-star cast including Sir Derek Jacobi, Sophie Okonedo and Diana Quick, describes his interpretation of the much-loved Time Lord as ‘something of a Sherlock Holmes in space’.

The six-part drama, animated by Cosgrove Hall and posted on BBCi at lunchtime on Thursdays, follows hot on the heels of the success of previous BBCi web dramas, including Shada, a lost Doctor Who script written by the late Douglas Adams, and the Prix Europa-nominated Ghosts Of Albion, starring Leslie Phillips, written by Amber Benson (who plays Tara in Buffy The Vampire Slayer).

Scream Of The Shalka has been scripted by established TV writer Paul Cornell, who has worked on series including BBC One’s Casualty and has written a number of science fiction novels.

BBCi’s Martin Trickey says: “We are delighted to be able to bring another fantastic series of Doctor Who to a whole new generation of people. Broadcasting the series via the BBCi website means that people can watch it whenever they want to, so they’ll never have to miss a minute!”

The series begins as an unexplained meteor crashes into the side of a New Zealand volcano, unleashing the snake-like Shalka, an alien species with a deadly scream.

Thousands of miles away in a Lancashire town, the TARDIS materialises on a Saturday night. The streets are empty, the pubs are deserted and random, unexplained pools of lava keep appearing on the ground.

Time isn’t on the Doctor’s side and neither, it seems, are the town’s inhabitants – with the possible exception of feisty barmaid Alison. When the TARDIS disappears in a pool of lava and the Doctor and Alison are confronted by the hunting Shalka, it seems that there’s just no way out.

I’ve added another 20 or so more pictures to the Gallery/Pictures section of the site. Most of them are from Withnail And I, but there’s also a few miscellaneous & promo shots that were sent to me by Sue W. and a couple of “strays” from St. Ives (All For Love) and Henry And June. I’ll add a few more from REG’s various Doctor Who appearances over the next day or two.

Linda B. has informed me that – for all U.S. based fans – it looks like PBS is planning to rebroadcast Hound Of The Baskervilles this Sunday (Oct. 26) on Masterpiece Theatre. It will probably air at 9 p.m. but better check your local listing just in case. Also showing on TV soon (in the U.S>) are Bram Stoker’s Dracula, The Little Vampire and Warlock. Must be Halloweenie time – can ya tell?

Meanwhile Rosemary from the U.K. adds that on the UK Sky TV schedules next week there are 4 REG films to look forward to – The Player, Hildegarde, The Age Of Innocence, and Bram Stoker’s Dracula.